Jerusalem, Pyramids, Monasteries and Red Sea

Arrival at Tel Aviv airport (Ben Gurion). After customs our transfer will be waiting for you to continue by road to JERUSALEM. Accommodation.

TODAY´S HIGHLIGHTS: Full day visit of Jerusalem.

Breakfast. Full day visit. We will start going up the Mount of Olives, where we will appreciate a magnificent view over the city. We will also visit the Garden of Gethsemane. We will enter the Old City, where we will walk the Via Dolorosa to reach Golgotha, place of the crucifixion of Jesus and the Holy Sepulchre. Already in the Armenian quarter, we will discover the legends that are hidden in the tower and citadel of David, where we will explore some of the most exciting archaeological treasures of this ancient settlement, the first foundations of present-day Jerusalem. Free time for lunch. Next, visit to the complex of the four Sephardic synagogues. We will visit the upper part of the Hurva synagogue (allowed for non-Jewish tourists), where we will have the possibility to learn their customs and traditions. From its terrace we will have an unparalleled view of the Jewish quarter of the city. We will admire the exterior architecture of this group of temples, which also treasure a very particular history, to finish the route we will approach the Western Wall, where we will also know the Tunnels of said Wall with its huge quarry stones that today are part of the foundation of ancient Jerusalem 2000 years ago. We can even see some grottoes that make improvised churches or sacred rooms that serve for the prayers of the most religious. Return to the hotel. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Departure to the Sanctuary of the Book in the Israel Museum, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are exhibited, and where the Model of Jerusalem in the time of Jesus is located. Visit the neighborhood of Ain Karen where the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is located, and visit of Yad Vashem, Museum and Holocaust Memorial. Visit the lively Mahane Yehuda Market where Orthodox Jews, Palestinians, Armenians, Arabs mingle with tourists creating a multicultural atmosphere. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon we enter PALESTINE to visit the city of Bethlehem. We will visit the Mosque of Omar (exterior) and the Church of the Nativity with the Grotto of the Manger, the Basilica of Santa Catarina and the Grotto of Saint Jerome. Short walk through the old city before returning to Jerusalem. On the outskirts of Bethlehem stands the Salesian monastery of Cremisan where the only Palestinian wine is made. Return to the hotel Accommodation.


Note: Don´t forget to bring your passport to cross into Palestine.

After breakfast we leave for the south of Israel. We will skirt the Dead Sea and traverse the beautiful landscapes of the Negev Desert. Arrival at EILAT, a modern and touristic city with its excellent beaches. A relaxing time for lunch and walking. After lunch departure to the border of EGYPT. Passage to Sinai, on our route we photograph the island of the pharaoh with the powerful fortress of Saladin. Continuation to SAINT CATHERINE -Arrival, dinner included and accommodation.


NOTE: In the passage from Israel to Egypt, entry / exit taxes must be paid by the traveler in the different countries. Israel: 32 $ (exit tax), Egypt: Entrance fee to Taba: 25$, Entry visa: 45$ (which is actually 25$ visa + 20$ processing fee)

At the foot of Mount Sinai, we visit the impressive walled monastery of SAINT CATHERINE. According to tradition, this is where Moses saw “the Burning Bush that burned without being consumed”. The monastery, which is a sacred place for Jews, Christians and Muslims, belongs to the Orthodox Church and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We then continue on through the Sinai Desert’s picturesque landscapes. Lunch included in route. Stop at the WELL OF MOSES, a biblical site that looks like a small oasis. We will leave Sinai through the tunnel under the SUEZ CANAL. Arrival in CAIRO at the end of the afternoon. Accommodation.

Full day visit where we explore the famous Pyramids of Cheops, Kefren and Micerinos (tickets to go inside the pyramids are not included), and also the impressive Sphinx, which is sculpted from rock. Visit to the Egyptian Museum with its ancient art and where the treasure of the Lost Tomb of Tutankhamen is kept. Lunch included. Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque. We will take a walk through the Coptic neighborhood where we visit the Hanging Church built above a Roman fortress.

Distance: 510 km
Landscapes: Spectacular landscapes, lakes and deserts of multiple colors.
Note: We suggest comfortable shoes and bring water on visits. Sometimes, police checkpoints can delay the route. We suggest always carrying your passport at hand.

07.00 hrs.- Cairo. We will leave Cairo early; we will visit an Egypt that you probably had never imagined: a country of great lakes in the middle of the desert!
08.30 hrs. Pyramid of Meidum- Entrance included in this pyramid, considered as the first pyramid that the ancient Egyptians tried to build, 2600 years before Christ, with its amazing, stepped structure. We can climb to the door that gives access to the burial chamber (after descending 75 meters) and see the large mastabas that house the tombs of some relatives of the pharaoh.


09.15 hrs- Pyramid of Meidum, departure. We head towards the Al Fayoum Oasis and outline the great Lake Qarum that allows the irrigation of the entire oasis making this area "the garden of Egypt". The shores of the lake have numerous leisure points for Egyptians. Al Fayoum is also known for "the Al Fayoum portraits," the oldest portraits in the world that are now housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
11.15 hrs- Tunis Village, - Stop at this nice place with great ceramic craftsmanship. Lunch included.


12.15 hrs- Tunis Village. Departure, we enter among magnificent desert landscapes,
13.00 hrs- Wadi Rayyan. A few kilometers away, we stop at the saltwater lake declared a National Park, where rare species of birds and gazelles live. Time for a walk next to the small falls.


13.45 hrs- Wadi Rayyan. We continue our journey into the desert.
14.45 hrs- Wadi al Hittan- Arrival and entrance included to the so-called "Valley of the whales", declared by Unesco a World Heritage Site. The number, concentration, and quality of the fossils, as well as their location in a protected landscape of great beauty, make the site an exceptional place in all aspects. We get to visit the museum about fossilized whales and climate change and we will walk to see the skeletons of fossilized whales.


15.45 hrs- Wadi al Hittan, departure.
19.45 hrs- Menia, arrival in this city of 300 000 inhabitants where we can have an active and pleasant walk along the Nile River. Dinner included.

Distance: 210 km
Landscapes: Great landscapes on the Nile Valley.
Notes: We suggest comfortable shoes. Sometimes police controls can delay the route, we suggest always carrying the passport at hand. The program may be modified by security regulations given by the police during the trip. In the Coptic temples visited we suggest wearing appropriate clothing. According to the schedule, we can visit Deir al Muharraq before the tombs of Mir.

08.00 hrs- Menia. Exit. We start another exciting day in the center of the Nile Valley.
08.30 hrs- Zawiyyet Sultan. Stop and entrance included in this immense cemetery, called place of the dead, at the foot of a small pharaonic necropolis, whose peculiar architecture of vaulted adobe mausoleums leads us to feel "in another world".

09.15 hrs- Zawiyyet Sultan, we continue our route.
10.00 hrs- Beni Hassan. A new stop to visit the necropolis that stands on cliffs above the Nile Valley, 39 tombs (four are visited) dating from 2125 to 1795 years b.C. and offer us a fascinating idea of the daily life of that time. Entrance included.


11.30 hrs- Beni Hassan, departure. We continue touring the Nile Valley. Lunch included en route.
14.15 hrs- Tombs of Mir. Entrance included to visit this new necropolis, open to the visit, of nine tombs of the Old and Middle Kingdom. The solitude of the place is impressive (practically without tourism).


15.15 hrs- Very close to the tombs we make a new stop.
15.30 hrs- Deir Al Muharraq. Arrival at the monastery and entrance included to this place of Coptic pilgrimage. Monks indicate that here, in a cave, Mary and Jesus lived for six months after fleeing from Herod. According to tradition the church was built around the year 60, being "the oldest Christian church in the world".


16.30 hrs- Deir Al Muharraq- departure.
18.00 hrs- Assiut, arrival in the provincial capital. Dinner included.

Distance: 420 km
Landscapes: Interesting landscapes following the Nile Valley and stretches of arid deserts with different colors.
Notes: We suggest comfortable shoes. Sometimes police controls can delay the route, we suggest always carrying the passport at hand. The program may be modified by security regulations given by the police during the trip. In the Coptic temples visited we suggest wearing appropriate clothing.


08.00 hrs- We will leave Assiut for the region of Sohag, in Upper Egypt. We are located in one of the main Coptic areas of Egypt.
10.30 hrs- White Monastery (entrance included). Stop to visit this Coptic monastery, built in the fourth century (destroyed several times) and powerfully walled. For the construction of this monastery the stones that came from pharaonic temples were used and we can find, in some of its ancient blocks, pharaonic gods and hieroglyphics of that time. At the time, this monastery housed the largest library in Egypt.


11.15 hrs- After that we visit the Red Monastery (entrance included), one of the most impressive Christian buildings in Egypt. Its old chapel of the fourth century, has most of its surface covered with frescoes (restored) that give us an idea of what religious buildings were like at the time.


12.15 hrs- Red Monastery, departure.
13.45 hrs. Abydos. Entrance included to the most important place of worship of Osiris -God of the dead. Lunch included. The necropolis of Abydos was a place of pilgrimage for more than 4500 years (from 4000 years BC to 600) and there are still many unexcavated tombs. It highlights the impressive temple of Seti, one of the most complete and beautiful in Egypt.16.00 hrs- Abydos, departure. We continue to Luxor. Accommodation.

During our stay in Luxor we will get to know one of the most impressive ancient cities on the planet (tickets included to the places mentioned). Early in the morning, from our hotel we will take a private boat to cross the Nile River, with its peace and impressive views early in the morning, we go to the west bank. We visited the "Valley of the Artisans" Deir el-Medina, a little-visited place, here they lived and are the tombs of great builders and craftsmen who built and decorated the royal tombs of ancient Egypt. We will visit three tombs, their paintings show scenes of daily life at that time. After that, we visit the fantastic temple of Medinet Habu, the temple of Ramses II, large and magnificently preserved, its scenes of wars will surprise us. We stopped in front of the Colossi of the Memnon, two impressive statues of Amenhotep II. We will visit the VALLEY OF THE QUEENS where the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Deir el Bahari) is located, considered the first woman to occupy the position of pharaoh. We also visit the famous VALLEY OF THE KINGS where the tombs of the main pharaohs are hidden. Among these tombs, composed of several rooms and corridors leading to the corresponding burial chambers (we include, in addition to the general admission, a ride in an electric cart to access the enclosure and tomb of Ramses -which requires additional entry-). Return to the east bank of Luxor. Free time for lunch.

In the afternoon we visit KARNAK, it housed the most important religious complex in Ancient Egypt, highlighting the immense temple of Amun-Ra, our guide will take us to the little-crowded temple of Khinsu. We will also visit the LUXOR MUSEUM, which shows us an impressive collection of objects and mummies found in this area. After dark we include the entrance to the LUXOR TEMPLE, its lighting makes it magical at this time. Time to walk in the commercial area (souk) near the temple.


Note: The order of the visits will vary based on climatological factors and procuring to visit the different locations at times of less affluence.

Distance: 330 km
Landscapes: Arid deserts between mountains traveling towards the Red Sea. Free time in the morning to stroll on your own, shop or visit some other point in Luxor if you wish. Around 11am we will continue our trip.

12.30 hrs- Dendera, arrival at one of the best-preserved Egyptian temples thanks to the fact that it remained buried by sand and mud until it was discovered in the mid-nineteenth century. Entrance included. This impressive enclosure of 40,000 square meters, surrounded by a burly brick wall eight to ten meters high was dedicated to Hathor, goddess of love and fertility and mother of Horus, celestial god in Egyptian religion. We are surprised by its walls, its immense monumental doors and the quality and perfection of its details. After the visit lunch included.

15.00 hrs- Continuation to the Red Sea. Our highway crosses desert mountain ranges, interesting landscapes.
18.15 hrs- Hurghada, arrival in the late afternoon. We are located in an area with the most popular of Egypt´s resorts, its hotels stretch over a strip of almost 50 kilometers. Hotel accommodation on an all-inclusive basis.

Distance: 70 km

Full day in Hurghada. Free time in the morning to relax in the hotel facilities or to go on your own to visit the great aquarium or the museum of Hurghada.
15.00 hrs- After lunch (included), an excursion to learn more about the area.


15.45 hrs- El Gouna. A short distance from Hurghada, we can find the most luxurious holiday resorts in Egypt where numerous canals and lagoons were opened to access most of the residences by yacht. Free time to stroll through this exclusive place.


17.00 hrs- From El Gouna, we return to Hurghada.
17.45 hrs- Hurghada- In the center of Hurghada, we visit its mosque (entrance included) and walk to the marina, a very touristic area full of life, shops and restaurants.


19.00 hrs- After a free time in the Marina, return to our hotel. Stay on an "all included" basis.

Distance: 555 km
Landscapes: Desert, following in many sections the Red Sea.
Notes: Please dress appropriately for the visit of the monasteries. On certain religious festivals monasteries may remain closed to tourist visits.


07.30 hrs- Hurghada. Departure. Following the Red Sea we travel to two impressive Coptic monasteries, the Monasteries of St. Anthony and St. Paul, the oldest in Christendom dating back to the fourth century, when monks began to settle in the caves and cliffs hidden at the foot of the Red Sea mountains. Both monasteries are considered the holiest places of the Coptic church in Egypt.


10.30 hrs- Between arid mountains, surrounded by powerful walls, we will visit the Monastery of Saint Paul (entrance included) that will move us, with its orchards and palm trees, and the pilgrims who come to pray at its cave / church of the fourth century with simple murals.


11.30 hrs- Monastery of Saint Paul, departure.
12.30 hrs- After that we will visit the Monastery of Saint Anthony (entrance included) also walled with its numerous buildings and adobe houses, its atmosphere seems stopped in time. The church of St. Anthony, built over the tomb of the saint, houses magnificent Coptic murals of the thirteenth century.


13.30 hrs- We continue our route. Lunch included.
15.30 hrs- El Galala. Arrival at this new city that Egypt is building in the desert that will surprise us. We will go first to the luxury resort located next to the Red Sea, with its marina and water park; from where we include the cable car ride (the highest slope in Africa) to El Galala, a magnificently designed city, its construction began in 2015 and it houses a large university.


17.30 hrs- El Galala, departure.
20.00 hrs- Cairo.- Arrival at the end of the day.-

After breakfast, transfer to the airport and end of our services.