1^st Day:

We will pick you up directly from the entrance door of your hotel in Sharm El Sheikh at about 2:00 am; you will recognize our driver by a sign with your name in his hand. He will bring you to Taba from where you will take the ferry to Aqaba in Jordan, and he will also help you to pass the border control.

After you have arrived in Aqaba, our guide will take you to your destination. The ride to Petra will take around two hours.

Petra has recently been rated amongst the top seven during an unofficial worldwide ranking that should nominate the New Seven Wonders of the World, and in 1985 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and it definitely deserves these merits. The numerous rock cut tombs in huge dimensions are simply impressive and considering the fact that these monuments were not just built up, but actually completely carved into the sandstone rocks will leave you more than impressed by this nearly forgotten ancient culture that experienced its period of prosperity in the 1^st century BC, then lost more and more of its importance and richness and remained as a small province in Petra until the 7^th century AD.

You will not be taken directly to Petra itself – first you must cross al-Siq, a dimly lit, partly quite narrow gorge. It is not a long hike, but anyway against a small supplement you can hire a camel, a horse, a donkey or a horse carriage.

Al-Siq will lead you straightly to the city and in front of the most famous building: Al Khazneh – The Treasury, known from countless pictures, postcards, travel magazines and even movies. By the way the name ‘Treasury’ does not refer to the building’s original function, but to the local lore telling that later a great treasure had been hidden here – actually it was a (probably royal) tomb.

The residential houses and the infrastructural buildings almost completely disappeared during the centuries, as Petra was left by its inhabitants already around 1,400 years ago and forgotten by the western world around the 12^th century AD, and only few remains can be seen until now. Just the rock cut tombs survived earthquakes, conquests and abandonments, and the families of a regional Bedouin tribe even used them as accommodation until they had to leave the area due to tourism around the 1970/80s.

The ‘Treasury’ is about 40 meters high and 25 meters wide, and you will find several other gigantic monuments. One of the noblest tombs and also the one of the biggest size is Ad Deir, ‘The Monastery’, which is almost 50 meters wide and 45 meters high and located a bit out of town, accessible by a short hike. It is supposed to have been not a tomb, but a kind of temple dedicated to a deified Nabatean king, and when the population converted to Christianity in the 4^th century AD, it served as a monastery which led to today’s name.

Further you can discover the Street of Facades, the former city center, with its numerous rock cut tombs and some Nabatean and Byzantine remains, and in its end the Theatre, built by the Nabateans and enlarged by the Roman occupants, finally offering space for more than 5,000 spectators. If you take a short walk up the hill, you will besides see a number of exceedingly big tombs, known as the Royal Tombs.

Take your time to explore this amazing lost city; you will be stunned by the grandeur of its architectonical and artistic masterpieces and delighted by the magical atmosphere.

After this unforgettable visit we will take you to your hotel in Aqaba where you will spend the night.

2^nd Day:

After an early breakfast we will pick you up at your hotel in Aqaba and we will move towards the Israeli border, the gate to the so-called ‘Holy Land’.

Now you will ride through the Avara Valley and the Negev Desert towards the Dead Sea. Here we will make a stop for around 90 minutes; you can relax or even go swimming for a while. The Dead Sea is a salt lake bordering Israel to the west. Its surface and shores are more than 400 meters below sea level – the lowest elevation on the Earth’s surface. Its enormous salinity of more than 33 percent may avoid any animals to survive in the water, but it is extremely healthy for the human body; and it will allow you to float without any movements… – try yourself!

If you plan to go swimming, please don’t forget your swimming gear!!

After this break we will head for Jerusalem, holy city for all the three big monotheistic religions: Judaism (as the Jewish people’s ancestral and spiritual homeland since their origins more than 3,000 years ago), Christianity (as an important site in the life of Jesus, and finally place of his last days and his crucifixion, followed by his resurrection and ascension) and Islam (as the place the Prophet Mohamed visited during his nocturnal journey and as place of activity of former prophets).

First of all we will take you to the Mount of Olives, not only famous as a religious site, but also serving as a Jewish cemetery for 3,000 years containing an estimated amount of 150,000 graves… You will enjoy a fantastic panorama view over the Holy City, and already have a distanced look at some of the famous sights.

Then we will start our tour, visiting Jerusalem’s holy sites.

Please be aware that you will visit sacred places, considered as holy sites by Christian, Jewish and/or Muslim believers.

We beg our tourists (men and women) to demonstrate respect and choose cloths covering at least knees and shoulders. Thank you.

First of all we will show you the Wailing Wall, also known as the Western Wall, located at the foot of the Temple Mount, and the last remaining piece of the Great Temple, the most important Jewish sanctuary, which was destroyed by the Romans during a war in 70 AD. Ever since these days it has stayed a praying and pilgrimage site for Jewish believers. It is supposed to be the most likely place for prayers to be heard, and the people put prayer notes with their wishes and needs into the wall’s cracks, more than one million per year, hoping for God’s support.

If the Temple Mount will be open to visitors on the day of your visit, you will ascend it to see the Dome of the Rock, a Muslim shrine and one of Islam’s main sanctuaries, built already around 700 AD. Since its completion several renovations took place, and today the splendid monument with the shiny gold plated dome is maybe Jerusalem’s most famous trademark. Also you will have a look at the Al Aqsa Mosque, the most important mosque in Jerusalem and the third most important mosque in the world.

Please be aware that the entrance to the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque is not allowed for tourists

unless they have obtained a special permission from the administration, so you can unfortunately visit them only from the outside!

Then we continue our trip with a walk through the Souk, the Arabic marketplace, where maybe even you can buy some souvenirs en route.

Now we will reach to Christian history – the ‘Via Dolorosa’, Jesus’ painful ‘Way of Suffering’, will make us walk in his footprints, as according to the Christian tradition he took this way while he was marching to his crucifixion, carrying his cross on his back. In the end of this way we will arrive at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also known as the Church of Resurrection, where Jesus is said to have been crucified, buried and finally resurrected. It has been a destination for Christian pilgrims since its construction almost 1,700 years ago. In 1009 it was destroyed by the Muslim caliph, but already after a few years reconstruction and redecoration started. In the church you will find a rotunda, and in its center a chapel called The Edicule, which contains the Holy Sepulchre itself.

After visiting this wonderful spiritual place you will take lunch in a local restaurant and then go backwards in Christian history – from the place of Jesus’ burial to the place of his birth: Bethlehem. You will see the Church of the Nativity which has been constructed above the Grotto of the Nativity, the cave that is said to have been the birthplace of Jesus Christ, which means that it is one of the holiest places of Christianity. The church was built in its first form already in the early 4^th century AD and rebuilt in its current shape in 565, and can therefore be considered as one of the oldest still operating churches worldwide.

Please be aware that Bethlehem is nowadays located in a Palestinian-controlled area and can therefore suddenly be not accessible

due to security regulations or other reasons not in our hand. In this case we will extend our city tour through Jerusalem.

Now our trip to the Holy Land is finished and passing by modern Jerusalem we will head southwards, back to the Egyptian border and finally to your hotel in Sharm El Sheikh.

Included:

• All transfers in high-class vehicles with A/C
• Ferry trips Taba – Aqaba – Taba
• Guided tour in your language
• Entrance fees for Petra and all above mentioned accessible sights in Israel
• Lunch in a local Jordanian restaurant on the 1^st and in a local Israeli restaurant on the 2^nd day
• One night hotel accommodation in Aqaba
• Dinner on the 1^st and breakfast on the 2^nd day in your hotel in Aqaba
• Snack boxes for breakfast on the 1^st and dinner on the 2^nd day
• Mineral water and soft drinks

Not included:

• Gratuity (tips) for drivers and tour guides
• Personal items, meals, drinks or services not mentioned
• Swimming gear
• International and domestic flights
• Visa