For an excitement-packed 30 days, we immerse ourselves in the unique landscapes and cultures of three of the most rewarding destinations in the Middle East: Israel, Jordan and Syria. From the buzzing, modern streets of Tel Aviv - Israel's cultural center and largest city - we travel north along the glorious coastal sceneries of the Mediterranean to Caesarea, a historic port city that once served as Roman capital of the Holy Land. Making our way through the ancient land, we come across Biblical sites by the dozen; from the site where the archangel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary of the coming of Jesus, now situated under the Church of the Annunciation, and the place where Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes, to Megiddo, named in the Book of Revelations as the setting for the coming Armageddon - the place where the forces of good and evil will meet in the final battle for mankind - and the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem.
Before leaving Israel for Jordan, we make sure we have sufficient time to explore fully the many bounties of Jerusalem, a wondrous city that displays features of the three religions that together formed the nature of this magical place - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - around every corner. In Jordan, we take trips into the desert to see palaces dating from the 8th century AD and mingle with authentic nomadic Bedouin herdsmen, travel along the King's Highway to tour Crusader castles and discover the ancient secrets of Petra, former capital of the Nabatean Kingdom and a closely guarded secret of local tribes for eight centuries.
The final leg of our incredible tour sees us admiring the beauty of 'the pearl of the Middle East' in Damascus, Syria, where we find grand temples, traditional markets, abundant museums and picture-perfect mountain panoramas of the city. We enter the Syrian Desert to see some of the most impressive archaeological sites in the world at Palmyra, the great city of the Palmyrans; we browse lively Bedouin markets and the Grand Bazaar, wherein we learn about indigenous lifestyle and tradition; and we bask in the unique glories of ancient Mesopotamia, a land of mystery and intrigue.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Breakfast and dinner daily (note that hotels in Syria require 'half-board', meaning that in that country we have most of our evening meals in our hotel)
- All transport, accommodation, sightseeing and entrance fees for sites noted as 'visited' in the detailed itinerary
- Gratuities for drivers, restaurant staff, porters, local guides
- Airport transfers for land / air customers arriving / departing on tour dates.
Price Excludes:
- Tour Leader gratuities, lunches, drinks, personal items (phone, laundry, etc), international (if applicable) air taxes, and any excursions referenced as 'optional'
- Airport transfers for early / late arrivals / departures or Land Only customers
- Optional trip cancellation insurance
- Our post-reservation trip notes offer further guidance on shopping, included meals, visas, and locally-paid departure taxes.
Also see tour packages in:
Middle East
Israel
Jordan
Syria
Cultural Journey
Archeology/History
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