DAY 1

• TEL AVIV TO JERUSALEM

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• You’ve Arrived
• Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, an airport representative will meet you in the airplane sleeve (jet bridge) where you will be escorted through a separate passport control desk. Afterwards, your representative will assist you to pick up your luggage where you will later walk through the arrivals gate to meet your driver who will be waiting for you.
• A private vehicle with driver will provide a transfer between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

DAY 2

• JERUSALEM

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• The Adventure Begins
• The heart of the Holy Land centers around Jerusalem – the cradle of civilization and revered as a Holy City in Christianity, Judaism and Islam alike. The Mount of Olives overlooks the Old City, standing testament to millennia of history and separating the Holy City from the Judean Desert. Begin the day with your private English-speaking driver-guide at the Mount of Olives, gazing upon the evocative panorama of the Old City below, with expansive views of the olive tree canopies, cemeteries, and churches. From here, enter the Old City through the Muslim Quarter from the eastern Lion’s Gate, stopping to visit the Church of Saint Anne and the Pools of Bethesda. Follow in the footsteps of the Via Dolorosa, an important pilgrimage route for Christian visitors, believed to mark the way to the site of Jesus’ crucifixion at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and one of the most revered Christian monuments. Wind your way through the narrow souks connecting the Christian Quarter and the Jewish Quarter, ending the morning at the Western Wall, the former retaining wall of the Second Temple. The space in front of the Western Wall functions as an open-air synagogue, and it is considered to be the holiest accessible site where Jews may pray. Head out of the Old City through the Dung Gate to the neighboring City of David an archaeological site located outside of the Old City walls with findings dating back to the Bronze Age and covering findings from the time of the Old and New Testament.

DAY 3

• JERUSALEM

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• Sights and Insights
• Jerusalem’s identity as a historical center extends beyond the confines of the Old City, and many of the treasures of the country can be found scattered throughout the city. With your English-speaking driver-guide, head to the Israel Museum to start the day. On the way, drive by the Supreme Court and the Knesset, the home of the Israeli parliament. The Israel Museum holds artifacts relevant to Judaism, Christianity and Islam alike, and the two most important exhibits are the model of the city from the time of the Second Temple, and the Shrine of the Book, housing the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest biblical manuscripts in the world and uncovered in Qumran. Drive to the Holocaust Memorial of Yad Vashem, located on the flanks of Mount Herzl adjacent to the country’s war cemetery. Yad Vashem is the country’s official memorial to victims of the Holocaust, and a heart-wrenching plea against the horrors of genocide. Head to the Machane Yehuda Market, affectionately known as the Shuk by Jerusalemites. Stop for lunch (not included) here at one of the tantalizing restaurants catering to both Kosher and non-Kosher dietary requirements. This market is bustling with activity as Israelis and travelers alike flock to market to stock up on a cornucopia of local produce, pita breads, nuts, spices, and desserts. With your Shuk Bites card (included on your tour), taste and savor a variety of products and flavors of the market as your guide takes you to the nooks and crannies of Machane Yehuda.  

DAY 4

• JERUSALEM

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• A Sight To Behold
• Iconic natural wonders dot the Israeli landscape, playing their own role in the Holy Land’s lengthy biblical history. Masada, Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea stand out in the Jordan Rift Valley against the dramatic backdrop of the mountains on the Jordanian side of the border. With your English-speaking driver-guide, start the day with a visit to the beautiful Ein Gedi Reserve, a stunning desert oasis graced with waterfalls and referenced several times in the Book of Psalms. Continue by car to Masada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous as the site of King Herod’s desert mountain get-away palace, and the scene of the zealots’ final stand against the Roman Legion, with stunning vistas overlooking the desert and Dead Sea below.
• Ascend to the summit by cable car, and explore the excavation of King Herod’s palaces, the bathhouse, storerooms, the ancient ramp used to ascend the mountain, and one of the oldest still-standing synagogues. It is possible to hike up the Snake Path to the summit of Masada, but this is only recommended for guests in good health, as the 90-minute hike in the hot desert sun is quite challenging.

DAY 5

• JERUSALEM TO ALLENBY BRIDGE TO PETRA

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• A Change of Scenery
• Drive to the Allenby Bridge today to cross the border into Jordan. The drive to the border will take approximately 1 hour. At the crossing, a chaperone will accompany you to the departure hall V.I.P. room, which includes access to hot and cold beverages. Your chaperone will assist you with the exit fee and escort you through passport control and security check formalities. Continue to the Jordanian side by V.I.P. car where the Jordanian V.I.P. assistant will finalize all procedures on that side of the border.
  
  PLEASE NOTE: A departure tax of approx. $65 USD per person must be paid in cash at the border crossing (amount subject to change without prior notice).
• Transfer by private vehicle from the Allenby Bridge to Petra. Approximate drive time 3 hours.
• Enjoy some time for independent discovery at Siq Al-Barid (Little Petra), located to the north of Petra, only a 10 minute drive away. A classical temple stands guard outside the miniature siq which would appear to have been an important suburb of the city of Petra, situated at the point where several ancient caravan routes met, linking Wadi Araba with Gaza, Egypt and the Mediterranean coast. The narrow file, just over 1,100 feet long, is crammed with tombs, temples, triclinia, houses, water channels and cisterns. The surrounding area is picturesque and great for exploration.

DAY 6

• PETRA

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• Cross an Item off the Bucket List
• Petra is the treasure of the ancient world, and the rock-carved rose-red city is full of mysterious charm. Indeed, it was "designed to strike wonder into all who entered it". Petra is the legacy of the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled in southern Jordan more than 2,000 years ago. Admired then for its refined culture, massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and water channels, this remarkable city of grand buildings carved into massive cliffs evokes wonder to this day. After lunch, you will be able to walk the grounds of Petra on your own.

DAY 7

• PETRA TO DEAD SEA

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• The Journey Continues…
• After breakfast, depart for the Dead Sea. On the way, embark on a tour of Madaba, best known for its spectacular Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, Madaba is home to the famous 6th century Mosaic Map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Close to the Church of the Virgin is the Madaba Institute For Mosaic Art and Restoration, which operates under the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism. The only project of its kind in the Middle East, the Institute trains artisans in the art of making repairing and restoring mosaics.  Continue to visit Mount Nebo, the mountaintop memorial of Moses with captivating views of the Jordan Valley, Dead Sea and The River Jordan. A small Byzantine church was built there by early Christians, which has been expanded into a vast complex. During his visit to Jordan in 2001, the Late Pope John Paul II held a sermon here that was attended by some 20,000 faithful. Arrive at the Dead Sea.

DAY 8

• DEAD SEA TO AMMAN

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• Sun and Sand
• One of the most unique experiences the Dead Sea has to offer is fun, free and available everywhere! Floating in the Dead Sea is a must do on your list! Just lay back, relax and enjoy this natural phenomenon.
• Enjoy a half day city tour of Amman and Jerash. The profusion of gleaming white houses, kebab stalls with roasting meat, and tiny cafes where rich Arabian coffee is sipped in the afternoon sunshine, conjure a mood straight from a thousand and one nights. Located 48 km north of Amman and nestled in a quiet valley among the mountains of Gilead, Jerash rivals the grandeur of Imperial Rome being one of the largest and most well preserved sites of Roman architecture in the World outside Italy. To this day, its paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, handsome theaters, spacious public squares and plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates remain in exceptional condition.

DAY 9

• AMMAN
• Bon Voyage
• Airport meet and assist/transfer in Amman with a private vehicle and English speaking driver is provided.

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