Museums, much like candy stores for kids, are havens for my never-ending curiosity. Whenever I travel to a new country or city, I always look forward to visiting one. Imagine my astonishment when I finally stepped foot inside a museum in a country whose ancient civilization made substantial contributions to world history, literature, writing, religion, art, architecture, science, and human progress.

“Forward! Remember that from these monuments yonder forty centuries look down upon you,” Napoleon Bonaparte declared to his troops as they geared up for the Battle of the Pyramids in July 1798. Indeed, the history of the great pyramids dated back to one of Earth's ancient civilizations. This fact made my experience feel all the more surreal. I recalled staring at the pyramids with wide eyes while standing immobile, engrossed in a spectacular, fleeting moment. There was no better way to cap our Holy Land trip than with a chance to see the Great Pyramid of Giza up close.

When one mentions the “Holy Land,” the first thing that comes to mind for most Christians is the birthplace of Jesus Christ in the Palestinian town of Bethlehem, which is situated ten kilometers from Jerusalem. While this is indeed true, the scope of a traditional Holy Land journey encompasses three countries: Egypt, Jordan, and Israel. This route includes stops at a few historic locations in addition to retracing the footsteps of Christ, Moses, John the Baptist, and Mother Mary. Here are a few locations to inspire your own travel to the Holy Land.

Egypt was the last of the triumvirate of nations that comprised the Holy Land tour I joined. After kicking off our trip in Jordan and spending almost a week in Israel, the last leg of our journey took us to the land of the Pharaohs and Cleopatra. Along the way, we passed by endless stretches of deserted valleys and mountains until the azure waters of the Red Sea signaled the approaching border crossing to Egypt. It was there where we followed the trail of Moses and the Holy Family when they fled Israel after King Herod Antipas issued a marching order to execute all infants in Israel.

Under a canopy of dark midnight sky dotted with a few observable stars, and a wary moon hiding beneath thick clouds, we started our hike over a narrow trail speckled with loose rocks. As scorching as the wind was when we arrived in Saint Catherine—after a couple of hours wheeling along the long highway of the Israeli and Egyptian border—the wee-hour breeze drifted by a little colder for comfort. Guided only by the small flashlight of our Bedouin guide, we trod the shadowy trail, slowly lost in the silence of the hush sounds of our huffing and puffing alongside the rhythmic breathing of a trio of camels.