Israel, Palestine and Jordan Adventure

Day 01 Arrive Tel Aviv
Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) in the morning. Here your local guide will greet you and bring you to your hotel in Jaffa. On your way to Jaffa, view the ancient port including excavations from the Canaanite, Egyptian and early Christian periods. Learn about the development of Tel Aviv over the past century as you pass through the quaint Neve Tzedek neighbourhood, pick up a snack in the bustling Carmel marketplace, and enjoy a guided viewing of the extensive Bauhaus architecture down the tree-lined Rothschild Boulevard. Check into your hotel in the afternoon. The evening is free. Your guide will assist you as to what to see and where to eat. Overnight at hotel in Tel Aviv.
Meals: Dinner only.

Day 02 Tel Aviv – Tiberius
After breakfast, we head north, stopping first at Caesarea, which served as the capital of Israel during the Roman and Byzantine eras. Built in 25 BC, it is where Cornelius became the first gentile Christian. This is also the place where Paul testified before Agrippa. The city was eventually abandoned and lost under the desert sands until recent archaeological excavations unearthed remarkable evidence of life in the area during Roman times. Continue north, stopping at a Druze village to experience traditional hospitality including lunch and a presentation on this community’s unique traditions. Visit Joseph’s carpentry workshop and the Church of Annunciation in Nazareth, before reaching your accommodations near the Sea of Galilee in the afternoon. Overnight at hotel in Tiberius.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Day 03 Tiberius (Sea of Galilee)
Begin the day with visits to some of the most prominent heritage sites in the area including Capernaum, believed to be the home of both Jesus and Peter, the Church of Multiplication (of the Loaves and Fishes) at Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes. Continue in the afternoon into the Golan Heights, driving to the top of Mt. Bental for a view into Syria and to learn about the evolving geo-political situation. Walk through the tunnels of an underground bunker once used by the military and consider the strategic importance of this disputed high ground. Head back towards the Sea of Galilee to enjoy an evening boat ride before returning to your accommodations for dinner and an evening to relax.
Overnight at hotel in Tiberius.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Day 04 Amman (Jordan) – Petra
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and head to the Yardenit Baptismal Site for your own spiritual moment of contemplation or renewal of baptism in the Jordan River, assisted by our resident reverend. Pass into Jordan via the Sheikh Hussein Crossing and enjoy the drive to Amman for lunch. Enjoy a brief tour including the ancient hilltop Citadel, home to the iconic Roman-era Temple of Hercules and the eighth-century Umayyad Palace. Get back on the road for the scenic drive to Petra, where you’ll spend the evening. Overnight in Petra.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Day 05 Petra & Wadi Rum
Begin the day exploring Petra, the legendary city of the Nabataean people. Hidden in deep canyons, this remarkable site was founded more than 2,400 years ago. Enter the ancient city through its primary entrance, known as the Siq—a narrow chasm between naturally sculpted cliffs that opens to Petra’s iconic Treasury. Go on a guided visit of the site, where hundreds of monuments were rediscovered only in 1812, and (time permitting) explore the Royal Tombs or the Monastery. Head to Wadi Rum in the afternoon for a sunset jeep tour of the stunning moon-like landscape and enjoy local Bedouin hospitality in the evening.
Overnight in Wadi Rum deluxe camping.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 06 Arava – Masada – Dead Sea – Qumran – Jerusalem
Depart Wadi Rum in the morning and return to Israel via the Wadi Araba Crossing. Begin making your way north through the picturesque Arava desert region and arrive at the Dead Sea basin. Take the cable car to the fortress of Masada built by King Herod around 35 BC and celebrated by UNESCO as a leading world heritage site. We will take a break to buy a local lunch (on your own) at the nearby visitors’ center. We will continue to Qumran, where the “Dead Sea Scrolls” were accidently discovered by a local Shepard some seventy years ago. Conclude the day with an opportunity to float at a nearby Dead Sea beach before continuing to Jerusalem for the evening.
Overnight at The National Hotel, Jerusalem.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

Day 07 Jerusalem – Full day visit
Begin with a stunning panoramic view from the Mt. of Olives, then continue to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Garden Tomb (possible time for communion service). Visit the Church of All Nations and enter the Old City through St. Stephen’s Gate. Walk the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Hill of Golgotha. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the local markets on your way to the Jewish Quarter, the Western Wall, and Roman Cardo. Conclude the day at the Last Supper Room (upper floor of King David’s Tomb) and in the cathedral of the Dormition Abbey on Mt. Zion. Enjoy dinner and explore the city on your own in the evening.
Overnight at Hotel in Jerusalem.
Meals: Breakfast.

Day 08 Jerusalem – Visit to Bethlehem and Western Wall
Head to the city of Bethlehem in the morning for a visit to Manger Square, the Nativity Church, and the nearby Milk Grotto. Continue to the village of Beit Sahour for a visit to Shepherd’s Field, making a stop in a local fair-trade crafts factory. We will bring you to Banksy’s “Walled Off Hotel.”, where you can take a break for lunch (on your own) and get a chance to visit this unique hotel with an intriguing concept. Take a walk along the separation/security barrier, viewing extensive protest graffiti and murals expressing Palestinian perspectives on the ongoing conflict. Here, your guide will explain present relations between Israelis and Palestinians and the possibilities for future peace. Return to Jerusalem for an evening on your own.
Overnight at National Hotel, Jerusalem.
Meals: Breakfast.

Day 09 Jerusalem
Begin the day at Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial with a guided tour through the powerful main exhibit and surrounding grounds. Continue to the Mahane Yehuda market for a brief tasting tour and opportunity to enjoy lunch at one of the many renowned local eateries. Enjoy cuisine from the European and middle eastern traditions and purchase something to add to your cupboard at home. Take a walking tour through the peaceful alleyways of the Nachloat neighbourhood, one of the first areas settled outside of the Old City. Continue into “downtown,” passing a well-known artists’ hub, to get a sense for the eternal tension between “old” and “new.” Enjoy the final evening with a farewell dinner of traditional food and music in Bethany.
Overnight in Jerusalem.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

Day 10 Jerusalem – Departure
After breakfast, will transfer to the airport for your return flight to Canada.
Breakfast included.