Archive for Palestine – Page 2

The Best of the Near East (14 Days)

by kathy
November 14th, 2012

The Highlights of the Levant and the Near East
Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Israel
A 14 –Day Adventure tour

Come and tour the 1001 Arabian Nights of the Near East. You will start with the throbbing capital of Egypt exploring key sites both within the city and nearby. Then it’s on to the old –new land of Luxor, the Ancient Capital of the first United Kingdom. Egypt was originally divided into two kingdoms, that was united by Ahmos I creating a United Kingdom in the Nile Valley.

Tour

DAY 1 – Monday – Weekly – Year Round – CAIRO – VIP Meet & Greet Service
Our representative greets you at Cairo airport and whisks you to your hotel. VIP Meet & Greet Service. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel. A welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastries await you in your room with our compliments.

DAY 2 –Tuesday Tour CAIRO – Tour Coptic Cairo – Home Hosted Dinner (BL)
We start with the best of Cairo: the Egyptian Museum, Manial Palace of the former Crown Prince Mohamed Ali, Citadel of Saladin and its Alabaster Mosque. After lunch, we walk the narrow streets of Old Cairo, once a Roman fort, later the Jewish Quarter, then the Coptic Christian Quarter. We visit the Coptic churches of Abu Serghius and Al Molaka, the Coptic Museum, and Ben Ezra synagogue. Finally, we wander through the alleys of Khan el –Khalili bazaar in search of souvenirs.

DAY 3 – Wednesday CAIRO (BL)
In the morning, we visit the majestic pyramids of Giza, the Valley Temple and the timeless Sphinx. Those who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid, to the King’s Chamber. Your ticket is included with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking a camel ride (included) is entirely your own choice!

After lunch we drive to Dahshour, the newly–opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit several ancient structures, including the great pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops.

DAY 4 – Thursday: LUXOR – CAIRO (BL)
We enjoy an early breakfast before we head for the airport and fly to Luxor, upon arrival your private guide will be waiting for you and then we we cross the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings and the Colossi of Memnon. After lunch in Luxor, we tour the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and visit the Sacred Lake. We have a quick look at the great temple of Amon Ra at Luxor on our way to the airport for our flight back to Cairo, and our hotel.

Day 5 – Friday – Cairo – Amman – Petra: (BL)
Fly to Amman, on to Petra: air ticket is included in our rate in economy class, tax included. Our local rep. meets you at the airport and assist with your visa, issued on a complimentary basis for American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, Korean, Singaporean & Japanese citizens, your passport must be valid and in order. From the airport in Amman: We proceed in your private air –conditioned vehicle and with your private English speaking guide to Petra, lunch is included enroute, finally we reach your hotel, check –in and overnight in Petra.

Day 6 – Saturday – Petra: (BL)
A full day tour of Jordan’s most famous site, the rose –red city of Petra. Venture through the Siq (the gorge between two towering mountains) until you reach the treasury which, like the most of the structures at Petra, is carved into the rose –red Nubian sandstone. In the afternoon, drive back to Amman and your hotel.

DAY 7 – Sunday Amman – Tel Aviv (BL)
After breakfast, our local rep. escorts you to the border for your drive to Tel Aviv and your hotel and overnight. Please make sure that you have your passport in order, valid for at least 6 month beyond your arrival date and with visa (if needed for Israel). Change of vehicles at the border, and on to Tel Aviv and your hotel, lunch is included enroute.

Day 8 – MONDAY – Tel Aviv – Beersheva – Arad – Massada – Jerusalem (BL)
Leave Tel Aviv – via Ashdod – Ashkelon – Beersheba. A short visit to the Negev capital. Continue via Arad to Massada. Ascend by cable car to the fortress, which was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations, Herod’s palaces, the synagogue, bathhouse, etc. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea. Descend for a possible “float” in the in the salty water of the world’s lowest place. Via Ein Gedi and Kalya, proceed to Jerusalem for overnight. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Video by UNESCO

Day 9 – TUESDAY – Jerusalem – sightseeing of the new city (BL)
Drive to Mt. Scopus for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. On to the Garden of Gethsemane and Church of the Agony. Drive to Mt. Zion for a visit to the tomb of King David, the Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey. Sightseeing in the new city including the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea scrolls, new Supreme Court bldg. Mt. Herzl. Then visit the model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Afternoon visit of the Hadassah medical center in the synagogue with Marc Chagall stained glass windows, then via Ein Karem (the birth place of John the Baptist). Return to Hotel. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 10 – WEDNESDAY – Jerusalem – (Old City) – Bethlehem (BL)
Walk through one of the Gates to the walled Old City: the renewed Jewish Quarter; the Western Wall, the “Tunnel”, the Temple area; the colorful bazaars; Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue to Bethlehem to visit Rachel’s Tomb and the Church of the Nativity and return to Jerusalem for overnight. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 11 – THURSDAY – Jericho – Tiberias – Galilee (BL)
Leave Jerusalem, driving via Bethany to Jericho*, the oldest city in the world. Visit the excavations and then continue northward via Jordan Valley and the new settlements to Beit Shean. After a short visit proceed to Tiberias, the old center of Jewish learning. Drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue. Continue to a Kibbutz hotel for overnight. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 12 – FRIDAY – Upper Galilee and Golan Heights – Nazareth (BL)
Drive to the Golan Heights. Visit the former Syrian fortifications, Birkat Ram, and the Druze villages, Via Banias, source of the Jordan River. Proceed via Kiryat Shmone and the Hula Valley to Safed, city of the Kabala, to visit synagogue and the artists’ colony and then to Nazareth to visit the Christian Holy Sites. Return to the Kibbutz hotel for overnight. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 13 – SATURDAY – Acre – Haifa – Tel Aviv (B)
After Breakfast drive west to Acre for a visit of the old, famous Crusader stronghold and medieval fortifications. Continue to Haifa, sightseeing tour of Haifa, including the Bahai Shrine, Persian Garden and Mount Carmel for a panoramic view of the city. Proceed southwards to Caesarea to visit the Roman theater and the Crusader fortress. Continue south for a short city tour of Tel Aviv –Jaffa and to hotel for overnight. Breakfast

DAY 14 – Sunday DEPARTURE (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. We’ll escort you to the airport to catch your homeward –bound flight. Salam! For crossing back into Jordan, please add: $ 150 per person for the private transfer to the border, change of cars, and then a Jordanian sedan will meet you at the border and continue on to Amman or Petra.

Rates per person in US:
Tourist class
(3 stars hotels)
First class
(4 stars hotels)
Deluxe
(5 stars hotels)
Triple
$ 4450
$ 5035
$ 6060
Double
$ 4584
$ 5154
$ 6191
Single
$ 6050
$ 6759
$ 7440

Prices include:

  • All ground transportation, including service between airport and hotels
  • Meals as indicated, with preset menu (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
  • Guided sightseeing with professional guide and all admission fees
  • Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges
  • Air fare Cairo Amman in economy class, tax included
  • Domestic air & sleeper train tickets in Egypt. Economy class, tax included
  • Visa fee for Jordan for American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, Korean, Singaporean & Japanese citizens, your passport must be valid
  • Visa for Egypt will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens, You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you  by private vehicle to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastries await you in your room with our compliments.

Not included:

  • Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
  • Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
  • Visa for Israel ( if /when needed)
Categories Egypt, Egypt_multi, IndianaJones_multi, Israel, Jordan, Multi, Palestine

The Splendor Of Israel And Palestine
(10 Day Private Tour)

by kathy
November 14th, 2012

Tour the Near East in your own private air-conditioned vehicle and private guide. Choose your own date. Though small in size, Israel looms large in the imagination of every traveler. See the very best of Israel in our fully-escorted 10-Day tour. Daily – Year round.

Tour

DAY 1 – TEL AVIV – JERUSALEM: Daily – Year Round- Choose Your own date – We suggest Thursday
Our local rep. meets you at the airport, assists with arrival formalities, and escorts you to your Jerusalem hotel. This is a private tour. Private Air-Conditioned Vehicle, private guide at all times, and you may choose your own dates. When you choose your own date, we may have to change tours/sites visits around to accommodate religious holidays and Sabbath.

DAY 2 – OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM – Friday (B)
Our visit to the Old City starts with a walk through the reconstructed Jewish Quarter. We’ll visit the newly excavated Cardo, a Roman promenade, and proceed to, passing bazaars where brassware, embroidered dresses and inlaid woodwork are on offer.

DAY 3 – JERUSALEM – Saturday (B)
We start our explorations of Jerusalem, holy city to Christians, Jews and Muslims, with a drive to the Mount of Olives, which offers panoramic views. We visit the Church of Pater Noster and the Chapel of the Ascension on our way to the Garden of Gethsemane. From the Garden, we enter Jerusalem’s walls to the Old City for a visit to the Western Wall. We follow in Jesus’ footsteps along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Video by GlobeTrotterAlpha

DAY 4 – JERUSALEM – Sunday (B)
Now that you’ve had a tour of the city, set out on your own to discover its charms: the narrow bazaar streets of the Old City, the cheerful cafés of New Jerusalem, and the broad boulevards surrounding the modern city.

DAY 5 – JERUSALEM – BETHLEHEM – Monday (B)
We start our tour at the scale model of Jerusalem as it appeared in Herod’s time, then go on to the Shrine of the Book to see the sacred Dead Sea Scrolls. Then it’s on to Ein Kerem and Bethlehem for a visit to the Church of the Nativity, stopping at the Shepherds’ Field, and Rachel’s Tomb on the way back to Jerusalem.

DAY 6 – BETHANY, DEAD SEA & MASADA – Tuesday (B)
We drive to Bethany and the site of the Good Samaritan’s inn, then continue through the Judean Hills down to the Dead Sea, below sea level. At Qumran, we see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We go on to the verdant oasis of Ein Gedi, and to Masada, where we ascend the natural fortress by cable car. We return to Jerusalem passing by fabled Jericho, the oldest city in the world.

DAY 7 – GOLAN, NAZARETH & GALILEE – Wednesday (B)
We drive north to Nazareth to see the Church of the Annunciation, built to shelter the grotto where Mary received the message that she would bear Jesus. Passing by Cana of Galilee, we reach Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee. We sail aboard the Lido to Tabgha, on the opposite shore, returning to Tiberias for the night.

DAY 8 – ACRE, HAIFA, TEL AVIV – JAFFA – Thursday (B)
Acre, the medieval fortress-city, was visited by Caesar, Richard the Lion-Hearted, and Napoleon. We follow in their footsteps along its ancient streets. Continuing our journey, we see the Baha’i Shrine and its Persian Gardens in Haifa, and the Roman amphitheater and Crusaders’ fortress in Caesarea. Then traveling along Tel Aviv’s bustling streets, we make our way to Jaffa (Joppa) to see its ancient port and the artists’ colony which has grown up around it. We spend the night in Tel Aviv.

DAY 9 – Tel Aviv – Friday (B)
Full day at leisure to explore Tel Aviv on your own.

DAY 10 – DEPARTURE – Saturday (B)
We’ll escort you to the airport to catch your homeward-bound flight. Salam & Shalom! Add Dubai and Egypt. For crossing into Jordan, please add: $ 150 per person for the private transfer to the border, change of cars, and then a Jordanian sedan will meet you at the border and continue on to Amman or Petra.

Rates per person in USD $
Sharing in: Deluxe Hotels First Class
Triple Occupancy US$ 3810 US$ 2950
 Double US$ 3990 US$ 3085
 Single US$ 5605 US$ 4805

High-season supplement: please add 20 % to the above rates during the following holidays:    

  • Passover
  • Shavuot (Pentecost) (first week in June)
  • The full month of July/August
  • Christmas – New Year: Dec 20- Jan 2
  • The Month of Oct: Yom Kippur, then Sukkot (Tabernacles)

International airfares are not included in these rates.
You may combine this tour with any of our tours to Jordan or Egypt for an even more memorable vacation.

Your tour includes:

  • Transfers from and to the airport
  • Accommodations according to the category chosen, including all taxes and service charges
  • Meals as listed: B: breakfast, L: preset menu lunch, D: Dinner
  • Fully escorted guided sightseeing in an air-conditioned bus or minibus
  • English-speaking guide
  • All entrance fees on sightseeing tours

Not included:

  • Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
  • Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
  • Gratuities to guide and driver: Suggested: $10 USD per person per day for the driver.
  • Suggested tips: For the guide: $10 Per person per full day & $5 per person for the driver for the full day.
  • Beverages
Categories Israel, Palestine

The Splendor of Israel and Palestine

by kathy
November 14th, 2012

A Private 9-Day Near East Tour


Though small in size, Israel and Palestine loom large in the imagination of every traveler. See the very best of Israel and Palestine in this Nine-day tour. Weekly Year Round.

Tour

DAY 1 – TEL AVIV  – Airport VIP Club Service 
While this is a private tour with a: Private Air-Conditioned Vehicle, private guide at all times, and you may choose your own dates, we do suggest – Friday – Weekly – Year Round. Our local rep. meets you at the airport airport, assists with arrival formalities, and escorts you to your Jerusalem hotel. When you choose your own date, we may have to change tours / sites visits around to accommodate religious holidays and Sabbath. Please click here for the group tour version.
VIP Club Airport Service upon arrival and departure at Tel Aviv Airport.

DAY 2 – JERUSALEM – Saturday (B,L)
We start our explorations of Jerusalem, holy city to Christians, Jews and Muslims, with a drive to the Mount of Olives, which offers panoramic views. We visit the Church of Pater Noster and the Chapel of the Ascension on our way to the Garden of Gethsemane. From the Garden, we enter Jerusalem’s walls to the Old City for a visit to the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock. We follow in Jesus’ footsteps along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Lunch is at a local restaurant (tea or coffee & one small bottled water is included for each guest).

Video by LogEntry Westminister

DAY 3 – JERUSALEM – Sunday (B,L)
Now that you’ve had a tour of the city, set out on your own to discover its charms: the narrow bazaar streets of the Old City, the cheerful cafés of New Jerusalem, and the broad boulevards surrounding the modern city. Lunch is at a local restaurant (tea or coffee & one small bottled water is included for each guest).

DAY 4 – JERUSALEM – BETHLEHEM- Monday (B,L)
We start our tour at the scale model of Jerusalem as it appeared in Herod’s time, then go on to the Shrine of the Book to see the sacred Dead Sea Scrolls. Then it’s on to Ein Kerem and Bethlehem for a visit to the Church of the Nativity, stopping at the Shepherds’ Field on the way back to Jerusalem. Lunch is at a local restaurant (tea or coffee & one small bottled water is included for each guest).

DAY 5 – BETHANY, DEAD SEA – MASADA – Tuesday (B,L)
We drive to Bethany and the site of the Good Samaritan’s inn, then continue through the Judean Hills down to the Dead Sea, below sea level. At Qumran, we see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We go on to the verdant oasis of Ein Gedi, and return to Jerusalem after we tour fabled Jericho, the oldest city in the world. Lunch is at a local restaurant (tea or coffee & one small bottled water is included for each guest).

DAY 6 – GOLAN, NAZARETH – GALILEE – Wednesday (B,L)
We drive north to Nazareth to see the Church of the Annunciation, built to shelter the grotto where Mary received the message that she would bear Jesus. Passing by Cana of Galilee, we reach Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee. We sail aboard the Lido to Tabgha, on the opposite shore, returning to Tiberias for the night. Lunch is at a local restaurant (tea or coffee & one small bottled water is included for each guest).

DAY 7 – ACRE, HAIFA, TEL AVIV – JAFFA – Thursday (B,L)
Acre, the medieval fortress-city, was visited by Caesar, Richard the Lion-Hearted, and Napoleon. We follow in their footsteps along its ancient streets. Continuing our journey, we see the Baha’i Shrine and its Persian Gardens in Haifa, and the Roman amphitheater and Crusaders’ fortress in Caesarea. Then traveling along Tel Aviv’s bustling streets, we make our way to Jaffa (Joppa) to see its ancient port and the artists’ colony which has grown up around it. We spend the night in Tel Aviv. Lunch is at a local restaurant (tea or coffee & one small bottled water is included for each guest).

DAY 8 – Tel Aviv – Friday (B)
Full day at leisure to explore Tel Aviv on your own.

DAY 9 – DEPARTURE – Saturday (B)
Our local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight home. VIP Club Transfer Service at Tel Aviv Airport.

Rates per person in USD$
Sharing in: Deluxe Hotels First Class Hotels
Triple Occupancy US$ 4706.00 US$ 4415.00
Double US$ 4899.00 US$ 4560.00
Single US$ 6569.00 US$ 5945.00

High-season supplement: please add 20 % to the above rates during the following holidays:

  • Passover and Easter Weeks
  • Christmas – New Year: Dec 20- Jan 2

International airfares are not included in these rates.
You may combine this tour with any of our tours to Jordan, Turkey, Greec or Egypt for an even more memorable vacation.

Your tour includes:

  • Transfers from and to the airport in Tel Aviv
  • Accommodations according to the category chosen, including all taxes breakfast daily, and service charges
  • Fully escorted guided sightseeing in an air-conditioned vehicle.
  • Private local English-speaking guide
  • All entrance fees on sightseeing tours
  • Pre-set menu lunch as listed (L) with tea or coffee as well as one small bottle of water for each guest.
  • VIP MEET & GREET at Tel Aviv Airport: the local rep. will meet you just before the immigration, at Tel Aviv Airport, then walk you through the immigration and luggage claim, on to the arrival hall and meeting the guide/driver and drive on to your hotel.Vip Club Airport Transfers Service (Tel Aviv Airport)
    Description of service

Flights: Incoming/Arrival
Porter services included

    • Meeting the guest at the exit of the plane’s sleeve.
    • Transfer to passport control with luxury car.
    • Quick transfer through passport control.
    • Pickup luggage, porter service included.
    • Quick transfer through Customs and exiting to the Arrivals Hall.

Outgoing / departure flights:
Porter services included

    • Meeting the guest at departure hall, gate 32.
    • Quick transfer through security check.
    • Porter service is included.
    • Check-in for flight and deposit of baggage at designated counter,
    • Quick transfer at hand bags security.
    • Quick transfer during boarding.


Not included:

  • Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
  • Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
  • Gratuities to guide and driver:
  • Suggested Tips: $5 USD per person per day for the driver and for the Guide: $10 Per person per full day
  • Beverages
Categories Israel, Palestine

Quick Tour of Israel, Palestine and Jordan
(start in Jerusalem)

by kathy
November 5th, 2012

The Highlights of the Levant and the Near East
Jordan, Palestine and Israel
All in a 10-Day Adventure

View from Mount Carmel in Israel during sunset.

View from Mount Carmel in Israel during sunset.

Here’s the best way to cover the highlights of  Jordan, Israel and Palestine in 10 days: Petra, Tel Aviv Jerusalem, Bethlehem and more.

Tour

Day 1 – Saturday – Tel Aviv – Jerusalem
Arrival at Ben Gurion airport, our local rep. will meet you after you clear customs with a sign in your name and assist with your transfer to your hotel in Jerusalem. Remainder of the day at leisure. For guests who are landing in Amman please click here.

Day 2 – Sunday- Jerusalem – Sheikh Hussein border- Petra: (B)
After breakfast transfer to Sheikh Hussein border with Jordan, change of vehicles at the border. Onward to Petra and your hotel: sample deluxe: Mövenpick, Marriott, or similar, for First class hotels: Golden Tulip or similar.

Jordanian Visa : Please secure the visa for Jordan from the Jordanian Consulate nearest you. Israeli departure tax is not included in our rate  (please have the amount ready with you in CASH At Sheikh Hussein border crossing).

Day 3 – Monday – Petra: (B)
A full day tour of Jordan’s most famous site, the rose-red city of Petra. Venture through the Siq (the gorge between two towering mountains) until you reach the treasury which, like the most of the structures at Petra, is carved into the rose-red Nubian sandstone. The afternoon is devoted to further exploration in Petra: Street of Façades, Roman theater, Royal tombs includes: (Urn tomb, Silk tombs, Corinthian tomb and Palace tomb), Byzantine church, Nabatean Temples, Colonnaded street, Great temple, Qaser El-Bent, museums and Al-Dair, of course time permitting. We spend another night in Petra.

Petra Kitchen or Petra by Night: (please choose one)
This evening in Petra we enjoy a unique experience: The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza and salads, and a main course all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.

The Petra Kitchen offers an evening of learning, fun and a very special dining experience, with each dish gaining the special flavor of a reward well-earned. Great care has been taken to make The Petra Kitchen a truly Jordanian experience right down to the furnishings, all crafted in Jordan, the tableware, all produced by the Iraq al Amir Women’s Co-operative, and the aprons and table linens, all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation. The rate includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.

For guests who are not keen on the dinner (Petra Kitchen) then we replace with:

Petra by Night:
In the evening enjoy the visit to Petra by night , this is an awe-inspiring experience; to experience it at night by the light of 1,800 candles is truly an out-of-this-world experience! Walk through the Siq to the Khazneh following a candle-lit path and enjoy the haunting music of the Bedouin at the Treasury. Tours start at 8.30 pm and finish at 10.00 pm. Allow yourself plenty of time to walk through the Siq, you don’t want to miss the show.

Petra by night.

Petra by night.
By Anark75 (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

DAY 4 -Tuesday- Madaba – Mount Nebo -Allenby Bridge – Jerusalem: (B)
After breakfast, we head north along the King’s Way, visiting Madaba, which has the oldest map of the Holy Land, and Madaba’s Mosaic School. Then it’s on to Mt Nebo and Moses’ traditional burial site overlooking the Dead Sea and the Jordan River Valley. We continue through the magnificent scenery to the border for your drive to Jerusalem and your hotel and overnight. Please make sure that you have your passport in order, valid for at least 6 month beyond your arrival date and with visa ( if needed for Israel). Change of vehicles at the border , and on to Jerusalem and your hotel. For Deluxe: Mamila Hotel, American Colony Hotel or similar, for first class: Jerusalem Hotel, Novotel hotel or similar. Petra to the border crossing is about 4 hours including stop at Mount Nebo , then about 45-60 minutes formalities to cross and change cars, and another 30-45 minutes drive to Jerusalem. All times are subject to change and/or delays.

Day 5 – Wednesday – Beersheva – Arad – Massada – Jerusalem: (BL)
Leave Jerusalem, on to Beersheba. A short visit to the Negev capital. Continue via Arad to Massada. Ascend by cable car to the fortress, which was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations, Herod’s palaces, the synagogue, bathhouse, etc. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea. Descend for a possible “float” in the in the salty water of the world’s lowest place. Via Ein Gedi and Kalya, proceed to Jerusalem for overnight. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 6 – Thursday – Jerusalem: sightseeing of the new city (BL)
Drive to Mt. Scopus for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. On to the Garden of Gethsemane and Church of the Agony. Drive to Mt. Zion for a visit to the tomb of King David, the Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey. Sightseeing in the new city including the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea scrolls, new Supreme Court bldg. Mt. Herzl. Then visit the model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Afternoon visit of the Hadassah medical center in the synagogue with Marc Chagall stained glass windows, then via Ein Karem (the birth place of John the Baptist). Return to hotel. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 7 – Friday – Jerusalem – (Old City) – Bethlehem: (BL)
Walk through one of the Gates to the walled Old City: the renewed Jewish Quarter; the Western Wall, the “Tunnel” , the Temple area; the colorful bazaars; Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue to Bethlehem to visit Rachel’s Tomb and the Church of the Nativity and return to Jerusalem for overnight . Breakfast is included daily at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local oriental restaurant.

Day 8 – Saturday – Jericho – Tiberias – Galilee: (BL)
Leave Jerusalem, driving via Bethany to Jericho, the oldest city in the world. Visit the excavations and then continue northward via Jordan Valley and proceed to Tiberias, the old center of Jewish learning. Drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue, we are happy to arrange for a tour of one of the local kibbutz for interested guests. Continue to Scott hotel for the deluxe Category and overnight. For First class and tourist class we will use a Kibbutz. Breakfast at the hotel. Oriental (Middle Eastern) Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 9 – Sunday – Haifa – Megiddo – Caesarea – Nazareth – Tel Aviv: (BL)
Breakfast is included at the hotel daily. We’ll go from ancient to recent history today, this is a very full day : Our local rep. will call for you after breakfast and drive around the bay to Haifa, Israel’s main port, a scenic cluster of neighborhoods climbing seaside slopes. Stops will include the Bahai Shrine, the Persian Garden, and Mount Carmel, where we’ll take in a panorama stretching from the port up the coast almost to Lebanon. At Nazareth, we’ll visit the Church of the Annunciation and Mary’s Well, then continue to Cana, and Beit Shean, where a Roman theater survives. Lunch is included at a local oriental restaurant, we head further south on our way to Tel Aviv, we’ll stop at the extensive and well-preserved Roman city of Caesarea whose buildings tell of a way of life through baths, plazas and a theater that is still used for major concerts! Later structures bespeak Crusader defenses. This evening will be your chance to do your last-minute shopping for Israeli souvenirs, and to enjoy a fine dining experience from among the many choices in Tel Aviv. Your guide will be pleased to make recommendations. Deluxe: Dan Tel Aviv or similar.

DAY 10 – Monday – Departure – Tel Aviv: (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. We’ll escort you to the airport to catch your homeward-bound flight. Salam!

Rates per person in US:
Tourist class
(3 stars hotels)
First class
(4 stars hotels)
Deluxe
(5 stars hotels)
Triple
$ 3328
$ 3990
$ 5210
Double
$ 3385
$ 4040
$ 5429
Single
$ 4650
$ 5630
$ 7052
Rates For Groups or Families
with a minimum of 10-15 Guests
Rates per person in US:
Tourist class
(3 stars hotels)
First class
(4 stars hotels)
Deluxe
(5 stars hotels)
Triple
$ 2380
$ 3089
$ 4370
Double
$ 2490
$ 3159
$ 4490
Single
$ 3750
$ 4750
$ 6160

Prices include:

  • All ground transportation, including service between airport and hotels
  • Meals as indicated, with preset menu (B = breakfast, L = lunch)
  • Guided sightseeing with professional guide and all admission fees
  • Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges

Not included:

  • Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
  • Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
  • Beverages
  • Visa for Israel (if/when needed)
  • Visa fee for Jordan
Categories Israel, Jordan, Palestine

Quick Tour of Israel, Palestine and Jordan
(start in Tel Aviv)

by kathy
November 2nd, 2012

The Highlights of the Levant and the Near East
Jordan, Palestine and Israel
All in a 9-Day Adventure – Start and end in Tel Aviv

The Western Wall and Dome of the Rock in the Old City of Jerusalem.

The Western Wall and Dome of the Rock in the Old City of Jerusalem.
By David Shankbone, via Wikimedia Commons

Here’s the best way to cover the highlights of  Jordan, Israel and Palestine in 9 days: Petra, Tel Aviv Jerusalem, Bethlehem and more.

Amazing Jerusalem: Tour of the Old City. Video by LearnArabicwithMaha.

Tour

Day 1 – Sunday – Tel Aviv – Sheikh Hussein border – Petra: (L)
Arrival at Tel Aviv airport – VIP Club Transfer Service Meet & Assist – transfer directly to Sheikh Hussein border with Jordan, change of vehicles at the border. Onward to Petra and your hotel. Sample deluxe: Mövenpick, Marriott, or similar. For First: Golden Tulip or similar. Lunch is included en-route. Jordanian Visa: Please secure the visa for Jordan from the Jordanian Consulate nearest you. Israeli departure tax is not included in our rate,  (please have the amount ready with you in CASH At Sheikh Hussein border crossing). If you land in Tel Aviv late in the day we will overnight in Jerusalem and on to Petra the next day (please click here). Israeli departure tax is not included in our rate (please have the amount ready with you in CASH At Sheikh Hussein border). For guests who are landing in Amman please click here.

Day 2 – Monday – Petra: (BD)
A full day tour of Jordan’s most famous site, the rose-red city of Petra. Venture through the Siq (the gorge between two towering mountains) until you reach the treasury which, like the most of the structures at Petra, is carved into the rose-red Nubian sandstone. The afternoon is devoted to further exploration in Petra: Street of Façades, Roman theater, Royal tombs includes: (Urn tomb, Silk tombs, Corinthian tomb and Palace tomb), Byzantine church, Nabatean Temples, Colonnaded street, Great temple, Qaser El-Bent, museums and Al-Dair, of course time permitting. This evening in Petra we enjoy a unique experience: The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza and salads, and a main course—all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.

The Petra Kitchen offers an evening of learning, fun and a very special dining experience, with each dish gaining the special flavor of a reward well-earned. Great care has been taken to make The Petra Kitchen a truly Jordanian experience—right down to the furnishings, all crafted in Jordan, the tableware, all produced by the Iraq al Amir Women’s Co-operative, and the aprons and table linens, all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation. The rate includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.

DAY 3 – Tuesday – Petra – Allenby Bridge – Jerusalem: (B)
After breakfast, our local rep. escorts you to the border for your drive to Tel Aviv and your hotel and overnight. Please make sure that you have your passport in order, valid for at least 6 month beyond your arrival date and with visa (if needed for Israel). Change of vehicles at the border, and on to Jerusalem and your hotel. For Deluxe: Mamila Hotel, American Colony Hotel or similar, for first class: Jerusalem Hotel, Novotel hotel or similar. Petra to the border crossing is about 4 hours including stop at Mount Nebo, then about 45-60 minutes formalities to cross and change cars, and another 30-45 minutes drive to Jerusalem. All times are subject to change and/or delays.

Day 4 – Wednesday – Beersheva – Arad – Massada – Jerusalem: (BL)
Leave Jerusalem, on to Beersheba. A short visit to the Negev capital. Continue via Arad to Massada. Ascend by cable car to the fortress, which was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations, Herod’s palaces, the synagogue, bathhouse, etc. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea. Descend for a possible “float” in the in the salty water of the world’s lowest place. Via Ein Gedi and Kalya, proceed to Jerusalem for overnight. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 5 – Thursday – Jerusalem: sightseeing of the new city (BL)
Drive to Mt. Scopus for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. On to the Garden of Gethsemane and Church of the Agony. Drive to Mt. Zion for a visit to the tomb of King David, the Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey. Sightseeing in the new city including the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea scrolls, new Supreme Court bldg. Mt. Herzl. Then visit the model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Afternoon visit of the Hadassah medical center in the synagogue with Marc Chagall stained glass windows, then via Ein Karem (the birth place of John the Baptist). Return to hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 6 – Friday – Jerusalem – (Old City) – Bethlehem: (BL)
Walk through one of the Gates to the walled Old City: the renewed Jewish Quarter; the Western Wall, the “Tunnel”, the Temple area; the colorful bazaars; Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue to Bethlehem to visit Rachel’s Tomb and the Church of the Nativity and return to Jerusalem for overnight. Breakfast is included daily at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 7 – Saturday – Jericho – Tiberias – Galilee: (BL)
Leave Jerusalem, driving via Bethany to Jericho*, the oldest city in the world. Visit the excavations and then continue northward via Jordan Valley and the new settlements to Beit Shean. After a short visit proceed to Tiberias, the old center of Jewish learning. Drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue. Continue to Scott hotel for the deluxe Category and overnight. For First class and tourist class we will use a Kibbutz. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 8 – Sunday – Upper Galilee and Golan Heights – Nazareth: (BL)
Breakfast is included at the hotel daily. We’ll go from ancient to recent history today, as we ascend to the Golan Heights. Here we’ll catch a glimpse of the Syrian fortifications where guns were once trained on the Israeli farms below. A sharp eye will spot gazelles and other wildlife that live mostly out of sight among the rocks. We’ll visit the lake of Birkat Ram in a fertile volcanic landscape, and Druze villages, stopping along the way at Banias, at the foot of Mt. Hermon, where the Jordan River gushes from the earth. We’ll continue via Kiryat Shmoneh and the Hula Valley, reclaimed from marshes, to Safed, the city of the Kabala, where we’ll visit the synagogue and artists’ colony. At Nazareth, we’ll visit the Church of the Annunciation and Mary’s Well, then continue to Cana, and Beit Shean, where a Roman theater survives. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

DAY 9 – Monday – DEPARTURE: (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. We’ll escort you to the airport to catch your homeward-bound flight. Salam! Tel Aviv Airport VIP Club Transfer Services.

 

Rates per person in US:
 
Tourist class
(3 stars hotels)
First class
(4 stars hotels)
Deluxe
(5 stars hotels)
Triple
$ 3989
$ 4790
$ 6250
Double
$ 4040
$ 4890
$ 6377
Single
$ 5350
$ 6530
$ 7602

 

Prices include:

  • All ground transportation, including service between airport and hotels
  • Meals as indicated, with preset menu (B = breakfast, L = lunch)
  • Guided sightseeing with professional guide and all admission fees
  • Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges
  • VIP MEET & GREET at Tel Aviv Airport: the local rep. will meet you just before the immigration, at Tel Aviv Airport, then walk you through the immigration and luggage claim, on to the arrival hall and meeting the guide/driver and drive on to your hotel.Vip Club Airport Transfers Service (Tel Aviv Airport)
    Description of service

Flights: Incoming/Arrival
Porter services included

  • Meeting the guest at the exit of the plane’s sleeve.
  • Transfer to passport control with luxury car.
  • Quick transfer through passport control.
  • Pickup luggage, porter service included.
  • Quick transfer through Customs and exiting to the Arrivals Hall.

Outgoing / departure flights:
Porter services included

  • Meeting the guest at departure hall, gate 32.
  • Quick transfer through security check.
  • Porter service is included.
  • Check-in for flight and deposit of baggage at designated counter,
  • Quick transfer at hand bags security.
  • Quick transfer during boarding.

Not included:

  • Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
  • Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
  • Beverages
  • Visa for Israel (if/when needed)
  • Visa fee for Jordan

 

Categories Israel, Jordan, Palestine

Quick Tour of Israel, Palestine and Jordan

by kathy
November 2nd, 2012

The Highlights of the Levant and the Near East
Jordan, Palestine and Israel — all in a 10-Day Adventure

The ruins of the Roman city and the stone fortress of Petra

The ruins of the Roman city and the stone fortress of Petra
By Brad Mering, via Wikimedia Commons

Here’s the best way to cover the highlights of Jordan, Israel and Palestine in 10 days: Petra, Tel Aviv, Beersheva, Arad, Massada, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, Tiberias, Galilee, Upper Galilee and Golan Heights, Nazareth, Acre, Haifa.

Tour

Day 1 – Friday – Amman- Petra
Land in Amman, where our local rep. meets you at the airport and meets you after you clear customs and passports formalities. From the airport in Amman: We proceed in your private air-conditioned vehicle and with your private English speaking guide to Petra, finally we reach your hotel, check-in and overnight at your hotel in Petra.  For guests who are landing in Israel/Palestine please click here.

Day 2 – Saturday – Petra: (BD)
A full day tour of Jordan’s most famous site, the rose-red city of Petra. Venture through the Siq (the gorge between two towering mountains) until you reach the treasury which, like the most of the structures at Petra, is carved into the rose-red Nubian sandstone. The afternoon is devoted to further exploration in Petra: Street of Façades, Roman theater, Royal tombs includes: (Urn tomb, Silk tombs, Corinthian tomb and Palace tomb), Byzantine church, Nabatean Temples, Colonnaded street, Great temple, Qaser El-Bent, museums and Al-Dair, of course time permitting. This evening in Petra we enjoy a unique experience: The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza and salads, and a main course all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.

The Petra Kitchen offers an evening of learning, fun and a very special dining experience, with each dish gaining the special flavor of a reward well-earned. Great care has been taken to make The Petra Kitchen a truly Jordanian experience right down to the furnishings, all crafted in Jordan, the tableware, all produced by the Iraq al Amir Women’s Co-operative, and the aprons and table linens, all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation. The rate includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.

DAY 3 – Sunday- Petra – Allenby Bridge – Jerusalem: (B)
After an early breakfast, we head north to Mount Nebo, we enjoy the panoramic view of the Promised Land the way Moses saw it for the first time, then our local rep. escorts you to the border for your drive to Jerusalem and your hotel and overnight. Please make sure that you have your passport in order, valid for at least 6 month beyond your arrival date and with visa (if needed for Israel). Change of vehicles at the border. For Deluxe: Mamila Hotel, American Colony Hotel or similar, for first class: Jerusalem Hotel, Novotel hotel or similar. Petra to the border crossing is about 4 hours including stop at Mount Nebo, then about 45-60 minutes formalities to cross and change cars, and another 30-45 minutes drive to Jerusalem. All times are subject to change and/or delays.

Day 4 – Monday – Beersheva – Arad – Massada – Jerusalem: (BL)
Leave Jerusalem, on to Beersheba, visit to the Negev capital. Continue via Arad to Massada. Ascend by cable car to the fortress, which was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations, Herod’s palaces, the synagogue, bathhouse, etc. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea. Descend for a possible “float” in the in the salty water of the world’s lowest place. Via Ein Gedi and Kalya, proceed to Jerusalem for overnight. Breakfast at the hotel. For Deluxe: American Colony Hotel or similar. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 5 – Tuesday – Jerusalem: sightseeing of the new city (BL)
Drive to Mt. Scopus for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. On to the Garden of Gethsemane and Church of the Agony. Drive to Mt. Zion for a visit to the tomb of King David, the Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey. Sightseeing in the new city including the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea scrolls, new Supreme Court bldg. Mt. Herzl. Then visit the model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Afternoon visit of the Hadassah medical center in the synagogue with Marc Chagall stained glass windows, then via Ein Karem (the birth place of John the Baptist). Return to Hotel. For Deluxe : American Colony Hotel or similar. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 6 – Wednesday – Jerusalem – (Old City) – Bethlehem: (BL)
Walk through one of the Gates to the walled Old City: the renewed Jewish Quarter; the Western Wall, the “Tunnel”, the Temple area; the colorful bazaars; Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue to Bethlehem to visit Rachel’s Tomb and the Church of the Nativity and return to Jerusalem for overnight. Breakfast is included daily at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 7 – Thursday – Jericho – Tiberias – Galilee: (BL)
Leave Jerusalem, driving via Bethany to Jericho*, the oldest city in the world. Visit the excavations and then continue northward via Jordan Valley and the new settlements to Beit Shean. After a short visit proceed to Tiberias, the old center of Jewish learning. Drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue. Continue to Scott hotel for the deluxe Category and overnight. For First class and tourist class we will use a Kibbutz. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 8 – Friday – Upper Galilee and Golan Heights – Nazareth: (BL)
Breakfast is included at the hotel daily. We’ll go from ancient to recent history today, as we ascend to the Golan Heights. Here we’ll catch a glimpse of the Syrian fortifications where guns were once trained on the Israeli farms below. A sharp eye will spot gazelles and other wildlife that live mostly out of sight among the rocks. We’ll visit the lake of Birkat Ram in a fertile volcanic landscape, and Druze villages, stopping along the way at Banias, at the foot of Mt. Hermon, where the Jordan River gushes from the earth. We’ll continue via Kiryat Shmoneh and the Hula Valley, reclaimed from marshes, to Safed, the city of the Kabala, where we’ll visit the synagogue and artists’ colony. At Nazareth, we’ll visit the Church of the Annunciation and Mary’s Well, then continue to Cana, and Beit Shean, where a Roman theater survives. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 9 – Saturday – Acre – Haifa – Tel Aviv: (B)
Our local rep. will call for you after breakfast and drive up the cost to Acre, a Crusader stronghold in the Middle Ages. After a view of the fortifications, we’ll drive back around the bay to Haifa, Israel’s main port, a scenic cluster of neighborhoods climbing seaside slopes. Stops will include the Bahai Shrine, the Persian Garden, and Mount Carmel, where we’ll take in a panorama stretching from the port up the coast almost to Lebanon. On our way back to Tel Aviv, we’ll stop at the extensive and well-preserved Roman city of Caesarea whose buildings tell of a way of life through baths, plazas and a theater that is still used for major concerts! Later structures bespeak Crusader defenses. This evening will be your chance to do your last-minute shopping for Israeli souvenirs, and to enjoy a fine dining experience from among the many choices in Tel Aviv. Your guide will be pleased to make recommendations. Deluxe: Dan Tel Aviv or similar.

DAY 10 – Sunday – DEPARTURE: (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. We’ll escort you to the airport to catch your homeward-bound flight. Salam! Tel Aviv VIP Club Transfer Service.

Rates per person in US:
Tourist class
(3 stars hotels)
First class
(4 stars hotels)
Deluxe
(5 stars hotels)
Triple
$ 4180
$ 4870
$ 6053
Double
$ 4243
$ 4941
$ 6179
Single
$ 5458
$ 6532
$ 7705


Prices include:

  • All ground transportation, including service between airport and hotels
  • Meals as indicated, with preset menu (B = breakfast, L = lunch)
  • Guided sightseeing with professional guide and all admission fees
  • Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges.
  • Visa for Jordan, limited to specific number of nationalities such as: Australian, NZ, USA, Canada, EU, Japan and others (please check with us if needed at the time of booking).
  • VIP MEET & GREET at Tel Aviv Airport: the local rep. will meet you just before the immigration, at Tel Aviv Airport, then walk you through the immigration and luggage claim, on to the arrival hall and meeting the guide/driver and drive on to your hotel.Vip Club Airport Transfers Service (Tel Aviv Airport)
    Description of service

Flights: Incoming/Arrival
Porter services included

    • Meeting the guest at the exit of the plane’s sleeve.
    • Transfer to passport control with luxury car.
    • Quick transfer through passport control.
    • Pickup luggage, porter service included.
    • Quick transfer through Customs and exiting to the Arrivals Hall.

Outgoing / departure flights:
Porter services included

    • Meeting the guest at departure hall, gate 32.
    • Quick transfer through security check.
    • Porter service is included.
    • Check-in for flight and deposit of baggage at designated counter,
    • Quick transfer at hand bags security.
    • Quick transfer during boarding.

Not included:

  • Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
  • Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
  • Beverages
  • Tips
  • Visa for Israel (if/when needed)
  • Jordan Departure tax at Allenby Bridge.
Categories Israel, Jordan, Palestine

Highlights of Egypt, Palestine and Israel (12 Days)

by kathy
November 1st, 2012

A 12-Day Adventure Tour

Weekly on Wednesdays in Cairo, year round. Here’s the best way to see the best of Egypt, Israel and Palestine. Cairo, Luxor, Tel Aviv, Beersheva, Arad, Massada, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, Tiberias, Galilee, Upper Galilee and Golan Heights, Nazareth, Acre, Haifa, Tel Aviv. Add Petra, Jordan. Compare with the 8 day edition.

Tour the highlights of Egypt in only 5 days. You’ll start with the throbbing capital of Egypt, and an exploration of the key sites both within the city and nearby. Then it’s on to the old-new land of Luxor, the Ancient Capital of the first United Kingdom (Egypt was originally divided into two kingdoms, that got united by Ahmos I) thus creating a United Kingdom in the Nile Valley.

Tour

DAY 1 – Wednesday – VIP Meet & Greet Service – CAIRO
Our local rep. meets you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel, VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport.
Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens, You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. meets with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage, after you clear the passport and customs formalities and exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel.

DAY 2 -Thursday CAIRO- Home Hosted Dinner: (BL)
We start with the best of Cairo: the Egyptian Museum, Manial Palace of the former Crown Prince Mohamed Ali, Citadel of Saladin and its Alabaster Mosque. After lunch, we walk the narrow streets of Old Cairo, once a Roman fort, later the Jewish Quarter, then the Coptic Christian Quarter. We visit the Coptic churches of Abu Serghius and Al Molaka, the Coptic Museum, and Ben Ezra synagogue. Finally, we wander through the alleys of Khan el-Khalili bazaar in search of souvenirs.

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals, you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town): This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 3 – Friday- CAIRO: (BLD)
In the morning, we visit the majestic pyramids of Giza, the Valley Temple and the timeless Sphinx. Those who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid, to the King’s Chamber your ticket is included with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking a camel ride (Included) is entirely your own choice!

After lunch we drive to Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit several ancient structures, including the great pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops. In the evening, we board a flight to Luxor, transfers are always included, in Luxor, dinner is included at your hotel.

DAY 4 – Saturday – LUXOR: (BLD)
Breakfast is included at your hotel, after which we cross the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings and the Colossi of Memnon. After lunch in Luxor, we tour the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and visit the Sacred Lake. We have a quick look at the great temple of Amon Ra at Luxor on our way to the airport for our flight back to Cairo, and your hotel, where dinner awaits you.

DAY 5 – Sunday Cairo / Tel Aviv: (B)
After breakfast, our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight to Tel Aviv. Upon arrival to airport meet our representative and transfer to hotel in Tel Aviv for your hotel and overnight. Please make sure that you have your passport in order and with visa ( if needed for Israel).

Day 6 – MONDAY – Tel Aviv – Beersheva – Arad – Massada – Jerusalem: (B)
Leave Tel Aviv – via Ashdod – Ashkelon – Beersheba. A short visit to the Negev capital. Continue via Arad to Massada. Ascend by cable car to the fortress, which was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations, Herod’s palaces, the synagogue, bathhouse, etc. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea. Descend for a possible “float” in the in the salty water of the world’s lowest place. Via Ein Gedi & Kalya, proceed to Jerusalem for overnight.

Day 7 – TUESDAY – Jerusalem: sightseeing of the new city (B)
Drive to Mt. Scopus for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. On to the Garden of Gethsemane and Church of the Agony. Drive to Mt. Zion for a visit to the tomb of King David, the Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey. Sightseeing in the new city including the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea scrolls, new Supreme Court bldg. Mt. Herzl and Yad Vashem (the memorial to the six million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust). Then visit the model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Afternoon visit of the Hadassah medical center in the synagogue with Marc Chagall stained glass windows, then via Ein Karem (the birth place of John the Baptist). Return to Hotel.

Day 8 – WEDNESDAY – Jerusalem – (Old City) – Bethlehem: (B)
Walk through one of the Gates to the walled Old City: the renewed Jewish Quarter; the Western Wall, the Temple area; the colorful bazaars; Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue to Bethlehem* to visit Rachel’s Tomb and the Church of the Nativity and return to Jerusalem for overnight.

Day 9 – THURSDAY – Jericho* – Tiberias – Galilee: (BD)
Leave Jerusalem, driving via Bethany to Jericho*, the oldest city in the world. Visit the excavations and then continue northward via Jordan Valley and the new settlements to Beit Shean. After a short visit proceed to Tiberias, the old center of Jewish learning. Drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue. Continue to a Kibbutz hotel for overnight. Breakfast & Dinner

Day 10 – FRIDAY – Upper Galilee and Golan Heights – Nazareth: (BD)
Drive to the Golan Heights. Visit the former Syrian fortifications, Birkat Ram, and the Druze villages, Via Banias, source of the Jordan River. Proceed via Kiryat Shmone and the Hula Valley to Safed, city of the Kabala, to visit synagogue and the artists’ colony and then to Nazareth to visit the Christian Holy Sites. Return to the Kibbutz hotel for overnight. Breakfast & Dinner

Day 11 – SATURDAY – Acre – Haifa – Tel Aviv: (B)
After Breakfast drive west to Acre for a visit of the old, famous Crusader stronghold and medieval fortifications. Continue to Haifa, sightseeing tour of Haifa, including the Bahai Shrine, Persian Garden and Mount Carmel for a panoramic view of the city. Proceed southwards to Caesarea to visit the Roman theater and the Crusader fortress. Continue south for a short city tour of Tel Aviv-Jaffa and to hotel for overnight.

DAY 12 – Sunday DEPARTURE: (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. We’ll escort you to the airport to catch your homeward-bound flight. Salam. For crossing into Jordan, please add: $ 150 per person for the private transfer to the border, change of cars, and then a Jordanian sedan will meet you at the border and continue on to Amman or Petra.

Rates per person in US:
First class
(4 stars hotels)		 Deluxe
(5 stars hotels)
Triple $ 3635 $ 4160
Double $ 3754 $ 4291
Single $ 4559 $ 5140
High-season supplement: Please add 20 % to the above rates during Christmas – New Year, Dec 20- Jan 2. Bon Voyage.

Prices include:

  • All ground transportation, including service between airport and hotels
  • Meals as indicated, with preset menu (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
  • All tips / Gratuities to drivers, guides etc.
  • Guided sightseeing with professional guide and all admission fees
  • Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges
  • Air fare Cairo Tel Aviv in economy class, tax included
  • Domestic air within Egypt. Economy class, tax included
  • VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport.
  • Egyptian visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of nationalities such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, Singaporean and Japanese citizens. Photos are not required. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo, for other nationalities please contact the Egyptian Consulate nearest you.

Not included:

  • Trip interruption and cancellation insurance.
  • Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
  • Beverages
  • Visa for Israel (if/when needed)
Categories Egypt, Egypt_multi, Israel, Palestine
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