Through the tales that the great storyteller Scheherazade, you will explore the hidden side of the Middle East through successive discoveries of your own throughout this journey.
This journey allows you to explore the history from the Nile to the Mediterranean, crossing the Sinai Desert, then proceeding to the Holy Land. The journey starts from Cairo, where history is read and discovered on the walls of the pyramids and continue to Sinai desert; the most beautiful sites. A desert landscape that begins from early morning sunrise and lasts until sunset, and which will take you to the Holy Land. In Israel and Palestine, you will explore archaeological treasures, which make it a coveted, conflicted land throughout the story of mankind.
Day 1: Cairo
Welcome at Cairo International Airport by a member of the team. Transfer, dinner and overnight at hotel in Cairo.
Day 2: Cairo
The day will be entirely spent visiting Cairo, starting with the Giza plateau, home of Egypt’s signature attractions. Three Pyramids Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure guarded by the famous Sphinx with the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh. Then visit to the Egyptian Museum, where you find the greatest collections of Egyptian antiquities in the world. Place of exceptional memory of the various pharaonic dynasties. It houses more than 250,000 pieces, including the famous treasure of Tutankhamun. It is a immersion in the history of ancient Egypt through five millennia. In the old city of Cairo, visit to Khan El Khalili and the Bazaar to find bargains for souvenirs and other items. Evening and oriental dinner aboard the Nile cruise and be entertained by a belly dancer and enjoy watching other skilled performers as well. Back to hotel in Cairo for overnight.
Day 3: Cairo – St. Catherine
Check out for long drive towards the Sinai and the St. Catherine monastery, passing by the Suez Canal, a world-famous canal that connects Africa to Asia. Passing by Moses Springs, where the prophet found fresh water during the exodus from Egypt. Arrival at the end of the day in St Catherine. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 4: St. Catherine – Eilat – Masada – Qumran – Jerusalem
Early morning before sunrise, proceed to Mt. Sinai, which overlooks the St. Catherine monastery in the middle of a mountainous desert area. It rises to an altitude of 2280m. It is the traditional site where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments. Arrival at the summit where the ocher and pink colors of the mountains will offer you an exceptional panorama. Back to hotel for breakfast and check out, then drive towards Taba for crossing to the Holy Land via Taba/Eilat border crossing, and meet with our representative and proceed to the Dead Sea, Visit Masada, located at the top of a gigantic 2000-year-old cliff, and the largest castle built by King Herod. Climb by cable car to the summit to discover the ancient rock fortress. Continue to visit the Qumran Caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Visit the Jordan River Baptismal Site where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Drive to Jerusalem, dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 5: Jerusalem
Start the visit with the Old City of Jerusalem. In the Old City, you will encounter oriental charm and be plunged into the colourful alleys of the market, which take you to the meeting places of the three major monotheistic religions: The Via Dolorosa believed to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion. In addition, the Holy Sepulchre which houses both the place of Calvary and the tomb of Christ. Passing through the Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Armenian districts, you can contemplate the vestiges and the religious and architectural imprints left by the different peoples who lived there. Continuation the visit by taking the ancient Roman road, the Cardo, located in the heart of the Old City up to Mount Sion where you will discover the Dormition Abbey, the cave of the last Supper and the tomb of King David. We visit Saint-Peter-in-Gallicantu Church, also known as the "Church of the Rooster". We end the day with a stroll through the Armenian Quarter to the Jaffa Gate. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Jerusalem.
Day 6: Jerusalem – Bethlehem
Visit the Wailing Wall, the holy place of Judaism, then the esplanade of the mosques the third holiest religious site in Islam. It contains the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, an architectural gem emblematic of the Holy Land, with its golden dome shining brilliantly on the Jerusalem skyline. Visit the Mount of Olives, which at 827m above sea level, offers a wonderful panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem and hold places of great importance for the three monotheistic religions. Visit the chapel of Dominus Flevit, which recalls the Gospel passage in which Jesus wept over the future of Jerusalem. Descent from the Mount to the Garden of Olive Trees with the Church of All Nations at Gethsemane, the place where Jesus prayed before his arrest. Departure for Bethlehem located 10 km to the south of Jerusalem, to discover the Church of the Nativity, one of the oldest churches in the world, built above the cave where Jesus was born. Visit Milk Grotto and the historic city center; walk through the old quarters and market. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel in Bethlehem.
Day 7: Bethlehem – Jericho – Dead Sea
In the morning, depart for a green oasis near the Dead Sea: Jericho, which was made famous by the discovery of one of the oldest cities of the Levant dating from the eighth millennium BC. Cross the canyon of Wadi Qelt to admire the monastery of St. George, situated on the ochre-colored cliffs of the mountain. Continue to Jericho to see the Monastery of the Temptation. It was built on the slopes of the Mount of Temptation 350 meters above sea level, situated along a cliff overlooking the city of Jericho and the Jordan Valley. Visit Tell Al Sultan, the archaeological site of the first settlement of Jericho dating from the 10th millennium BCE. Then visit Hisham Palace, built in the 8th century, which holds the pride of Jericho, an 850 square meter floor mosaic from the Umayyad Era, the largest and best-preserved mosaic floor in the Middle East. Head to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth at 400m below sea level, where you will have the opportunity to enjoy the indescribable feeling of floating on its exceptionally dense water. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Bethlehem.
Day 8: Jaffa – Haifa – Acre – Nazareth
Drive along the Mediterranean coast for the legendary Jaffa, southern and ancient part of Tel Aviv, dating back over 5000 years. Then head north towards Haifa, a port city located at the top of Mount Carmel, a coastal mountain overlooking the Mediterranean coast. The Baha'i Gardens are one of the emblematic sites of Haifa with its hanging terraces, sculpted in the mountain, connected by a series of stairs, with, in its centre, the golden dome mausoleum of the Báb, the spiritual centre of the Baha'i religion. Continue to Acre, the ancient town of St. John of Acre. The Crusaders made the city an important base and its final seat of government in the Holy Land. Its high, fortified walls overlooking the sea, the El Jazzar Mosque, the caravanserai and oriental bazaar dating back to the nineteenth century CE are some of the highlights of the visit. If schedules and conditions permit, free time and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Galilee.
Day 9: Nazareth – Lake of Tiberias – Bethlehem
Visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, established at the site believed to be where the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would give birth to a son named Jesus. Continue to Lake Tiberias to visit the Mount of Beatitudes for a gorgeous view of the Sea of Galilee and to visit the church that was built atop this hill, where Jesus is believed to have delivered his “Sermon on the Mount” speech. Continue to the ruins of Capernaum, where Jesus lived and preached, and where many apostles, including Peter, made their home. Visit to the church of Tabgha, which is remembered because of the miracle of the Multiplication of Loaves. Drive via Jordan valley to Bethlehem. Diner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 10: Bethlehem – Tel-Aviv
After breakfast, transfer to Tel-Aviv International Airport for departure.
*Prix par personne en chambre double *Supplément chambre single *Réduction pour enfants
