PRE EXTENSION TO EGYPT

COST: $499 per person

DAY 1 -- Friday, NEW YORK / FRANKFURT

Tour members are welcomed this evening at JFK International Airport, departing on Luthansas Airlines via widebody aircraft arriving in Frankfurt the next day.  Meals served on board.

DAY 2 -- Saturday, - FRANKFURT / CAIRO

This morning we arrive in Frankfurt.  We will transfer to our flight to Cairo.

Upon arrival we will be met and taken to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 3 -- Sunday, - CAIRO - MUSEUM & PYRAMIDS

This morning we visit the Egyptian Museum with its priceless gems from the tomb of Tutankhamen and other world-famous relics. We tour Old Cairo, including the Coptic church of "El Moallaka", dating from the early fourth century and the Mohamed Ali Mosque. 

This afternoon's excursion includes an exciting camel ride to the Pyramids and visit the Sphinx.   Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 4 -- Monday, - CAIRO / VALLEY OF SIN / 40 YEARS /  ELIM /  RAS SADR /

This morning we will leave Cairo and continue to the Suez and on to  Maraha. Marah is where the water was bitter and God told Moses to take a piece of wood and throw it in the water and it turned sweet. Continue to the Valley of sin and to Elim.

This afternoon we will board our motor coach and go to Elim (Hebrew: א??יל??ם‎, ’êlim), one of the places where the Israelites camped following their exodus. It is referenced in Exodus 15.27 and Numbers 33.9. as a place where "there were twelve wells of water, and seventy date palms," and that the Israelites "camped there near the water". From the information that can be gleaned from Exodus 15.23, 16.1 and Numbers 33.9-11, it was here in the Valley of Sin that the Israelites wondered for 40 years.  We will take our 4 x 4 wheel drive vehicles where no one has gone before. There will be 6 of us in each vehicle as we see Egyptian mines and rock carvings and see numerous Siniatic inscriptions.  Board our motor coach and check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 5 -- Tuesday, March 13 - RAS SADR / TABA / TIBERIAS

This morning we meet our bus and guide to take us through the Sinai to Tabah. 

This afternoon we  will cross over to Israel and head north to Solomon’s Quarries. We will see a replica of the tabernacle that housed the Arc of the Covenant. Then head to Arad and continue on Jericho head north to Tiberias. Check in to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

HOLY LAND BEGINS HERE:

DAY 1 -- Monday,  - NEW YORK / FRANKFURT

Tour members are welcomed this evening at JFK International Airport, departing on Luthansas Airlines via widebody aircraft arriving in Frankfurt the next day.  Meals served on board.

DAY 2 -- Tuesday, - FRANKFURT / TEL AVIV / TIBERIAS

This morning we arrive in Frankfurt and transfer to our flight to Tel Aviv.

Upon arrival in Tel Aviv we are met by our guide who will be with us for the time we are in the Holy Land. Board our bus and travel to Jaffa ancient port where Jonah left prior to being swallowed by the whale. Here is where Peter had his house top experience. Continue through Tel Aviv, the largest city in Israel. We proceed up the coast and go to the famous Sea of Galilee where we check into our hotel for dinner and  overnight.

DAY 3 -- Wednesday,  - TIBERIAS / BET SHEAN / SEA OF GALILEE / TIBERIAS

This morning we follow the Rift Valley running parallel to the Jordan, along the route Jesus most frequently traveled to Jerusalem.  We visit Bet Shean at the foot of Mt. Gilboa, where King Saul was slain, see the evidences of Egyptian, Roman and Byzantine occupations, and view the ancient tel, Roman Theater and church mosaics.

In the afternoon we enjoy a relaxing boat ride on the  Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, then visit Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes.  Our last stop today will be at the River Jordan then transfer to the hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

DAY 4 -- Thursday,  - TIBERIAS / NAZARETH / CAESAREA / JERUSALEM

We leave Tiberias for Jerusalem, on the way visiting Nazareth, boyhood home of Jesus.  We pass through Cana, where Jesus performed His first miracle, then proceed across the Plain of Jezreel to Megiddo to visit the excavations of over 20 different civilizations.  Visit  Muhraka on Mount Carmel.

In the afternoon we visit Caesarea on the Mediterranean, the Roman aqueduct and port, Crusader’s Moat, and the famous Roman Theater.  We pass through Tel Aviv on our way to Jaffa (Joppa), the city of Jonah, where Peter had his housetop experience at the home of Simon the Tanner (Acts 10).  Proceed by way of the Aijalon Valley to Jerusalem for check-in and dinner at our hotel.

DAY 5 -- Friday, - JERUSALEM / MASADA / JERICHO

We begin our day with a stop at Bethany, home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus.  Drive to Masada and ascend by cable car to the magnificent ruins of the fortress where, from 70 to 73 AD, Jewish defenders made their last stand in the Judean revolt against Rome.  We see the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a sixth-century Byzantine church. Continuing alongside the Dead Sea, 1300 ft. below sea level -- the lowest spot on earth -- we proceed to Ein Gedi. Here we will have a stop for lunch and swim in the Dead Sea or walk the path to see the waterfall in the desert.

This afternoon we continue to Qumran and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We travel to Jericho, the world’s oldest city.  From the excavated tel atop the ruins of ancient Jericho we view the lush green Jordan Valley, Elisha’s spring and Qarantal, the Mount of Temptation. We will head up to Jerusalem and return to the hotel for dinner.

DAY 6 -- Saturday, - JERUSALEM / NEW CITY / BETHLEHEM

This morning we visit the New City of Jerusalem, Mount Zion, the Upper Room, the tomb of King David and Dormition Abbey.  We enter the Jewish Quarter of the Old City to visit the Wohl Archaeological Museum, displaying the newly restored Herodian Quarter.  Remains of this area of  Jerusalem date back to the time of the Herodian Dynasty (37 BC to 70 AD).  Proceed to the Shrine of the Book where we see the Dead Sea Scrolls on display then view the Knesset (Israeli parliament) building. Continue to visit Yad Vashem, a memorial of the Holocaust then visit the Model City.

This afternoon  we continue to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity, the Manger, Crusader’s Cloister and the Grotto of St. Jerome.  We then visit the cave in Shepherds’ Field and view the Fields of Boaz.  En route to Jerusalem we see the Tomb of Rachel and other antiquities before returning to the hotel for dinner.

DAY 7 -- Sunday, - JERUSALEM / MT. OF OLIVES / OLD CITY

Today we drive to the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem, visit the Church of Pater Noster and the Chapel of Ascension, then proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane.  Crossing the Kidron Valley, we pass the tombs of Absalom, Zechariah and St. James, then visit the Pool of Siloam and the Church of St. Peter of Gallicantu (Caiaphas’ House).

We enter the Old City this afternoon through the Zion Gate and see the Cardo and the remains of Nehemiah’s Wall on the way to the Western (Wailing) Wall.  We visit the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, the Church of St. Anne, the Pool of Bethesda, Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos, and the Arch of Ecce Homo (“Behold the Man”).  We follow the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and end our day in the Garden Tomb before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 8 -- Monday, - JERUSALEM / MUNICH / OBERAMMERGAU

This morning we transfer to Tel Aviv for our flight to Munich.

Upon arrival we are met and transferred to our accommodations in Oberammergau for dinner and overnight..

DAY 9 -- Tuesday, - PASSION PLAY

Today we will have the opportunity to be part of the Passion Play. This morning we will stroll through the village and meet some of the participants in the Play. We will have lunch and then at 2 PM  begins the performance. At intermission we will have dinner and then go back for the rest of the performance. We experience the last hours of our Lord's Life in a way that makes it more meaningful than we ever dreamed possible. Go back to our accommodations for overnight

DAY 10 -- Wednesday, - OBERAMMERGAU / CASTLES / MUNICH

This morning visit Linderhof, one of Mad King Ludwig’s fantasy castles with its fabulous 105 ft. fountain. Another enchanting drive through Bavaria’s forests and lakelands takes us to the elaborate Neuschwanstein Castle, surely the crown jewel of Bavaria Castles. Continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 11 -- Thursday,  - MUNICH

We will first drive to the Olympic Village to view the Stadium and Press Village, Nymphenburg Castle, Konigsplatz, Glyptothek, Old Pinakothek, and time permitting, to the Eleven O’Clock Carillon Attraction. Continue to Ludwigstrasse University, State Library, Arch of Victory, Ludwig Church, and the Academy of Arts. Next we will see the English Gardens, National Museum, and across the River Isar, the Angel of Peace, Isar Park, and the Monument of Ludwig Il.

Continue our drive down Maximilian Street to the Senate and Diat of Bavaria, Museum of Enthology, Opera House, Hofgrauhaus, and Joseph Platz to the Royal Residence. Proceed through the imposing streets and squares to the Theatiner Church, Marienplatz, New and Old Town Halls, Peters Church and Municipal Museum. Return back to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 12 -- Friday, - MUNICH / NEW YORK

We continue our journey home to the States today remembering the good times we had and happy for the new friends we made.

POST EXTENSION TO SALZBURG

COST: $999 per person

Day 12 -- Friday, -  MUNICH / SALZBURG

After breakfast we drive to the fascinating city of Salzburg, ancient seat of the Archbishop, which is a city whose spirit has been forged on the anvil of music. It is the birthplace of Mozart and was more recently the location chosen for the 'Sound of Music' movie. After enjoying a tour of this beautiful city, we drive to our hotel for dinner.

Day 13 -- Saturday, -  SALZBURG / VIENNA

Mozart's birthplace is just one of the sights we see this morning in Salzburg before we begin our drive to Vienna. We pass St. Gilgen, Bad Ischl, eye-filling Ebensee, towering mountains, densely wooded hills, and placid lakes. We see popular Gmuden on Lake Traun and continue motoring along the Danube via Melk to arrive in Vienna, where we transfer to the hotel for the night.

Day 14 -- Sunday, -  VIENNA

This morning we will drive to the Hofburg, visit the Gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral and the l7th Century Capuchin Church containing the Imperial Vaults. See also City Hall, the Burg Theater, Houses of Parliament, two State Museums, the Opera and the Schonbrunn Palace with its vast French Park.

Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 15 Friday, VIENNA / NEW YORK

After breakfast we will head to the airport for our flight back to the U S.