Egypt, Turkey, & Greece

Price Per person based on double occupancy

Date	Price	Single Supplement
December 3-13, 2023	$4,350.00 USD*	$600.00 USD
*Includes roundtrip airfare from New York City Reservation Due: August 18, 2023 Final Payment Due: September 29, 2023

Included

Roundtrip air from New York City including current air taxes and fuel surcharges (taxes and fuel charges are subject to change), one way flights from Sharm El Sheikh to Istanbul, Istanbul to Izmir, and Izmir to Athens, 9 nights lodging at 4 star hotels, breakfast and dinner daily, full time English speaking tour escorts, services of air conditioned deluxe motor coach, all guides, entrances, touring and transportation as appears on itinerary, baggage handling at hotels (one piece), tips to driver, guides, and hotel staff, Egypt Visa

Not Included

All lunches, Turkey Visa (must be purchased online prior to travel) , optional travel insurance (7.95% or 10.85% of tour cost), COVID testing and any related expenses

Day 1: Flight

Overnight flight from the USA.

Day 2: Arrive Cairo

We will arrive in Cairo and check into the hotel where we will stay for 2 nights.

Day 3: Cairo

To begin our tour, we will make a visit to the pyramids, Sphinx, and Egyptian Museum. The Sphinx is the oldest monumental sculpture in Egypt and one of the most recognizable statues in the world. The Egyptian Museum is home to an unrivaled collection of ancient burials, treasures, and invaluable artifacts. It is one of the oldest archaeological museums in the Middle East. In the evening, we will embark on a dinner cruise and take in sights of the Nile River.

Day 4: Mt. Sinai

We will travel by bus from Cairo to St. Catherine with stops in the land of Goshen. Goshen is the region where Joseph’s family came to escape the feminine in Canaan. It is the place in Egypt given to the Hebrews and the land from which they later left Egypt at the time of Exodus. In the afternoon, we will visit Mt. Sinai. Those who desire and are physically capable will depart for a memorable 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 sunset to remember. Once at the top, enjoy a time of reflection and praise before departing down the mountain. We will stay overnight in St. Catherine.

Day 5: Red Sea

Today, we will visit St. Catherine’s Monastery, which is claimed to be built around the area of Moses’ Burning Bush. We will travel to Sharm el Sheikh and have free time to explore the Red Sea. We will stay overnight in Sharm el Sheikh.

Day 6: Istanbul

We will fly from Sharm el Sheikh to Istanbul and take a tour of St. Sophia Church and Topkapi Palace. St. Sophia Church is one of the world’s greatest monuments, built in the 6th century. Here we can appreciate beautiful mosaic art and incredible archeological design. We will visit the fascinating Topkapi Palace housing the many priceless treasures and colorful stories of Ottoman Sultans. Our guide will walk us through the wonderful exhibits at the Archaeological Museum. Treasures include the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, mosaic remnants depicting the times of Nebuchadnezzar, tablets of the Treaty of Kadesh known to be between Ramses II and the Hittites during the 13th century BC and many other wonderful items. We will stay overnight in Istanbul.

Day 7: Izmir

We will fly from Istanbul to Izmir and visit Pergamum and Smyrna. The church of Pergamum was praised for its forbearance; (Rev. 2:12-17) it was here that the first Christians were executed by Rome. We'll visit the fabled Acropolis, pass through the Royal Gates, view the foundations of the Altar of Zeus and visit the ruins of the library (which once held 200,000 volumes). We will continue to Izmir, which is the third largest city in Turkey and a long time center for Jews and Christians. In Paul's day, Izmir was known as Smyrna and was another of the Seven Churches (Rev. 2:8-11). We will stay in Izmir for 2 nights.

Day 8: Ephesus

We travel to the nearby town of Selcuk for a tour of ancient Ephesus. Ephesus was once a thriving port town of 250,000 people. Today you can still see the spectacular excavations of the major streets in this ancient city. We view the Library, Agora, theatre, colorful mosaics in the aristocratic Terrace Houses, and a panoramic outlook of the surrounding ancient port area (including a wealth of church history and cultural insight). Then we continue with a visit to the Basilica Church of St. John, which houses an immersion baptismal and is believed to be resting place of John. From here we have an excellent overview of the Ephesus harbor, the Mosque of Jesus, and see the site of the Temple of Artemis, which is listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Day 9: Athens

We will fly from Izmir to Athens. We visit the Acropolis, and the Parthenon before viewing Athens atop Mars Hill where Paul stood and preached the truth to the Gentile nation. From atop Mars Hill, we view the Agora below, the ancient marketplace and center of Athenian public life. We will stay in Athens for 2 nights.

Day 10: Corinth

Today, we will visit the cities of Corinth and Cenchreae. Corinth is the city that inspired many of Paul's most familiar letters and is a highlight for the New Testament scholar. The ruins of this important cultural center are fascinating as we walk along the stone path that the Apostle Paul walked. The engineering skill and intellect of these people are evident in the water systems that still flow from ancient to modern day. We will travel to the top of the nearby Acropolis where our guide will speak on the worship practices and point out the bird’s eye view of what was a bustling city of around 800,000 during Paul’s stay. Before returning to Athens, we will visit Cenchreae, the ancient port region of Corinth. Acts 18:18 states the Apostle Paul stopped at Cenchreae during his second missionary journey, where he had his hair cut to fulfill a vow.

Day 11: Flight home

Return home flight from Athens.

Itinerary subject to change while touring for the best interest of the group.