trip of a lifetime
Israel 2000 with Jordan & Egypt

itinerary

israel - part 1
jordan
israel - part 2
egypt

Day 1 Tue Jan 11
USA Departure
Be at the Los Angeles Airport 2 hours prior to departure for security and check-in procedures. Hot meals and inflight entertainment are per airline policies.

Day 2 Wed Jan 12
Arrive Tel Aviv
Region: Coast of Sharon
Change aircraft in Italy for the flight to Tel Aviv. Upon arrival proceed into customs. Meet your guide outside the airport terminal and transfer to your hotel at Herzlia. It is possible the hotel will provide a small snack.
hotel: Dan Accadia Hotel

Day 3 Thu Jan 13
To Sea of Galilee
Region: Coast of Sharon, Jezreel Valley, Sea of Galilee
Visit Caesarea Maritima (Acts 10, Peter encounters Cornelius) to view the Crusader Fortress, the Roman aqueducts, Roman theater, and the stadium. Proceed to Muhraqa on Mt. Carmel (Elijah encounters the prophets of Baal), and continue to Megiddo (site of the Armadeddon of Rev 16). Proceed to Nazareth to visit the Church of the Annunciation and the synagogue. Also visit Mary's Well at the Greek Orthodox church. Continue to Sea of Galilee for seaside lodging.
hotel: Tiberias Plaza Hotel

Day 4 Fri Jan 14
Sea Circle Trip
Region: Sea of Galilee
Depart for a brief visit at Sepphoris, the capital city of Galilee during Jesus' lifetime. Return to the sea and Kfar Haruv for an unobstructed view of the Sea of Galilee. Continue past Kourci ("demons into the swine") to Bethsaida, home of Peter, Philip, Andrew. Visit the Mt. of Beatitudes (Mt. 5-7). Descend to seaside Tabgha. Visit Capernaum, the synagogue and Peter's house. Lunch on St. Peter's fish. Sail the sea in the Jesus Fishing Boat. Weather permitting, visit Mt. Arbel for an overview of the base of Jesus' operations at Galilee.
hotel: Tiberias Plaza Hotel

Day 5 Sat Jan 15
To Upper Jordan
Region: Upper Jordan, Sea of Galilee
Pass Hazor (ancient crossroads) and arrive Tel Dan. Walk through the Nature Preserve beside the roaring Jordan River. View the High Place of Jereboam. Proceed to Banias (Caesarea Philippi), Peter's confession of Christ. Depart for the Nimrod Crusader Castle and an interior visit. Continue via Quentira to view the Syrian Border.

Day 6 Sun Jan 16
To Jerash, Amman
Region: Gilead, Ammon
Depart for Tel Beth-shean, an important crossroads of the Bible. Ascend the tel to consider the demise of Israel's first king, Saul. View the "Disneyland" excavations of Scythopolis, a Decapolis city. Continue via the new Sheik Hussein crossing into Jordan. Visit the ruins of Jerash. Pass the Jabbok River site to consider where Jacob wrestled the angel of God. Arrive Amman and time permitting view the old city.
hotel: Grand Forte Hotel

Day 7 Mon Jan 17
Excusion to Petra
Region: Ammon, Edom, Moab
Visit Mr. Nebo for a view of the Promised Land. Return to the Dester Highway to Madeba to view the Byzantine map of the Jerusalem Cardo. Continue to Ein Musa. View Mt. Horeb in the distance. Arrive Petra and walk for 2 1/2 miles via the Siq to the ruins of the Rose City, Nabataean ruins. Dinner and lodging will be at Petra.
hotel: Movenpick Hotel

Day 8 Tue Jan 18
Journey to Eliat
Region: Ammon, Jerusalem
Depart for Aqabah and the Aravah Border crossing into Israel and Eliat. Visit the Eliat Underwater Observatory with the balance of the day at leisure. At 4:00 pm depart for the oasis hotel lodging near Masada (about 2 hours trip). Lodging tonight is beside the Dead Sea.
hotel: Dead Sea Hyatt

Day 9 Wed Jan 19
Masada, Jerusalem
Region: Judean Wilderness, Dead Sea
Visit the legendary ruins of Masada. Ascend the fortress by cable car. View the ruins of the Zealot's last stand against Roman forces, including the seige ramp and the synagogue. View the Dead Sea and continue to Ein Gedi (David and Saul). Walk the path to the waterfall. Depart for Jericho and a brief visit to the OT tell. Ascend the Roman Road (the Wadi Qilt), reference for Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan. View the cliffside St. George's Monastery. Continue to an ancient welcome at Jerusalem.
hotel: Jerusalem Hilton

Day 10 Thu Jan 20
Jerusalem, Bethlehem
Region: Jerusalem, Judean Hills
Visit the Mt. of Olives for orientation to Jerusalem's Old City. Walk the Palm Sunday route to the Garden of Gethsemane. Visit the Western Wall (Bar Mitzvahs today!) Enter the Ophel Ridge. View the Herodian pavement, the Temple foundation and the Temple steps where we know Jesus walked and taught (Lk. 19-21). Depart for the Judean Hills and Bethlehem. Visit the shepherds' fields, the Church of the Nativity, and take time for olivewood shopping before returning to Jerusalem.
hotel: Jerusalem Hilton

Day 11 Fri Jan 21
Jerusalem Sightseeing
Region: Jerusalem
Enter the Western Wall Tunnels (subject to a time confirmation). Ascend the Temple Mount to veiw the Dome of the Rock. Visit St. Anne's Crusader Church (hymn-sing?), the Pools of Bethesda. Walk into the Jewish Quarter. Enter the Wohl Archaeology Museum for the underground ruins of Upper Jerusalem. Visit the Israeli Museum to view biblical archaeology artifacts: the Davidic inscription from Tel Dan, the ivory pomegranate from Solomon's Temple, the ossuary of Caiaphas. Visit the Shrine of the Book. Visit the scae model of Herodian Jerusalem and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial.
hotel: Jerusalem Hilton

Day 12 Sat Jan 22
Wilderness Tour
Region: Judean Wilderness
Depart Jerusalem in an open safari truck and enter the wilderness. Pass encampments of Bedouin nomads and continue to Jebel el Muntar (the "scapegoat" mountain). View the cliff-side Mar Saba Monastery. Consider Jesus and John the Baptist in the wilderness (Mk. 4, Lk. 4). A picnic lunch is included and time for personal meditation in the wilderness. Descend to Qumran to view the caves. Return to Jerusalem. Some Bible scholars note that 70% of Bible narratives involve the wilderness.
hotel: Jerusalem Hilton
NOTE: Today is Fr. Randall's 65th birthday.

Day 13 Sun Jan 23
Jerusalem Sunday
Region: Jerusalem
Worship this morning in the St. George's Cathedral. Balance of the day is at leisure for personal interests in Jerusalem.
hotel: Jerusalem Hilton

Day 14 Mon Jan 24
Fly to Cairo
Region: Jerusalem, Lower Egypt
Depart Jerusalem late morning for the Joppa area. Lunch will be arranged in the area with some leisure for shopping. Late afternoon transfer to Tel Aviv for the evening dinner flight to Cairo. Upon arrival you will be transfered to your Cairo hotel.
hotel: Mena House

Day 15 Tue Jan 25
Cairo Sightseeing
Region: Lower Egypt
Visit the Pyramids of Giza (Cheops). Ride a camel to the Sphinx ($3 tip handy for the trip's end!). Continue to a papyrus factory. Depart for Cairo's Old City past the City of the Dead. This afternoon explore two galleries fo the King Tut exhibit, in addition to other ancient artifacts of Egyptian culture at the Museum of Antiquities. Return to your hotel for dinner.
hotel: Mena House

Day 16 Wed Jan 26
Luxor Sightseeing
Region: Upper Egypt
Depart early morning for the flight to Luxor. Transfer to a coach and depart for the Valley of Thebes. Visit the tombs of pharaohs of the golden age of Egypt (3 tombs, additional fee for Tut tomb). Proceed to the funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Ammon. This afternoon visit the extraordinary Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor (once connected). Proceed to your Luxor hotel for dinner.
hotel: Movenpick Hotel

Day 17 Thu Jan 27
Light & Sound Show
Region: Upper Egypt
Today is a special morning of leisure beside the legendary Nile River. This afternoon fly to Cairo for dinner. Tonight the group will attend the "Light & Sound Show" at the Giza Pyramids.
hotel: Mena House

Day 18 Fri Jan 28
Memphis & Saqqara
Region: Lower Egypt
Depart this morning for Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt. Continue to Saqqara to view the Step Pyramid, the oldest in Egypt (funerary tempt for King Djoser). Return to Cairo for a visit to the Coptic Christian sites: the old hanging church, the church with a Jewish genizra, the Coptic Museum, and the round Roman pillars. Balance of the day is at leisure for personal interests.
hotel: Mena House

Day 19 Sat Jan 29
Departure for USA
Transfer to the Cairo Airport this morning for the return flights to the USA. Fly while reliving the experiences of having walked and learned the land of the Bible. Clear customs upon arrival at the USA.