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Day 3 • Pyramids
Day 4 • Cairo
Day 6 • Jerusalem
Day 7 • Massada
Day 9 • Nazareth
Day 11 • Rothenburg
Day 13 • Neckar River
Day 1 • Departure from the USA
Today we begin our adventure as we board a giant jet for an evening flight over the Atlantic. The night is short as we fly toward the rising sun.
Day 2 • Arrival Cairo
We are met in Cairo by the friendly Signature Tours International representatives who assist us with our baggage and transfer us to our hotel for the night.
Day 3 • Cairo
Sightseeing begins with a visit to the famed Pyramids of Gizeh, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. We enter the largest pyramid for a view of the tomb, and then, if you wish (not included in tour price) you may take a camel ride to the Sphinx, the huge guardian of the desert. Returning to Cairo, we spend time at the famous Egyptian Museum where the King Tut relics repose. Proceeding to Old Cairo we see the Abu Sirgha Church, which is believed to mark the place where the Holy Family rested on their journey into Egypt. Then we visit the typical bazaars. Later, we drive along the Nile to Memphis (Biblical Noph), the most ancient Egyptian capital dating to Moses’ time. Here we see the huge statues of Ramses II and the Alabaster Sphinx. In Sakkara, we see the Serapeum Sarcophagi of the sacred Apis Bulls and King Djoser’s Step Pyramid, the oldest stone building in the world. We stay the night in Cairo.
Day 4 • Cairo/Jerusalem
On our early departure this morning for Jerusalem, we drive along the Nile River, with its mud villages, and cross the Suez Canal. Along the Sinai Peninsula we pass several Bedouin villages, where people still live as they did in Abraham’s time. We cross the border into Israel and continue northward to Jerusalem for overnight.
Day 5 • Bethlehem
Day 5 • Jerusalem/Bethlehem
This morning we drive up on the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of the entire city, seeing the same view as Jesus did long ago. We walk the traditional Hosanna Road to the Garden of Gethsemane. Olive trees, dating from the time of Christ, fill the garden next to the Church of All Nations, built over the stone on which Jesus is thought to have prayed on before He was taken to be crucified. We cross the Kidron Valley to visit the Mount Zion area to see the traditional site of King David’s tomb and the Upper Room. In the afternoon, driving to West Jerusalem, we pass by the Israeli Parliament, called the Knesset, on the way to the Shrine of the Book to view the Dead Sea Scrolls. There, we also survey the newly relocated open-air model of Jerusalem, representing the city on the eve of the first revolt, 36 years after the Passion of Jesus, before driving to Bethlehem. Here we visit Shepherd’s Fields and the Church of the Nativity, built over the grotto where Jesus was born. We have time for olivewood shopping before returning to Jerusalem for the night.
Day 6 • Jerusalem
This morning we have one of the high points in our trip, as we take a walking tour in the Old City of Jerusalem. We visit the Western (Wailing) Wall and then go to Temple Mount with the Mosque of Omar and Dome of the Rock. We enter St. Stephen’s Gate to the Pool of Bethseda and St. Anne’s Church, stopping at Pilate’s Judgment Hall where we stand on stones where Jesus stood. We see the Ecce Homo Arch and walk the Via Dolorosa to the Holy Sepulchre Church. After lunch and a candlelight visit inside an authentic rolling-stone tomb from the time of Jesus (“Tomb of the Kings”), we conclude our day with a Communion Service at the Garden Tomb, commemorating our Lord’s crucifixion and resurrection.
Day 7 • Jerusalem
We drive down through the Judean Desert to the lowest point on the face of the earth, the Dead Sea. Here we ride the cable car to the summit of Massada, Herod’s luxurious winter palace and the place of the Zealots’ heroic last stand against the Romans. We have time for a dip in the Dead Sea before continuing to Qumran to see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls where discovered. Here we also view the ruins of the community of Essenes, who prepared themselves, in the desert, for the coming of the end-times. We conclude our day at Bethany with a visit to the Tomb of Lazarus and the House of Mary and Martha.
Day 8 • Church of the Annunciation
Day 8 • Jerusalem/Jericho/Nazareth/Tiberias
This morning we drive through the Judean Hills down to visit the 10,000-year-old city of Jericho. At Jericho, we visit the Tel of this oldest city and view the traditional mountain of Jesus’ temptation. Driving north through the Jordan Valley and before we get to Bet Shean, we drive west into Herod’s Valley. This fantastic view is filled with biblical history. From this location on Tel Jezreel looking east, one can imagine the not yet crowned Jehu “driving like a madman”, on his way to killing the Kings of Israel and Judah. 9,900 years later, Jesus healed the ten lepers, probably somewhere in this valley. We then continue on to Nazareth. We spend the early afternoon getting acquainted with Jesus’ home town, visiting its spring, where Mary would have done her family’s laundry, and walking through the present-day bazaar, over the site of the ancient village, to the Church of the Annunciation. We drive through the Jezreel Valley back towards Bet Shean (aka Scythopolis). Here we shall climb the Tel and view the setting for the death of Saul (I Samuel 28 – II Samuel 1). We shall then survey the magnificent Roman and Byzantine ruins: a theatre, bathhouses, ancient rest rooms, market areas, and colonnaded streets. We conclude our day at the baptismal site on the Jordan River before going to Tiberias for two nights.
Day 9 • Nazareth
We follow the footsteps of Jesus and board a boat for the “other side” of the Sea of Galilee. Crossing the Jordan River near the site of Bethsaida, we stop at Capernaum, the city of Jesus. We view the House of Peter and the synagogue where Jesus taught. We read the Sermon on the Mount at the Mount of Beatitudes and visit Tabgha, where Jesus performed His miracle of feeding the 5,000. We then proceed to Caesarea Philippi at the foot of Mt. Hermon, where Peter recognized Jesus as the Christ. We stay the night in Tiberias.
Day 10 • Tel/Tel Aviv/Frankfurt/Wurzburg
This morning we drive to Tel Aviv and board our flight to Frankfurt, Germany. We are met by our Signature Tours International representatives on arrival, and they assist us with our transfer. Our motor coach takes us to Wurzburg, where we see the Marienburg fortress, which sits high above the Main River, visit the Prince-Bishop’s Residenz and see many other historic and beautiful places before going to our hotel. This evening enjoy a stroll in the gardens of the Residenz or along the Main River.
Day 11 • Wurzburg/Rothenburg/Augsburg/Oberammergau
Today we enjoy Germany’s Romantic Road, which begins here in Wurzburg. In the charming walled town of Rothenburg we visit the ramparts and towers, cobbled lanes, and 16th-century houses. Driving south along the Romantic Road, we stop in Augsburg, where in 1530, the Augsburg Confession was adopted. It derives its name from Augustus Caesar who founded the city in 14 B.C. Today we travel through beautiful scenery and arrive at the charming, woodcarving village of Oberammergau for the night.
Day 12 • Passion Play
Day 12 • Oberammergau/PASSION PLAY
We attend the world-renowned Passion Play today. This spectacle has been performed almost every decade without interruption, since 1634, and is a perpetual sign of gratitude to God for the cessation of the Black Plague, which took so many lives but stopped just short of this village. We stay the night in Oberammergau.
Day 13 • Oberammergau/Heidelberg
This morning we drive pass richly forested mountains, rivers, and small market towns to the delightfully romantic city of Heidelberg, known as the “Student Prince” city. We stop to see its much-photographed bridge over the Neckar River and the fascinating castle ruins and bustling city streets. We spend the night in this beautiful city. Take a walk down the Hauptstrausse and view the castle and bridges all lit up at night.
Day 14 • Rhine River
Day 14 • Heidelberg/Rhine Cruise/Rudesheim
We say good-bye to Heidelberg and drive northward along the Rhine River via Ludwigshafen and Bingen to embark on our Rhine River cruise from St. Goarshausen to Rudesheim. We are flanked by impressive medieval castles as the boat makes its way upstream amongst the bustle of the river traffic. On arrival, we enjoy our last evening in Rudesheim.
Day 15 • Rudesheim/Frankfurt/Hometown U.S.A.
Today our tour comes to an end as we board our flight that takes us home. We will re-live these exciting and inspiring experiences often in the days to come.