10 Day Bible Land Pilgrimage - Israel & Jordan
Day 1 New York, NY USA Depart from the USA on overnight flight
to Amman. Dinner and breakfast will be served aboard.
Day 2 Amman Upon arrival we will be met and assisted
through custom, and drive to our hotel for dinner and overnight. (D)
Day 3 Amman/Petra/Amman Depart early for a full day trip to
Petra to explore, The Rose-red City". This site is now a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Petra is more than 2,000 years old. This place that dominated the trade
routes was completely lost to the west by the 16th century and remained that way
for 300 years. In 1812 it was "rediscovered". Petra is carved out of rock deep
inside a narrow gorge. We will see the Palace Tomb, Monastery, and Treasury to
name a few. The Apostle Paul studied here for three years and Herod the Great
came from this city. The movie Indiana Jones was filmed here. Return to Amman
for dinner and overnight (B,D)
Day 4 Amman/Tiberias Today we start early and our
first stop will be to the Bethany Beyond Jordan Baptismal site than depart
Jordan for the Allenby Bridge and travel to Galilee. Drive to ancient Roman
capital - Caesarea, built by Herod the Great in 22 B.C. Visit the Roman Theater,
the Aqueduct and Herodian Port. Continue up to Mt. Carmel, see the magnificent
panoramic view. Visit Muchraka, the location of Elijah's altar during his
confrontation with the false prophets of Baal. Continue via the Valley of
Armageddon to the excavation at Tel Megiddo. Continue up the mountains of the
lower Galilee, to Nazareth to visit the Church of the Annunciation and Mary's
Well. Driving via Cana of Galilee, we reach Tiberias. Dinner and overnight in
Tiberias. (B,D)
Day 5 Tiberias Take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee
to Ginnosar where we visit the fishermen's boat found here and dated to Jesus'
time, continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount. On
to Tabgha, site of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes and to Capernaum, the
city of Jesus and Peter, then cross the Jordan River to the land of Gaderenes.
Afternoon visit to Caesarea Philippi now called - Banias - one of the main
sources of the Jordan River. Return to Tiberias for dinner and overnight.
(B,D)
Day 6 Jerusalem This morning we drive to Kursi, site
of the Miracle of Demons and Swine, and from here up to the Golan heights to the
Peace Observatory for an impressive view of the Sea of Galilee. Continue to the
old Roman city of Beit Shean to visit the impressive ruins. Drive along the
Gilboa mountain range to Prophet Gideon's Spring and on to the Tel of Jesreel,
the location of Queen Jezebel's summer palace where we hear about the site's
intimate connection with Old Testament events. From here we venture south
towards the holy city of Jerusalem. Dinner & overnight in Jerusalem. (B,D)
Day 7 Jerusalem Today we will visit the Garden Tomb,
followed by an orientation beside Calvary. Travel to the Old City, through St.
Stephen's Gate to the Pool of Bethesda, the Chapel of the Flagellation, and the
Ecce Homo Arch. View the Gabbatha pavement then proceed to the Temple area and
Mt. Moriah to visit the Western Wall, the Ophel Archaeological park, where we
see the Pinnacle and visit the new visitors' center dedicated to research of the
Biblical Temple. Continue through the Bazaar to the last stations of the Via
Dolorosa and visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. After lunch, leave
Jerusalem. After stopping at the Inn of the "Good Samaritan", arrive at the
shores of the Dead Sea - the lowest point on earth. We drive along the Dead Sea
to Masada, the fortress where the Jewish Zealots held off the armies of the
Roman Empire before choosing suicide over surrender. Continue to Ein Gedi, where
King David found shelter from the wrath of King Saul. After lunch, we enjoy a
short "float" in the Dead Sea. Continue to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls
were discovered in 1947 in a cave and then return to Jerusalem for dinner and
overnight. (B,D)
Day 8 Jerusalem Drive to Mount Scopus to view the impressive
home of the Hebrew University. Then drive to the Mt. of Olives for an
outstanding view of Jerusalem. Visit the Chapel of the Ascension, Garden of
Gethsemane, and Church of All Nations. See the Kidron Valley and Tomb of
Absalom, Zechariah and James. We continue to Mount Zion, the Room of the Last
Supper, and King David's Tomb, and past the Knesset and the Israel Museum. Next
visit the recently constructed Model of Ancient Jerusalem. In the afternoon
drive to Bethlehem, we view the Shepherds' Fields and the Fields of Boaz and
Ruth. Visit the Church of the Nativity, the Milk Grotto and the cave of St.
Jerome. Dinner and overnight (B,D)
Day 9 Jerusalem/Amman Depart early for the Allenby bridge to
cross back into Jordan for a full day trip to the city of Jerash, known as the
Pompeii of the East. It is also known as the city of a thousand Pillars. We will
have time to walk around the ancient ruins, which included churches dating back
to the 4th century. As we leave Jerash we drive to Mount Nebo where Moses saw
the land of Caanan (the Promiseland) before dying continue to Madaba the city of
Mosaics. We return to the beautiful city of Amman driving past the King
Hussein's Sport City. We will spend some time to walk around the city to shop or
just enjoy the flavor of the city and its people. Dinner and overnight at our
hotel in Amman
Day 10 New York, NY - USA We start our way back to the USA
by transferring to the airport for our flight home, arriving the same
day.