Day 1 • Departure 
Our life-changing journey begins this evening as we board our overnight flight to Cairo, Egypt.

Day 2 •  Cairo
We arrive in the land of the Pharaohs, Jacob, Joseph and Israel during the famine!  Upon arrival at the airport we meet our guide and are immediately transported into Cairo, the capital of Egypt. We transfer to our hotel to settle in and start soaking up the atmosphere of this exciting city.  

Day 3 • Transfer to Luxor, Nile Cruise
Early this morning we transfer to the airport for our flight to Luxor, where we check in to our 5-Star river cruise. We then set off to visit the Valley of the Kings (where many ancient pharaohs were buried) and the famous Temple of Hatshepsut, the princess who perhaps pulled baby Moses out of the Nile River. We visit a courtyard that was likely to be frequented by Moses during his days of princely training. Time will be allowed for those who wish to visit one of Luxor's famous perfume factory stores. We re-embark for lunch, enjoy the sundeck and pool before an evening tour of the famous Temple of Luxor, which was founded in the reign of Amenhotep III, grandson of the pharaoh of the Exodus.  Nile Cruise Boat

Day 4 •  Karnak, Esna to Edfu
After breakfast, visits include the Temple of Karnak (temple of the New Kingdom period) and the East Bank of the Nile. It was during this period that the bondage and Exodus occurred. Karnak second to Giza’s Pyramids, is one of Egypt’s most important Pharaonic sites. We board our ship for lunch and continue sailing towards Edfu, having dinner as we cross through the Esna lock.  Overnight on board.

Day 5 • Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan
This morning after breakfast we visit Edfu, the location of one of the best preserved Egyptian Temples. This site was initially developed 1000 years before Abraham came to Egypt!  Lunch and sailing to Kom Ombo, where we visit the remains of Kom Ombo Temple, situated on the riverside. Unlike most, this temple is dedicated to two gods - the crocodile god of Sebek and the solar god of war, Horus the Great.  Overnight on board. 

Day 6 •  Aswan High Dam, Free Time, Abu Simbel Option
Our touring today is in and around the modern city of Aswan. Included will be a visit to the High Dam, built from 1960 - 1971, and a major factor in Egypt’s agricultural success. We then also spend time at Philae Temple on the Isi-Island. This complex was moved from up river due to the impending destruction upon the completion of the High Dam. This afternoon we disembark for free time to stroll through the city markets. 
An optional (half day including flights) tour is also offered to Abu Simbel, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Nubian Monuments."  Our Egyptologist guide discusses the relevance of this spectacular site from Egyptian history. We will also try to put in perspective the long history of Egypt. Here we visit the massive temple of Pharaoh Rameses II, perhaps the greatest builder of temples in ancient Egypt (13th Century BC) and a second one of Queen Nafertari, Rameses's most beloved wife. Overnight on board. 

Day 7 • Cairo Pyramids & Tutankhamen’s Treasures
An early morning flight back to Cairo will allow for a full day of touring the wonders of the ancient world, some of which date back to 1000+ years prior to Abraham. We spend time at one of the seven wonders of the world- the pyramids. Cheops, with an original height of 496 feet, is the most colossal pyramid ever built. Today, we will also see the Sphinx and tour the Egyptian Museum, location of Tutankhamen's treasures and ancient remains. 

Day 8 • Marah, Amalekites, Mt. Sinai
This morning we depart Cairo with stories of the  "Land of Goshen" to the north and travel the southward route of the Exodus through the Wilderness of Shur. We learn of the terrain and the history of this region en-route as we stop at Marah (Springs of Moses), the Wilderness of Sin and further to the south, the Oasis of Feiran. For those who are able, we climb a small hill to the ruins of an ancient chapel that overlooks the palm tree valley where Israel battled with the people of Amalek. Have your picture taken with arms raised in remembrance of God's victory while Moses' arms were held high by Aaron and Hur.  Arriving in the late afternoon to the hotel at Mt. Sinai (Mt. Horeb), we have dinner and rest for our early morning activity.

Day 9 • Red Sea Crossing, Aqaba
Just into the new day, those who desire and are physically capable will depart for a memorable early morning walk up Mt. Moses.  You may choose to ride a camel part way, stop at one of the stations to take in scenery along the climb to the summit (750 steps) for a sunrise to remember.  Once at the top, enjoy a time of praise and then depart down the mountain for breakfast. A visit to St. Catherine's Monastery, claimed to be built around the area of Moses' Burning Bush, will be followed by a short ride to the Red Sea. A stop for lunch along the shore will provide a view of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel to the north. Gazing across the Gulf of Aqaba, we can begin to imagine the miracle of the parting of the sea.  We board a ferry for a scenic crossing to Jordan and our lodging for the evening in Aqaba, Biblical Ezion Geber - the lovely seaport of King Solomon.

Day 10 • Petra 
This morning we turn north toward the amazing mountain fortress of Petra, known to be inhabited by the Edomites - the descendents of Esau. Begin the tour with a walk through the "Siq," an immense crack in the Nubian sandstone, to the city of Petra carved out of the rose red rock. The Treasury, El Khazneh, is one of the most elegant remains of antiquity. Beyond El Khazneh we are surrounded on both sides by hundreds of Petra's carved and built structures. Nearby, we stop at the spring claimed to be the place where Moses struck the rock. Departing Petra, we  travel northward on the King's Highway through the land of the Moab where to the east we view the hilltop palace/fortress of Machaerus, the place where John the Baptist was beheaded.  We overnight in Amman for the next two evenings.

Day 11 • Mt Nebo, Mabada, Amman 
Our morning tour begins in the town of Madaba, the biblical Medeba, 30 kilometers south of Amman. Madaba is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics and at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George we view the earliest surviving mosaic map of the Holy land.  Mt. Nebo, believed to be the site of the tomb of Moses, commands a spectacular view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea.  Study the panorama as we read the scripture of God showing Moses the "Promised Land" before He brought him home to heaven. Looking to the northwest we view the Plains of Moab, the area where the tribes of Israel camped before crossing the Jordan and picture Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the place where Jesus was baptized.  

Day 12: Jerash, Bosra, Damascus
We begin our day with a tour of the Old and New city of Amman. Of special interest is the Roman Amphitheatre and an overview from the Citadel.  We travel to Jerash, one of the best preserved and most complete provincial Roman cities. Jerash, Gerasa of Roman Times, was one of the cities of the Decapolis, a confederation of 10 Graeco-Roman cities dating from the 1st century BC situated in Jordan, Syria and Israel. Known as the Pompeii of the East for its extraordinary state of preservation, the ruins indicate human occupations at this location for more than 2,500 years.  The most well known monuments here include the colonnaded street, the Temple of Zeus, the Forum and Hadrian’s Arch.  From Jerash we travel northward through the Syrian border and on to the crossroads caravan city of Bosra, mentioned in history dating back to the fourteenth Century BC.  One of the highlights of the day is a superbly preserved Roman theatre.  We continue on to our lodging for the next three nights in Damascus.

Day 13: Damascus City Tour, Street Called “Straight”
Straight Street is mentioned in the story of Paul's conversion to Christianity in Acts 9:10-19:
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight."
The Straight Street was the popular name for the main thoroughfare crossing the city from East to West. In the times of St. Paul, Damascus was a Greco-Roman city built according to a rectangular plan, which can be traced back to the 5th century B.C.
Ananias followed instruction to lay on hands " And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
Our tour through ancient Straight Street, Damascus will include the supposed location of the House of Judas where Paul received his sight, St. Paul’s Chapel identifying the place where Paul fled from those who would have killed him and many other fascinating sights in this remarkable city.

Day 14: Baalbeck – Damascus
Today we cross the border to visit Baalbeck, Lebanon's greatest Roman treasure counted among the wonders of the ancient world containing the largest and most noble Roman temples ever built.   Towering high above the Beqaa plain, their monumental proportions proclaimed the power and wealth of Imperial Rome and today remain among the best preserved in the world.  After a full day of sightseeing, we return to Damascus for the evening.

Day 15: Mallaula,  Sednaya, Crac De Cehvilers, Aleppo
Our day begins with a visit to the mountain village of Mallaula who’s little houses and monasteries cling to the face of an enormous rock. The inhabitants still speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ. We continue on to the Saydnaya Convent.   The terraces and domes of the convent are the subject of many stories of miracles.  The monastery contains a portrait of the Virgin Mary believed to have been painted by St. Luke.  The local inhabitants say they can show you the reputed place where Cain slew his brother Abel.  This afternoon we visit the most famous medieval citadel in the world, Crac des Chevaliers.   It is through here at “Homs Gap” that much of the Eastern World communicated with the Mediterranean.   Our lodging this evening will be in Aleppo.

Day 16: Aleppo Tour- Palmyra
Aleppo, the second largest city in Syria, is the most “oriental” of all Syrian towns in a very strategic position.  This position gave the city a distinctive role from the days of the Akkadian and Amorite kingdoms until modern times. The city tour includes a visit to the Citadel, the Grand Mosque, Khan Al-Wazir, the old quarters of the city, the museum and St. Simon.  According to the Biblical tradition, Abraham sacrificed on the summit of the hill where the Citadel is today.  Our lodging this evening will be in Palmyra.

Day 17: Palmyra- Damascus
Palmyra (Tadmor in Arabic) is in the heart of Syrian Desert, and is often described as the bride of the desert. Its magnificent remains tell of a heroic history during the reign of Queen Zenobia.
The Oasis, as it is sometimes called, is located near a hot-water spring called Afqa, which make it an ideal halt for caravans moving between Iraq and Al-Sham (present day Syria, Lebanon, Holy Land and Jordan), trading in silk from China to the Mediterranean. This strategic location made Palmyra prosper in a well-established kingdom from the 2nd century BC.  After Romans conquered Syria, Palmyra flourished and became known as city of palm-trees.  Our city tour will include the Temple of Bel, a view of the Tombs, Baths and Theatre before we return to Damascus for the evening.

Day 18: Homeward 
Early today we depart Damascus Airport for our flight home.