Glimpse of Israel & Jordan

Shalom and welcome to the Holy Land where a private transfer to your luxury accommodation in the heart of the Old City. Jerusalem is an incredibly historic city with a fascinating mix of cultures and flavours. Overflowing with history, it’s a city of the ages, but it is also a living city, a microcosm of the region’s diversity and is home to Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians. Spend time soaking in the incredible views of Jerusalem’s Old City Walls, relax by the hotel’s pool or step out and take a leisurely stroll in the exclusive Yemin Moshe neighbourhood.

The King David

Your day in this remarkable city, sacred to so many, starts at the Mount of Olives where you’ll admire the stunning views below. Venture into the Garden of Gethsemane, with its ancient olive trees, where Jesus prayed on the night of his betrayal and arrest then into the Old City to follow the Stations of the Cross, the route that Jesus took between his condemnation by Pilate and his crucifixion and burial. The old walled city is UNESCO World Heritage listed and is home to several important religious sites which you’ll also explore – the Temple Mount and Western Wall for Jews, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Christians and the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque for Muslims. Make time during the day to wander through the markets of the Christian and Muslim Quarters.

The King David | Meals: B

Travel through the desert to Qumran on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea in the Judaean Desert where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in 1947. Continue on to Masada and you’ll marvel at the ancient fortress built by King Herod. Spend time at the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, and take a dip in the salty waters to experience what visitors around the Mediterranean basin have been doing for thousands of years.

The King David | Meals: B

Start the day with a visit to Yad Vashem – the Jewish people’s memorial to the six million lives lost in the Holocaust. Spend time in the museum and walk along the Avenue of the Righteous, dedicated to the people who risked their lives rescuing the Jews during the Holocaust.

There is also time to explore the Israel Museum whose collection of nearly 500,000 objects includes art, Judaica and ancient artifacts from Israel and beyond. Later travel to the West Bank city of Bethlehem and the UNESCO World Heritage Church of the Nativity celebrated as the birth place of Jesus and one of the holiest sites in Christianity. It was originally built by the Emperor Constantine in the 4th century and spared destruction by the Persians out of respect for a mosaic of the Magi shown wearing Persian attire.

The King David | Meals: B

This morning you are transferred for the border crossing into Jordan with VIP immigration services. Journey to the ancient city of Jerash, acknowledged to be one of the best-preserved Roman provincial towns in the world, hidden for centuries in the sand before being excavated and restored some 70 years ago. Explore the iconic temple of Artemis at the highest point of the city, the long colonnaded street, with its original stone paving, and the monumental Hadrian’s Arch built to celebrate a visit by the emperor himself – all which were hidden for centuries in the sand before being excavated and restored some 70 years ago. Continue to Amman and your luxury hotel.

St Regis Amman | Meals: BL

Travel south along the King’s Highway, an ancient trade route and important access point for many historic sites. Explore the Christian town of Madaba famous for its beautiful mosaics. Admire the vast mosaic map embedded on the floor of the Church of St. George depicting the Holy Land with Jerusalem at its heart. Continue to Mt. Nebo where there’s time to admire the spectacular views of the Jordan Valley. It is from this vantage point that Moses is said to have gazed down on the Promised Land. Stop at the ancient 12th century Crusader castle of Kerak before arriving at Petra, the country’s most famous archaeological site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Mövenpick Resort Petra | Meals: BL

Travel south along the King’s Highway, an ancient trade route and important access point for many historic sites. Explore the Christian town of Madaba famous for its beautiful mosaics. Admire the vast mosaic map embedded on the floor of the Church of St. George depicting the Holy Land with Jerusalem at its heart. Continue to Mt. Nebo where there’s time to admire the spectacular views of the Jordan Valley. It is from this vantage point that Moses is said to have gazed down on the Promised Land. Stop at the ancient 12th century Crusader castle of Kerak before arriving at Petra, the country’s most famous archaeological site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Mövenpick Resort Petra | Meals: BL

Travel south to Wadi Rum, setting for the epic 1962 film ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and more recently ‘The Martian’. Discover impressive red desert landscapes, huge rock formations, narrow canyons and Bedouin settlements on a 4WD excursion. Continue your journey across an arid landscape with strangely shaped mountains to the lowest point on the earth’s surface, The Dead Sea. At more than 400 metres below sea level, it is known for its highly salty waters. Spend time in arguably the most luxurious resort on the Dead Sea.

Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea | Meals: BL

A day at leisure to enjoy the resort’s lavish facilities and soak up the mineral rich waters whose medicinal qualities have drawn visitors to the area for millennia. Swimming here, with its odd sensation of weightlessness, is a memorable experience. The high levels of salt in the water are nearly 10 times that of the ocean and keep the body afloat, whilst the variety of minerals, including magnesium, sodium, potassium and bromine, promotes health and wellbeing.

Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea | Meals: B

Your A&K journey will conclude, with your private transfer to Amman and the airport for your onward journey.

Meals: B