DAY 1: Arrive in Tel Aviv Itinerary for Highlights of Israel & Jordan • Expat Explore Start Point: End Point
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Expat Explore - Version: Wed Sep 29 2021 16:25:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 1/13 Itinerary for Highlights of Israel & Jordan • Expat Explore Start Point: End Point: Tel Aviv hotel, Jerusalem hotel, To Be Confirmed To Be Confirmed from 15:00 hrs from 10:00 hrs DAY 1: Arrive in Tel Aviv Welcome to Tel Aviv! Your middle-eastern adventure starts here. Check in to your hotel and then the rest of the day is set aside to explore the city by yourself. Tel Aviv has many beautiful beaches and great architectural sites to discover. There are also lots of little cafés where you can enjoy a coffee and watch the locals go by. Experiences Arrival. Check-in at the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day free to relax at the hotel or explore the city. If you have time to explore the city then sights include the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Jaffa Port and Gordon Beach. With the added touch of the Christmas spirit and lights, the city is a sight to behold. Expat Explore - Version: Wed Sep 29 2021 16:25:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 2/13 Included Meals Accommodation Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Golden Beach Olympia Hotel Gordon Inn & Suites Sea Side Hotel Margosa Hotel Hotel 75 Beachfront Hotel DAY 2: Jesus' Baptism Site - Mount Masada - Eilat After breakfast it’s time for a jam-packed day! We depart from Tel Aviv to explore the Baptism site of Jesus at Qasr el Yehud. This is a famous destination on the banks of the Jordan River. It is known as the place where Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist. Leaving the religious site, we drive through the Judean Desert to Mount Masada. Marvel at the view of the Dead Sea below. Shift your gaze and drink in the Moab Mountains of Jordan. Then it’s onto Eilat in the early evening. Here we will experience dinner in a traditional kibbutz - an authentic Israeli experience, dining with the locals and eating traditional dishes! Experiences Expat Explore - Version: Wed Sep 29 2021 16:25:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 3/13 Qasr al Yehud - site of Jesus’ baptism. Known as the ‘the Jews’ Castle or Palace’, Qasr al Yehud is a site of great religious significance. It’s believed to be the site where John the Baptist baptised Jesus. Entrance fee: US$3 Mount Masada. This ancient fortress was built in 30BC and is home to Herod’s Palace and the site of one of the deciding battles of the first Jewish-Roman war. Entrance fee: US$23 Eilat, Red Sea Resort. One of the most popular resorts along the Red Sea, Eilat is a thriving destination. After a long day of exploring, we have the chance to relax and wind down with a sundowner at the seaside resort. Dinner in a Kibbutz. Based on the idea of communal living and sharing, a ‘Kibbutz’ shares its money and resources between its inhabitants. The word ‘Kibbutz’ comes from the Hebrew word kvutza, meaning ‘group’. This type of settlement is unique to Israel, and provides a real experience of local life as you dine on traditional dishes with the residents of the Kibbutz. Included Meals Accommodation Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Comfort Hotel Americana Hotel Soleil Boutique Hotel Blue Hotel DAY 3: Eilat: Free Day Expat Explore - Version: Wed Sep 29 2021 16:25:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 4/13 Today you have the entire day to discover the many marvels of Eilat at your own pace. There are many to choose from! Explore the Red Sea beaches, or go diving. Visit Dolphin Reef, or head to Timna Park. The cliffside views will take your breath away. Alternatively, you could visit the Underwater Observatory. Or how about touring the city on foot and doing a little shopping? Keen to explore further afield? Head to the Red Canyon hiking trails to explore the mesmerising red rock canyons. There are trails for every fitness level. Included Meals Accommodation Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Comfort Hotel Americana Hotel Soleil Boutique Hotel Blue Hotel DAY 4: Aqaba - Wadi Rum Today we cross into Jordan and enter the port city of Aqaba. The old town has a wonderful 'souk' (Arab marketplace) with a lively atmosphere. We then embark on a jeep safari in the Wadi Rum desert with local Bedouin drivers. They will escort us through the region’s striking lunar landscape. Many Hollywood movies have been filmed here, including Matt Damon’s ‘The Martian’. Our day ends at our accommodation in Wadi Rum. Here you can sit by a campfire and watch the sun go down Expat Explore - Version: Wed Sep 29 2021 16:25:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 5/13 across the red rock landscape, before an amazing canvas of stars are revealed as the night draws in. We'll finish off a fantastic day of exploring with an included dinner of traditional Bedouin and Jordanian dishes. Experiences Aqaba. Enjoy some free time to wander round the vibrant traditional souk, where you can buy gifts for your friends and family back home. Wadi Rum jeep safari. Representing Mars in many Hollywood movies, the Wadi Rum desert is a place like no other. Matt Damon, the lead in the movie ‘The Martian’ said, “It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen anywhere else on Earth.” Entrance fee: US$10 Overnight in Bedouin camp. The nomadic tribes and clans of the Middle Eastern deserts are known as Bedouins. The Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp offers visitors the chance to experience the traditional way of life of these camel and goat herders. It’s in this very desert where Lawrence of Arabia fought alongside the Bedouins against the Ottoman Empire during WWI. NOTE: Israel/Jordan border crossing fees = approx. US$65 Included Meals Accommodation Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Hasan Al Zawaideh Traditional Bedouin tents with modern bathrooms (shared). The camp site has a terraced area, bar facilities and swimming pool. Optional Excursions Bedouin camp tent upgrade: US$ from $20 * Stated prices and availability are subject to change. DAY 5: Petra - Dead Sea - Amman Expat Explore - Version: Wed Sep 29 2021 16:25:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 6/13 Today we have ample time to explore Petra. It's Jordan's most famous archaeological site. Not to mention one of UNESCO's 7 Wonders of the Ancient World! We discover the many tombs and temples carved into the pink sandstone cliffs. The iconic attraction, The Treasury (Al Khazneh), is also on our list. This structure boasts striking Greek-inspired architectural elements. You might recognise it from the movie Indiana Jones. A traditional lunch is served, before we head to the Dead Sea. This salt lake is known for giving swimmers the sensation of being weightless. Our day ends in the city of Amman - the capital of Jordan. We recommend you spend your evening in downtown Amman - it's a must-see! Experiences Guided tour of Petra with free time. Petra was discovered in 1812 by Swiss explorer Jean Louis Burckhardt. The red hues of the stones, from which the ancient city was carved, has led to Petra also being called the ‘Rose City’. In 300 BC, this spellbinding city used to be the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom. Entrance fee: US$71 Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is the lowest place on Earth, lying at 417 ft below sea level. Although, it’s not really a sea at all, it’s actually a lake with more than 30% salt! The waters are said to have healing properties and the mud is used in spa treatments around the world. Entrance fee: US$10 Overnight in Jordan’s capital, Amman. The vibrant city of Amman has the perfect mix of intriguing history and modern appeal. Wander through the bustling souks and sip on a coffee in one of the many coffeehouses. The centre of downtown Amman is home to the Citadel. Within this iconic structure you’ll find the Temple of Hercules and the Umayyad Palace. Expat Explore - Version: Wed Sep 29 2021 16:25:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 7/13 Included Meals Accommodation Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Larsa hotel Toledo Hotel Farnar Hotel DAY 6: Jerash - Sea of Galilee & Capernaum - Nazareth/Tiberias After breakfast this morning we enjoy a brief city tour of Amman before heading north to Jerash. One of the biggest archaeological sites in the Middle East, dating back to Roman times. The century- old ruins have been carefully preserved. Exploring these structures will transport you back in time. An included local lunch is served in Jerash before we cross the border to Israel. Once there, we make our way to the Sea of Galilee. This freshwater lake is the largest source of drinking water for Israel. It is also an important pilgrimage site for many Christians. We then visit Capernaum, one of the most prominent sites in the area. This fishing village is located in the Galilee region of northern Israel. It is here where Jesus is believed to have worked his Biblical miracles. We then overnight in Nazareth or Tiberias. Experiences Expat Explore - Version: Wed Sep 29 2021 16:25:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 8/13 Jerash. This walled settlement of Gerasa lies outside of the modern city and has been inhabited since the Bronze Age! Popular landmarks to spot here include Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Artemis. Consider wandering through the Jerash Archaeological Museum - to gain insight into the history of the area. The Nymphaeum Temple, which was constructed in 191AD in honour of the Nymphs, is truly a sight to behold! Entrance fee: $15 Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee.