Caution: Please
be careful when making air reservations for this tour if you are planning
to do the Lebanon pre-tour extension. Do not arrange to fly round-trip
into and out of Israel. Note this important warning from Travel.State.Gov: “Travelers
holding passports that contain visas or entry/exit stamps for Israel
will likely be refused entry into Lebanon.”
TRAVEL THROUGH VAST EPOCHS OF HISTORY
Jordan and Israel may be neighbors on a map, but their cultures and
histories could not be more different. Their close proximity and
dissimilarities is
a dichotomy that makes this part of the Middle East so fascinating. Some
of the most significant civilizations of antiquity rose and fell here, and
three great monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam – began
in the region. While modern cities rise from the sands, astonishing open-air
museums of ancient cities and historic monuments serve as reminders of the
past.
Jordan is a small Arab country, steeped in
history and culture. Roman Emperor Hadrian, the Prophet Moses, and T.E. Lawrence
are just three of the many historical
personalities who passed through Jordan down through the millennia. From the
moment you arrive you get a sense of its rich heritage, with remnants of ancient
civilizations stamped into the very fabric of this amazing land. Of particular
note are the breathtaking mountain and desert panoramas, and the ancient city
of Petra hidden within a high desert gorge.
This country is so gorgeous that it served as
the primary film location for both the Oscar-winning “Lawrence of Arabia” and
the heart-pounding adventure flick “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” The
ancient King’s Highway, first mentioned in the Bible (Numbers 20:17 and
21:22) as the route Moses wished to follow as he led his people north through
the
land of Edom (southern Jordan) will eventually take us into Israel.
Many people come to Israel
on a religious pilgrimage. Revered as “The
Holy Land” by one-third
of the world’s inhabitants, it contains sites considered sacred by the
followers of the Judaic, Christian, Islamic and Bahá’í religions.
Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Sea of Galilee,
Masada,
Haifa are places of such adoration as to make Israel one of the top tour destinations
in the world. There is, however, another, more basic, physical attraction operating
here which even the most zealous pilgrim cannot totally ignore – namely,
the heavenly beauty of this land and its people. Our tour celebrates both the
sacred and the sensual.
Mediterranean beaches beckon, and rugged mountain
vistas shimmer in the distance like a mirage conjured out of clear desert air.
Lush oases surround inland
seas; rocky canyons harbor dramatic waterfalls. Modern cities, with their active
and open gay communities, blend seamlessly with ancient ruins and open-air
markets; Roman aqueducts rise from
the sands,
and fortifications of the Ottoman Turks still guard over harbors. All these
and more combine to make a visit to Israel a sensual feast worthy of Paradise.
Note: We encourage you to participate in this
full itinerary, but recognize that some may have already seen Israel
and just want to visit Jordan. Similarly, some may have been to Jordan
and only want to go to Israel. If this is the case, please refer to
one of the following modified tour programs for the country of your
choice:
Depart
your home city today on an overnight international flight to Amman,
Jordan. Use the international airport code AMM when searching the
internet for your best travel
options.
Flying
time
to
Amman from the East Coast is generally 10 hours, and you will arrive
tomorrow. Tour
services in Jordan begin tomorrow, but we can arrange an extra night
for you at our group hotel if you prefer to arrive today in order
to have additional time to recover from jet lag.
Sunday, May 1, 2011 Arrive in Amman
When you arrive at the Queen
Alia International Airport in Amman, you will be met
by our local host who will assist with your transfer to our centrally
located hotel. One group transfer is provided in the tour cost, timed
to accommodate the greatest number of arriving tour participants. In
the
event it
is necessary to provide you with a private transfer, a supplement of
$50 will apply. The remainder of the afternoon is free to rest up from
jet lag. This evening Toto Tours hosts a Welcome
Dinner
at
a local
restaurant. (Welcome Dinner)
Monday, May 2, 2011 Amman / Um Qais / Jerash
After breakfast, we meet with our Jordanian guide and driver
to begin touring the Kingdom. Start by visiting Jordan’s rapidly
growing and changing capital, Amman. Excavations at The Citadel have
revealed early Roman, Byzantine and Islamic remains. Drive through
the old and traditional downtown area, passing by the 2nd century Roman
Theater. Proceed past the majestic King Abdullah Mosque on the way
to Abdoun, one of Amman’s newest and most upscale neighborhoods. We
drive out of the city to the northern most point of Jordan, Um Qais.
Enjoy the amazing view of the Golan Heights, the Galilee, Tiberias
and the Sea of Galilee. One of the ten cities of “Decapolis,” Um
Qais was a dwelling place for classical poets and philosophers. Continue
to Jerash, another of the ten Decapolis Roman cities. The main arcade,
lined with still-standing Roman columns, is just one of the many fascinating
structures that can be viewed here. Later in the day,
we return to Amman for dinner and overnight at our hotel. (All Meals)
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 Madaba / Mount Nebo / Karak / Wadi Moussa
This morning, we drive to the nearby town of Madaba, known as “the
City of Mosaics.” Visit the world famous mosaic map of the Middle
East from the sixth century located inside the St. George church. A
short drive from Madaba brings us to Mount Nebo, where biblical records
indicate Moses looked into the Promised Land but was not permitted
to enter.
Continuing south, we visit the ancient fortified Crusader stronghold
of Karak. Our day concludes as we reach the Bedouin town of Wadi Moussa,
home to the great ancient city of Petra. After our arrival and hotel
check-in, the
remainder of the day is free. (All
Meals)
Wednesday, May 4, 2011 Petra
After breakfast, a short drive brings us to Petra, the “Red Rose
Capital” of the Nabateans.
This magnificent city of stone monuments carved on the
face of ancient cliffs has survived for 2,000 years. The ancient
Nabatean city is accessed through the Siq, a long, winding, and narrow
gorge,
twisting through a one kilometer-long fissure between overhanging
cliffs that seem to meet more than 300 feet overhead. Near the end
of the
passage,
the Siq, with great style, makes one last turn and out of the gloom
in towering brightness appears Petra’s most impressive monument,
el Khazneh - The Treasury. This is one of the most elegant remains
of antiquity, carved out of the solid rock from the side of the mountain,
nearly 140 feet high and 90 feet wide. Beyond el Khazneh the visitor
is surrounded on both sides by hundreds of Petra’s carved and
built structures, soaring temples, elaborate royal tombs, a Roman
theatre, large and small houses, burial chambers and much more. At
the conclusion of our Petra tour, we return to our hotel for dinner
and overnight. (All Meals)
Thursday, May 5, 2011 Wadi Rum / Aqaba / Crossing to Israel
Drive along the winding roads of Southern Jordan until we reach
Wadi Rum, described by Lawrence of Arabia as “vast, echoing and
God-like.” It
is the largest and most magnificent of Jordan’s desert settings,
and we board jeeps to tour this amazing landscape of caves, sandstone
mountains, sand dunes, and expansive vistas. We continue on to Aqaba,
Jordan’s port city nestled on the shores of the Red Sea, with
magnificent views of Eilat and the Sinai. We will
have lunch at one of
the local
restaurants.
From here, we continue on to Israel,
transferring to the Arava border where we are met by a tour representative
to aid in our border
crossing. We drive
to the Eilat Airport to board a flight to Tel Aviv. Arriving at Sde Dov Airport
in Tel Aviv, we are met and transferred to our hotel. After a
break
to freshen up, we meet in the hotel lobby and
proceed
to
a nearby restaurant for dinner. Later on, enjoy an introduction to Tel Aviv
nightlight. Overnight in Tel Aviv. (All Meals)
Friday, May 6, 2011 Tel Aviv Sightseeing
Start the day with a tour to Tel Aviv’s first neighborhood,
Neve Tsedek. Continue to Rothschild Blvd, where there are over 5000
Bauhaus
buildings, the largest number in any one city in the world; a fact
that led UNESCO to recognize it as a World Heritage Site. Tel Aviv
is also known as the “White City,” named so on account
of the bright colors of the building style: white, off-white, light
yellow.
Enjoy
a visit to the weekend Nachalat Binyamin arts and crafts pedestrian
mall. Pass by Meir Park, the home of the LGBT community center. Time
permitting, we will stop at a coffee house to meet the locals.
Overnight in Tel Aviv. (Breakfast)
Saturday, May 7, 2011 Free Day in Tel Aviv
After breakfast, enjoy an entire day at your leisure. Sleep in late,
visit the beach, stroll along the seaside promenade, tour the city’s
museums or take walks through some nice residential neighborhoods.
Overnight in Tel Aviv. (Breakfast)
Sunday, May 8, 2011 Jaffa
Begin the day with a visit to the amazing Ayalon Munitions Factory.
During the days of the British Mandate, the Haganah (the Israeli pre-statehood
army) persuaded a group of people who had planned to form a kibbutz
to change their agenda and to assist them to build a munitions factory.
They dug out an enormous underground hole in just weeks, while the
British thought they were building a kibbutz. Forty people went underground
daily to make bullets. The pseudo-kibbutz took in laundry as its source
of income, and the access to the munitions factory was under a washing
machine that slides to the side to reveal a ladder. Visitors walk down
the ladder and view the machinery while listening to the story told
by kibbutzniks.
Next we drive to the ancient city of
Jaffa, historically important because of its port which dates
back
over 4000 years. Biblical accounts
mention
that the cedars from Lebanon used for the construction of King Solomon’s
Temple came in via Jaffa to Jerusalem. Jaffa is a major tourist attraction
with an
exciting combination of old, new and restored areas. We plan to visit
the artists’ quarter
and ancient flea market. Returning to Tel Aviv, we take a look at some of the
newer areas of the city, visiting Rabin Square, where Israel’s Prime
Minister was assassinated following a peace rally. Overnight in Tel Aviv. (Breakfast)
Monday, May 9, 2011 Caesarea / Haifa
After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and head north along
the Mediterranean Coast. Our first stop is the port city of Caesarea,
built
by King Herod over a period of 12 years into the grandest Israeli city
other than Jerusalem. Today the amphitheater is not only a spectacular
relic
of
the past,
but a modern performing venue for concerts. From Caesarea we continue
along the Mediterranean coast to the walled seaside town of Akko (also
known as Acre), where many fortresses, citadels, churches and mosques
act as reminders of Canaanites, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders
and Mamelukes who governed at some point in history. UNESCO has designated
the old city a World Heritage Site, and its colorful
Oriental markets, museums and beaches are a few more of the city’s
attractions. We
continue along the coast to Rosh Hanikra, a kibbutz with tremendous
grottoes down by the sea. Get ready to
ride the steepest cable
car in the
world, descending from a height of 230 feet above sea level. The view of the
sea from the cable cars is simply breathtaking! If we are lucky enough to
visit on a windy day, we can watch the waves crashing into the grottoes and
hear the explosive sounds of the clash between sea and mountain.
Head
back down
the coast to the city of Haifa. Admire the beautiful Persian Gardens surrounding
the Shrine of the Bab and other holy sites of the Bahá’í Faith,
whose world headquarters are housed in monumental buildings on
the slopes of Mt. Carmel. Overnight in Haifa. (Breakfast)
Tuesday, May 10, 2011 Galilee
This morning we drive through the Galilee. Passing small Druze
villages, reach a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the Sea
of Galilee. Stop in the world famous town of Safed. Wandering through
the lanes
and alleyways of Safed today, you will be struck by its simple beauty.
It is this beauty which inspires the many artists who have settled
here during the last decades and have turned Safed into a center
of Israeli art. On to Mount of Beatitudes. Located on a small hill
overlooking
the Sea of Galilee near Tabgha, it is the traditional site of Jesus’
delivery of the Sermon on the Mount, probably the most famous sermon
of all time. Proceed to nearby Capernaum, the home
town of St. Peter, where ruins of a majestic synagogue were found.
From
here proceed toTabgha, the
site of the miracle of Jesus feeding of multitudes. Drive
along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, continuing to the
eastern shores of
the
Golan
Heights. Climb
this controversial area and learn the strategic important of the region.
Time permitting, we will stop at one of the Golan wineries for a
tour and wine tasting.
On the way to our guesthouse, we can see far above us at the peak of the
opposite mountains, Um Quais, which we visited at the
beginning of the Jordan
tour. Overnight at
a kibbutz
guesthouse. (Breakfast
/ Dinner)
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 Beit Shean / Jerusalem
Our first stop today is at the amazing excavations of Beit Shean.
First established during the 5th Century B.C. in the heart of the
fertile Galilee area, excavations in Beit Shean have uncovered the
remains
of a Canaanite city, a Hellenistic city (renamed Scythopolis) and
a Roman Byzantine city. During its Hellenistic period, the city was
the
capital of the 10 Greek Decapolis cities (including nearby Jerash).
We then drive through the Jordan Valley, along the banks of the Jordan
River, and pass by Jericho, traditionally known as the oldest city
in civilization. Climb through the Judean Mountains until reaching
the golden city of Jerusalem. Stop at one of the hilltops surrounding
the
city
for an orientation
and panoramic view. Overnight in Jerusalem. (Breakfast)
Thursday, May 12, 2011 Jerusalem Old City
Today
is a day to explore the old city of Jerusalem, home to three great
religions. Begin the day with the short drive up to the Mount
of Olives for a panoramic view of the city. Proceed to Mount Zion to
visit the traditional tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper.
Proceed to the Jewish Quarter, visiting the Western Wall and Southern
Wall excavations. Enjoy a view of the Dome of the Rock, Islam’s
third holiest site. Continue on to the Broad Wall and Cardo, the
shopping street of Jerusalem 2000 years ago. Tour the Western Wall
Rabbinical Tunnel (pending confirmation) to the Via Dolorosa, following
through the narrow lanes of the Old City to the Church of the Holy
Sephulchre.
No visit
to the Old City would be complete without testing your negotiating
skills in the old marketplace. Overnight in Jerusalem. (Breakfast)
Friday, May 13, 2011 Yad Vashem
Begin the day with a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s living memorial
to Holocaust victims. Established in 1953, it has been the world center
for documentation, research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust.
Drive by the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and the new Supreme
Court, an architectural wonder. Time permitting, we visit the
Israel Museum to see the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea
scrolls are housed. Also visit a model of Jerusalem. Enjoy dinner
in a local
restaurant. Overnight in Jerusalem. (Breakfast / Dinner)
Saturday, May
14, 2011 Dead Sea / Masada
An exciting day awaits as we leave Jerusalem, driving through
the Judean desert towards the shores of the Dead Sea. Drive to Mount
Scopus,
passing by the campus of Hebrew University. Proceed through the new
underground tunnel through the Judean desert eastwards until we reach
the shores of the Dead Sea. Our first stop will be the caves of Qumran,
where back in 1948 a Bedouin boy herding his sheep discovered the Dead
Sea
Scrolls. From here we continue to Masada, the last stronghold in the
zealots’ battle again the Roman Empire. Ascend to the top via
the new cable car. After a tour of this mountaintop fortress, we proceed
to a resort for lunch and a relaxing afternoon on the shores of the
Dead Sea, swimming in its world famous rejuvenating waters and using
the
Spa
facilities. Return to Jerusalem for our Farewell Dinner and overnight. (All
Meals)
Sunday, May 15, 2011 Departure
The tour ends officially after breakfast today. Book your international
flight home for any convenient time today, departing from Ben Gurion
International Airport (TLV is the airport code). Toto Tours provides
one group transfer to the airport, timed to accommodate the majority
of departing tour participants. (Breakfast)
Jordan and Israel may be neighbors on a map, but their cultures and
histories could not be more different. Their close proximity and
dissimilarities is
a dichotomy that makes this part of the Middle East so fascinating. Some
of the most significant civilizations of antiquity rose and fell here, and
three great monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam – began
in the region. While modern cities rise from the sands, astonishing open-air
museums of ancient cities and historic monuments serve as reminders of the
past.
Of particular
note are the breathtaking mountain and desert panoramas, and the ancient city
of Petra hidden within a high desert gorge. 
destinations
in the world. There is, however, another, more basic, physical attraction operating
here which even the most zealous pilgrim cannot totally ignore – namely,
the heavenly beauty of this land and its people. Our tour celebrates both the
sacred and the sensual.
Depart
your home city today on an overnight international flight to Amman,
Jordan. Use the international airport code AMM when searching the
internet for your best travel
options.
Flying
time
to
Amman from the East Coast is generally 10 hours, and you will arrive
tomorrow. Tour
services in Jordan begin tomorrow, but we can arrange an extra night
for you at our group hotel if you prefer to arrive today in order
to have additional time to recover from jet lag.
Monday, May 2, 2011
We
drive out of the city to the northern most point of Jordan, Um Qais.
Enjoy the amazing view of the Golan Heights, the Galilee, Tiberias
and the Sea of Galilee. One of the ten cities of “Decapolis,” Um
Qais was a dwelling place for classical poets and philosophers. Continue
to Jerash, another of the ten Decapolis Roman cities. The main arcade,
lined with still-standing Roman columns, is just one of the many fascinating
structures that can be viewed here. Later in the day,
we return to Amman for dinner and overnight at our hotel. (All Meals)
This morning, we drive to the nearby town of Madaba, known as “the
City of Mosaics.” Visit the world famous mosaic map of the Middle
East from the sixth century located inside the St. George church. A
short drive from Madaba brings us to Mount Nebo, where biblical records
indicate Moses looked into the Promised Land but was not permitted
to enter.
Continuing south, we visit the ancient fortified Crusader stronghold
of Karak. Our day concludes as we reach the Bedouin town of Wadi Moussa,
home to the great ancient city of Petra. After our arrival and hotel
check-in, the
remainder of the day is free. (All
Meals)
After breakfast, a short drive brings us to Petra, the “Red Rose
Capital” of the Nabateans.
Drive along the winding roads of Southern Jordan until we reach
Wadi Rum, described by Lawrence of Arabia as “vast, echoing and
God-like.” It
is the largest and most magnificent of Jordan’s desert settings,
and we board jeeps to tour this amazing landscape of caves, sandstone
mountains, sand dunes, and expansive vistas. We continue on to Aqaba,
Jordan’s port city nestled on the shores of the Red Sea, with
magnificent views of Eilat and the Sinai. We will
have lunch at one of
the local
restaurants. 
Start the day with a tour to Tel Aviv’s first neighborhood,
Neve Tsedek. Continue to Rothschild Blvd, where there are over 5000
Bauhaus
buildings, the largest number in any one city in the world; a fact
that led UNESCO to recognize it as a World Heritage Site. Tel Aviv
is also known as the “White City,” named so on account
of the bright colors of the building style: white, off-white, light
yellow.
Enjoy
a visit to the weekend Nachalat Binyamin arts and crafts pedestrian
mall. Pass by Meir Park, the home of the LGBT community center. Time
permitting, we will stop at a coffee house to meet the locals.
Overnight in Tel Aviv. (Breakfast)
Saturday, May 7, 2011
in laundry as its source
of income, and the access to the munitions factory was under a washing
machine that slides to the side to reveal a ladder. Visitors walk down
the ladder and view the machinery while listening to the story told
by kibbutzniks. 
After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and head north along
the Mediterranean Coast. Our first stop is the port city of Caesarea,
built
by King Herod over a period of 12 years into the grandest Israeli city
other than Jerusalem. Today the amphitheater is not only a spectacular
relic
of
the past,
but a modern performing venue for concerts. From Caesarea we continue
along the Mediterranean coast to the walled seaside town of Akko (also
known as Acre), where many fortresses, citadels, churches and mosques
act as reminders of Canaanites, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders
and Mamelukes who governed at some point in history. UNESCO has designated
the old city a World Heritage Site, and its colorful
Oriental markets, museums and beaches are a few more of the city’s
attractions.
We
continue along the coast to Rosh Hanikra, a kibbutz with tremendous
grottoes down by the sea. Get ready to
ride the steepest cable
car in the
world, descending from a height of 230 feet above sea level. The view of the
sea from the cable cars is simply breathtaking! If we are lucky enough to
visit on a windy day, we can watch the waves crashing into the grottoes and
hear the explosive sounds of the clash between sea and mountain.
Head
back down
the coast to the city of Haifa. Admire the beautiful Persian Gardens surrounding
the Shrine of the Bab and other holy sites of the Bahá’í Faith,
whose world headquarters are housed in monumental buildings on
the slopes of Mt. Carmel. Overnight in Haifa. (Breakfast) 
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Proceed to nearby Capernaum, the home
town of St. Peter, where ruins of a majestic synagogue were found.
From
here proceed toTabgha, the
site of the miracle of Jesus feeding of multitudes. Drive
along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, continuing to the
eastern shores of
the
Golan
Heights. Climb
this controversial area and learn the strategic important of the region.
Time permitting, we will stop at one of the Golan wineries for a
tour and wine tasting.
On the way to our guesthouse, we can see far above us at the peak of the
opposite mountains, Um Quais, which we visited at the
beginning of the Jordan
tour. Overnight at
a kibbutz
guesthouse. (Breakfast
/ Dinner)
Our first stop today is at the amazing excavations of Beit Shean.
First established during the 5th Century B.C. in the heart of the
fertile Galilee area, excavations in Beit Shean have uncovered the
remains
of a Canaanite city, a Hellenistic city (renamed Scythopolis) and
a Roman Byzantine city. During its Hellenistic period, the city was
the
capital of the 10 Greek Decapolis cities (including nearby Jerash).
We then drive through the Jordan Valley, along the banks of the Jordan
River, and pass by Jericho, traditionally known as the oldest city
in civilization. Climb through the Judean Mountains until reaching
the golden city of Jerusalem. Stop at one of the hilltops surrounding
the
city
for an orientation
and panoramic view. Overnight in Jerusalem. (Breakfast)
Today
is a day to explore the old city of Jerusalem, home to three great
religions. Begin the day with the short drive up to the Mount
of Olives for a panoramic view of the city. Proceed to Mount Zion to
visit the traditional tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper.
Proceed to the Jewish Quarter, visiting the Western Wall and Southern
Wall excavations. Enjoy a view of the Dome of the Rock, Islam’s
third holiest site. Continue on to the Broad Wall and Cardo, the
shopping street of Jerusalem 2000 years ago. Tour the Western Wall
Rabbinical Tunnel (pending confirmation) to the Via Dolorosa, following
through the narrow lanes of the Old City to the Church of the Holy
Sephulchre.
No visit
to the Old City would be complete without testing your negotiating
skills in the old marketplace. Overnight in Jerusalem. (Breakfast)
Begin the day with a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s living memorial
to Holocaust victims. Established in 1953, it has been the world center
for documentation, research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust.
Drive by the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and the new Supreme
Court, an architectural wonder. Time permitting, we visit the
Israel Museum to see the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea
scrolls are housed. Also visit a model of Jerusalem. Enjoy dinner
in a local
restaurant. Overnight in Jerusalem. (Breakfast / Dinner)
An exciting day awaits as we leave Jerusalem, driving through
the Judean desert towards the shores of the Dead Sea. Drive to Mount
Scopus,
passing by the campus of Hebrew University. Proceed through the new
underground tunnel through the Judean desert eastwards until we reach
the shores of the Dead Sea. Our first stop will be the caves of Qumran,
where back in 1948 a Bedouin boy herding his sheep discovered the Dead
Sea
Scrolls. From here we continue to Masada, the last stronghold in the
zealots’ battle again the Roman Empire. Ascend to the top via
the new cable car. After a tour of this mountaintop fortress, we proceed
to a resort for lunch and a relaxing afternoon on the shores of the
Dead Sea, swimming in its world famous rejuvenating waters and using
the
Spa
facilities. Return to Jerusalem for our Farewell Dinner and overnight. (All
Meals)
Sunday, May 15, 2011