Compare Holy Land Discovery with Jordan - Faith-Based Travel - Catholic Itinerary by Cosmos vs The Grand Epic of Egypt, Jordan, and Israel by Odynovo

Day 1: ARRIVE IN TEL AVIV, ISRAEL

Welcome to Israel! Check into your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. This evening, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers.

Day 2: TEL AVIV–JAFFA–CAESAREA–MEGIDDO–NAZARETH

Enjoy a full day exploring some of the Holy Land’s ancient biblical and modern sights. Begin by driving to the old port of Jaffa, an atmospheric town, where Jonah set sail before he was swallowed by the whale. Continue to Caesarea, an ancient port turned incredible archaeological area. Built by Herod the Great in the 1st century BC, the city was one of the most splendid in ancient Palestine and its capital for more than 600 years. Admire what remains of Herod’s grandiose building works, including the restored 3,500-seat Roman theater, the aqueduct, the harbor, the stadium, and the crumbled moat and towers from the 12th-century Crusader fortress. From here, travel to the archaeological site of Megiddo, an age-old fortified town with 25 layers of ancient findings and one of the most important biblical sites. According to the New Testament, this is where the Battle of Armageddon will take place, the final struggle between good and evil, which will prompt the return of Jesus to defeat the Antichrist and cast Satan into the abyss. Continue to Nazareth to visit St. Joseph Church and the Church of the Annunciation, where the Archangel Gabriel told Mary she would conceive and give birth to Jesus, the Son of God. This evening you may have an opportunity to join a candlelight procession starting from the Church of the Annunciation square.
Today's Distance: 121 mi / 195 km (Breakfast,Dinner)

Day 3: NAZARETH. EXCURSION TO BET SHE’AN

Attend one of the early morning Mass services if you wish, then join today’s included excursion. Bet She’an is one of the best-preserved archaeological sites of this region and well worth some time to wander around. Ongoing excavations at this UNESCO World Heritage site reveal time-worn colonnade-style streets, bathhouses, and a theater with perfect acoustics.
Today's Distance: 48 mi / 77 km (Breakfast)

Day 4: NAZARETH. EXCURSION TO MAGDALA–SEA OF GALILEE–TABGHA–CAPERNAUM–MOUNT OF BEATITUDES–CANA

Today, celebrate [M] Mass in Magdala, home to Mary Magdalene, then skirt the Sea of Galilee, and enjoy its scenic beauty. Continue to Tabgha and visit the church commemorating the miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves. On to Capernaum, home to the Apostles Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew, and to Jesus himself. Here, you’ll see its ancient synagogue and the house of St. Peter. Spend some time in the gardens on the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered his famous sermon, and meditate its significance. On the way back to Nazareth, stop in Cana, site of the wedding miracle.
Today's Distance: 91 mi / 147 km (Breakfast,Dinner)

Day 5: NAZARETH–BETHLEHEM–JERUSALEM

Enjoy a spectacular drive through the Jordan Valley. Stop at the Qasr El Yahud baptismal site where, according to tradition, Jesus was baptized by St. John the Baptist. Continue to Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus and King David. Visit one of Christianity’s holiest places, the Church of the Nativity, built over the cave thought to be the spot where Jesus was born. Here, you will have time to pray and attend [M] Mass if you like. Reach the holy city of Jerusalem in the late afternoon.
Today's Distance: 119 mi / 192 km (Breakfast,Dinner)

Day 6: JERUSALEM

A day of reflection awaits as you set off on a walking tour of Jerusalem’s Old Town. From the Mount of Olives, take in memorable views over the city’s domes, walls, and rooftops before strolling in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed on the night before his arrest. Your guide will then lead you into the Jewish quarter, pointing out the Western Wall with its prayer notes tucked between the stones, and the Dome of the Rock, the gold-topped mosque on Temple Mount. Walk the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross), following in Jesus’ footsteps as he bore the cross to Calvary for his crucifixion and burial, where the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre now stands. Later this afternoon, attend [M] Mass, if you like. (Breakfast)

Day 7: JERUSALEM. OPTIONAL EXCURSION TO MASADA & THE DEAD SEA

Today is free to relax, explore Jerusalem at leisure, revisit some of the most significant places of worship, or join an exciting optional excursion to the Dead Sea, the planet’s lowest point on dry land. Travel through the mountainous Judean Desert and pass the Qumran Caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Ride the cable car up to the magnificent Fortress of Masada, perched high on a clifftop plateau above the Dead Sea, where 960 Jewish rebels made their last stand against Roman forces in 73 AD. Later, head for the shores of the Dead Sea, where you’ll have some time to experience the incredible buoyancy in the salt water. Toward the end of the afternoon, return to Jerusalem. (Breakfast,Dinner)

Day 8: JERUSALEM, ISRAEL–PETRA, JORDAN

Drive to Allenby Bridge and cross the border into Jordan. Arrive at Bethany Beyond the Jordan. Stop at Mount Nebo, where Moses saw the Promised Land and where he is believed to be buried. Next, travel to ancient Madaba, the “City of Mosaics.” See the spectacular Byzantine mosaics and the precious 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land, and visit St. George Church.
Today's Distance: 174 mi / 280 km (Breakfast,Dinner)

Day 9: PETRA–AMMAN

This morning, visit the archaeological site of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New7Wonders of the World®. Enjoy an unforgettable experience as you walk down the siq, the narrow gorge made famous in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” and stand in awe in front of the iconic Treasury. This afternoon, travel north to Amman for two overnight stays.
Today's Distance: 155 mi / 250 km. (Breakfast,Dinner)

Day 10: AMMAN. EXCURSION TO JERASH, AJLOUN & ANJARA

Begin your day with a stop in Jerash, which was inhabited as early as 3200 BC. Although the city was impacted by the earthquake of 749 ADinner, it is the site of the best-preserved Greco-Roman ruins in the Middle East. Travel through beautiful pine forests and olive groves before arriving in Ajloun. This town’s most important feature is a Moorish castle that dominates a wide stretch of the northern Jordan Valley. Next on the agenda is the biblical city of Anjara, where Jesus, his disciples, and the Virgin Mary stopped and rested in a cave as they traveled between Jerusalem and Galilee. Today, the cave is a holy place for pilgrims.
Today's Distance: 155 mi / 250 km (Breakfast,Dinner)

Day 11: AMMAN

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)

Day 1: Arrival - Cairo

Overnight: Cairo

Welcome to Egypt, once the mighty land of pharaohs!

Upon touchdown, you will be met by our airport representative and then transferred to your hotel with a private vehicle. Check-in and have the rest of the day at your leisure.

Day 2: Cairo

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight: Cairo

Begin your exploration from Memphis, the ancient Egyptian capital of the Old Kingdom, which is now an open-air museum sheltering the 10-meter-long statue of Rameses II. Your next stop, the Step Pyramid of Djoser in the Saqqara Necropoleis, is widely regarded as the oldest pyramid in the world. Finally, visit the most iconic pyramids complex at Giza and the Great Sphinx.

Day 3: Cairo

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight: Cairo

Step into the Egyptian Museum for a comprehensive understanding of Egyptian history from

the Predynastic Period to the Greco-Roman Era. Later, proceed to the medieval Citadel of Saladin in Old Cairo. The inside Mohammed Ali Mosque, which dominates the eastern skyline of Cairo, is the symbol of the citadel. Afterward, spend some time browsing and shopping in the vibrant Khan El Khalili Bazaar before returning to the hotel.

Day 4: Cairo - Aswan - Nile River Cruise

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: On Board

Take a morning flight to Aswan.

Upon arrival, go straight to your Nile cruise ship to check in. Your shore excursion in Aswan includes the High Dam and the Temple of Philae. Late in the afternoon, take the chance to sail on the Nile with a traditional Egyptian Felucca and explore the Botanical Gardens on Kitchener Island.

Day 5: Nile River Cruise

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: On Board

Cruise on, and when the ship arrives in Kom Ombo, go ashore to see the unusual double Temple of Kom Ombo with one side dedicated to the god Haroesis and the other to Sobek. Return to the ship and continue your journey to Edfu for the Temple of Horus. Also known as the Temple of Edfu, it is the second-largest temple in Egypt after Karnak Temple.

Day 6: Nile River Cruise

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: On Board

Once the ship arrives in Luxor in the morning, disembark to explore the west bank of Luxor. Step into three tombs of the ancient Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings to learn about ancient Egyptian beliefs and burial practices. Following it is the renovated Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, an impressive terraced sandstone complex built into mountain cliffs. During the tour, you can also take pictures with the massive Colossi of Memnon, who guard the ruined Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III for thousands of years.

Day 7: Luxor - Cairo

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight: Cairo

Disembark the cruise and continue to explore the east bank of Luxor. You will find two of Egypt's most important sites, the Temple of Karnak and the Luxor Temple. They were linked by a 3-kilometer-long avenue of Sphinxes, part of which is still visible today. You will gain more about Egyptian history through the massive columns with intricate carvings, great statues of quite impressive sizes, obelisks, and so on.

After the tour, transfer to the airport to catch your flight back to Cairo. On arrival, be picked up and transferred to your hotel.

Day 8: Cairo - Amman - Jerash - Amman

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight: Amman

Private transfer to the airport for your flight to Amman, the beating heart of Jordan. On arrival, our representative will welcome you and introduce you to your English-speaking

chauffeur for a private tour of the Roman ruins of Jerash. With a knowledgeable local guide, you will visit the spectacular forum, street, temple, and theater in this ancient Roman city. Afterward, return to Amman for quick sightseeing in the capital city with your chauffeur to see the citadel on its highest hill, the Roman theater, and the Archeological & Folklore Museums.

Day 9: Amman - Petra

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight: Petra

Leave Amman behind and move forward to Petra hidden in a basin surrounded by mountains in southern Jordan. There are three stops on the way, with the first at Mt. Nebo for a view of the Promised Land and the beautiful mosaics in the Moses Memorial Church. The next will be at the Greek Orthodox St. George's Church in Madaba to marvel at the mosaic map that depicts the holy land – Palestine of the 6th century. The last will be at a Jordanian handicraft shop for you to understand how to create exquisite mosaic artworks with Byzantine influence.

Day 10: Petra - Dead Sea

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight: Dead Sea

Take your time to explore Petra. In the first two hours, with a professional tour guide, you will click off the must-sees in the lost city and learn about the history and exotic life of ancient Nabataean, a branch of nomadic Arabs who built Petra into a prosperous trading hub in its time. Afterward, have some free time to discover more in the rosy city at your pace.

In the afternoon, turn north to the northeast shore of the Dead Sea for a relaxing night.

Day 11: Dead Sea - Allenby Bridge - Jerusalem

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight: Jerusalem

Have a leisurely morning to enjoy the legendary Dead Sea. Later, take the private transfer to Allenby Bridge Border. There, you need to take a shuttle bus or an authorized vehicle traveling about 5km to Israel to meet your Israeli driver at the parking lot in front of the exit of Israel Terminal for the private transfer to your hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 12: Jerusalem

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight: Jerusalem

Get known of Jerusalem with a panoramic view of Jerusalem from the top of the Mount of Olives, the location of biblical events. At the foot of it, you will visit the Church of All Nations and the adjacent Garden of Gethsemane. Then, enter the Old City from the Lion's Gate, the start of Jesus' last walk from prison to crucifixion. Walking along the Via Dolorosa, you will arrive at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. Winding the way through the alleys in the holy city, you will reach the Wailing Wall and then Mount Zion to see the Cenacle – the site of the Last Supper and King David's Tomb.

Day 13: Jerusalem - Bethlehem - Jerusalem

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight: Jerusalem

About 10km south of Jerusalem, Bethlehem is said to be the birthplace of Jesus. Spend the morning exploring this Palestinian city, including the Church of the Nativity with a silver star marking the place where Jesus was born, the Manger Square connecting several streets related to Jesus, and the Shepherds Field where angels first announced the birth of Jesus.

In the afternoon, return to explore the New City of Jerusalem. Discover the model of the holy city in the time of the Second Temple and the Dead Sea Scrolls at Israel Museum, mourn for the prey at the Holocaust Memorial of Yad Vashem, and glance at local's life at the Machane Yehuda Market.

Day 14: Jerusalem - Tel Aviv - Departure

Meal: Breakfast

Leisure time until being picked up by your private driver and transferred to Ben Gurion Airport for your homebound flight. Say goodbye to Israel!