16 Day Israel, Egypt, and Jordan Tour

Our special tour includes all of the important Sites in Israel such as Jerusalem, Garden Tomb, Galilee, Bethlehem, Masada and more. It also includes Petra and Jordan, Mount Sinai, Sinai Desert, Dead Sea and the Red Sea. The optional Egypt extension includes Cairo, the Pyramids, King Tut's treasure, Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple and more.

This once in a lifetime tour will visit many sites that others are not able to see when they go to Israel. For example: The City of Lehi excavations, located a short distance down from Jerusalem. This is where caves were discovered with writings on the inside walls. It was determined that the writings were by a prophet in hiding that date approx. 600 BC. The Arabs have considered the hill above the cave to be a sacred place. As they put it – “before Mohamed there was a great prophet named Lehi and he taught from that hill." Even the archeologists in Jerusalem now call the area Beit Lehi. With the Lehi excavations being on an army base, we are the only ones that have received permission to visit the site.

“Whisper Perfect” headset receivers
Everyone on this tour will have their own individual “whisper perfect” headset receiver. You will be able to hear every word clearly spoken by our guides and educators, even when you step away from the group to take that important picture.

Meet your “Dream Team” of educators:

Day 1: Thursday October 8: Fly Fly from the US to Amman

Day 2: Friday October 9: Amman - Petra
After arriving into Amman and clearing customs, we will drive directly to Petra to overnight.

Day 3: Saturday October 10: Petra - Amman
This morning you will travel down the narrow canyon into Petra, emerging at the breathtaking view of the Treasury. We will spend the day touring Petra.  You will have time to explore and experience some of the best ruins found any where in the world.  It was recently voted as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.  After our tour we will drive to Amman to overnight.

Day 4: Sunday October 11:  Bethlehem - Galilee
We will cross the border early this morning and head straight to Bethlehem.  We will start our tour in Israel with the birth of the Savior.  We will remember the wondrous account of the Savior’s birth as told in Luke and retold each Christmas as we walk through the Church of the Nativity and sing Christmas carols.  We will also visit the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are located.  We will then continue on to Galilee where we will overnight. 

Day 5: Monday October 12:  Galilee Area
Our journey today takes us to the far north regions of Israel. We will pass the Canaanite city of Hazor on our way to Tel Dan. Here Jeroboam erected a golden calf for the Israelites to worship. We will visit Banias, known as Caesarea Philippi in the days of Jesus. This is where the Savior asked his disciples, “Whom do ye say that I am?” We then continue on to the Golan Heights, which have been fought over since Old Testament times. Our final stop of the day is Bethsaida.  Bethsaida is the home of Peter and Andrew and the site of the miracle of the loaves and the fishes.  

Day 6: Tuesday October 13: Galilee Area
This morning we will drive to Mt. Tabor where we will discuss the Transfiguration of the Savior. Here Deborah and Barak gathered their forces and defeated Sisera’s Iron Chariots. Crossing the Jezreel Valley we will ascend to Nazareth and visit the “Nazareth Village Experience” where we will ponder the early life of Jesus. We will pass Cana, where the Savior performed his first miracle, turning water into wine, and then descend to the Sea of Galilee visiting the Mount of Beatitudes and Capernaum where so many wonderful events and teachings took place. Tonight we will take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and retell the story of the Savior's walking on water and stilling the storm.

Day 7: Wednesday October 14: Galilee – Jerusalem
This morning we head to the top of Mt. Carmel to the Mukrakah.  Here we will re-examine the story of Elijah’s confrontation with the priests of Baal with its dramatic conclusion.  We will then continue to Haifa and on to Caesarea, located on the Mediterranean Coast.  Here the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, became the first gentile to convert to Christianity and Paul related his account of his vision on the road to Damascus to King Agrippa. Our last stop before arriving in Jerusalem will be in Netanya where the Presidents of the LDS Church are honored in a special memorial at the Orson Hyde Park.  Overnight in Jerusalem.  

Day 8: Thursday October 15: Jerusalem Area
Our attention today is drawn to the Old City of Jerusalem. We will explore the foundations of the Temple Mount in the Rabbinical Tunnel and climb the Temple Mount where both Solomon and Herod’s temples once stood and where the magnificent Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosques now stand. This afternoon will be free to shop in the many shops in the Old City and for those that want adventure you can visit the City of David located south of the Temple Mount and walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel.  Please note: Hezekiah’s Tunnel is filled with knee to waist high water.  You should plan on wearing clothing and shoes that can get wet and will not fall off of your feet (NO flip flops).  We will also visit the BYU Jerusalem Center either today or tomorrow.

Day 9: Friday October 16: City of Lehi – Jerusalem
We have an important highlight to share today, the archeological dig at Beit Lehi.  Here we will have an opportunity to explore an actual archeological site under excavation. We will then head to Masada.  Rising above the desert floor is the fortress of Masada which we will visit via cable car.   We are now in the Judean Wilderness, home of John the Baptist and the place Jesus went to prepare for his ministry and where he was tempted by the Devil. Our last stop before returning to Jerusalem will be a swim in the Dead Sea. 

Day 10: Saturday October 17:  Jerusalem Area
Today we reach the spiritual pinnacle of our pilgrimage as we retrace the footsteps of our Savior during the last hours of his life, and feel the deep appreciation these places create for the sacrifice of the Son of God. We begin on Mt. Zion at the traditional site of the Upper Room where the Last Supper was shared with devoted apostles. From there we descend into the Kidron Valley to visit Gethsemane, the Garden of the Savior’s deepest prayers. We visit St. Peter in Gallicantu, the possible site of the cock’s crowing and the Palace of Caiaphus where Jesus was tried. We then go on to the Sisters of Sion Convent which was built on the site of the Antonia Fortress (the probable site where Pilate questioned Jesus). We will pass through the Damascus Gate to Golgotha and the Garden Tomb where we will have time to ponder the Resurrection in a most beautiful and quiet place.

Day 11: Sunday October 18:  Dead Sea Swim – Red Sea Resort
We will depart this morning for Egypt and the Sinai, crossing at the Taba Border in the early afternoon into the Sinai and Egypt.  We will overnight in the Taba Marriott Resort. 

Day 12: Monday October 19:  Taba – Aswan – 5 Star Nile Cruise Ship
Free morning to enjoy the Red Sea before flying in the afternoon to Aswan and our 5 star Nile cruise ship. 

Day 13: Tuesday October 20:  Nile Cruise
Aswan, Kom Ombo & Edfu: Today, you'll visit Aswan's High Dam, which controls the Nile and is a major source of hydroelectric power in Egypt, and Philae Island with its temple dedicated to Isis.  After lunch we sail to Kom Ombo, where, in ancient times, sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the river bank. The Temple of Kom Ombo is unique in all of Egypt and is shared by the two gods Sobek and Haroeris. Continue sailing to Edfu.

Day 14: Wednesday October 21:   Nile Cruise
Today's visits include the Temple of Edfu, a Greek-built monument to Horus, falcon-headed son of Osiris. It took about 200 years to complete and has helped fill in many gaps of knowledge about the Paranoiac architecture that it imitates. Sail to Esna, and cross Esna Lock to Luxor, one of Egypt's greatest attractions for the sheer grandeur of its monumental architecture and excellent state of preservation.

Day 15: Thursday October 22:  Luxor – Valley of the Kings – Cairo
Today we will visit the Valley of the Kings (the tombs of the Pharaoh’s). In the afternoon returning to Luxor, we will visit the Karnak Temple and the Luxor Temple.  This evening we will fly to Cairo and check into our 5 star hotel.

Day 16: Friday October 23: Cairo
We will spend a full day touring Cairo including a visit to the Pyramids.  You will also have time to do a little shopping and visit the Citadel before returning to your 5 star hotel.

Day 17: Saturday October 24: Cairo
This morning will be a free morning to enjoy your special 5 star hotel and pool. This afternoon we will finish our tour of Cairo and visit the Cairo Museum that houses the treasures found in King Tut’s tomb.