Israel Jewish Heritage Tour with Jordan and Egypt 17 Days

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 archeological 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. Onto Gan Hashlosha, (Sachne) where you will have an opportunity to enjoy the water springs located at the foot of the Gilboa mountain, the famous mountain on which King Saul was killed in the battle against the Philistines. Continue via the Jordan valley to Jerusalem. Overnight in Jerusalem.

At the start of the morning, drive to the crest of the Mt. of Olives where you will get a magnificent view of the entire city of Jerusalem. Visit the Western Wall for some time to pray and/or reflect. Walk along the Cardo, the ancient Roman road; visit the four Sephardic synagogues restored after the 1967 war in the Jewish quarter. Tour through the Western Wall Tunnels to go back in history. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Start the day with a transfer to Yad Vashem where you will have time to walk through the museum at your own pace and see what life was like for Jews during the Holocaust. Be transferred to Mount Herzl, Israel’s military cemetery, and visit the graves of soldiers from Israel and around the world who gave their lives protecting this great country. Overnight in Jerusalem. (While transfers to sites are included, the day is self-guided).

Enjoy your 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. 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. Transfer to Amman airport for your flight to Cairo.

We begin our day with a tour of the ancient city of Memphis that 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. Near Memphis lies the necropolis of 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 Giza are considered one of the seven wonders of the world. The Valley Temples surrounding the pyramids provide an insight into dominating religious motives of the era. Return to hotel for overnight.

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.

With an early morning drive from Cairo to Alexandria, start by visiting Catacomb Kom El Shoqafa, the largest and most important burial site in Egypt. Next, Pompey's Pillar, a memorial column made out of red Aswan granite erected by the Roman ruler of Egypt in honor of Emperor Diocletian. Conclude at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a major library and cultural center located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It is a commemoration of the ancient Library of Alexandria that was destroyed centuries ago. Overnight in Cairo.

Fly to Luxor where you will be transferred to your Nile River cruise. 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, return to the boat for afternoon tea and dinner. Overnight on board. 

Explore the West Bank of Luxor, also known as the City of the Dead. The first visit will be to the Valley of the Kings, the richest and most fascinating ancient tombs in Egypt. We will then visit the Temple of Deir el-Bahari, which was constructed during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut. Finally, we will visit the Colossi of Memnon, these two huge statues are the only remaining items of the great funerary temple of Amenhotep III constructed in 1350 BC. After the tour, return to the boat for afternoon tea and dinner. Overnight on board. 

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. 

After breakfast, explore the city of Aswan. Our first stop of the day will to the High Dam, constructed in the 1960s to protect Aswan from flooding. Ride in a motorboat to reach Agilkia Island, where we will visit the Temple of Philae, the center of the worship of the Goddess Isis. Proceed to the Unfinished Obelisk, which was discovered in the granite quarry in the southern part of Aswan. After the tour, return to the boat for afternoon tea and dinner. Overnight on board. 

After breakfast, disembark from the cruise, and have a day of leisure in Aswan (Optional: tour to Abu Simbel). Fly to Cairo for your final overnight.

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