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MIDDLE EAST
LEBANON
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Capital:
Beirut
Land boundaries: Total 454km. Border countries: Israel 79km, Syria 375 km.
Cilmate:
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains
experience heavy winter snows
Languages:
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Currency:
Lebanese Pound (LBP)
Lebanon
in 6 days - 5 nights
Day 1, Arrival
Arrival Beirut International Airport, met and
transferred to your chosen hotel
Day2 Beirut, Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos
Tour starts with a city sightseeing of the capital,
visiting Pigeon's Rock, the constructed downtown which is called "Solider" that includes
various examples of architecture with renovated buildings from Ottoman and French era.
Proceed north to visit nature wonder of Jeita
Grotto. Drive further north to Jounieh and climb
to Harissa (Lady of Lebanon) by cable car – a
panoramic view of Jounieh bay. Return back to
Beirut
Day 3, Chouf Mountains & the Phoenician
towns of Sidon & Tyre
Drive south to the coastal town of Damour –
famous for its Banana Farms, diver east and
ascend towards Chouf Mountains, visit Deir El
Qamar which was once the "Emir" caopital
during 17 and 18th centuries. Drive further up to
Beiteddine where the imposing palace of Emir
Bashir, best example of mixed, Italian & Lebanese architecture. Descend back to coastal
road and drive towards Tyre, the most famous
Phoenician town/port. Visit its ancient site.
Drive back to visit the other Phoenician town of
Sidon with its Sea Castle, covered souks and
bazaars. At the northern gate of town, visit
Eschmoun, the Phoenician temple before
returning back to Beirut.
Day 4, Northern delights
Drive north towards Byblos, the oldest continuously inhabited town in the world, dated back to
early Phoenician era. Visit its citadel, old town
and ﬁshermen's port.
Proceed north to the coastal town of Check
and ascend east towards the Cedars Woods,
the emblem of Lebanon. Some trees are
hundreds of years old. Stop by Bsharri the
town of Gibran Khalil Gibran the international
famous poet. Visit his museum before
descending back to coast to visit the second
largest city in Lebanon – Tripoli. This town is
distinguished by its Islamic sites, especially
from Ottoman era, besides the best preserved
Crusaders' castle of St. Gilles. Visit the old
souks and bazaars that expose some traditional handicrafts such as copper smith and
soap factory. Return back to Beirut in late afternoon.
Day 5, The Highlight of Lebanon
Cross Mt. Lebanon range and drive through
Beqaa Valley towards Baalbeck to visit the
greatest Roman Temples in the World. After
then, drive for wine tasting at Ksara Winery
which still uses ancient roman caves. Return
back to Beirut.
Evening- Lebanon by Night- The visit to Lebanon never completed without enjoying a
cultural evening, tasting the Lebanese cuisine
while watching the belly dancer moving her
hips in harmony with Lebanese music!
Day 6, Departure
Transfer departure back home with nice memories. Stay longer if you wish.
JORDAN
Location:
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Capital:
Amman
Land boundaries:
Total: 1,619 km border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km,
Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Cilmate:
Mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Languages:
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
Currency:
Jordanian Dinar (JOD)
Jordan in 5 days - 4 nights
Day 1, Arrival
You will be met at Amman airport and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2, Amman & Jerash
Tour starts with a visit to the old downtown of
the capital, visiting the Roman Theatre, the
Citadel and its museums. Time for short walk
through old souks especially the Gold market.
After then drive north to explore Jerash - the
most complete and well preserved city of the
Roman Empire. Wander among the original
temples, theaters, plazas, paths and colonnaded streets, all enclosed within the remaining
city walls.
Day 3, Mt. Nebo, Madaba & the dead Sea
You will leave Amman to visit Madaba a city
famous for its mosaics. The most popular is the
most complete mosaic map of Jordan and the
Holy Land of the 6th century in St George Orthodox Church. Proceed and climb up Mount Nebo
to enjoy the view of the Holy. Descend then
towards the lowest spot on earth where the
Dead Sea is and enjoy an unsinkable swim due
to concentrated minerals and salts of water.
Return back to Amman.
Day 4, Amman – Petra
Early morning drive towards south to visit the
Nabataen red-rode city of Petra, located 225km
from Amman, carved through living stone 2000
years ago to dominate the trade routes to
ancient Arabia. You will ﬁrst walk through the
siq, a narrow path for 1.2 km that takes you to
the entrance of this ancient city. The main sites
to visit are the treasury "Khazneh" and other
monuments like the "Theatre", the Altar of Sacriﬁce, and the Royal tombs. Stay an overnight in
Petra.
Day 5, Petra-Wadi Rum – Amman
Drive 40kms south of Petra to explore the
colorful Wadi Rum where Lawrence of Arabia
was ﬁlmed. After then, return back to Amman.
Balance time free at leisure.
Day 6, Departure
Transfer departure to ﬂy back home. Stay
longer if you wish.
Jordan the Holy Land
in 8 days - 7 nights
Day 1, ARRIVAL AMMAN (QAIA)
Arrive at Queen Alia Int'l Airport (Amman), meet
& assist. Transfer to hotel in Amman for dinner
overnight.
Day 2, AMMAN>PETRA
After breakfast, we depart for Petra. Upon
arrival we enjoy a walking tour that begins with
a visit to the Siq to the Treasury. Continue
through the main street with magniﬁcent structures on each side carved into the mountains,
to the colonnaded street, ending at the Petra
Museum. Lose yourself in the history of the
Nabateans who meticulously carved Massive
structures out of the rose colored sandstone.
See the inﬂuence of the people that followed,
including the architecture of the mighty Romans
and a beautiful Byzantine chapel decorated
with ancient, stunning mosaics that have been
carefully preserved. Enjoy a free afternoon for
shopping, exploration, or rest.
Day 3, PETRA - KERAK - MADABA MT. NEBO - AMMAN
After breakfast, we depart for the "King's Highway." We will ﬁrst visit Kerak including the
Castle of Kerak, the largest of mountain-top
crusader castles. Next we are off to Madeba,
"The City of Mosaics," to visit St. George
Church where there is a clear map of the Holy
Land (including Israel, Palestine & Lower
Egypt).
We will visit Mt. Nebo, where Moses was laid
to rest, and where the late Pope John Paul II
tread on his ﬁrst pilgrimage of the millennium.
Visit the Sanctuary at Nebo: the memorial of
Moses, the presumed site of his death and
burial place, and a center for pilgrimages since
early Christian times. You will be inspired by
the biblical feel from start to ﬁnish as you experience this divine tour. Mount Nebo is one of
the most revered holy sites of Jordan, for this
is where Moses was buried. The site's association with the last days of Moses is described in
moving words in Deuteromony. The episode of
Balak and Balam (2:13-26) also took place
here. The site's other name is Pisgah: "And
Moses went up from the plains of Moab to
Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah which is
opposite Jericho." Lunch will be served during
tour. Dinner at hotel in Amman.
Day 4, AMMAN - JERASH - SHEIKH HUSSEIN BRIDGE - QUMRAN - DEAD SEA JERUSALEM - BETHLEHEM
Arrive at bridge, meet and assist and begin our
journey with Jesus to Jerusalem where He is
condemned cruciﬁed and is raised from the
dead. We travel by bus, where Jesus walked
with His disciples, to Jericho. Visit the Mount of
Temptation, Lunch. We will visit the ruins of
the Essenes Monastery at Qumran where the
Dead Sea Scrolls were found, the rest of the
Day will be spent at the Dead Sea. Then up to
Jerusalem, from there we will driver to Bethlehem where we will have dinner and spend the
night.
Day 5, JERUSALEM: BETHLEHEM &
DEAD SEA SCROLLS
Today we travel to the Shepherds’ Field for
Mass in the Shepherds’ Cave. We visit the
town of Bethlehem to visit the Church of the
Nativity and then return to Jerusalem for a
background lesson on the history of the Holy
City as we visit the Model of Jerusalem in the
2nd Temple Period. The Old Walled City today
has changed since the time of Jesus.
We then visit the museum where the Dead Sea
Scrolls are kept and learn about their importance in understanding Jewish thinking and life
at the time of Jesus. Finally, we return to our
hotel for dinner and the evening.
Day 6, JERUSALEM: OLD CITY/ VIA
DOLOROSA/ EIN KAREM
we begin the morning early as we gather at the
Antonia Palace to walk the Via Dolorosa, the
Way of the Cross. Following the Via Dolorosa,
today we will have out breakfast on the way,
continue to the Ecce Homo Arch and the Convent of the Sisters of Zion and then proceed to
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where we will
have our mass. We will drive to visit the Western or Wailing Wall of the Temple, the Temple
Mount and the Dome of the Rock [a Muslim
Shrine]... We drive to Emmaus It was on the
road to Emmaus that Jesus appeared to his
disciples following his resurrection and
revealed himself in the breaking of the bread
[Luke 24:13-35]. Our ﬁnal stop will be in the city
of Ein Karem, the home of Elizabeth, mother of
John the Baptist. It was here that Mary, the
Mother of Jesus, visited Elizabeth, her cousin,
following the news that she was with child by
the Holy Spirit.
Dinner is served at our accommodations.
Day 7, JERUSALEM: MT. OF OLIVES & MT.
ZION
This morning the bus takes us to a hillside overlooking the city of Jerusalem where Jesus wept
over the city. It is known as Dominus Flevit
[Latin for “The Lord wept”].. Afterward, we will
walk down the hill and at the bottom visit the
Garden of Gethsemane along with the Church
of All Nations. We will then travel by bus across
the Kidron Valley to the site of Caiaphas’ Palace
where Jesus experienced the Jewish portion of
His trial. The site is known today as St. Peter in
Galicantu [“crowing rooster”].
Where we will celebrate mass, we will also visit
the Cenacle and recall the Last Supper We
return to our hotel for rest and dinner. Dinner is
at our hotel.
Day 8, BETHLEHEM - JERUSALEM SHEIKH - HUSSEIN - AMMAN AIRPORT DEPARTURE
We will leave Bethlehem today, on our back
home, we will spend some free time in Jerusalem then we will head to the bridge to cross
back to Jordan. Meet & Assist and drive to
Jerash for lunch and visit before transfer to
Amman airport for departure back home.
DUBAI
Dubai in 4 days – 3 nights
Day 1 Arrival
Meet & Greet and transfer to hotel in Dubai
Day 2 Dubai
Half-day sightseeing of Dubai: Enjoy pickup in
from your hotel and relax in your comfortable,
air-conditioned vehicle on the way to your ﬁrst
Dubai city stop, the striking sail-shaped Burj Al
Arab hotel. Located on the sands of Jumeirah
Beach, on an artiﬁcial island, this luxury hotel is
the fourth tallest in the world, at 1,053 feet (321
meters). Stop for a photo opportunity, then
continue with your guide along the shoreline to
Jumeirah, one of Dubai's upmarket residential
areas.
See the winding lanes that lead to hidden courtyards and the mud-brick homes topped by traditional wind towers, designed to catch cooling
offshore breezes. Next, visit Al Bastakiya’s old
Al Fahidi Fort, home to the Dubai Museum, and
take in views of the cannons, turrets and
fortiﬁed walls. Then cross Dubai's central waterway, Dubai Creek, in a traditional water taxi
called an abra – a must-do activity in Dubai! On
the Deira side of Dubai Creek, soak up the
colors and perfumes of the spice souk. Then
enjoy free time to shop for souvenirs or glimmering accessories in Dubai’s legendary gold souk
before you return to your hotel.
Day 3 Dubai
Free time at leisure and to explore famous
shopping malls of Dubai.
Optional - After pickup from your Dubai hotel,
enjoy the ride toward the Dubai desert in your
comfortable, air-conditioned, private 4WD vehicle. Take in views of the beautiful desert scenery and continue the drive across the Dubai
desert. Next, feast on a delicious barbecue
dinner as the beautiful sun sets over the Dubai
desert. After dinner, enjoy a live belly-dancing
performance around the campﬁre.
Day 4 Departure
Transfer departure airport.
(More options for longer stays and more
choices to visit other Emirates)