11 Day Israel & Jordan Christmas Tour Dec. 19-29, 2021

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.

After breakfast drive through Jaffa, an ancient port city and the oldest part of Tel Aviv. Continue on to the ancient city of Caesarea that was built by King Herod the Great while driving along the beautiful Mediterranean coast. We will then proceed to Haifa, passing by Mt. Carmel to see the famous Bahai Gardens. From Haifa, we will drive to Nazareth and the Church of Annunciation. Drive to Cana, where the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine took place, and visit the “Wedding Church”.  End the day with an overnight in Tiberias/Galilee Sea.

Start the day with an exciting boat ride on the Galilee Sea. Continue to see the “Jesus Boat”, the ancient boat found sunk in the Sea of Galilee from the time of Jesus. Ascend up to Mt. Beatitudes, where Jesus gave the “Sermon on the Mount”.  Continue the day in Capernaum, known as “The Town of Jesus”, visit the synagogue and Peter’s house. Take a lunch break with a delicious St. Peters fish lunch. Next, we will visit Tabgha, the place where the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes took place. You will also have the amazing opportunity to see the famous mosaic under the altar of the ancient church of Tabgha. Proceed to the Golan Heights and have an overview from above. End the day at your hotel in the Galilee Sea for your overnight.

Begin the morning driving along the Jordan River to Yardenit Baptismal Site. Visit Qumran and see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. 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 and drive to the Dead Sea for some relaxation and a dip in the water. Overnight at a Dead Sea hotel and spa where you will be able to take advantage of the spa facilities.

Take advantage of some extra sleep or an early spa treatment, since check-out isn’t until 11:00 AM. Go up to the Mt. of Olives, a cemetery that once was covered in olive groves, where you will have a magnificent panoramic view of Jerusalem. Continue the day with an exciting tour of the Mahane Yehuda Marketplace (Shuk) and experience life as an Israeli. Overnight in Jerusalem.

The morning will begin with a visit to Israel’s official memorial to the Holocaust, Yad Vashem, located on Mt. Herzl. Drive past The Knesset and the Israeli Supreme Court, on your way to the Israel Museum, Israel’s national museum, where you will see the Dead Sea Scrolls as well as a model of the Second Temple. Depart for Bethlehem to see the Church of Nativity located at Manger Square. Overview of the Judean Desert and Shepherd's Field. Finish the day back in Jerusalem for your overnight. 

Today will begin with a tour of the Garden of Gethsemane, the place where Jesus prayed and his disciples slept the night before his crucifixion. Make your way to Mt. Zion where you will visit David’s Tomb and the site of the Last Supper, also known as the “Upper Room”. We continue to the Christian Quarter where you will enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Jesus was crucified. From there, walk where Jesus walked and make your way down Via Dolorosa (Stations of the Cross). The day will continue with a trip to The Cardo, which used to be a main street in the Old City during the time when Judea was under Roman rule. Go down to the Western Wall and spend some time in reflection and/or prayer.  Transfer to Arava Border where a Noah Tours representative will meet you on the other side and transfer you to the beautiful city of Aqaba. Overnight in Aqaba. 

Drive to Petra through the scenic Jordanian desert and the Wadi Rum area. 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.

Visit Madaba, famous for the unique mosaic map of the Holy Land, which can be found on Saint George’s church floor. Then visit Mt Nebo, the place where Moses looked over the Holy Land and the Dead Sea. This is considered the burial place of Moses as this where he was seen for the last time. Here, you can visit the memorial church bearing his name. If the sky is clear, the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, and Jericho will meet your eye. Back to Amman for your overnight. 

Drive from Amman to visit Ajloun, a military castle that was used by the Islamic armies of Saladin to protect the region against the crusaders. Next, visit Jerash, the Pompei of the East. Jerash has been covered by sand for centuries, which is the main reason why it is still so well preserved. You will enter Jerash through the monumental South Gate and find yourself wandering around in a Roman city. You will walk in the Oval Plaza surrounded by colonnades, visit the Roman theatre and Byzantine churches with mosaic-covered floors. Enjoy a stroll along Jerash's main road, the Cardo, and pass by the Nymphaeum. You may experience the marvelous acoustics of the theatre, from the Jerash music festival which takes place every year. See for yourself how the Romans built the earthquake-proof columns of the colonnaded streets. After the visit, drive back to Amman.

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

Optional: Land transfer back to Tel Aviv. Please contact us for further details.