Jordan & Israel

April 2 - 14, 2011

$4850
per person, double occupancy, land only

Sat 2 Apr: Welcome to Jordan! Upon our arrival at Queen Alia International Airport we will be met and assisted, then transfer to Amman for dinner and overnight.

Sun 3 Apr: After breakfast, we begin the day with a city tour of Amman. Amman, the capital of Jordan, offers both the old and new. See the Roman Amphitheater followed by the Citadel, the Archeological Museum, Folklore Museum, and the beautiful King Abdullah Mosque. Afterwards we will visit some of the desert castles to the east of Amman. In the 7th and 8th centuries the Umayyad Caliphs built the Muslim treasures known as the Desert Castle. These were originally hunting lodges, caravanserais, and fortresses, and we will see the variety of uses, learn about their history, and have time to explore 3 of the best sites. Return to Amman. Dinner will be at a local restaurant, and overnight at the hotel.

Mon 4 Apr: After breakfast, we will head north of Amman to visit Jerash. In Jerash we will see the ruins of one of the grandest Roman cities in the Middle East. Our tour of the site includes the Triumphal Arch, the Hippodrome, the Temple of Zeus, the Forum, the mile long street of Columns, the Nymphaeum, the Temple of Artemis and the Viaduct Church. The Amphitheater is still used for an arts festival and is remarkably well preserved. Our next stop will be the fortress of Ajlun. In Ajlun, above the city on the top of the hill you can see Al-Rabath Castle with its magnificent view of the Jordan Valley. It was an Arab defense fortress built in 1184 to defend against the Crusaders. Experience its warren of towers, chambers, galleries and hidden staircases, in its very well preserved condition. Return to Amman for dinner at a local restaurant, and overnight at our hotel.

Tues 5 Apr: After breakfast depart for Petra with sightseeing stops on the way. First visit Mount Nebo where you will have a panoramic view of the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, just as Moses did. Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land across the Jordan River, and the site has a monument to Moses as well as a more recent monument to commemorate Pope John Paul II visit in 2000. Continue on to the town of Madaba, known for its mosaic arts, to see the Church of St. George and the mosaic map of the Holy Land. Continue on to Kerak where you will visit the crusader fortress in the ancient land of Moab. The history during the Crusades of this fortress is filled with intrigue, treachery, and murder. But the history of this area goes back to the Iron Age and the ancient Nabateans. Continue to Petra for dinner and overnight.

Weds 6 Apr: After breakfast begin your exploration of Petra, the "Rose Red City." This incredible hidden city, inhabited by the ancient Nabateans, lay concealed from 100 AD until it was re-discovered in the early 1800's. Take a horse ride to the "Siq" (Canyon) entrance then walk the rest of the way through the narrow, winding cut in rocks into the valley. Your first glimpse of the magnificence of the place will be of the Treasury as you round the last bend on the pathway. The Treasury and the other buildings have been carved out of the canyon walls in the pink sandstone. Continue past the Roman Theatre, the Corinthian Tomb and the Palace Tomb. Dinner and overnight in Petra.

Thurs 7 Apr: After breakfast we will go to Wadi Rum for a 4 hour 4x4 jeep tour exploring the desert canyons, rock formations and more. The canyon, or wadi, is a nature preserve and has an abundance of desert flora and fauna, set in a landscape sometimes called the Valley of the Moon. Uniquely shaped massive mountains rise vertically out of the pink desert sand, which separate one dark mass from another in a magnificent desert scenery of strange breathtaking beauty, with towering cliffs of weathered stone. Wadi Rum is probably best known because of its connection with the enigmatic British officer T.E. Lawrence, who was based here during the Great Arab Revolt of 1917-18, and as the setting for the film that carried his name "Lawrence of Arabia". Afterwards we will drive to the Dead Sea for dinner and overnight.

Fri 8 Apr: After breakfast, visit Bethany on the Jordan River, the site of John the Baptist's settlement and where he baptized Jesus. Visit the archeological site then continue to the Sheikh Hussein bridge to cross into Israel. We will go through the customs formalities then be met by our Israeli guide. We will drive to Tiberias for dinner at a local restaurant and overnight.

Sat 9 Apr: We start the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee in wooden boats. A short drive will take us to Capernaum where we will visit the remains of the 2nd century synagogue. Continue on to Tabgha, the site of the Miracle of Fish and Bread, and visit the Church of Multiplication with its 4th century mosaic floor. Continue to Mount of the Beatitudes, the place where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Afterwards drive to the southern part of the Golan Heights and visit the "Shalom" observatory. End the day at Yardenit, the Baptismal site on the Jordan River. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Tiberias.

Sun 10 April: After breakfast leave the Sea of Galilee and drive to Acre to visit the ancient city with its Knights Halls and harbor. On to Israel's main port city of Haifa, for a panoramic view of the bay from atop Mount Carmel, followed by a visit to the Persian Gardens at the Bahai Temple. Continue to Caesarea, capital of Judea under the Romans. Visit the excavations of the ancient city, the Roman theatre and aqueduct. In the late afternoon continue to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Mon 11 April: This morning we start our tour of Old Jerusalem with a drive to the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view on the Old City, established by King David, and the New City. Continue via the Garden of Gethsemane to the Old City. Enter the walled city from Dung Gate and walk through the renewed Jewish Quarter to the Western Wall and the Temple Mount. Continue to the Via Dolorosa and visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Then visit the Cardo Maximus, the central street that was the main thoroughfare of Byzantine Jerusalem and served both residents and pilgrims. The shopping area was covered and protected the patrons from the sun and rain. Our last visit will be to the Jerusalem Citadel, known also as "The Tower of David". Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Jerusalem.

Tues 12 April: After breakfast we drive via the Judean Hills and along the shores of the Dead Sea to the Fortress of Massada (ascent & descent by cable car) overlooking the Dead Sea and cut off from civilization. This fortress-palace was built for the personal needs of King Herod who was worried that either the Jews or the Romans would try to overthrow him. In their war against the Romans the Jewish Zealots turned Masada into their final bastion. Continue north along the shores of the Dead Sea to Qumran to visit the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Before returning to Jerusalem, enjoy a dip in the Dead Sea. Return to Jerusalem for dinner at a local restaurant and overnight Jerusalem.

Weds 13 April: We will start the day with a drive through the neighborhoods of Jerusalem to Yad Vashem, the memorial for the Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Afterwards we will drive to the Israel Museum and visit the Shrine of the Book housing the Dead Sea Scrolls, amongst the oldest known copies of books of the Hebrew Bible and rare early medieval manuscripts of the Bible. Next visit the model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period then we continue to Bethlehem to visit the Church of Nativity. En route back to Jerusalem enjoy a panoramic view over the Old City from the Scherover promenade. Dinner will be at a local restaurant, and overnight in Jerusalem.

Thurs 14 April: Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv for your departure flight.

Single Supplement: $785