The day has arrived, and we board our motorcoach at Sherwood Oaks Christian Church and drive to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport (ORD). Once there, we will board our flight and begin our overnight journey to Egypt.

Today we arrive in Egypt at Cairo International Airport (CAI). Upon arrival we will be met by our guide and driver, who will bring us to our hotel. Whatever remains of the day will be spent at leisure in Cairo. Overnight Cairo. (Alternatively, depending on flight schedules, we may fly to Aswan today, in which case, Overnight Aswan). Radisson Blu or similar. D.

Today we fly from Cairo to Aswan, Egypt. Upon arrival in Aswan, time permitting, we visit the High Dam, which was opened in 1970 and is one of the largest embankment dams in the world, the Unfinished Obelisk, and the Temple of Philae, which sits on an island in the Nile, and was dedicated to the goddess Isis. We board our cruise ship. We will enjoy lunch on board and take the afternoon to acclimate ourselves. In the evening we will enjoy dinner and on-board entertainment. Overnight aboard ship. Crown Empress or similar. B, L, D.

We will sail to Edfu, located on the west bank of the Nile, where we will visit the Temple of Horus. Built between 237 and 57 BC, it is one of the best-preserved monuments of ancient Egypt. We sail on to Kom Ombo, on the Nile’s eastern bank, where we will visit the Komb Ombo Temple which was dedicated to the gods Sobek and Haeroris, and which is famous for its dual structure (courts, halls, etc., were duplicated, one each for Sobek, and one each for Haeroris), and its mummified crocodiles (Sobek was the Egyptian “crocodile god”). This evening we will enjoy dinner and entertainment aboard our ship. Overnight aboard ship. Crown Empress or similar. B, L, D.

Today we sail to Luxor, enjoying our cruise ship and its live entertainment throughout the day. This evening we arrive in Luxor and visit Luxor Temple, which is illuminated at night. Overnight aboard ship. Crown Empress or similar. B, L, D.

Today we experience Luxor and its environs. On the city’s west bank we will visit the Valley of the Kings, where generations of pharaohs, including King Tut, are buried. We will visit the Valley of the Queens, where Egyptian queens and other high ranking officials were buried. One person buried here is the Egyptian Queen Nefertari, wife of Ramesses II, who is theorized by some to have been the pharaoh of the Exodus narrative. We also visit the Temple of Hatshepsut, which was commissioned by Hatshepsut, one of ancient Egypt’s female pharaohs. On Luxor’s east bank we will visit the enormous Karnak Temple, which was built starting around 2000 BC. Overnight Luxor. Aracan Etabe or similar. (Alternatively, we may fly tonight from Luxor to Cairo, in which case overnight Cairo. Radisson Blu or similar.) B, D.

If we have not already done so, this morning we will fly from Luxor to Cairo. We will meet the rest of the group, who will be arriving in Cairo today. Today will be spent at leisure in Cairo. Overnight Cairo. Radisson Blu or similar. B, D.

The day has arrived, and we board our motorcoach at Sherwood Oaks Christian Church and drive to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport (ORD). Once there, we will board our flight and begin our overnight journey to Egypt.

Today we arrive in Egypt at Cairo International Airport (CAI). Upon arrival we will be met by our guide and driver, who will bring us to our hotel. Whatever remains of the day will be spent at leisure. Overnight Cairo. Radisson Blu or similar. D.

Today we will visit Giza, including the pyramids and the Sphinx. We will then explore the Grand Egyptian Museum, which was recently opened and houses over 100,000 artifacts from ancient Egypt. Overnight Cairo. Radisson Blu or similar. B, D.

We will visit Memphis, including Saqqara, which was one of the most important cemeteries in ancient Memphis. Kings and noblemen from the first two Egyptian dynasties are buried here. While at Saqqara we will see the Step Pyramid of Djoser, which was built by Imhotep, who some have identified as the biblical Joseph (notwithstanding certain chronological difficulties). We visit the Church of Sts. Sergius and Bacchus (Abu Serga), which is built in the place where, according to tradition, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph stayed while fleeing from Israel. We will also visit the Hanging Church, which is one of the oldest churches in Cairo, dating back to about the 3rd century (although the current structure was largely rebuilt). Finally, we will visit the Ben Ezra Synagogue, which according to legend was built upon the site where the baby Moses was found in the reeds of the Nile. Overnight Cairo. Radisson Blu or similar. B, D.

Today we drive to the region of Goshen, where the Hebrews lived during the time of Moses, and from where they fled during the Exodus. We will visit the city of Tanis, which may be the site of the biblical city of Zoan. This is possibly the city where the Pharaoh dwelt at the time of the Exodus, and therefore the area where Moses’ meetings with the Pharaoh took place (Psalm 78:12, 43). Overnight Ismailia. Mercure El Forsan or similar. B, D.

Today we depart Ismailia and drive towards the traditional site of Mount Sinai. If this is truly the site of Mount Sinai, we will be driving approximately along the route that the Israelites took on their way to the mountain. Overnight Traditional Mt. Sinai area. St. Catherine’s Monastery or similar. B, D.

Very early this morning we will climb the traditional Mount Sinai. We will descend the mountain and enjoy breakfast together. (Entrance to St. Catherine’s Monastery not included). We will then drive to Taba and take a ferry to Aqaba, in Jordan. Once there, we will drive on to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. (Please note that, if for any reason the ferry is not operational, we will fly from Sharm El Sheikh to Tabuk via Cairo). Overnight Tabuk. Swiss In or similar. B, D.

After breakfast we transfer to Al Bad by 4×4 SUV where we will visit Jethro’s Tombs. We will visit Moses’ Well, where it is believed that Moses met Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro. We will also experience Ain Mousa, or the Oasis of Moses. After lunch (included), we will visit the Tayyib Al Ism Oasis, which may be the location of biblical Elim, where the Israelites found palm trees and 12 wells of water after crossing the Red Sea. Overnight Tabuk. Swiss In or similar. B, L, D.

Today we will visit a split rock in the desert, which may be the Split Rock of Horeb that Moses struck and out of which water poured. We will see this massive rock, which sits in the Jabal Laws mountain range. If this is the split rock of the biblical account, then it was on one of the surrounding hills that Moses held up a staff while the Israelites fought the Amalekites (Exodus 17). Overnight Tabuk. Swiss In or similar. B, L, D.

After breakfast we drive to the area of Jabal Maqla, which is a proposed site of the biblical Mount Sinai. We will visit the Calf Altar, an ancient rock formation bearing images of cows, which may have been associated with the worship of the golden calf. We will walk to the base of Jabal Maqla, where we will see what could be the remains of the altar and the twelve pillars that were built by Moses. We will cross the border in Jordan. Overnight Aqaba area. DoubleTree by Hilton or similar. B, L, D.

Today we visit Petra, one of the wonders of the ancient world built by the Nabateans around the 2nd Century BC. We will venture into the city by way of the gorge called the Siq, reaching the amazing Treasury building. We will also see the Roman Theater, Nabatean burial caves, and the Byzantine basilica. Overnight Petra area. Old Village Hotel and Resort Wadi Musa or similar. B, D.

Continuing north we will come to Medaba, famous for its 6th Century AD Byzantine Mosaic showing a map of the Holy Land. We will visit Mount Nebo, where Moses stood and viewed the Promised Land. Your flight home may depart either late tonight or tomorrow. If tomorrow and an overnight is required, overnight Amman. Amman International or similar. B, D.

Your flight home may depart either the previous night or today. If today and time allows, breakfast is included today. Either way, later today we will arrive back in Chicago (ORD), and will take a motorcoach back to Sherwood Oaks Christian Church.