Holy Land & Egypt

Day 1 – Depart from your location on your transatlantic flight. Night on board.

Day 2 – Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport / Tel Aviv.
You will be greeted by our representative and will be transferred to your hotel in Tel Aviv. The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy at this fascinating country: Israel.

Day 3 – Tel Aviv / Mediterranean Coast / Galilee.
Breakfast. Departure to the Jaffa neighborhood, an old port of Israel converted into an interesting artists’ neighborhood that was the city of Joppa, described in the “Acts of the Apostles”; Visit the Church of San Pedro. We will continue along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea Maritima, which was the Capital of the Roman Governors; visit the Roman Amphitheater, the Crusader City and the Aqueduct. We will then head to the city of Haifa located on Mount Carmel where the challenge of the prophet Elijah who hid from King Ahab took place. Visit of the Carmelite Monastery of Stella Maris. Panoramic view of the Bahai temple and its magnificent Persian gardens.
(Celebration of the Eucharist in Saint Peter Church in Jaffa, or at the Church of Stella Maris). Arrive at the hotel in Galilee.

Day 4 – Sea of Galilee region.
Breakfast. The day begins with a visit to Bethsaida. Then, we will travel by boat on the Sea of Galilee. Then, skirting the lake, visit Capernaum, called “the City of Jesus”, where Jesus preached. We will visit the ruins of Peter’s house and the ruins of the old synagogue from the 4th century AD; Tabgha, place of the Miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes; of the Primacy of Saint Peter and the Mount of Beatitudes.
(Celebration of the Eucharist in Saint Peter Church in Capernaum, or in the Chapel of the Primate, or on the Mount of Good Adventures). Arrive at the hotel in Galilee.

Day 5 – Magdala / Cana / Nazareth / Mount Tabor.
Breakfast. We will start with visits to the new archaeological excavations in Magdala. Departure to the Mountains of Nazareth and visit the Church of Cana in Galilee where the First Miracle of Jesus took place – conversion of water into wine at the wedding of Cana (possibility of renewal of marriage vows for couples in the group). Continuation to Nazareth, place of the childhood of Jesus. Visit to the Basilica of the Annunciation and the Church of San Jose. We will continue to Mount Tabor, where Jesus was transfigured before three of his disciples.
(Celebration of the Eucharist in the Church of Cana in Galilee, or in the Basilica of the Annunciation, or in the Church of Saint Joseph or in the Basilica of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor by choice). Return to hotel in Galilee.

Day 6 – Yardenit / Jericho / Qumran / Dead Sea.
Breakfast. Depart for Yardenit, a traditional baptism site in the Jordan River. The journey continues to Jericho, the oldest city in the world and the first city to be conquered by the Children of Israel when they returned from Egyptian captivity. Ascent by cable car to the Mount of Temptations. Visit Kaser el Yehud. Visit to the caves of Qumran, where the Essenes lived, where the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Overnight at the Dead Sea.

Day 7 – Betania / Walled City.
Breakfast. We start the day visiting Betania. Then we will visit the City of David and Siloam. Then, entering through one of the Walled City Gates, we will visit the Western Wall and the temple esplanade region. We will continue to the Church of Santa Ana, the Probatica pond and the litostrotos in the Monastery of the Sisters of Zion; following the Stations of the Via Sacra, arriving at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
(Celebration of the Eucharist in the Church of Santa Ana, or in one of the altars of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in election). Return to the hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 8 – Bethlehem / Ein Karem / Emmaus.
Travel to Bethlehem to visit the Basilica and Grotto of the Breakfast. Nativity and the Field of the Shepherds. Departure to the neighborhood of Ein Karem, birthplace of Saint John the Baptist and visit the Churches of Saint John and the Church of the Visitation. Before returning we will visit Emmaus.
(Celebration of the Eucharist in the Church of San Juan or Church of the Visitation or in one of the altars of the Basilica of the Nativity or in the Pastor’s Field of choice). Return to the hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 9 – Mount of Olives / Mount Zion.
Breakfast. Departure to the Mount of Olives to enjoy a panoramic view and first walkthrough about the city of Jerusalem. Visits to the place of the Ascension, the Grotto of the Pater Noster, the Chapel of Dominus Flevit. Going down the Mount, you reach the Garden of Gethsemane where the Basilica of the Agony and the Grotto of Betrayal are located. We will continue to Mount Zion to visit the Tomb of King David, the Cenacle – place of the Last Supper, the Abbey of the Dormition of the Virgin and the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu.
(Celebration of the Eucharist in the Chapel of Dominus Flevit, or in the Basilica of the Agony, or in the Grotto of the Betrayal, or in the Abbey of the Dormition at your choice). Return to the hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 10 – Jerusalem / Taba.
Breakfast. At the scheduled time, transfer to the Taba border to process the border crossing with Egypt.

HOLY LAND ENDS, EGYPT BEGINS.

Day 10 – Taba / Santa Catalina.
We will cross the border between Israel and Egypt. Arrival at the Taba border. You will be greeted and transferred to the hotel in Santa Catalina. Rest and dinner.

Day 11 and Day 12 – Santa Catalina / Cairo.
Breakfast. Departure at 8:00 p.m. on DAY 11 (11/21/2022) to Mount Moses or Mount Sinai, at an altitude of 2,285 m, where the prophet Moses received the tablets of God from the hands of God, while the Hebrew people camped at the foot of the mountain. From the top of the mountain we can see the sunrise and Mount Santa Catalina, the highest peak in the peninsula at 2637m. Descending the mountain, we will visit the monastery of Santa Catalina (if possible), located at 1570m high, with its impressive walls built between 527 and 565 by order of Emperor Justinian, in the biblical place of the burning bush. The monastery owes its name to Saint Catherine, an Alexandrian martyr who died in 395, whose body carried by angels would be discovered five centuries later on the top of the mountain that bears her name. The monastery is the smallest diocese in the world and the oldest active monastery . Its library has the oldest manuscripts in the world after the Vatican. Day 12. Return to the hotel, Breakfast at scheduled time. Transfer to Cairo. Arrival in Cairo, transfer to the hotel, dinner and accommodation.

Day 13 – Cairo (Breakfast / Lunch).
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning we will make a panoramic visit of the Three Pyramids of Giza: Cheops, Kefren and Mecerinos, the architectural complex considered the most important of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We will admire the Sphinx with a human head attributed to King Kefren and the body of a lion and we will visit the Temple of Kefren. In the afternoon, we will go to the Citadel of Saladin, declared a World Heritage Site and which has the Mosque of Mohamed Ali or “alabaster mosque”. We will continue our visits today visiting the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, where the treasures of Tutankhamun are found. Lunch at a typical restaurant. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.

Day 14 – Cairo / Alexandria / Cairo (Breakfast / Lunch).
Breakfast. Early in the morning we will leave for Alexandria. Arrive in Alexandria and visit the Montazah Palace Gardens. Continue through the city to visit Pompey’s Column. Lunch at a typical restaurant. In the afternoon, panoramic visit of the Quitbey fortress. We will continue our visits by heading to the Library of Alexandria and the Greco-Roman Catacombs. Return to Cairo via the desert road. Transfer to the hotel.

Day 15 – Cairo.
Breakfast at the hotel. Free day to explore El Cairo on your own. Transfer to the international airport, final departure.

Our Prices Include: Israel

• Arrival and departure transfers, with assistance Airport-Hotels-Border.
• Accommodations at scheduled hotels (4 stars).
• 10 days / 08 Nights at scheduled hotels.
• 08 buffet breakfasts at scheduled hotels.
• 04 buffet dinners at Nazareth and Dead Sea hotels.
• 07 days touring in Israel according to the itinerary.
• Luxury bus with air conditioning.
• Professional guide throughout the tour.
• Entrance fees according to itinerary.

Our Prices Include: Egypt

• Arrival and departure transfers, with assistance Border-Hotels-Airport
• Accommodations at scheduled hotels (4 stars).
• 6 days / 5 Nights at scheduled hotels.
• 04 buffet breakfasts in the scheduled hotels .
• 02 buffet dinner at the hotels in Santa Catalina and Cairo
• 02 lunches on the way from Santa Catalina to Cairo.
• 03 days touring in Egypt according to the itinerary.
• Professional guide throughout the tour.
• Entrance fees according to itinerary.

Not included:

• Visas in general .
• Rates of exit at borders.
• Airport taxes.
• Medical Insurance – Accident Insurance.
• Meals not mentioned.
• Drinks at all meals.
• Air tickets in general.
• COVID tests.
• Personal extras.
• Tips in general.
• Any service that is not mentioned as included.
• Tips and gratuities to drivers and guides.

Notes:

• Triple rooms consist of 1 double bed (or 2 beds) + 1 sofa bed.
• If the check-in day is a Saturday, check-in will be 2 hours after sunset.
• Airport transfers included are at arrival and departure days of the program.
 
Suggested Tips:

• Guide: $4 USD Per Passenger per day
• Driver: $3 USD Per Passenger per day