BIBLICAL LANDS PILGRIMAGE

Depart from Kochi International Airport for your flight to Amman, Jordan (convenient connections available through Middle Eastern carriers). Upon arrival at Queen Alia International Airport, complete immigration formalities (visa on arrival available for Indian passport holders) and meet your Jordanian guide who will transfer you to your hotel in Amman. Depending on your arrival time, enjoy an orientation tour of Amman, including the Citadel and the Roman Theater. This evening, gather for a welcome dinner where your guide will provide an overview of your upcoming spiritual journey through the Biblical lands. Overnight in Amman.

After breakfast, check out and begin your pilgrimage with a visit to Mount Nebo (approximately 1-hour drive), the revered site where Moses viewed the Promised Land before his death. From this vantage point, enjoy panoramic views stretching across the Jordan Valley to Jericho and the Holy Land. Visit the Memorial Church of Moses with its exceptionally well-preserved Byzantine mosaics. Continue to nearby Madaba, known as the "City of Mosaics," to see the famous 6th-century mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land at St. George's Church. After lunch, proceed to the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge border crossing (approximately 1-hour drive). After completing exit formalities from Jordan, cross into Israel where you'll meet your Israeli guide. Continue to Jerusalem (approximately 1-hour drive from the border), the spiritual heart of the Holy Land. Check into your hotel and rest before dinner. Overnight in Jerusalem.

After breakfast, travel to Bethlehem (requiring crossing into Palestinian Territory), the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Visit the Church of the Nativity, one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world, built over the cave where Jesus was born. Venerate the silver star that marks the exact spot of Jesus' birth. See the adjacent Church of St. Catherine and St. Jerome's Cave where he translated the Bible into Latin. Visit the Chapel of the Milk Grotto, where tradition holds that a drop of Mary's milk fell on the ground, turning the cave white. Continue to the Shepherds' Field in Beit Sahour, where angels announced Christ's birth to shepherds. After lunch in Bethlehem, return to Jerusalem and visit Ein Karem, traditional birthplace of John the Baptist, to see the Church of St. John the Baptist and the Church of the Visitation, where Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth. Return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Begin this significant day with a drive to the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. Walk the Palm Sunday Road, following Jesus' triumphal entry path into Jerusalem. Visit the tear-shaped Church of Dominus Flevit, commemorating where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Continue to the Garden of Gethsemane with its ancient olive trees, where Jesus prayed before his arrest. Visit the Church of All Nations, built over the rock where Jesus prayed in agony. After lunch, enter the Old City through the Lion's Gate and visit the Church of St. Anne and the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the paralytic. Walk the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrows), following the traditional path Jesus took carrying his cross, stopping at the Stations of the Cross. Conclude at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, housing both Golgotha (the place of crucifixion) and the Tomb of Christ. End your day at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

After breakfast, visit Mount Zion to see the Upper Room, revered as the site of the Last Supper and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Visit the nearby Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, traditionally where Peter denied Jesus three times, built over the ruins of the House of Caiaphas where Jesus was held. See King David's Tomb, a site of pilgrimage for Jews. After lunch, visit the Israel Museum to see the Shrine of the Book, which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the detailed model of Jerusalem from the Second Temple Period, providing valuable context for understanding the city as it was in Christ's time. Continue to Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial, for a sobering reminder of relatively recent history that helps contextualize modern Israel. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

After breakfast, check out and drive through the Judean Wilderness to Jericho, considered the oldest city in the world. See the sycamore tree related to the story of Zacchaeus and view the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus was tempted by Satan after 40 days of fasting. Continue to Qasr el Yahud baptismal site on the Jordan River, traditionally considered the place where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, providing crucial insights into biblical texts and Jewish life during Jesus' time. After lunch, enjoy a float in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. Continue north through the Jordan Valley to Tiberias on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Check into your hotel for dinner and overnight in Tiberias.

Begin this spiritually significant day with a memorable boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus calmed the storm and walked on water. Visit the ancient fishing village of Capernaum, the center of Jesus' Galilean ministry, to see the synagogue where Jesus taught and the house of Peter's mother-in-law. Continue to Tabgha, the traditional site of the multiplication of loaves and fishes, to see the Byzantine mosaic floor depicting the miracle. Visit the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter, commemorating where the resurrected Jesus reinstated Peter with the words "Feed my sheep." Ascend the Mount of Beatitudes, the serene hillside setting where Jesus delivered his most famous sermon with the timeless Beatitudes. After lunch at a restaurant serving "St. Peter's Fish," visit the recently excavated first-century boat museum at Kibbutz Ginosar, which houses a 2,000-year-old fishing boat from Jesus' time. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight in Tiberias.

After breakfast, check out and visit Cana, site of Jesus' first miracle where he turned water into wine at a wedding feast. Couples may choose to renew their wedding vows in the Wedding Church (optional). Continue to Nazareth, Jesus' childhood home, to visit the Church of the Annunciation, built over the traditional site where the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus. See Mary's Well and the ancient synagogue where Jesus would have studied as a young man. After lunch, visit Tel Megiddo (Armageddon), the prophesied location of the final battle at the end of time according to the Book of Revelation. Drive back to Jerusalem for your final night in the Holy Land. Enjoy a special farewell dinner. Overnight in Jerusalem.

After an early breakfast, check out and drive south through the Negev Desert to the Taba Border Crossing (approximately 4.5 hours) on the southern tip of Israel. After completing exit formalities from Israel, cross into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula where you'll meet your Egyptian guide. Continue to your beachfront resort in Sinai (either in Taba or Nuweiba area). Spend the afternoon relaxing on the beautiful beaches of the Red Sea, with optional activities including snorkeling to explore the vibrant coral reefs (additional cost). In the evening, enjoy a traditional Bedouin dinner experience under the stars. Overnight in Sinai.

For the spiritually inclined, there's an optional early morning climb to the summit of Mount Sinai to witness the sunrise from the place where Moses is believed to have received the Ten Commandments (additional cost, departing around 2:00 AM). After breakfast, visit St. Catherine's Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site built in the 6th century at the foot of Mount Sinai. This ancient monastery houses the famous Burning Bush and an impressive collection of religious icons and manuscripts. After lunch, begin your journey to Cairo (approximately 6-7 hours drive), crossing under the Suez Canal through the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel. Arrive in Cairo in the evening and check into your hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, begin your exploration of Cairo with a visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, the only surviving Wonder of the Ancient World. After lunch, continue to "Coptic Cairo," the historic center of Christianity in Egypt. Visit the Hanging Church (Al-Mu'allaqah), built on top of a Roman fortress; the Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus, which tradition holds sheltered the Holy Family during their flight to Egypt; and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, once a church and later converted to a synagogue. End your day with a visit to Khan el-Khalili bazaar, dating back to the 14th century, where you can shop for souvenirs. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner featuring Egyptian cuisine. Overnight in Cairo.

After breakfast, depending on your departure time, you may have free time for last-minute shopping or additional sightseeing. At the appropriate time, transfer to Cairo International Airport for your flight back to Kochi. End of services.