Go back to the history of Christianity and Faith by visiting some
of the most scenic sights around the Middle East.
The pilgrimage begins in Cairo to explore the remains of ancient Egypt, and then follow the Moses route of Exodus. Crossing the Sinai desert will take you to the Holy Land where you will explore the origin of Christian sacred sites, such as the Holy Sepulcher, the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. Visit the ruins of Canaanite civilization in Jericho until the Roman conquest in Masada and Jerash and see the remains of the most famous Treasure in Petra that left by the Nabataeans.
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
After breakfast, start in the Old City of Jerusalem, the holy city of the three monotheistic religions. Follow the last steps of Christ along the Via Dolorosa, believed to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion until the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which according to Christian tradition, includes Golgotha, place of crucifixion of Christ, as well as the cave where the body of Jesus was laid after having been taken down from the cross. It was built from the year 326 CE by the emperor Constantine, after the official recognition of the Christian religion. Continuation the visit by taking the ancient Roman road, the Cardo, the ancient mercantile district located in the heart of the Old City, up to Mount Sion, where we will discover the Dormition Abbey, place where the Virgin Mary would have left this world. then the cave of the Last Supper where was commemorate the last meal of Christ and the tomb of King David, located below the Cenacle. We visit Saint-Peter-in-Gallicantu Church, also known as the “Church of the Rooster”, where Peter’s denial of Christ was marked by the crowing of a rooster. We end the day with a stroll through the Armenian Quarter to Jaffa Gate. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel in Jerusalem
Day 6: Jerusalem – Bethlehem
After breakfast, we start our visit by the Wailing Wall, the holy place of Judaism, then the esplanade of the mosques, the third holiest religious site in Islam, which contains the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, known for 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 Jerusalem’s Old City. Visit the chapel of Dominus Flevit, which recalls the Gospel incident in which Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Descent from the Mount to the Garden of Olive Trees with the Church of All Nations, Gethsemane, the place where Jesus prayed before his arrest. Departure for Bethlehem located 10 km from Jerusalem to discover the Basilica of the Nativity, one of the oldest churches in the world, built above the cave where Jesus was born. We will take narrow stairs to the cave, under the basilica, to discover the altar and the fourteen-pointed star marking the place of the nativity. Visit Milk Grotto and the historic 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 – Jerash – Amman
After breakfast, visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, established at the site believed to be where the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus. You will move onto Lake Tiberias, around the lake you will visit the Mount of Beatitudes for gorgeous views of the Sea of Galilee and 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, also lived. Visit to the Church of Tabgha which is remembered because of the miracle of the multiplication of loaves, and see the magnificent mosaic commemorating the miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves. Afternoon cross to Jordan via Sheik Hussein border crossing. Start the visit by Jerash - a close second to Petra on the list of favorite destinations in Jordan, the ancient city of Jerash boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years. It lies on a plain surrounded by hilly wooded areas and fertile basins. Conquered by General Pompey in 63 BC, it came under Roman rule and was one of the ten great Roman cities known as the Decapolis. Jerash, was known as the Pompeii of the east, and known as the city of 1000 pillars, you will also visit the triple arched gate, the hippodrome and the theatre. Continue to Amman. Diner and overnight at the hotel in Amman
Day 10: Amman – Madaba – Mount Nebo – Petra
Start the visit with Amman city; the capital of Jordan, a fascinating city of contrasts, a unique blend of old and new, ideally situated on a hilly area between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley. The visit will include the fascinating Roman Theatre and Nymphaeum that reflect the historic legacy of the city, and the enchanting Citadel, which has stood since the ancient times of the Ammonites. Depart to Madaba, the 'City of Mosaics’, which has the most famous mosaic map of the Holy Land as it was in 6th century CE Byzantine Palestine. Visit Mount Nebo, where Moses was given a view of the holy land, where he died and was buried. The memorial of Moses offers spectacular views of the Jordan Valley. Travel to Petra, via the king's road, ancient Silk Road and arrive in the evening with the sunset over the mountains of Petra. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Petra.
Day 11: Petra and Wadi Rum
Petra – one of the world’s greatest archaeological sites and today’s one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The 2,000-year old ancient city of Petra. Known as the red rock city, Petra was the ancient capital of the Nabateans from the 3rd century BCE to the 2nd century CE. Carved by the Nabateans out of solid rock, Petra was forgotten for hundreds of years until it was rediscovered by a Western explorer in 1812. At the entrance to Petra travelers are offered the option to ride a horse for 800m – from the visitor’s center to the entrance of the dramatic Siq (canyon). From the entrance to the Siq there is a 1,250-meter walk to the 1st monument, The Treasury. Throughout most of the day we will explore Petra’s in the afternoon, then depart to Wadi Rum. Dinner and overnight at camp in Wadi Rum.
Day 12: Wadi Rum – Aqaba
Enjoy the desert sunrise and breakfast before a tour for two to three hours in off-road vehicles, exploring the desert of Wadi Rum, Jordan’s largest desert and one of the most spectacular desert landscapes in the world. Discover the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, the Lawrence Well and Khazali siq. Transfer to Aqaba, with free time to spend relaxing as you choose; visiting one of the Red Sea beach resorts to swim or exploring the markets of the downtown. Aqaba offers several snorkeling and diving excursions to explore coral reefs and colorful sea life or hop aboard a glass-bottom boat to view into the deep sea. Diner and overnight in Aqaba.
Day 13: Aqaba – Amman
Transfer to Amman International Airport for departure.
*Prix par personne en chambre double *Supplément chambre single *Réduction pour enfants
