Highlights of Israel and Jordan 11Days/10Nights

Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, you will be meeting our representative and transfer you to your hotel. Evening leisure in Tel Aviv. Overnight at Tel Aviv.

You will meet your tour guide in the morning and head off from Tel Aviv, driving south, passing by the cities of Ashod, Ashkelon and Beersheba, the capital of the Negev Desert. Continue via Arad to Masada, Israel’s foremost archaeological park. Ascend via cable-car for a thorough visit that gives insight to the rituals, politics, and culture of the people who inhabited this desert fortress, which was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavation, Herod’s Palaces, the synagogue, bathhouse and cisterns, and enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea. Descend to the lowest place on earth – Dead Sea, to experience the mineral-rich black mud and to float in the salty waters. Passing by the oasis of Ein Gedi, proceed through the Judean Desert to Jerusalem. Overnight at Jerusalem.

Start the day at the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, then visit at the beautifully renovated model of Herodian city of Jerusalem dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Visit Yad Vashem the official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 located at the foot of Mt. Hertzl. Enjoy Ein Karem; a quint village in the south western outskirts of Jerusalem. This is where John the Baptist was born. Visit Bethlehem – the birthplace of Jesus at the Church of Nativity and Manger Square. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Enter the Old City of Jerusalem where you will see the Western Wall and the actual site of the Second Temple, The Temple Mount. Walk the Way of the Cross, the Via Dolorosa, to Calvary and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, housing both the traditional site of Crucifixion and the Tomb of the Resurrection. To the southwest, just outside the Old City, is Mount Zion, with the traditional tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper. Enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of Jerusalem – the holy city for each of the world’s three great religions – Christianity, Judaism and Islam, from the top of Mount Olives. Visit the famous Garden of Gethsemane where Judas betrayed Jesus then visit the Mahane Yehuda to experience the flavors, aromas, colors and traders interaction with the crowds, at the largest open market in Israel. Overnight in Israel..

Leave Jerusalem and drive to north passing by Jericho, the oldest city in the world. Travel through the Jordan Valley and the new settlements to Beit Shean, and visit the excavations of this beautifully preserved Roman City. Then on to Nazareth to visit the Church of the Annunciation and Christian holy sites. Proceed to Safed, city of the Kabbalah and center of Jewish mysticism, to visit the beautiful streets of the artists colony. Overnight in a kibbutz hotel in the Galilee.

Drive up to the Golan Heights passing by Banias, source of the Jordan River, former Syrian fortifications and the Druze villages. Enjoy an Israeli wine country experience with vineyards surrounded by breathtaking views. Become acquainted with the collection of fine and rare wines enjoying a tour, wine tasting and understanding of wine production. Descend to the shore of the Sea of Galilee and proceed to Capernaum, to visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue, the Mount of Beatitudes, traditional site of the “miracle of the loaves and the fish”. Onwards to Tiberias, the old center of Jewish learning. Optional sailing on a boat across the Sea of Galilee to experience the tranquility and scenery little changed during the past 2000 years (subject to condition and fee). Overnight at Kibbutz Hotel.

After breakfast drive through the hills of the Galilee, westwards to Acre (Akko) for a visit of the old, famous Crusader stronghold and medieval fortifications. Continue to Haifa, ascending Mount Carmel for a panoramic view of the city, including the Baha’i Shrine, Persian Garden, and Haifa Bay. Proceed to the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea to visit Roman Theater and the Crusader fortress at what is known as “masterpiece of Herod the Great”. End the day with a short city tour of Tel Aviv and the ancient port of Jaffa. Overnight at Tel Aviv.

Drive from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to the Sheikh Hussein border crossing for procedures to enter Jordan. Proceed to Jerash – city of the Decapolis, located about 45km north of Amman in the fertile heights of the Gilad. Visit the ancient Roman city with colonnaded streets, the baths and the hill of the top Temple etc. Drive to Amman for a panoramic city tour of the Jordanian capital. Overnight at Amman.

After early breakfast, leave the hotel and travel south on the road to Wadi Musa, the modern village of Petra. Ride on horseback to the “Siq” (canyon) and then on foot to Petra, known as the red rock city, the ancient capital of the Nabateans from 3rd century B.C to 2nd Century A.D. Visit the most interesting monuments such as the Treasury, El Khazneh (a tomb of Nabatean king) then the field of tombs, obelisks, the altar, (Al Madhbah) – from this point you can view the whole of the rock city. Return to Wadi Musa village. Overnight in Petra.

Drive northwards to Madaba to visit the remains of the Byzantine Church with its ancient mosaic floor map, the oldest surviving original cartographic depiction of the mosaic map of the Holy Land and Jerusalem. Continue about 10kms to Mount Nebo, from where Moses viewed the Promised Land. From there you will see the Jordan Valley, Jericho, and the Dead Sea. Drive to the border and return to Tel Aviv. Overnight at Tel Aviv.

Transfer to the airport. Return back to Manila.