A Pilgrim Tour to the Holy land
JORDAN- ISRAEL – EGYPT & DUBAI – HOLY LAND TOUR
Day 01- Mumbai – Abu Dhabi – Amman – Nazareth
Assemble at Mumbai International Airport at 01.15hrs. Check in starts at 01.45hrs. Depart from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi by EY 205 at 04.30 hrs. Arrive Abu Dhabi at 0625 hrs. Depart from Abu Dhabi to Amman by EY513 at 0815 hrs. Arrive Amman at 0955 hrs. Meet by our representative. Then proceed to Madaba (the city of Mosaics), Greek Orthodox Church of St. George Madaba is a capital city of Madaba Governorate of Jordan, which has a population of about 60.000. Madaba is the fifth most populous town in Jordan. It is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of Palestine and the Nile delta. Madaba is located 30 miles south-west of the capital Amman. Proceed to Mount Nebo : The trip south of Amman along the 5,000 years old King’s Highway is one of the most memorable journeys in the Holy Land, passing through a string of ancient sites of Jordan, the memorial of Moses, and the presumed site of the prophet’s death and burial place. From a platform in front of the church one can enjoy a breathtaking view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea Proceed to Sheik Hussain Bridge to cross the border. Complete the customs & emigration formalities. Enter into Israel.. Proceed to Hotel. Dinner, Overnight at Hotel.
Day 02 –Nazareth – Cana – Sea of Galilee–Capernaum Jordan Rivers – Mount Tabor
After Breakfast. Visit Capernaum – the centre of Jesus’ ministry after he left Nazareth we stop at Tabgha – the Church of the Multiplication of the Five Loaves and Two Fishes and the expressive church of the Beatitudes, where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. This morning we drive through the landscapes of Galilee and later for a ride in a replica of a Galilean fishing boat of that time, on the Sea of Galilee and where Jesus calmed the storm and walked on the water. We make a stop at St. Peter’s house, the Church of Primacy of Peter and the place where Jesus bestowed St. Peter with his authority. This is believed to be the place where Jesus dined with his disciples, the flat rock known as Mensa Christy, Chris’s table to commemorate this event. Then Visit Cana where Jesus performed his first Miracle, changing water into wine at the wedding feast… Then Visit Nazareth the boyhood town of Jesus and home of Mary and Joseph and visit the Basilica of the Annunciation built over the grotto where Archangel Gabriel appeared to announce that she would bear a son, Jesus. We also stop by Joseph’s workshop Visit Mount Tabor Visit Yardenit on the Jordan River, the traditional Baptismal site. Dinner. Overnight at hotel.
Day 03- Nazareth – Haifa – Mt. Carmel – Bethlehem
After Breakfast, Check-out Hotel Continue via the city of Caesarea to Haifa, Israel’s largest port city, built on the slopes of Mt. Carmel. Visit the Famous Persian Hanging Gardens for a view of the Bahai Shrine. Then make a brief halt at the “Home of Eujoh”, and then continue to Muhraqa, the placer of sacrifice and the site where Prophet Elijah defeated the False Prophets of Ba’al. Lunch at Restaurant
Day 04 –Old City of Jerusalem–Golgotha–Wailing Wall
After Breakfast. Then proceed to the pools of Beit Hasda, where Jesus held the crippled man. And from there we take the Via Dolorosa (Way of Grief), traditionally accepted as the last route trodden by Jesus. Follow the 14 Stations of the Cross to Golgotha, the place where Jesus was crucified marking significant events along the route. You will see the Pilate’s Judgments Hall, the Chapel of the Flagellation where according to tradition, the Roman soldiers scourged Jesus and placed a crown of thorns on His head the Ecce Homo Arch and the Convent of the Sisters of Zion. Early tradition held that Pontius Pilate stood here and thundered “Ecce Homo!” Which means “Behold the man?” Which is what Pilate said when he presented Jesus to the crowd. However, we now know that pagan Emperor Hadrian constructed the arch. Below the Convent are the Lithotrities where Jesus was publicly tried and where the Roman soldiers mocked him. The last 5 Stations of the Cross are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher visible from the distance with two silver domes. Also “The Tomb” widely believed to be the part of the stone that covered Jesus Tomb. Visit the Cenacle – Last Supper Room, the tomb of King David and – (the other upper room). Then we go to the Jewish quarter to the Wailing Wall, which is the holiest place for the Jewish religion. Back to hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 05– Ein Karem – Jericho – Dead Sea
Breakfast. Visit Ein Karem, located in the hills next to a little spring. This is the city of Judah and Birthplace of John the Baptist, son of Elizabeth & Zechariah and the Church of Visitation. Proceed to Jericho where we stop and view (Qurantal) of the traditional Mount of Temptation and Sycamore Tree it is also the place where Jesus stopped on this way to Jerusalem, on the Eve of the Passover and were Jesus cured the blind man during his stay at Zachaeus house.Lunch. Proceed to Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth (1305 ft. below sea level), again make a brief stop at a private beach and take the opportunity to float in the salty buoyant water, rich in minerals. Precede to Bithynia .Visit Bethany the Town of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Visit Lazarus’s Tomb.
Day 06–Mount of Olives – Gethsemane- Bethlehem
Breakfast. Proceed to Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. Visit sanctuaries of Pater Nester Ascension. Walk along the Palm Sunday road down to the chapel of Dorminous Flevit where Jesus wept over eminent destruction of Jerusalem and Garden of Gethsemane. Where Jesus prayed while Judah betrayed him to the Romans. Visit the Basilica of agony and Tomb of St. Mary. We also will visit the Church of St. Peter of Gallicantu, which symbolizes Peter’s Denial of Jesus as he has prophesied at the Last Supper and then visit the traditional house of high priest, Caiaphas, where Jesus was imprisoned. Then proceed to Bethlehem to visit the shepherd’s field, which is located in the Judah province. It was here that the Angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds of Bethlehem during the reign of King Herod. Also, here David tended his flocks until he was anointed King of Israel. Lunch. We then visit the Church of Nativity – the birthplace of Jesus and the City of David, Manager Square; Crusaders Cloister Grotto of St. Jerome. Then we visit Milk Grotto. Dinner and overnight Hotel.
Day 07 –Taba
After breakfast, Check-out Hotel. Proceed to Taba. Lunch at Restaurant. Arrive Taba. Finish the Customs and Emigration formalities at the Israel side. Enter into Egypt. Complete the emigration and customs formalities. Check-in hotel. Free Time Dinner and Overnight at hotel.
Day 08–Taba – Sinai — St. Catherine Monastery – Cairo
Breakfast at hotel. Check-out Hotel. Then proceed to Sinai. View the beautiful and historical Sinai Mountains. Visit St. Catherine Monastery. Set beneath the mountain where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments. Saint Catherine Monastery has been one of the world’s great centers of religious pilgrimage for over fifteen centuries. Within its imposing walls rests a citadel like no other, incredibly rich in important religious and historical structures. Among its treasures is a library of ancient manuscripts and icons second only to the Vatican’s itself, and a 6th century church reputed to lie directly on the site of the Burning Bush. Quite simply, the monastery is a defining feature of the Holy Land. Proceed to Cairo. Lunch at restaurant. On the way to Cairo we cross the famous Suez Canal. Arrive Cairo then Cairo Market Visit free time shopping precedes Hotel check in Hotel Overnight at Hotel.Day 09–Cairo
After Breakfast, Check-out hotel. Proceed on a visit to Pyramids, The Great Pyramid of Giza (also called the Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt, and in a historical irony is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one that survives substantially intact. It is believed the pyramid was built as a tomb for fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops in Greek) and constructed over a 20 year period concluding around 2551 BC. The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years Sphinx and the old churches of Cairo. Visit Egyptian Museum. Lunch. Proceeds to Cruising on the River Nile. Dinner on board. Proceed to CAI airport check in for Abu Dhabi
Day 10–Cairo – Abu Dhabi
Check in Starts .Depart at 04.30hrs by EY 650 to Abu Dhabi Arrive at 0910 hrs, Meet by our representative and proceed to Hotel Check –in free time. Lunch proceed to Desert Safari with Belly dance show & BBQ dinner Than the group will depart in luxury, air-conditioned 4-wheel drive vehicles for Desert Safari – an excursion that will probably be one of the highlights of their visit to Dubai. During this excursion the group will have the opportunity to explore the vast, silent ocean of golden-hued sand dunes with experienced drivers giving guests the opportunity to enjoy some exciting “Dune Bashing”. Dune bashing literally means bashing the dunes with the thrill of going up and down, provoking shrieks of laughter and tons of excitement & we head towards the campsite.
The throbbing beat of drums pierce the Arabian night as guests enter the campsite under the starlit sky. Open fires blaze, casting flickering shafts of light onto the faces of gorgeous locals in traditional outfits that welcome guests and hand over cold towels and liquid refreshments. As guests mingle they will be transported to an era of long ago while a traditional barbecue dinner is being prepared on open fires close-by with the smells and aromas of Arabian spices and ingredients filling the air Proceed to hotel Overnight at hotel
Day 11 –Dubai
Breakfast at hotel. Then free time for shopping. Dubai Aquarium after Aquarium visit Proceed to Visit the Burj Khalifa –– The Tallest Building in the World. Construction began on 6 January 2004, with the exterior of the structure completed on 1 October 2009. The building officially opened on 4 January 2010, and is part of the new 2 km2 (490-acre) development called Downtown Dubai at the ‘First Interchange’ along Sheikh Zayed Road, near Dubai’s main business district. The tower’s architecture and engineering were performed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago, with Adrian Smith as chief architect, and Bill Baker as chief structural engineer. The primary contractor was Samsung C&T of South Korea. The tower’s construction was done by the construction division of Al Ghurair Investment group. Proceed to hotel Overnight at hotel
Day 12- Abu Dhabi – Mumbai
After Breakfast, Meet by our representative and proceed to Dubai City tour
DUBAI CITY TOUR
This is a fascinating tour of Dubai, we will explore a contrast between the past and present. The journey begins from the Dubai creek; we pass by Bastakia – the old quarter of the city with houses made of lime stones and corals built by the Iranian merchants. Here, you will see the wind towers which served as air-conditioners in the olden days. We then head towards Jumeirah mosque-magnificent example of modern Islamic architecture and continue along the Jumeirah beach road, which is the most luxurious urban area in Dubai. We pass by the Mercato shopping mall with Mediterranean Style architecture and our next stop will be photo shoot at the world renowned Burj Al Arab hotel. The journey further takes us through the trunk of Palm Jumeirah – an artificial palm tree-shaped resort island-the largest architectural wonder made by man, thus making it a contemporary tourist attraction & here we have an opportunity to take photos of the famous Atlantis Palm Hotel. We will be driving back to the City on Sheikh Zayed Road that connects Dubai to Abu Dhabi. We drive past by the Burj Dubai – the Tallest Tower in the World, The Emirates Towers and The World Trade Center -an area referred as THE MANHATTAN of DUBAI. Just before we end the tour, we drive along the Zabeel road, passing by the palace of Sheikh Mohammed, as well as the Sheikh Rashid palace, (No photography). Lunch than proceed to shopping at Dubai. Proceed on a visit to Abu Dhabi Airport. Excellent Duty Free shopping at the Abu Dhabi International Airport. Connect EY 206 at 2200 hrs.
Day 13- Abu Dhabi – Mumbai
Day 13- Abu Dhabi – Mumbai
Arrive Mumbai at 03:00 hrs with Happy Memories.
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