Additional Included Highlights
Tel Aviv: See Habimah National Theatre, Rabin Square and Carmel market.
Jaffa: Visit the ancient port and artists' quarter.
Acre: See the fortress, the old harbour area and Crusader crypt.
Nazareth: Visit the Church of the Annunciation.
Galilee: A brief talk on the history and contemporary life on a Kibbutz. Visit Capernaum and the Mount of the Beatitudes. View the ancient wooden boat, which is said to date back to the times of Jesus.
Qumran: See the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.
Jerusalem: Walk the Garden of Gethsemene, Room of the Last Supper, Pool of Bethesda, Ecce Homo Arch. See the Temple Mount. Visit the Jewish sites of King David's Tomb and the Western Wall.
Amman: See the Roman Amphitheatre and Citadel Hill.
Shobak: Explore the Crusader fortress seeing the Crusader chapel.
AUTHENTIC REGIONAL FLAVOURS
Tel Aviv: Partake in a Friday night Shabbat dinner.
Jerusalem: Toast the culmination of your tour with a lively Celebration Dinner.
Cruising: Join the fun at an Egyptian dinner and galabeya party.
Luxor: Visit a working bakery and witness the local artisans creating authentic Egyptian bread.
Aswan: Like Winston Churchill and Agatha Christie before you, enjoy the sunset and high tea in colonial English-style at Aswan’s famous Old Cataract Hotel.
19 Buffet Breakfasts (BB), 2 Welcome Drinks (WR), 4 lunches (L), 1 High Tea (AT), 2 Signature Evenings (SE), 8 three-course table d'hôte Dinners or Buffets (D) all with tea or coffee and bottled water while cruising; plus 1 Welcome Dinner (WD) and 1 Celebration Dinner (CD) both wine, and tea or coffee.
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES
Caesarea: Explore the Roman and Crusader ruins of Caesarea, formerly one of the splendid cities in Palestine.
Sea of Galilee: Enjoy a morning boat ride at the very place where Jesus is said to have walked on water.
Dead Sea: It's nearly impossible to sink so be sure to take a dip in the mineral-rich waters.
Dead Sea: Ascend by cable car to the ancient fortress of Masada where Jewish Zealots held out for three years against Herod's armies, before committing mass suicide.
Jerusalem: Visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum and Shrine of the Book.
Jerusalem: Walk the Stations of the Cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, site of the Crucifixion.
Jerash: Step back 2,000 years in time in this marvellous ancient city, the finest surviving example of a Greco-Roman city in the world.
Petra: Visit the ‘rose red’ city and journey through the winding dark passageway between rock walls 90-180 meters high to the ancient hidden city.
Mount Nebo: Look down upon Moses’ Promised Land. The view is amazing and the ruins are truly a site to behold.
Madaba: View the mosaic that is believed to be the earliest surviving map of the Holy Land.
Cairo: Gaze upon the most recognisable symbols of ancient Egypt: the full-faced funeral mask, gold coffin, gilded throne and precious jewellery – Tutankhamun's treasures.
Giza: If only these walls could talk! Oh, but they do at the audio visual Sound & Light Show at the Great pyramids.
Giza: Meet the enigmatic Sphinx and venture deep inside one of the pyramids, to the chambers where the pharaohs went to meet their Gods in the afterlife.
Karnak: Stand amid a vast forest of columns in the largest temple complex known to man.
West Bank: Embark on an experience with an Egyptologist to visit the Temple Hatshepsut and royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
Philae Island: Board a motorboat to the temple complex.
Aswan: On a traditional Nile felucca, meet a sailor and learn the art of sailing this ancient Nile craft.
STAY AT THE BEST ADDRESSES
Tel Aviv: Sheraton Towers Hotel. Considered one of Tel Aviv’s more sophisticated hotels, located on the waterfront providing guests with luxury accommodation.
Tiberias: The Leonardo Plaza Tiberias Hotel is centrally located close to the Old Town. Offering beautifully decorated rooms and a wide range of facilities.
Dead Sea: The magnificent Hod Hamidbar hotel on the shore of the Dead Sea, offers you serenity, relaxation and the perfect pampering experience in their modern spa.
Jerusalem: Leonardo Plaza Hotel Jerusalem. The Leonardo Plaza graces the Jerusalem skyline in the heart of the city and offers panoramic views. It has many top facilities and is a good base from which to explore the Old and New Cities.
Amman: The 5-star Amman Marriott Hotel is located in one of the capital's busiest centers, with easy access to all historical sites. It offers spacious rooms and features 2 restaurants, 2 bars, and a health club with 2 pools.
Petra: The Petra Marriott Hotel is majestically situated to overlook the dramatic and picturesque rose-red city. It combines the warmest Arabian hospitality with the splendor of the ancient city of Petra.
Cairo: The luxurious Cairo Marriott is conveniently located on Gezira Island in downtown Cairo. The central section was once the Gezirah Palace built for the Khedive Isma'il Pasha in 1869. Facilities include health club, whirlpool and sauna.
Cruising: Cruise the Nile in style, on-board your traditional Nile cruiser with its spacious cabins, bars, shops, lounge, restaurant and swimming pool.
