Family Holiday In The Holy Land

Overnight Hotel (Standard)

One of the world’s most intriguing cities, Jerusalem can boast a history stretching back some three millennia. During its long history it has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times and recaptured 44 times and our first morning sees us enjoying the views of this remarkable city from the top of the Mount of Olives. We then enter the narrow winding streets of Old Jerusalem, where, amongst a network of alleyways that overflow with streets vendors and pilgrims, we retrace the last journey that Christ made, following the ‘Stations of the Cross’ to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The holiest site in Christendom, this is believed to be the spot that witnessed the death, burial and even-tual resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jerusalem is unique in that it is held sacred by the three great monotheistic religions of the world - Christianity, Islam and Judaism - and after hav-ing visited Christendom’s most sacred site, we move on to the Wailing Wall. Believed by Jews to be the last remaining remnant of the second Temple, the Wall is considered the most revered of all the sites for the Jews and, as such, a place of constant prayer. Our final destination for the day then takes us up onto the slopes of Mount Zion, where we visit the tomb of King David, the beautiful Benedictine Abbey of the Dormition and the Cenacle, which since the 4th century has been identified as the site of the Last Supper. From here we drive back to our hotel.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we drive through the new part of Jerusalem, taking in the Hebrew University, the Parliament building and the Supreme Court, before continuing to the nearby city of Bethlehem to pay a visit to the Church of the Nativity. The original building was be-lieved to have been built by the Empress Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, who legalised Christianity in 313AD. Helena ordered a church built here in 339AD, on what was strongly rumoured to be the site of the Christ’s birth. The original structure was later enlarged in the 6th century, during the reign of the Emperor Justinian and today stands fortress like overlooking Manger Square. From here we return to Jerusalem for a free afternoon.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Included meals: Breakfast

Leaving Jerusalem behind this morning we head east, travelling first to Qumran, site of the remarkable Dead Sea Scrolls, some of the most important biblical records ever discovered. Believed to have been written by the Essenes, a strict and devout Jewish sect who lived in the area until early in the 1st century AD, the scrolls were discovered in 1947 and, over the years, they have provided historians and archaeologists with an incredible insight into the development of the Bible and its historical context. From here we travel on to the saline waters of the Dead Sea, at 418 metres below sea level, the lowest point on earth. Surrounded by barren hills, this unique body of water has an amazingly high salt content (33%), which means no animal life can survive here and it is almost impossible to sink! We’ll have a chance to experience this for ourselves, before continuing our journey towards the fortress city of Masada, an isolated hilltop citadel that lies along the sea’s western shores. The last stronghold of the Zealots against the Romans during the First Revolt in AD 70, the fortress held out for a further two years after the Romans crushed the Jewish resistance in Jerusalem. Then, when the Romans did finally breach the walls, the entire garrison (about 1000 people) committed suicide rather than surrender. We’ll ascend to the top of the fortress by cable car, from where the views out across the Moab Desert and the Dead Sea are simply breathtaking. Our next stop is the fertile oasis of Kfar Hanokdim on the plains of the Negev Desert, a vast wilderness of canyons and wadis, high plateaux and fertile plains that covers almost half of Israel’s entire landmass. We’ll enjoy some traditional Bedouin hospitality whilst we are here, including lunch and a short camel ride, before ending our day in a Bedouin encampment deep in the heart of the desert.

Overnight Camping (Simple) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Heading south this morning we drive through the desert towards the glittering waters of the Gulf of Aqaba, lying at the southernmost tip of the country. Our destination is the re-sort town of Eilat, where we will find golden beaches and spectacular reefs waiting for us. After checking into our hotel and freshening up, this afternoon we head out to the Under-water Observatory at Coral Beach, a fantastic complex of underwater tanks and aquari-ums that contain sharks, sea turtles, rays and a dazzling array of colourful fish. Built 90 metres out into the sea, besides a beautiful reef known as the Japanese Gardens, the observatory allows you to literally stand in the middle of the ocean and watch a spectacular marine wonderland pass around you and, since the waters in the gulf are usually crystal clear, the experience is truly extraordinary.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

Today has been left free to enjoy more leisure time along the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba, perhaps taking the time to try some windsurfing or snorkelling in the spectacularly rich seas off these desert shores. The Red Sea region boasts some 400 varieties of coral and 1500 species of fish, a marine wonderland unequalled anywhere else on the planet, and for those that wish to dive there are a number of options available. Those wishing to try something a little different may like to take an optional trip into neighbouring Jordan, to visit the fabulous lost city of Petra, the rock cut fortress stronghold of the Nabateans. Without doubt one of the most impressive archaeological sites anywhere in the Middle East, the city is surrounded by imposing mountains and approached through a deep, nar-row cleft in the rocks, known as the Siq. It is a unique and unforgettable place and the captivating splendour of its beautiful Khazneh (the famous Treasury) is surely one of the region’s most iconic images.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Included meals: Breakfast

Today affords more opportunities to enjoy the breathtaking waters off these shores, with a boat excursion out into the Red Sea. A tough act to beat, this incredible underwater world is a haven for countless shoals of spectacular reef fish, with every imaginable shade and hue living amongst the corals, as well as turtles, rays, small sharks and a bril-liant canvas of soft corals and anemones. What better way to spend our final day.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

Included meals: Breakfast