Israel and Jordan

Upon your arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, you will be greeted by a VIP Agent who will fast-track you through passport control, assisting with your luggage. A private driver will then transfer you to Jerusalem.

After breakfast, you will take a private, guided tour of Jerusalem’s Old City. Drive to the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of the city. Visit Mount Zion, King David's Tomb, and the room of the Last Supper. Afterward, you can enjoy a stroll through the restored Jewish Quarter. A special point of interest here is the Cardo, meaning the "heart" of this ancient Byzantine city. View the unearthed main Roman thoroughfare and an ancient marketplace lined with columns. Proceed to the holiest place in Judaism today, the Western Wall, before descending through the many layers of Jerusalem’s past at the time of the Temple through the Western Wall Tunnels. Inside, an interesting model shows the different dwelling periods and history of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Stand on the site believed to be the nearest spot to the "Holy of Holies." You will also view the Temple Mount and walk along the Via Dolorosa to visit the Church of Holy Sepulchre.

After an early breakfast, you will travel east to the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth at 1,305 feet below sea level. You will then continue south to the legendary mountaintop plateau of Masada and ascend by cable car to the ancient synagogue of Masada to explore the ancient fortress. This was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their struggle against the Romans. If time permits, you will visit the beautiful Ein Gedi Reserve, seeing the waterfalls of this desert oasis, which is mentioned in the Book of Psalms. The combination of Ein Gedi’s abundance of water and the tropical climate provides for wonderful exotic plant and animal life. Lunch is included at the Herod’s Dead Sea Resort, after which you have the chance to swim – cover yourselves with mud and enjoy the therapeutic “unsinkable” experience. After the tour return to your hotel in Jerusalem with your private driver.

This morning, you visit the Israel Museum, which features the most extensive collection of biblical and Holy Land archeology in the world–nearly 500,000 pieces. Marvel at the detailed model of Jerusalem from the time of the Second Temple and enter the dramatic Shrine of the Book to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. Continue on to Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust. Alongside your docent, you will explore interactive historical displays that include photographs, films, documents, letters, works of art, and survivor testimonies. End your day with a visit to the Machane Yehuda Market (Shuk), known as the largest market in Jerusalem, with more than 250 vendors selling fruit, vegetables, specialty foods, clothing, and Judaica. You then continue on to your hotel in Tel Aviv.

This morning, you will visit Jaffa (also known as Yafo), the ancient port city just outside Tel Aviv. The narrow passageways and buildings in the Old City are worlds away from modern Tel Aviv. Continue on with a visit to Neve Tzedek, where once a small group of Jewish families began creating an infrastructure that would later become Tel Aviv. This neighborhood is now a modern delight, a hip and happening spot filled with boutiques, cafés, and restaurants. A walk along Rothschild Boulevard brings you to the White City of Tel Aviv, founded in 1909. You will learn about how architects gave the metropolis a new cultural context.

After breakfast, enjoy a drive to Caesarea, the remnants of an ancient port built by Herod the Great. You will also visit the ancient Canaanite and Phoenician port of Acre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the Knights’ Hall and the Underground City. If time permits, you continue with a visit to Nazareth and the Church of Annunciation before returning to your hotel in Tel Aviv.

This morning, you return to Ben Gurion Airport for a flight to the city of Aqaba, Jordan, in the south. Upon arrival, you will enjoy a panoramic city excursion before checking into your hotel. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure.

This morning, you drive to Petra, a historic and archaeological city in southern Jordan. Upon arrival, you will walk to the Siq Canyon, seeing many interesting and significant sights along the way, including the Silica Quarries, the Djinn Blocks, and the Obelisk Tomb. At the entrance of the canyon, you will see the stone dam that protects Petra from floods and the ancient drainage channels of the site. Over the Siq are the remains of an arch that marked the entrance to Petra and the beginning of the ingenious water system that runs the whole length of the canyon. As the canyon ends, you will see Petra's most renowned monument, The Treasury (Khazneh). You will also visit some of the region's most famous burial sites, including the Royal Tombs. If time permits, you may walk along Colonnade Street and visit the Great Temple before heading back to the Siq Canyon. Following your exploration of Petra, you enjoy dinner at a local restaurant, before returning to Aqaba.

Later in the day, you will take a ride in a local Bedouin 4 x 4 on a sunset excursion in Wadi Rum, a rocky valley of sandstone and granite just east of Aqaba, also known as the Valley of the Moon. From the visitor center, you drive to Wadi Rum village, then visit Lawrence Spring, named for T.E. Lawrence of Arabia fame. Afterward, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

This morning, you take a private transfer to Aqaba Airport in time for your return flight home.