Ancient Wonders: Jordan & Israel

Arrive in Amman, transfer to your hotel and enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.

Begin with a visit to Jerash, a city founded by Alexander the Great, to marvel at its Greco-Roman ruins. Walk the Roman Cardo, viewing grooves made by chariot wheels. Continue to Amman and, after lunch at a local restaurant, explore the city and its Citadel and Roman Theatre. Tonight, gather for a festive welcome dinner.

Travel to Mount Nebo, in the footsteps of Moses, for expansive views of the Holy Land. Proceed to Madaba, the famed “City of Mosaics.” Stop for lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to your hotel in Petra.

Spend a full day exploring Petra, passing through the Siq to the majestic Treasury, the Temple of the Winged Lions and the Palace Tomb. Prepare an evening meal with a local chef during a Chef’s Table experience.

Travel to Wadi Rum — the Valley of the Moon — and explore where Lawrence of Arabia lived with his Bedouin allies. At the Dead Sea, take a dip in the mineral-rich waters, enjoying their increased buoyancy.

Cross into Israel and drive to the Mount of Olives for a view over Temple Mount (Al Haram el-Sharif). Visit the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed before his crucifixion. Tour Mahna Yahuda market, enjoying food tastings as lunch. Visit the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book and Second Temple Model to view a portion of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Check in and dine at your hotel’s restaurant.

Tour the Old City, first stopping at the Western Wall, one of Judaism’s most sacred sites. View the Temple Mount area with its Dome of the Rock. After lunch at a local café, stroll the Via Dolorosa, where Jesus carried the cross, arriving at the recently renovated Church of the Holy Sepulchre, traditional site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial and resurrection. As your day ends, view the city’s skyline with a Scenic Sundowner.

Visit Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to Holocaust victims. Drive to Bethlehem, located in the West Bank, to visit the Church of the Nativity. Dine tonight at a top restaurant in Jerusalem.

Visit Masada, taking a cable car up to the final stronghold, where Jewish Zealots made their last stand against the Romans. Later, stop at the Qumran Caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947. Return to Jerusalem.

Drive to Acre to see the Crusader Halls, markets and old town. Journey to Jesus’ boyhood town of Nazareth. After lunch, visit the Church of the Annunciation. Continue to Tiberias and your hotel. Prior to dinner, experience an artisanal wine talk organized by a professional sommelier.

Enjoy a private boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, stopping at Capernaum to view St. Peter’s house and the synagogue where Jesus taught. Visit the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount. After lunch, drive to the Golan Heights to learn about the rich history and strategic importance of this rugged landscape, before continuing to Banias. Gather tonight for a special farewell dinner.

Visit Caesarea, where St. Paul was taken prisoner. Tour Tel Aviv, and stop at the vibrant artist colony of Jaffa. The next day, transfer to the Tel Aviv airport for your departing flight.