Journey to Israel & Egypt
Escorted by Fr Max Bowers - 22 October – 08 November 2008

Day 1 – Wednesday 22 October Depart Australia
Depart Melbourne this evening at 11.50pm on your Qantas international direct flight to Hong Kong.

Day 2 - On arrival into Hong Kong at 5.50am on Thursday 23rd October we are able to spend the day sleeping, shopping in Hong Kong or sight seeing. We return to the airport by 2pm to go through extensive security and eventually board our El Al Israel Airlines flight at 4.05pm bound for the Holy land.

We arrive in Tel Aviv at 10.10pm and collect our lugguage and make for the hotel. We should be able to bed down at a reasonable hour.

Day 3 – Friday 24 October 2008 Arrival
After breakfast we start our tour of the Holy Land with a visit to the ancient port city of Old Jaffa and hear tales of Simon the Tanner and Jonah and the Whale. Drive through Tel Aviv on your way to the wonderful Neot Kedumim Biblical Reserve and enjoy a "biblical" lunch. - Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to walk along the famous beach promenade.
Overnight: Tel Aviv (B, D)

Day 4 – Saturday 25 October 2008 Coastal Plain
Depart Tel Aviv along the Coastal Plain - Stop at Caesarea Maritima to see the harbor city built by Herod the Great - Visit the Carmelite Monastery at the Mukarah, where Elijah smote the false prophets - Continue onto see the holy sites of Nazareth. Proceed to the village of Cana, where there may be an opportunity to have your wedding vows renewed!
Overnight: Tiberias (B, D)

Day 5 – Sunday 26 October 2008 Sea of Galilee
Experience an early morning sail across the Sea of Galilee - See the remains of a boat from the time of Jesus - Visit Tabgha, where Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fish - Fish Lunch (lunch not included) - Continue onto Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ Ministries - Ascend to the top of the Mt. of Beatitudes, where you can relive the Sermon on the Mount - - Celebrate Mass. Remainder of the afternoon at leisure (Optional visit to the Tiberias Hot Springs) Overnight: Tiberias (B, D)

Day 6 – Monday 27 October 2008 Golan Heights
Enjoy a walk through Caesarea-Phillippi at Banias Falls - Climb the Crusader Fort at Nimrod Castle - Ascend the Golan Heights and from Mt. Bental, peer deep into Syria and the ghost town of Kuneitra - See the whole of Northern Israel from atop the Hula Valley.
Overnight: Tiberias (B, D)

Day 7 – Tuesday 28 October 2008 Jordan Valley
Visit the baptism site at Yardenit - Depart the Sea of Galilee via the fertile Jordan Valley - See the ancient city of Beith Shean, a fully excavated Roman/Byzantine city of Scytopolis - Visit Gideon’s Spring where Gideon and his 300 men defeated the Philistines - Ascend the mountains to Jerusalem - Stop at Mount Scopus for a ‘welcome to Jerusalem prayer’.
Overnight: Jerusalem (B, D)

Day 8 – Wednesday 29 October 2008 Via Delorosa
Start with a spectacular view of Jerusalem from Mt. of Olives - Walk down the Palm Sunday Road and visit the Church of all Nations at the Garden of Gethsemane - Onto the Pools of Bethesda and St. Anne’s Church - Pass through Ecce Homo Arch and the Crypt of Sisters of Sion and on to the Via Dolorosa and visit each Station of the Cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher – Free time in the afternoon to explore the Old City on your own.
Overnight: Jerusalem (B, D)

Day 9 – Thursday 30 October 2008 Western Wall
Onto Mount Zion to see the Room of the Last Supper and King David’s tomb then on to visit St Peter in Gallicantu. Visit the Temple Mount (subject to security clearance) and see the famous Dome of the Rock- Experience a spiritual visit to the Western Wall - Take an underground tour of the Western Wall Tunnels - Afternoon visit to Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity as well as the Shepherd’s Field(subject to security clearance). Also Herod’s tomb.
Overnight: Jerusalem (B, D)

Day 10 – Friday 31 October 2008 New Jerusalem
Today we view the model of the Herodian City of Jerusalem dating back to the second temple - See the famous Dead Sea scrolls at the Shrine of the Book - Drive through the New City of Jerusalem and see the Israeli Parliament Building and Supreme Court House - Explore the picturesque village of Ein Kerem, the birthplace of John the Baptist - Experience Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. – Finish your visit to Jerusalem with communion at the Garden Tomb.
Overnight: Jerusalem (B, D)

Day 11 – Saturday 1 November 2008 Dead Sea region
Depart Jerusalem via the Inn of the Good Samaritan - Visit the caves of Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered - Ascend the mighty fortress of Masada - Experience a ‘float’ in the salty waters of the Dead Sea.
Overnight: Dead Sea (B, D) - Mass at Motel

Day 12 – Sunday 2 November 2008 Beersheba
Today we go to Beersheba and learn about the glorious history of the ANZAC's in the Holy Land during the drive - Visit the main battlefield sites of World War I in the area, including the site where the famous ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ took place. Enjoy a visit to a local Bedouin market (subject to availability and time constraints).
Overnight: Tel Aviv (B, D)

Day 13 – Monday 3 November 2008 Cairo
Transfer to Tel Aviv airport for your Air Sinai flight to Cairo at 10.40am - Arrive Cairo 11.50am with meeting assistance - Continue onto explore Old Cairo and the Coptic and Islamic quarters of the Old City - Visit the 11th century synagogue where the famous Geniza documents were found
Overnight: Cairo (B, D)

Day 14 – Tuesday 4 November 2008 Giza - Melb Cup Day Sweep
In the morning enjoy a guided tour of the Egyptian museum where the treasures of the boy-king Tut are displayed - Stop by a papyrus institute - In the afternoon drive to the Giza Plateau to see the three pyramids of the Kings Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerinos, as well as the Valley Temple with the Sphinx.
Overnight: Cairo (B, D)

Day 15 – Wednesday 5 November 2008 Memphis & Sakkara
Experience an excursion to Memphis, the first capital of the United Pharaonic Kingdom - Visit the Statue of Ramses II and the Alabster Sphinx - Continue by coach to the Necropolis of Sakkara with the famous step pyramid of King Djoser - Visit a Cairo perfume shop and enjoy a stroll through the Khan el Khalili bazaars.
Overnight: Cairo (B, D)

Day 16 – Thursday 6 November 2008 Departure
Transfer to Cairo airport today for your departure flight (8.45am)on Air Sinai from Cairo back to Tel Aviv.(9.55am) Meet bus and driver and go to Mini Israel in the morning, then Latrun Trappists Monastery & winery. Next shopping in the old city. Finish with Tonight an optional dinner and a show at an oriental (middle eastern) restaurant in the old city of Jerusalem (Approx US $30) before driving to airport for El Al flight at 10.10pm.(B) Arrive Bangkok 1.55pm (Nov 7) - Depart for Sydney (5.25pm)

Day 18– Saturday 8 November 2008 Arrive Melbourne
Arrive back into Sydney 6.25am before connecting with your Qantas domestic flight at 9am back to Melbourne and arriving at 10.30am with some fabulous memories after a wonderful tour!

Adelaide flight leaves around 8.20am.