June 9 - - New York/ Cairo
We depart from JFK on a trans-Atlantic overnight flight. Meals served on board.

June 10- Arrive in Cairo
Upon our arrival in Cairo we will be met by our Egyptian guide and transfer to our Cairo hotel.  The remainder of the day will be free for our leisure.

June 11 – Cairo, Museum, Giza Pyramids & Sphinx
We start our day with a visit to the Egyptian Museum where we will have an in depth visit as we view the outstanding treasures from the Tomb of King Tutankhamen, as well as other Pharaonic art.  We will also visit the Mummy Room.
In the afternoon we proceed to the Giza Pyramids, the only one remaining of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We will enter one of the Pyramids. We will visit the Sphinx, and end our day in Cairo shopping for souvenirs at the Khan El Khalili Bazaar. After this we continue to the train station to board our overnight train to Luxor. Dinner on board.

June 12 – Valley of the Kings and Queens
After early arrival in Luxor we will visit the Necropolis of Thebes, known as the Valley of the Kings and Queens. We will visit the Tomb of King Tut with optional entrance. Admission Fee applies. We will visit other tombs open to the public in the Valley of the Kings, including the tomb of Seti II. We visit the Temple of Hatshepsut, female Pharaoh. Next is a visit to the Colossi of Memnon. We end the day at an Alabaster Factory to see the making of wonderful artifacts and the chance to purchase some. Dinner and overnight in Luxor

June 13- Luxor & Cairo
We begin the morning with a visit to the Temple of Karnak. From here walk up the Avenue of 1500 Sphinxes to the Temple of Luxor, built between 1300 and 1100BC. You will see three of six Statues of Ramses II, the court of Ramses II, the Corridor of King Tut, and other wonders built by the Pharaohs.
After the tour we go to the airport for our flight to Cairo, where we are taken to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

June 14 – Cairo to Dead Sea
Today we travel by motor coach from Cairo to the Israel border crossing and then on to the Dead Sea.  Shortly past noon we cross the Taba border and meet our Israel tour guide.  We travel this afternoon up to our Dead Sea hotel where we will enjoy our dinner and overnight.

June 15- - Masada, Qumran, Jericho & Tiberias
This morning we will travel to Masada where we will ascend by cable car to visit the amazing ruins of the Fortress built by Herod the Great. In 70 to 73 AD Jewish defenders made their last stand against the Roman legions. We see remains of cisterns, a 6th-century Byzantine church, and more.
We will continue alongside the Dead Sea, 1300 ft. below sea level --the lowest spot on earth. At Ein Gedi, those of you who wish may climb to the cave where David spared Saul's life and cut a piece of his robe. We will visit Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. In Jericho, the oldest known city cite in the world, we will visit the ruins of the ancient city which was conquered by Joshua. From here we can view the traditional site of the Mount of Temptation. We will we travel through the scenic Jordan Valley to the Galilee region. We will visit the Jordan River. Arrive in Tiberias where you will enjoy the next two nights at your hotel situated near the beautiful Sea of Galilee.

June 16- - Sea of Galilee, Mount of Beatitudes, Tabgha, Caesarea Philippi & Banias
You will enjoy a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to then visit Capernaum. We will visit the old synagogue site where Jesus taught and worshipped. Travel to the Mount of Beatitudes, then visit Tabgha, the site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes.
We will continue to Caesarea Philippi, one source of the Jordan River and the place of Peter's confession by the cliffs of Pan. We will drive to Banias to view the waterfall. On the way back to our hotel we will visit the New Testament Boat at Ginosar.

June 17- - Nazareth, Megiddo, Mt. Carmel & Caesarea
In Nazareth we will visit the Church of the Annunciation and visit Mary's Well.
We will visit Megiddo, where excavations have revealed remnants of 22 layers of occupation. We will then visit the Carmelite Monastery on Mount Carmel where the prophet Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal. Driving on to Caesarea, we will visit the Aqueduct and the Roman Theatre, and view the Crusader City and Castle. We enjoy a brief visit to Joppa before we transfer to our Jerusalem hotel for our dinner and overnight.

June 18- Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Gethsemane, Mt. Zion
Glimpse the city Jesus knew when you view the Model of First Century Jerusalem. Next we will visit the Israel Museum to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. We will drive to the Mount of Olives to enjoy a remarkable view of the city of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock.
We will visit the Garden of Gethsemane and the Old Olive Trees.
We will continue to Bethlehem to explore the traditional site of Jesus' birth. The Church of the Nativity, built over the site is the world's oldest functioning church.
We will view the shepherd's fields and see the Tomb of Rachel on the way back to Jerusalem. We will visit Caiphas' House. On Mount Zion we will visit the site of King David's Tomb, and if time permits, stand in the Upper Room, traditional site of the Last Supper.

June 19 - - Jerusalem Free Day
We enjoy a free day in Jerusalem to shop and visit sites on our own. 

June 20 - - Jerusalem
We begin the morning with a visit to Golgotha and the Garden Tomb. We will continue to the Church of St Anne and the Pool of Bethesda. We visit the Temple area, sacred to Christian, Jews, and Moslems. We will walk along the Via Dolorosa, starting with the Roman Praetorium and Pilate's Judgement Hall and Lithostratos with markings of the King's Games. A visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre ends our tour today.

June 21- - Return to USA
We transfer early this morning from Jerusalem to the Tel Aviv airport for our return flight back to the USA.