We’re glad you are considering this tour. Our hope is that it is an experience of a lifetime.
Throughout the Bible, the land of Israel served as God’s testing ground of faith. It is here where personal and national existence were threated, that Israel’s leaders and people were called upon to learn the true meaning of security and wellbeing while learning to trust in the Lord their God. A pilgrimage to Israel will make a profound impact on your life as you view God’s Word through a new set of geographical lenses. See the events of Biblical history unfold as you travel, walk, experience, see, and learn in the very areas that were significant to the foundation of faith we have today in Jesus Christ.
Overnight flight from the US to Tel Aviv, Israel.
Arrive in Tel Aviv. Tour group will be met at airport and assisted with arrival procedures. Dinner and overnight beside the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.
Dinner
Today we depart for the Galilee enjoying stops at the extensive ruins of Caesarea Maritima, an ancient port city, built by King Herod and later becoming the seat of government of the Roman governors, and where Peter proclaimed the Good News to the Roman centurion (Acts 9 & 25). We continue to Megiddo (the valley of Armageddon) & Mt. Carmel, where Elijah prayed, and God defeated 450 prophets of Ba’al with fire from heaven (1 Kings 18). Dinner and overnight in Tiberias on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We begin our special time in the Galilee, rich in memories of the life of Jesus, at the beautiful Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus preached His Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1-15). We continue along the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum (Mark 1: 31-38), the base of Jesus’ early ministry, the home of Peter, and the site of many healings. We take a short ride to Kursi, identified by tradition as the site of the “Miracle of the Swine”, where Jesus healed a man possessed by demons by driving them out of the man and into a herd of pigs (Mark 5:1-20, Matt. 8:28-34, Luke 8:26-39). In the afternoon, we board a replica “Jesus Boat”, a fishing boat of the kind used by the disciples of Jesus, for our ride on the Sea of Galilee. We end our day with a short hike up Mt. Arbel to enjoy the incredible panoramic view of the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, we head north to the Golan Heights to Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus asked His disciples “who do men say that I am?” (Mark 8: 27-30, Matt. 16:13). We continue on to Mount Bental for a panoramic view of the Golan and the border of Syria. This is also the site of a courageous battle fought during Israel’s war for the Golan. Returning to the Sea of Galilee area we visit Peter’s Primacy - where we remember the resurrected Jesus preparing breakfast for His disciples and telling Peter to “feed My sheep”. We end our day with a visit to the Yardenit, on the Jordan River, for baptisms (a white robe must be worn over clothes or swimwear for baptism. Robe and towel are rented on site for approx. $10). We return to the hotel for dinner and overnight in Tiberias.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we depart early from the hotel to travel to the Dead Sea. We will enjoy a stop at Beit She’an seeing one of the best-preserved Decapolis Roman cities. In Beit She’an, the bodies of King Saul and his sons were hung on the city walls (1 Samuel 31:10-12). We also stop at Jericho-the oldest town on earth- to visit the ruins of Old Jericho and to view the Mt. of Temptation where Jesus was tempted for 40 days and nights by Satan. We continue along the Dead Sea to our hotel for dinner, overnight and the opportunity to float in the healing waters of the Dead Sea.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning, our first visit is to the amazing Masada, the fortress built by King Herod and site of the last Jewish resistance against the Romans in 73 AD. Ascending Masada by cable car, we will be able to survey the ruins of the fortifications, waterworks, synagogue, temples and palaces. Continuing along the Dead Sea toward Jerusalem, we will also enjoy the desert oasis of Ein Gedi, where David hid from King Saul (1 Sam 24: 1-7). Our next stop before leaving the Dead Sea area will be Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were written by the Essene community over 2000 years ago and discovered in 1947. We soon ascend into the magnificent city of Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Jerusalem.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We begin our day on the beautiful Mt. of Olives to behold the breathtaking panorama of the Holy City. Our pilgrimage will proceed down the Palm Sunday Road. We will enter the Garden of Gethsemane with its ancient olive grove and the Church of All Nations, where tradition holds that Jesus prayed on the night of His betrayal (Matt. 26:36, John 18:1). We soon enter the Old City of Jerusalem through the Zion Gate walking to the Pools of Bethesda, the site where Jesus healed the cripple. Before leaving the Pools of Bethesda, we will visit St. Anne’s Crusader Church with its magnificent acoustics. We continue our walk along the Via Dolorosa stopping to visit “the Pavement” where Jesus stood while being tried by Pilate. We soon reach the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the traditional site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. We then walk to the Western (Wailing) Wall of Herod's temple and the holiest site to the Jewish people. After a time of prayer at the Western Wall, the group will tour the Western Wall Tunnel which exposes the entire length of the Western Wall. As we leave the Old City, a short walk takes us to stand on the original steps that Jesus walked as he entered the Temple area (the Southern Steps). We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We begin our day with a visit to the City of David to explore the excellent archeological remains from David’s period and that of the Kings of Judah (2 Samuel 5: 8-10). We will enjoy a fun and enlightening walk (potentially wet!) through Hezekiah’s Tunnel, the 2,700-year-old water tunnel dug during the reign of King Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32:30) and remaining as one of the wonders of early engineering. If claustrophobic or prefer not to walk the wet tunnel, one can walk in the dry and shorter Canaanite Tunnel. Both tunnels end at the Pool of Siloam where Jesus healed the blind man by spitting on the ground. (Flashlight and good water shoes are recommended for the wet tunnel walk). We take a short drive to the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, the site of the house of Caiaphas and where three times Peter denied Christ. We will see the original steps used by Jesus as he was held at Caiaphas's house before being tried by Pontius Pilate and ultimately, crucified. Next, we travel to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity - the birthplace of our Lord- and Shepherd’s Field, where an angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds (Luke 1:26-38). Before leaving the Bethlehem area, we visit Herodium, the fortress-palace that King Herod built and dedicated to himself. Herod’s grave was discovered here in 2007. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Following breakfast and time & conditions permitting, we will make an early visit to the Temple Mount- traditionally said to be the site where Abraham took his son, Isaac, to be sacrificed and thus became the site of both ancient Jewish temples. Today it is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, and the gold-topped Dome of the Rock. We will also visit the Israel Museum, home to the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. Additionally, the 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem, as the city would have appeared in Jesus' time, will fascinate you! We end our day with a visit to Golgotha and the Garden Tomb for a time of quiet reflection, worship, and communion. In the afternoon, there will be an optional visit to Yad Vashem - The World Holocaust Remembrance Center. Farewell Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Check out of the hotel and transfer to the Tel Aviv Airport for return flight to the USA.
Breakfast
This morning we depart Israel for Jordan via the Allenby Bridge. We will be met and assisted through the border crossing. We travel to Mt. Nebo where Moses viewed the Promised Land and where today we enjoy a breath-taking view of Israel and the Jordan River. Following this visit we continue to Machaerus (Mukawir) where we view the ruins of the fortress of Herod the Great and where John the Baptist was beheaded by his successor Herod Antipas. The rest of the day we will drive through Jordan arriving in Petra for dinner and overnight.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, we walk to the entrance to Petra, a 2000-year-old Nabatean city. We will walk a short distance through the narrow passageway with cliffs on either side called the “Siq”. At the end of the Siq, in the towering brightness, appears Petra’s most impressive monument, the Treasury. The “Rose City” is a honeycomb of hand-hewn caves, temples, and tombs carved from blushing pink sandstone in the high desert of Jordan some 2,000 years ago. After a time of guided explanation, you are free to explore this amazing ancient city on your own. Return to the hotel at your leisure. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, we have an early departure for Tel Aviv as we must cross the border into Israel by 12:00 noon. After crossing the border between Jordan and Israel, we continue our drive to Tel Aviv. There will be free time this afternoon to relax at the Tel Aviv hotel. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport for our morning flight back to the USA.
Breakfast
PAYMENT SCHEDULE | PASSENGERS | PAYMENT |
---|---|---|
At the Time of Registration | All Passengers | $500/person |
Final P{payment Due Date | All Passengers | JULY 16, 2023 |