Private Israel 17 Day Jewish Heritage Tour with Jordan and Egypt

Arrival at Tel Aviv International Airport. A Noah Tours representative will meet you after passport control and accompany you to your transfer to your hotel.

Drive north to Caesarea, what once was the Roman capital of the region. See the excavations of the Crusaders' City, the aqueduct, and the amphitheater that has been restored as a concert venue. Proceed to Haifa for a panoramic view from Mount Carmel and. Drive to Acre; walk along the old harbor and local market. Continue to the northernmost point of Israel, Rosh Hanikra. Descend by cable car into the limestone grottoes. Overnight in a Kibbutz Hotel.

Drive to Safed, the center of the Kabballah movement; visit the Joseph Caro and Ha’Ari synagogues, the most important synagogues in the city, and stroll through the Artist’s Quarter. After that, proceed to an exciting ATV tour in the beautiful Golan Heights. From there, ascend Mt. Bental, a captivating dormant volcano, and hear some geopolitical insight on the region. Stop at an observation point over the city of Kuneitra and the Syrian territory. Next, walk along with the alluring Banias Springs and watch the splendid waterfalls. End the day with an overnight in the Kibbutz Hotel.  

Start the morning with a drive to the Jordan Valley and get inspired by the view; proceed to Beit Shean, the biggest archaeological park in Israel with beautiful excavations from the Roman and Byzantine periods. Stop at Beit Alpha to see the beautiful mosaic floor of a synagogue from the Byzantine period. Drive to the Dead Sea, one of the world's great natural phenomena. Spent time at the Dead Sea, and enjoy its legendary healing powers at your Dead Sea Spa Hotel. Overnight at the Dead Sea.

 After breakfast, travel on to Masada where you will take a cable car up to the fortress. The history of the famous Jewish fortification will unfold before your eyes; the palaces built by King Herod, the synagogue and bathhouses used by the Jews. Descend Masada by cable car. Start your drive to Jerusalem. Drive to the crest of the Mt. of Olives where you will get a magnificent view of the entire city of Jerusalem. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Visit the Western Wall for some time to pray and/or reflect. Visit the Archaeological Park, the Southern Wall. From there we will continue to the Jewish Quarter. Walk along the Cardo, the ancient Roman road. We will also visit the Broad Wall, an ancient defensive wall, located in the Jewish Quarter, mentioned in the the Tanach (Prophets) from the reign of King Hezekiah. If time permits additional sites in the Jewish Quarter. Free time in the Jewish quarter. We will finish our Tour at the Tower of David. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Enjoy a free day of Shabbat to rest in the hotel or explore the beautiful city with its beautiful colors and lights. Walk to the Great Synagogue or the Western Wall for prayer. Visit the Israel Museum, where the Dead Sea scrolls are currently housed. At night, you will have an option to visit the Night Spectacle of David's Tower (dependent upon availability).

After breakfast, start your day with a visit to the Israel Museum. Afterward, visit Israel’s official memorial to the Holocaust, Yad Vashem. Finish the day in Jerusalem with an exciting tour of the Mahane Yehuda Marketplace (Shuk), a vibrant and bustling marketplace, a must for anyone interested in experiencing Israeli culture and cuisine. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Transfer to Allenby Border where a Noah Tours representative will meet you at the other side and transfer you to the beautiful city of Petra. Overnight in Petra. 

Enter the Rose City of Petra through the Siq, a narrow passage through the mountains that has inspired people for centuries. Travel up to the treasury which suddenly appears at the end of the gorge, leaving the visitors breath-taken by its size, color, and beauty. Continue into the heart of this ancient city carved into the mountains, passing hundreds of tombs and monuments and a spectacular Amphitheatre, which once held 3,000 spectators. Stop for a sit-down lunch before leaving Wadi Mussa - the new town of Petra. Drive to Amman. Overnight in Amman.

We begin our day with an early flight to Cairo. Once in Cairo tour the ancient city of Memphis which lies some 12 miles south of Cairo. The ancient city is now an open-air museum testifying to the magnificence of its four thousand years of history. Serving Memphis lies the necropolis Saqqara a vast, ancient burial ground, featuring numerous pyramids, including the world-famous Step pyramid of Djoser. We then proceed to the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx located on the Giza Plateau. The Great Pyramids of Cheops or Khufu; of Khafre or Chephren; and of Menkaure have always loomed large as emblems of ancient Egypt and were listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Valley Temples surrounding the pyramids provide an insight into dominating religious motives of the era. Overnight in Cairo.

Visit the Egyptian Museum, with its fantastic display of ancient civilization. Next, see the Mosque of Mohammad Ali, the Citadel, the old city, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue also known as the Geniza Synagogue. Its storerooms were found to contain over 2,000 medieval manuscripts, a collection known as the Cairo Geniza. After, visit one of the oldest and most famous Coptic Churches in Egypt, the El Mullakah Church (Hanging Church). Continue to the City of the Dead, a four-mile-long grid of tombs and mausoleums where people live and work amongst their ancestors. End today's tour at Bazaar Khan el-Khalili. Overnight in Cairo.

After breakfast, fly to Aswan. Embark before lunch at 12:00 p.m. Lunch on board. Visit the High Dam, Philae temple, and sail on the Nile by Motor Boat. Afternoon tea. Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Dinner on board. Overnight on the cruise.

Optional tour to Abu Simbel.

 The cruise will dock at the port in the city of Edfu. Take a short drive to the Temple of Horus, the finest preserved ancient Egyptian temple. Return to the ship for lunch while sailing to the city of Kom Ombo. Once there, you will visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the local deities. After the tour, return to the boat for afternoon tea and dinner. Overnight on board. 

Breakfast on board. Sail to Kom Ombo. Visit the Temple shared by two gods Sobek and Haeroris in Kom Ombo. Sail to Edfu. Lunch on board. Visit Edfu Temple. Dinner on board. Sail to Esna. Overnight on the cruise.

Breakfast on board. Disembark at 08:00 am. Visit East Bank (Karnak and Luxor Temples).  See the Karnak Temples, which are the largest Pharaonic temple complex in the world, with some parts constructed by Ramses II. Continue to the Temple of Luxor, another startling temple that was established around the 14th century BC. After the tour transfer to Luxor Airport for your flight back to Cairo. Overnight in Cairo.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to Cairo Airport for departure.