U.S.A. • Transatlantic flight to Amman, Jordan

We will take flights from our various home cities, make transfers, and arrive the following day at the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, an ancient city of Old and New Testament times known as Philadelphia.  We will stay at Le Grand Amman Hotel for the night.

Mount Nebo • Petra

We drive south from Amman along the 5,000-year-old King’s Highway, one of the most memorable journeys in the Holy Land, passing through a string of ancient sites. Ten minutes to the west is Mount Nebo, the traditional site where Moses viewed the Promised Land. The first city along the way from the north is Madaba, “The City of Mosaics,” which has been intermittently inhabited for nearly 3,500 years.  The chief attraction in this city is a wonderfully vivid sixth-century Byzantine mosaic map showing Jerusalem and other holy sites. From there we will proceed to Petra, arriving there in the early afternoon with time to relax before having dinner. We will be staying at the Petra Marriott Hotel for the night.

Petra • Eilat, Israel

We will either take horses (half the distance) or walk to the ruins of Petra. This unique city, built from sandstone by the Nabateans, has beautiful temples and amphitheaters carved out of the cliffs which surround the hidden valley. We will visit the Treasury and other sites as time allows.  In the afternoon we will drive to Aqaba, cross the border into Israel, and spend the night in Eilat at the Rimonim Hotel. Notes:  There are three ways to go from the entrance of the park to the Treasury (Indiana Jones) and two of them require a fee from you:. (a) horses will take you to the beginning of the siq, and you will have to tip them around $3–$5. (b) carriages will cost about $30 plus tip and they will take you to the Treasury and back; you can reserve them, or (c) you can walk the distance at no cost.

Eilat • Masada • Ein Gedi • Jericho 

An early morning drive will take us north through the Arabah to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the earth’s surface. Here we will take the cable car to the top of Masada to see the ruins of the palace fortress built by King Herod and to recall the story of the Zealots’ last stand against the Romans. We pass Ein Gedi and arrive at Qumran, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls, where we will have lunch, followed by a float in the Dead Sea. We will see the country of Jordan off to our right and then visit the Tel of Old Testament Jericho, where we will discuss the prophets Joshua and Elisha. We will stay overnight at the Jericho Oasis Hotel. 

Qasr El Yehud • Ein Harod • Beth Shean • Magdala • Galilee

We will begin our day by stopping at Qasr El Yehud (Bethabara), the possible site of Jesus’ baptism, and review some important scriptural events that took place in this area. After driving north through the Jordan Valley, as we pass by the area of Ein Harod, we’ll discuss the principle in the story of Gideon against the Midianites. We will next visit one of the most impressive archaeological excavations in the Holy Land—Beth Shean—and experience the splendor of Roman life and Hellenistic culture. This Roman city of the Decapolis will bring the opulence of the Greco–Roman world to life. Just east of the Roman and Byzantine ruins lies the Old Testament tel of Beit Shean. Here the bodies of Saul and Jonathan were hung on the wall for all Israel to see. We will end the day by going to the traditional site of Magdala, where Mary Magdalene was born, as well as the site of the earliest synagogue in Israel. We will check in to the Nof Ginosar Hotel located on the shore of the Sea of Galilee for two nights.

Sea of Galilee • Capernaum • Dan • Banias • Golan Heights

Our day will begin with a morning boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, after which we will see the Galilee boat. We will next visit Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ Galilean ministry, and the Mount of Beatitudes, where we will discuss the Sermon on the Mount. We will pass by the Canaanite city of Hazor on our way to Tel Dan.  Here Jeroboam erected a golden calf for the Israelites to worship.  The restored walls and gates give us an excellent idea of the fortifications Joshua would have faced as he conquered the land.  We will visit Banias, known as Caesarea Philippi in the days of Jesus.  This is where the Savior asked His disciples, “Whom say ye that I am?”  We then continue on to the Golan Heights which have been fought over since Old Testament times.  We will make a brief stop near the Syrian border where somewhere near here, while on the road to Damascus, Paul had his life-changing vision of Christ.  We will return to Nof Ginosar for our final night in Galilee.

Mount Tabor • Nazareth • Mount Carmel • Caesarea

We will begin the day by visiting Mount Tabor, where we will take taxis to the top for a discussion of the Transfiguration. Our next stop is at the historic site of Megiddo to recall how strategic this fortress was in biblical times. From there we will drive through the hills of Galilee as we journey to Nazareth, where we will visit the Nazareth Village and discuss the early life of Jesus.  After crossing the historic Jezreel Valley, we will travel up via Mount Carmel to Muhraka, the traditional site of Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal, enjoying a sweeping view of the Jezreel Valley. From there we will travel to Haifa to visit some sites important to this dispensation, including an important cemetery to see the graves of two missionaries who died in this city. We then continue down the Mediterranean Coast to Caesarea, where we will discuss the apostles Peter and Paul and their relationship to Roman leaders who lived there.  We will then drive to the West Bank and check in to the Haddad Tourism Village, near Jenin, to stay the night. If time permits, we will visit the Museum of Palestinian History and Culture. 

Samaria • Nablus • Shiloh • Bethel • Jerusalem

Today we will visit Old Testament historical sites, including a stop near Dothan (Joseph was sold there); Sebastia (ancient Samaria and capital of the Northern ten Tribes of Ephraim); then drive on to Nablus (ancient Shechem/ Tel Balata and Jacob’s Well) and view Mount Gerizim and Ebal. We will drive to Shiloh, to study its history, and to the area of Bethel, where some important revelations took place. We will check in to the Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem for the rest of our nights in Israel.

Jerusalem • Model City • Yad Vashem • Bethlehem

To further understand the connection between biblical and modern Jerusalem, we will visit the famous Model City of Jerusalem, which is a scale model of the city as it looked near the time of the Savior, and then visit the Shrine of the Book (Dead Sea Scrolls). We next visit the Holocaust Museum, Yad Vashem. After lunch we drive to Bethlehem, where we will visit the Church of the Nativity. Later we will visit the nearby Shepherds’ Field and have a brief Christmas service, after which we will visit an olive wood shop, with time left over to shop for interesting items in Bethlehem.   On our way back to the hotel, we will stop at the Haas Promenade for an impressive overlook of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem

Leaving at 7:45 a.m., we will drive to the Mount of Olives for a view of the Old City of Jerusalem before entering through the Dung Gate to tour the Holy Mount (or Mount Moriah), ancient site of the temples of Solomon and Herod, now occupied by the Dome of the Rock and El Aksa Mosque. We will visit the Church of St. Anne, where the Pool of Bethesda is located, to recall the events recorded in John 5.  Walking along the Via Dolorosa, we will proceed to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher through the Arab bazaar. Leaving the church, we will then proceed to the Jewish Quarter, along the Roman Cardo, and view Hezekiah’s eighth-century-BC Broad Wall. After lunch in the Jewish Quarter, we will end the day at the City of David and Hezekiah’s Tunnel, discussing the city’s historical setting as it felt the Assyrian threat. We will preview our walk by seeing a wonderful 10-minute 3-D presentation on the historical setting of the City of David.  At Hezekiah’s Tunnel we will wade through this exciting third-of-a-mile historic marvel, ending at the Pool of Siloam. There is also a “dry” tunnel for those not desiring to get wet, but which is not quite as exciting.

 Benjamin Plateau • Shephelah • Valley of Elah • Hebron

We will begin our day on the Benjamin Plateau, where we will visit Nebi Samuel, where Solomon was promised wisdom by the Lord. On a clear day you can see the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea. Also, we will be very near Gibeah, the home village of Saul, king of Israel. We will discuss Saul’s rise to power in humility and track his tragic fall and rejection by Samuel and the Lord. We will then descend the Benjamin Plateau and drive down the Shephelah to Beit Shemesh (the location where the captured Ark of the Covenant was returned to Israel by the Philistines). Continuing south, we will stop in the Valley of Elah, where David slew Goliath. We will pass Mareshah, where the prophet Micah may have lived. Depending on time and conditions, we hope to visit Hebron, where we will see the Tomb of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their wives). This is the only Herodian building that still stands complete. Upon our return to Jerusalem, we will visit the Western wall again to watch Jewish worshipers welcome in the Sabbath. 

Jerusalem • Last 24 Hours of the Savior’s Ministry 

We begin our study of the last 24 hours of Jesus’ ministry by going to the Upper Room to recall the important events of the Last Supper. Our next stop is St. Peter’s in Gallicantupossible site of the cock’s crowing and palace of Caiaphas. We will drive to the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden and then walk down to the area of Gethsemane, where the great atoning sacrifice took place as well as the arrest of Jesus. We then go to the BYU Jerusalem Center for sacrament meeting at 10:00. After lunch on our own, we will go to Golgotha and the Garden Tomb (3:00) for a fitting conclusion to our study of the Savior’s life. The remainder of the day is yours to visit the Old City and other places of interest.  We will pack and prepare for leaving for home or Egypt tomorrow morning.

International Flight Home

We have a midnight flight home, arriving in the afternoon—taking with us experiences and memories never to be forgotten.

Egypt option

Israel • Cairo, Egypt • Cairo Museum • Citadel of Saladin

We will depart Jerusalem for Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv for a flight to Egypt, arriving at the Cairo International Airport.  We will first visit the exhibits from throughout Egypt’s history at the world-famous Cairo Museum, including the discoveries from King Tut’s Tomb.  If time permits, we will stop at the Citadel of Saladin and the Mohammed Ali Mosque (Alabaster Mosque) and discuss Islam.  We will go to the Hilton Heliopolis Hotel where we will stay the night and prepare for our flight to Luxor early in the morning.

Cairo • Luxor

We will take a morning flight to Luxor, arriving around 7:30. We probably won’t check in to the hotel at this time, since we need to go directly to the west bank and begin our tour. Later we will check in to the hotel. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided today at the hotel as part of the tour. After our arrival, we’ll visit the west bank of the Nile River and the Valley of the Kings. There the tombs and mortuary temples of the famous kings and queens of the New Kingdom (when Egypt ruled the East) are located. We will visit the tomb of King Tutankhamen (Tut) as well as two others. Next, we will drive by Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple, then visit the impressive funeral temple of Ramses III, referred to as Medinet Habu. We will try to cross back over the Nile by a felucca (sailboat). After lunch and a short rest at the hotel, we will then visit the largest temple complex in the world, the famous Temple of Karnak. If time permits, we will visit the Temple of Luxor. Attending the light and sound show at the Karnak Temple or shopping in the bazaar will be options for this evening. Another option will be to take an “Egyptian Cadillac” (horse and buggy) ride through the local marketplace to see life as it exists in these smaller towns. We will stay at the Steigenberger Hotel in Luxor. 

Luxor • Cairo

We leave again on an early morning flight back to Cairo where we will begin our visit to the Giza area to ride a camel and visit the world-famous pyramids, classified among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We will stand in awe of their size and magnificent engineering. We will also encounter the world-famous Sphinx. We will next visit a papyrus factory. After lunch, which will be provided as part of the tour, we will visit Memphis, capital of the Pyramid Age, and Saqqara (site of Zoser’s famous step pyramid). This evening we will return to the Hilton Heliopolis Hotel and prepare for our flight back to the United States.

International Flight Home

We will bid a very early morning farewell to the Middle East as we depart from the Cairo International Airport to the U.S.A. We should arrive sometime in the afternoon.