DAY 01: NORTH AMERICA / GREECE. Tour members will gather at the ticket counter at the airport two hours prior to the departure to Europe. Dinner and breakfast will be served in flight. DAY 02: ATHENS / TEL AVIV.  Upon our arrival at the Athens airport we will be met by our representative and taken on a half day tour of Athens. Our sightseeing includes the Stadium and Temple of Zeus, Theatre of Dionysus and the Hill of Muses for a panoramic view of Athens and the Acropolis. See Mars Hill, where Paul addressed the citizens of Athens, and the monuments of the Acropolis - including the Parthenon, the Agora (marketplace) and Socrates' Prison. Return to the Athens airport for our trip to Tel Aviv. DAY 03: TEL AVIV / GALILEE. After breakfast, we drive through the citrus groves and farms of the rich land of Sharon, northward to Caesarea, the Roman city of Herod where sights include Crusader fortifications and the Roman aqueducts and amphitheater. Driving through the Jezreel Valley to the fields of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16) and Megiddo. Continuing northward along the Mediterranean Sea to Haifa and Mt. Carmel - the biblical site of Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal (I Kings:18). Traveling westward across Galilee we will view Mt. Tabor (Psalm 89:12), Deboriya - the hometown of the prophetess Deborah - at the foothill of Mt. Tabor (Judges 4 and 5). Overnight at our hotel on the shores of the beautiful Sea of Galilee. DAY 04: TIBERIAS / CAPERNAUM / CAESAREA PHILIPPI / MT. HERMON / GOLAN HEIGHTS.  This day will be an exciting day in the Galilee area after a delicious breakfast. We will depart from the Roman hot springs resort city of Tiberias via a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum (John 6:24) to visit the ancient ruins of the first century synagogue where Jesus preached (Matt. 4:13-17). Then on to the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the "Sermon on the Mount" (Matt. 5-7) and to Tabgha - the chapel dedicated to the multiplication of the loaves and fishes - (Mark 6:34-44). We will then proceed to upper Galilee and the site of Peter's confession (Matt. 16:16) at Caesarea Phillipi and to Mt. Hermon (Psalm 89:12) the probable site of the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8) and the present day Golan Heights where Israel, Lebanon and Syria come together. We will follow the fresh mountain waters of Mt. Hermon to the Sea of Galilee and to the outlet passage at the southern tip of the Sea. We will stop at the beautiful Pilgrims Park at the Jordan River. Return to our hotel for overnight. DAY 05: NAZARETH / JERICHO / JERUSALEM. Early morning departure to Cana and then on to Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus, where we will visit the Church of the Annunciation (Luke 1:5-42) and Mary's Fountain (Luke 4:16-22). We continue past Bethshean and then south through the Jordan Valley to ancient Jericho where the walls came tumbling down (I Kings 17:1-6 and II Kings 2:19-22) and a commanding view of the Mt. of Temptation (Matt. 4:1-11) and Elisha's Fountain. Then up to Jerusalem through the Judean wilderness. Overnight at our hotel in the Holy City of Jerusalem. DAY 06: JERUSALEM.  After a night of rest and a hearty breakfast this exciting day will begin with a drive to Mt. Scopus and the Mt. of Olives (Matt. 24:3) for a panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem, visiting the Chapel of the Ascension, the Church of Pater Noster and the Dominus Flevit. Walk along Hosanna Road to the Gethsemane to visit the Church of All Nations which stands on the Rock of Agony where Jesus was betrayed by Judas (Matt. 26:36-57). See the Pillar of Absalom, the Eastern (Golden) Gate and the Pinnacle of the Temple. We then drive to Mt. Zion where we visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu on the site of Caiphas' House, the Room of the Last Supper (Luke 22:14-20) and the Tomb of King David. Continue to tour New Jerusalem: Hebrew University, the Shrine of the Book that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Model City of Jerusalem which depicts in miniature the Holy City as it appeared in the first century. Return to our hotel for overnight. DAY 07: JERUSALEM / BETHLEHEM. Today begins with a walking tour of the Old City of Jerusalem. Starting at the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) where the faithful Jews cry their petitions to God. Continue to the Temple Area of Mt. Moriah. Visit the El Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock which is built on the ancient site of Solomon's Temple (Genesis 22:9-14) and over the Rock of Sacrifice where Abraham offered Isaac (Genesis 22) and the ceremonial sacrifice of animals took place. After this we walk along the Via Dolorosa to Pilate's Judgment Hall, the Chapel of the Flagellation, the Ecce Homo Arch (John 19:13) where Jesus was tried before Pilate (Mark 15:6). Then continue through the Old City bazaars to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Visit the Garden Tomb and Golgotha - Place of the Skull - for a worship service. This afternoon continue our tour to Bethlehem. We will visit the Church of the Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus, and Shepherds Fields (Luke 2:1-20) then the Field of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 1:16-17 & 4:13). We return to Jerusalem passing Rachel's Tomb to our hotel for overnight. DAY 08: MASADA / DEAD SEA / QUMRAN / BETHANY.  This morning we drive via the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea - the lowest point on earth. A beautiful new road takes us south along the shores of the Dead Sea to Masada, a truly remarkable piece of history. Ascend to Masada by cable car to visit the magnificent ruins of the fortress where from 70-73 A.D. the Jewish defenders made the last stand of the Judean Revolt against Rome and where the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a sixth century Byzantine church are still on view. Return along the Dead Sea to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Visit the remains of the Community Center of the Essenes and the Caves of the Scrolls. We continue on the Jericho Road viewing the Inn of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). On the return to Jerusalem we visit Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11:1-46). On to our Jerusalem hotel for overnight. DAY 09: JERUSALEM / CAIRO. After breakfast we depart our hotel on our way to the Egyptian Border where we proceed to the remains of war-torn El Arish, a small town and Bedouin center which is the capital of the Sinai. Continue our drive across the Sinai Peninsula along the Mediterranean Sea at Qantara, destroyed during the long years of battle between Egypt and Israel. Cross the Suez Canal by ferry and travel along the Nile to Cairo. Check into our hotel upon arrival. DAY 10: CAIRO / GIZA.  Morning visit to the Egyptian Museum to view many specimens of finest antiquities, including precious collections from the tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amon. Then drive through the city past Cairo University to Giza. Visit Cheops Pyramid and the Sphinx. Afternoon sightseeing drive along the Nile Corniche, past East El Ainin Hospital to "Old Cairo" to visit the Coptic Churches of Abu Sarga associated with the flight of the Christ Child to Egypt; Ben Ezra Synagogue and MAR Mosque. Drive via Republic Square, past Abdin Palace to Sultan Hussan Mosque, the Citadel, El Azhas University to the native bazaars of Khan El Khalili where time is allowed for browsing and shopping. DAY 11: MEMPHIS / SAKKARA. Morning sightseeing to Memphis and Sakkara. Located twenty miles southwest of Cairo, Memphis was one of the most important cities through the history of ancient Egypt and was once the capital of Ancient Egypt. Visit the colossal statue of Ramses II and a great alabaster sphinx. Sakkara's step pyramids are the oldest in existence and are the world's first stone tombs. Visit the Step Pyramid of Zoser I, dating from 2,686 B.C. and the oldest in the world. Afternoon is free at leisure. Overnight at our hotel. DAY 12: CAIRO / NORTH AMERICA. Today we travel to the airport for our return flight to the United States of America. The end of a most enjoyable tour. | 
