MAY 13-26, 2016 Tour Hosts: Dr. Ben Witherington

Jordan & Eastern Turkey
Travel to the heart of the ancient world, the Bible, and early Christianity,
walk in the footsteps of Paul and John
Tour Hosts: Dr. Ben Witherington
Rev. Allison Posell
organized by
Jordan & Eastern Turkey / May 13-26, 2016
MAY 13-26, 2016
The Lion Gate, Hattusas
Dr. Ben Witherington III, Ph.D.,
Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies,
Asbury Theological Seminary; Doctoral Faculty St. Mary’s
College, St. Andrews University
Want a Biblical adventure where we get to the heart of
antiquity and the Bible and early Christianity through a visit
to both famous and less well known sites? If so, then this tour is for
you, as we will visit OT, NT, Greco-Roman and early Christian sites
as on previous trips, and once again in two different countries, Jordan
and in Turkey, mainly eastern Turkey. As the following itinerary will
show, this includes but is not limited to: 1) a full day tour of Petra (no
sightings of Indiana Jones promised, but you never know); 2) a visit to the
earliest mosaic map of the Holy Land in Madaba; 3) a visit to Jerash,
the spectacular Greco-Roman site which was one of the ten cities of
the Decapolis; 4) a visit to the lost Armenian Christian city of Ani; 5) a
visit to Mt. Ararat; 6) a visit to King Midas’ Gordion city, also the site of
Alexander the Great’s famous cutting of the “Gordion Knot”; 7) a visit
to the panoramic monasteries and Hagia Sophia Church in Trabzon. And
this is just a part of what we shall see!
Jordan and Eastern Tu
Travel to the heart of the ancient world, the Bible, and e
Jerash, Jordan
Tour Itinerary:
May 13 Fri
Depart from New York – Fly Amman
May 14 Sat
Arrive Amman Queen Alia International Airport – Transfer to hotel. Dinner and overnight Amman. (D)
May 15 Sun
Visit Jerash, Madaba and Mount Nebo. Proceed to Petra for overnight. (B,D)
May 16 Mon
Full Day visit to Petra. Dinner and overnight Petra. (B,D)
May 17 Tue
Drive to Amman. Visit the new John the Baptist site near the Jordan River. Dinner & overnight Amman. (D)
May 18 Wed
Amman Airport - Fly Ankara AMM-IST TK 813 07:00am/09:55am + IST-ESB TK 2146 12:00/13:05
Visit Anatolian Civilization Museum. Overnight Ankara. (B,D)
May 19 Thu
Full Day Tour to the Hittite sites of Hattusas and Yazilikaya. Overnight Ankara. (B,D)
May 20 Fri Full day visit to the Gordion archaeological site, one of the most important and well-excavated sites in the Near East. It is home to the legendary King Midas, as well as the staging area for Alexander the Great’s watershed campaign against the Persian Empire
and the site of his famous cutting of the “Gordion Knot.” Overnight Ankara. (B,D)
May 21 Sat Fly to Trabzon – Visit the stunning Sumela Monastery, Vazelon Monastery and Kaymakli Monastery. Overnight Trabzon. (B,D)
May 22 Sun Morning visit the Hagia Sophia Church in Trabzon, one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture in the region. Drive to Erzurum (5 hours). Overnight Erzurum. (B,D)
May 23 Mon Drive to Ani (3 hours). Full Day visit to Ani, a medieval Armenian city that was the capital of the Bagratid Armenian kingdom. Called the “City of 1001 Churches,” Ani stood on various trade routes and its many religious buildings,
palaces, and fortifications were among the most technically and artistically advanced structures in the world. Overnight Kars.
May 24 Tue
Visit Mount Ararat. Transfer to Kars Airport for TK 2715 17:55/20:15 flight to Istanbul. (B)
May 25 Wed
St Irene Church (where the 2nd Ecumenical Council held in 381) and Grand Bazaar. Farewell Dinner. (B,D)
May 26 Thu
Transfer to Istanbul Airport. Fly back to New York. End.
Jordan & Eastern Turkey / May 13-26, 2016
TOUR MAP
SERBIA
MONTONEGRO
KOSOVO
GEORGIA
BULGARIA
ARMENIA
Trabzon
Erzurum
Ankara
A
AN SE
AEGE
G R E E C E
Istanbul
N
IJA
Kars
BA
ER
MACEDONIA
ALBANIA
AZ
BLACK SEA
TURKEY
IRAN
Urfa
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
JO
RD
AN
urkey
Amman
LIBYA
Petra
early Christianity, walk in the footsteps of Paul and John
LAND & AIR:
Istanbul
Per Person in Double
Single Supplement
A
SE
$ 890
D
RE
$ 4,990
INCLUDING
Kars
•International air fare: New York-Amman
•International
SUDANair fare: Amman-Ankara (via Istanbul)
•International air fare: Istanbul-New York
•Ankara-Urfa domestic flight
•Gaziantep-Kars (via Ankara) domestic flight
•Kars-Istanbul domestic flight
•2 Nights at 4 star Hotel in Amman
•2 Nights at 4 star Hotel in Petra
•3 Nights at 4 star Hotel in Ankara
•1 Night at 4 star Hotel in Trabzon
•1 Nights at 4 star Hotel in Erzurum
•1 Night at 4 star Hotel in Kars
•2 Nights at 4 star Hotel in Istanbul
•Daily breakfast at the hotels
•11 Dinners at the hotels
•Sightseeing as per the itinerary
•Entrance fees to sites as per the above list
•Licensed Tour Guide during all tours
•Transportation in private air-conditioned tourist coach during tour
•Porters’ fees at hotels
•Service charges and local taxes
•Tips to the hotel staff, tour guides and bus drivers
EXCLUDING
•Turkish Visa to be obtained before arrival https://www.evisa.gov.tr
($20 for US Citizens) Please print and carry the visa document when
you arrive in Turkey. Citizens of all other countries are responsible to
check their own visa regulations for travel.
•Health and Travel insurance, any type of personal expenses
•Lunches and drinks
Jordan & Eastern Turkey / May 13-26, 2016
Sardis, Turkey
PAYMENT PROCEDURE:
1- $200 per person Deposit: October 1, 2015 (non-refundable)
2- Full Payment : February 12, 2016
The payment will be made to TUTKU TOURS by using the below secure link (Visa or MC only); https://secure.tutkutours.com/tours/160513BENW
Cancellation Penalty:
– 90–60 days prior to departure: No Penalty
– 59–45 days prior to departure: 25%
– 44–30 days prior to departure: 50%
– 29–15 days prior to departure: 75%
– 14 days & After
No refund
Travel Insurance: Travel insurance may be purchased separately at an extra cost. Travel Insurance is a contract between the traveller and the
Insurance Company (American Express, or other). To obtain your travel insurance, please call 1–800–TURKIYE and ask for Ms. Ayata.
Organized by
Gaziosmanpaşa Bulvarı 3/303 Izmir 35210 TURKEY
Phone: +90–232 441–8635 / 441–8676 / 441–8677
Fax: +90–232 441–8636
E–mail: info@tutkutours.com • www.tutkutours.com
Jordan & Eastern Turkey / May 13-26, 2016