Your departure city

Fly overnight from your home city to Beijing, China.

After an overnight flight from your gateway city, an early morning arrival allows some recovery time before heading out on foot to explore the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Included Welcome Dinner near the hotel.

Today we are picked up by our private driver at the hotel. We’ll have the afternoon to explore the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall before returning to the city for dinner at a restaurant famous for its Peking duck. 

Our morning is spent exploring the Heavenly Palace in Beijing. Afterward, our private driver drops us at the airport for the flight to Delhi, India.

After a short night at a 5 star hotel in Delhi’s Aerocity, our private driver picks us up to begin a 4-day trip around India to experience the incomparable Taj Mahal in Agra, as well as the stunning Wind Palace and Amber Fort of Jaipur. Tonight, enjoy 5-star accommodation in Agra.

Morning at the charming Wind Palace and spectacular Amber Fort. Afternoon at the world’s first celestial museum. 5 star hotel tonight. Dinner at a Rajasthani classic in Jaipur

Today our private driver transports us from Jaipur to the Delhi Int’l Airport where we’ll board our flight to Beirut, Lebanon. 

Today we explore Baalbek, the site of the TALLEST ancient solid columns in the world. Feast your eyes on the spectacular Temple of Bacchus, exquisite stone lion heads, 200-ton megaliths, and a Stone Age worship site as well - Truly some of the most astounding ruins in the world. On the way back to the hotel, we stop at one of Lebanon’s most famous vineyards to round out a spectacular day. Dinner in Beirut.

Our final day in Beirut is a busy one. We explore the gorgeous Pigeon Rocks and Corniche walk along the sea, a refugee camp, the Museum of Lebanon, have lunch at a Beirut classic and discover downtown on a walking tour of Beirut. Our driver drops up at the airport for our evening flight to Amman, Jordan. Transfer to our hotel in Amman.

After a morning walk in this charming city, we drive 5 hours south to Petra with a stop at a significant biblical site along the way. Dinner in Petra.

A full and incredible day is spent exploring on foot one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World: Petra. Entering the park just after sunrise, we are accompanied for the first few hours by a local guide. Then during our hike to the extraordinary Place of High Sacrifice, we enjoy a picnic lunch before continuing on up to Petra’s crown jewel: The Monastery. A well-earned dinner back at the hotel’s restaurant.

Today, our private driver whisks us to a Jordanian resort for a swim in the unbelievably buoyant Dead Sea which is famed for the healing properties of its mineral-rich water. At the resort, enjoy mud masks and a lunch buffet.

After being dropped by our Jordanian guide at the border, your RTWClub Tour Director leads the group through the border crossing between Jordan and the Palestinian Territories. Upon arrival in Jericho, we are met by our hosts who transfer us by private car to our accommodation in Bethlehem for our stay over the Christmas holiday. Local pizza in Bethlehem.

Our private, local guide drives us throughout the Bethlehem region today as we explore the Church of the Nativity, the actual birthplace of Jesus below the church, the Monastery of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament where nuns pray 24/7/365 days a year, the Milk Grotto, Shepherd’s/Boaz’s field, The Separation Wall, The Walled Off Hotel, and an original large-scale, hand-painted Banksy artwork. Lunch at a classic eatery near the Church of the Nativity. Dinner at a restaurant in Bethlehem.

Today we explore Bethlehem on foot. First, a visit to the local markets to purchase items for our home-cooked holiday meal. Then we watch the Bethlehem “Scout’s Parade” as it winds its way through the ancient stone streets of Bethlehem toward the Church of the Nativity. Come midnight, Manger Square fills with pilgrims who’ve come from all corners of the world to celebrate Christmas, and we will stand amongst them.

After most of the world leaders and dignitaries have come and gone from this important church service, there’s an opportunity for people gathered in Manger’s Square to enter The Church of the Nativity.

Today we ride the local bus from Bethlehem to Jerusalem where we enjoy upscale accommodation near Damascus Gate. From there, it’s an easy walk to most of Jerusalem’s classic attractions: The Western/Wailing Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Temple on the Mount, the Armenian Quarter, and so much more. We begin our exploration of this fascinating city by having a night on our own exploring the vibrant Machne Yehuda market and dinner at a local hot spot.

Today is a long day exploring fascinating, complex, controversial, and ever-evolving Jerusalem. Our local guide walks us through the ancient meandering streets of one the most ancient and storied cities on the planet. Home to sites important to all three of the world’s dominant monotheistic religions - Christianity, Islam, and Judaism - one can hardly take a step in Jerusalem without encountering an important historical relic. Our local Jerusalemite guide is there to make sure we don’t miss a thing.

Enjoy a free day on your own to explore the city that means so much to so many different religions and people. Perhaps visit the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center, the Christian church of your home denomination, take in a local mosque, or say a prayer at the Western Wall. Jerusalem has something for everyone, and today is the day to make it yours.

Today we fly from Israel to Italy. After transferring from the airport to our centrally located hotel in Rome, enjoy dinner at a local eatery convenient to our accommodations.

Today is a big day exploring The Eternal City on foot. No visit to Rome is complete without experiencing the Colosseum, which we do on a tour with a local guide. Today we also have a guided tour of Palatine Hill to discover the magic and mystery of Ancient Rome through the spectacular ruins strewn about this remarkable area.

Afterward, enjoy free time on your own to take in the countless Cathedrals, museums, cafes, piazzas, fountains, gardens, and shopping opportunities that delightful Rome has to offer.

An early start affords a private tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel before it’s open to the general public. Afterward, we fly to London, England. Dinner near our accommodation.

Today we visit the Tower of London and enjoy a guided tour of Old London. New Year’s Eve dinner at an upscale restaurant.

Fly from London to NYC. Dinner near Manhattan accommodation.

Final full-day of the trip. Guided walking tour of NYC. Included Farewell Dinner at the fabled Fabled Frauces Tavern where George Washington famously disbanded his generals after the United States had successfully come into existence by winning the Revolutionary War.

Time to explore the city on your own before catching flights onward/home. Round the World Club provides private car service to NYC airports to ease your path through the city’s chaos as you make your way home from the journey of a lifetime.

Yes, almost always for an additional fee.

Yes, our guides have been to all these destinations before. We love traveling here; that’s why we offer these trips. Plus we have relationships with people at each destination that keep us apprised of local conditions.

Yes, single supplement rates are available.

We travel to so many different destinations and altitudes that we can guarantee that the weather will vary dramatically between quite cold (possibly below freezing) to downright hot in the desert of the Middle East. We like to say that there is no bad weather, only poor clothing choices ;-)

Yes, you will need visas. Depending on your nationality, visas requirements vary. Basically though, you can plan on spending a few hundred US dollars on visas for China, India, Lebanon, and Jordan.

Other than for Covid, no. You will be required to prove that you have been fully vaccinated against Covid, and may be required to complete a Covid test.

Yes, absolutely. In fact, to travel with RTWClub, you are required to provide the company name and policy number of your travel insurance prior to departure.

Yes. You can buy anything that you can pack into carry-on luggage. Also, many vendors are accustomed to offering international shipping at reasonable rates.

You must be 18 years or older to travel on this trip.

Pets are not allowed.

Outside of religious sites/places of worship, it is generally not necessary to dress in any particular fashion.

When visiting religious sites/temples, covering one’s body with loose-fitting garments and hair with a scarf, is often customary - especially for women. Such garments are often provided free or for a very small charge.

Both men and women must remove shoes upon entering many places of worship.

We have an extremely low precedence of crime of any kind. The safest place for your personal effects is in the safe in your hotel room. The next safest place is discreetly hidden on your person (money belt).

We are very often accompanied by local guides who are adept in regional customs, which goes a very long way to insuring personal security. Relationships make a difference.

Most days involve several hours of walking. Some days require many hours of walking. A couple days require a full day of sun up to sun down walking that includes walking uphill for a considerable distance. People of average physical ability are generally to do the necessary walking.

There is no climbing, scrambling, or running.

If you cannot walk for many hours each day, this trip is probably not for you.

You will sleep well on this adventure.

The food is excellent: Varied, generous, and high quality. RTWClub’s first priority is guest safety. For this reason, we patronize only those hotels and restaurants that provide safe, delicious, hygienic food. For example, in India, we stay only in 5-star hotels.

These establishments not only have the highest hygiene and culinary standards but pride themselves on serving an extremely generous breakfast buffet.

As such, it’s customary for guests to take items from their spectacular breakfast buffets to enjoy at lunch.

You will eat very well on this trip.