Into the Promised Land Tour

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: 1 DAY PRE ARRIVAL IN CAIRO:

Due to the length of this journey, we recommend arriving in Cairo 1 day before the tour starts, with a Saturday Departure to arrive Sunday (Day 1). This will allow you to rest and adjust to the time difference so you will be refreshed for the beginning of the tour. We have negotiated an amazing package that includes an extra night at the hotel, breakfast, dinner, and transfer from the Cairo Airport to your hotel – all for a total of $165 per person in a double room or $285 for a single room in 2025.

DEPART FROM THE U.S.

• Our journey begins today as we depart on our flight to Egypt – the land of the Pharaohs. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your flight while you prepare yourself for a life-changing experience.

• Meals: On Board
•    Accommodation: On Board

“AHLAN WA SAHLAN” – WELCOME TO EGYPT, LAND OF PHARAOHS”

• Upon arrival in Cairo and after passport control, you will be met by our Cairo representative. A private transfer is included from the airport to your hotel. Our hotel is conveniently located only 1.5 miles away from one of the Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Giza.
• Check in at the hotel, unpack and rest. Dinner at the hotel.

• Meals: Dinner at Hotel
• Accommodation: Cairo, Steigenberger Pyramids
•   Arrival Transfer:  Complimentary

DISCOVERING EGYPT’S ANCIENT CIVILIZATION: PYRAMIDS / SPHINX / ENTER INSIDE THE GREAT PYRAMID / CAMEL RIDE / EGYPTIAN MUSEUM / OLD CAIRO / COPTIC CAIRO

• After breakfast we will start our first touring day in Egypt. Our first stop will be at the Pyramids of Giza. A visit to the 3 Giza Pyramids is on every world traveler’s must-see list. Cheops Pyramid, the largest of the three, was built in the 3rd dynasty about 2690 B.C. and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
• In front of the Pyramids of Chephren, we will find the colossal statue of the Great Sphinx, which has stood guard over the pyramids for more than 4,500 years. The Sphinx is carved from a single piece of stone. It is a lion with a Pharaoh’s head and is thought to be a portrait of the Pharaoh Chephren.
• We will visit the inside of the Pyramid of Khafre or Menkaure to discover the burial chamber. The burial chamber consists of an empty Sarcophagus (7.3 ft by 3.75 ft) with smooth walls and a polished ceiling. The floor is made with blocks of pink granite, which cover 50 sq meters.
• During our Pyramids visit you will have a chance to ride a camel near the pyramids (complimentary by AIT). This is your opportunity to have your postcard photo riding a camel with the pyramids on the background.
  Next we will drive into Old Cairo to explore the city’s cultural landmarks that span three millennium of Egyptian history.
• Discover the greatest collection of Pharaonic treasures in the world at the famous Egyptian Museum. See the unique collection of Pharaonic art, starting with the Old Kingdom Collection, on to the Middle and New Kingdom galleries and Greco-Roman periods as well as the famous Tutankhamun treasures.
• We will continue to Coptic Cairo, where we will visit the famous Suspended Church (Hanging Church), dating to the late 4th and early 5th century. This basilica was named “Al-Mu’allaqah” because it was built atop the south gate of the Fortress of Babylon.
• We will continue to the Church of St. Sergius, a 5th century Coptic Church. This basilica is built on the cave in which the Holy Family stayed and is regarded by visitors as a source of blessing.
  We will return to our hotel for dinner.
   

INTO THE WILDERNESS / TRACING THE ROUTE OF THE EXODUS: SINAI DESERT / MT. SINAI AREA / DINNER IN A BEDOUIN TENT

• After breakfast we will travel east, heading towards the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula and the Land of Goshen tracing the Route of the Biblical Exodus (Genesis16-18).
• We will cross the Suez Canal and then travel along the western Sinai coast to Wadi Feiran ( Rephidim ) where the children of Israel withstood the Amalekites before we head inland heading towards the granite mountains of Mt. Sinai.
• We check in at a hotel at the foot of Mt. Sinai for our dinner and overnight.
  This evening we will enjoy an authentic Bedouin dinner in a Bedouin tent.

*Please note: The options for accommodation in the remote area of Mt. Sinai are very limited. Although not equivalent in quality to the other hotels we use along this tour, the hotel we use is the best in the area.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Mt. Sinai, Morgen Land Village Hotel *
• Activity Level: .5 to 1 miles of walking per day – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

FROM MT. SINAI TO THE RED SEA AND THE MOUNTAINS OF EDOM: CLIMB MT. SINAI / MONASTERY OF ST. CATHERINE / TABA BORDER / CROSS TO JORDAN / AQABA

• At daybreak those who desire and are physically capable will depart for a memorable early ascent to Mt. Sinai, where they will walk in the footsteps of Moses and the devoted pilgrims who traveled this route centuries earlier. You may choose to ride a camel part way, stopping at one of the stations to take in the scenery along the climb to the summit. We should reach the summit just before dawn in time to witness its incredible sunrise and splendid views. We will enjoy a time of praise and unforgettable, breathtaking views of the Sinai Wilderness. As we read from the Book of Genesis we remember that this is the place where Moses met the Lord in the Burning Bush and where he received the Ten Commandments.
• Descending the mountain, we will return to the hotel to rejoin the rest of our group for breakfast. Alternatively, a boxed breakfast will be prepared for those who climbed Mt. Sinai
• We will visit St Catherine’s Monastery
• We will head towards the eastern shores of the Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea on our way north to the Taba Marine docks
• After passports formalities, we will enjoy a 50-minute-long ferry ride from Taba (Egypt) to Aqaba (Jordan) while we crossing the Red Sea.
• Upon arrival in Aqaba and after passports formalities, we will meet our Jordanian tour guide – Welcome to Jordan! A short drive from the port  (10 minutes) lays our amazing resort hotel on the shore of the Red Sea.
• We will check in at our 5 star resort hotel for dinner and overnight.
• Use the free evening to enjoy the hotel’s facilities or just rest, relax, and enjoy the Red Sea and the tranquil town of Aqaba.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Kempinski Hotel, Aqaba
•   Fast Ferry Taba to Aqaba
• Activity Level: 4 to 6 miles of walking per day (for those climbing Mt Sinai)- might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

ENJOY A FREE DAY AT OUR AQABA RESORT. WE HIGHLY SUGGEST OUR OPTIONAL HALF DAY TOUR OF WADI RUM

• After breakfast enjoy a free day at our resort hotel. Get some rest and enjoy the resort’s facilities and beach.

EXPLORING THE NABATEAN TREASURE CITY OF PETRA: VISIT PETRA

• Drive along the King’s Highway to Wadi Musa before entering into Petra, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.
  Explore Petra and see “The Treasury”, the field of tombs, the obelisks, the altar, and more.
• Drive to our resort hotel on the shore of the Dead Sea where you will be able to enjoy a relaxing evening. We will stay overnight in the Marriot Dead Sea Resort.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Dead Sea Marriott Resort & Spa
• Activity Level: 2 to 3 miles of walking per day – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

CROSSING TO ISRAEL – INTO THE PROMISED LAND: MADABA / MT. NEBO / CROSS TO ISRAEL / JERICHO / OLD JAFFA / TEL AVIV

• After breakfast we will head to the biblical town of Madaba. Madaba is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics and for its Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. Here we will view the earliest original map of the Holy Land.
• We will continue to the biblical Mt. Nebo, from which Moses viewed the Promised Land. Mt. Nebo, believed to be the site of the tomb of Moses, commands a spectacular view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea.
• We will drive by Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where John the Baptist is purported to have baptized Jesus, and cross to Israel via the Allenby Bridge to meet our Israeli tour guide.
• Passing by Jericho will arrive in Tel Aviv – Israel’ largest and most modern city.
• We will check in at the Herods Hotel, conveniently located in the heart of Tel Aviv, on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea.
• After dinner, enjoy an optional free escorted night tour to Old Jaffa with your expert tour guide: For those who would like to explore Old Town Jaffa at night, meet with your tour guide after dinner. After a short walk on the famous Tel Aviv sidewalk, we will arrive in Jaffa and walk through the narrow passages of Old Jaffa, believed to be the oldest port city in the world. See the amazing St. Peter Church at night and take in a spectacular view of the Tel Aviv Shoreline from Jaffa’s Hilltop. Peter came to Joppa (modern day Jaffa) from Lydda to raise Tabitha (Dorcas) from the dead (Acts 9:36-42). While in Jaffa, the apostle stayed at the house of Simon the Tanner. The Church of St. Peter marks the traditional site of Peter’s vision of the great sheet.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Tel Aviv, Herods Hotel
• Activity Level: 1.5 to 2 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways
• EVENING ACTIVITY:                                                                                                                                                                                                                           After dinner, we will meet our tour guide for an evening tour of Jaffa, the oldest port city in the world. Here you will see St. Peter’s Church and enjoy a view of the Tel Aviv Shoreline from Jaffa’s Hilltop.

TEL AVIV / COASTAL PLAINS / CAESAREA / MT. CARMEL / MEGIDDO / NAZARETH / SEA OF GALILEE / TIBERIAS

• Enjoy a relaxing drive along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
  Visit Caesarea Maritima, the center of early Christianity.
• Stop at Mount Carmel (Muhraka), where Elijah challenged the false prophets.
  See Tel Megiddo and the Valley of Armageddon, the site where the Battle of Armageddon will be fought according to Revelation 16:16.
• Take in a view of Nazareth from Mt. Precipice, where it is believed to have been the site of the rejection of Jesus.
• Visit Jesus’ boyhood town of Nazareth and the Church of the Annunciation, the traditional location of the angel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary.
• Drive by Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding feast.
  Our drive will end at our hotel on the Sea of Galilee in Tiberias.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Sea of Galilee, Leonardo Plaza Tiberias or Magdala Tiberias
• Activity Level:  2.5 to 3.2 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

SAIL ON THE SEA OF GALILEE / JESUS BOAT / GOLAN HEIGHTS / UPPER GALILEE / CAESAREA PHILIPPI / MOUNT OF BEATITUDES / TABGHA / CAPERNAUM

• Board a wooden boat and sail on the Sea of Galilee before visiting the “Ancient Jesus Boat” – the remains of a 2,000 year old fishing boat that would have been the type used by Jesus’ apostles.
• Visit the Banias Spring in ancient Caesaria Philippi.
• Visit Magdala, best known as the home of Mary Magdalene. Walk through the ruins of a first century Jewish town where a synagogue from the time of Christ’s ministry was found.
• Visit the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount of Matthew 5:8.
• Drive up to the beautiful Golan Heights.
• See Tagbha, where Jesus fed the 5,000 with only five loaves of bread and 2 fish. Here you will visit the Church of Multiplication and enjoy its remarkable 4th century Byzantine mosaic floor.
• End the day by visiting the 2,000 year old remains at Capernaum and stand in the synagogue remains, where Jesus ministered.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Sea of Galilee, Leonardo Plaza Tiberias or Magdala Tiberias
• Activity Level:  3 to 3.4 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

• Visit the baptismal site of Yardenit. The site on the River Jordan, where it is believed that the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist took place. For those who would like to be baptized today, a white robe can be obtained for $15 per person.
• Enjoy travelling in the Beit She’an Valley and visit the archaeological site of Beit Shean, which is now protected as an Israeli National Park.
• Drive through the Jordanian Valley
• Relax and float in the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Dead Sea, Herods Hotel or Isrotel/Nevo Hotel
• Activity Level: 2.4 to 3 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

JORDAN RIVER BAPTISM:

Take the opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River (required donation of $15).

FREE AFTERNOON TO ENJOY THE DEAD SEA:

Optional mud, mineral and spa treatments at our 5 star Herods Hotel, Dead Sea

• Climb by cable car to the mountaintop stronghold of Masada and explore the ancient sites while learning about the Jewish rebellion against the Romans.
• Enjoy a view of the oasis of Ein Gedi where David wrote many of his Psalms as he hid from Saul.
• Visit the ancient Essene Community of Qumran where the ancient biblical texts known as the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947.
• Ascend to Jerusalem – the holy city if Zion.
• Visit Bethlehem, to see the Church of the Nativity and Shepherd’s Field

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner 
• Accommodation: Jerusalem, Leonardo Plaza or Herbert Samuel
• Activity Level: 3 to 3.5 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

EVENING ACTIVITY:

Optional Sound and Light Spectacular on Jerusalem Old City wall.

NOTE:

* Please be advised that Bethlehem is administered by the Palestinian Authority and it is not part of the State of Israel, therefore a passport is required to enter Bethlehem. Due to an increase in tourists visiting the region, please expect long lines to visit the Grotto. If you wish not to visit Bethlehem and remain in Jerusalem during that time, please advise your tour guide at least 1 day in advance.

• Stand on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and reflect on the Lord’s ascension into heaven. Pass by Pater Noster Church and Dominus Flevit.
• Take the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane.
• Explore the Old City of Jerusalem via the Dung Gate.
• Visit The Davidson Center Museum and the Southern Temple Mount archaeological excavations.
• Visit the Western Wall also known as the Wailing Wall and surrounding Plaza in the Jewish quarter, including Robinson’s Arch.
• Visit the Tomb of King David and the Upper Room on Mt. Zion.
• End the day with a visit to St. Peter of Galicantu commemorating Christ’s prophesy that Peter would deny him three times before the cock crows. Galli-cantu means cockcrow in Latin.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Jerusalem, Leonardo Plaza or Herbert Samuel 
• Activity Level: 2.5 to 3 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways.

• Enter the Christian Quarter of the Old City via the Lion’s Gate and walk along the Via Dolorosa, also known as the Stations of the Cross, which is the route that Jesus walked from the prison to the crucifixion.
• Along the way you will visit:
  • The Judgment Hall of Pilate.
  • St. Anne’s Church and the Pool of Bethesda.
  • Take time for reflection at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, traditionally marked as the place of Golgotha – the site of the crucifixion.
• Walk through the historic Christian & Jewish quarters of the Old City. Take a break and shop at the bazaars.
• Celebrate the resurrection with prayer and communion at the Garden Tomb.
• Meet together to say goodbye at our conclusion meeting and farewell dinner!

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Jerusalem, Leonardo Plaza or Herbert Samuel
• Activity Level:  3 to 3.4 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

• Check-out and store your luggage by noon.
• Enjoy a free day in Jerusalem. Attend church service, shop, dine or revisit any of your favorite sites.
• Return to the hotel in the early evening to gather your luggage for our departure transfer back to the airport.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast         
•    Accommodation: On Board                                                                       
•  Departure Transfer – Complimentary – Bus arrives at TLV Airport at 8:00pm (for flights departing Tel Aviv Sunday night 10:30pm-1:30am).

RECOMMENDED SITES FOR YOUR FREE DAY EXPLORATION:

The Western Wall Tunnels, Friends of Zion Heritage Center, the Israel Museum (Holy Land Model / Shrine of the Book) & the City of David, Yad Vashem Holocaust museum.

If you would like to visit any of these sites, please ask the host or tour guide.

PLEASE NOTE:
Complimentary departure transfer from Jerusalem to the airport is provided at the end of the tour on Sunday evening for those taking night flights.

The sequence of your sightseeing may be subject to ground condition and tour guide recommendation.

• Today you will arrive back and start planning your next trip to the Holy Land…