This compelling program visits two countries that have fascinated and amazed the world for centuries. We begin in Egypt, the magnificent crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and birthplace of western civilization. Take a leisurely cruise on the river of legend, the Nile, whose first communities flourished on its banks thousands of years ago. In Cairo, follow twisting, labyrinthine streets to a lively bazaar, where seemingly everything is for sale. Discover the splendors of a wondrous past at the Egyptian Museum, home of King Tut's treasures, the Pyramids of Giza, and the Valley of the Kings. A profoundly moving experience awaits in Jerusalem with three of the most important landmarks in religious history: the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Your itinerary concludes with visits to Masada, the mountain fortress that remains the ultimate icon of Israeli freedom, and the therapeutic waters of the Dead Sea.