Our flight arrives at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) where we are greeted by our guide 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 Mt. Carmel, where Elijah prayed, and God defeated 450 prophets of Baal with fire from heaven (1 Kings 18). Next, we drive to Nazareth Village – a recreated village offering detailed explanation of what life was like during the time of Jesus.  We take a short ride to Mount Precipice, the traditional site believed to be where an angry mob attempted to throw Jesus off the cliff after his bold proclamation in the Nazareth synagogue.  We continue on to Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee area for check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.
                                                                                 
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We begin our special time in the Galilee, rich in memories of the life of Jesus, with a drive to Mt. Tabor, where the early church fathers believed that the Transfiguration of Jesus occurred. Returning to the Sea of Galilee, we visit Capernaum (Mark 1: 31-­38), the base of Jesus’ early ministry, the home of Peter, and the site of many healings. We end our day aboard 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 return to the hotel for dinner and overnight in Tiberias.  

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we travel north into the Golan Heights to visit Caesarea Philippi - where Jesus asked His disciples “who do men say that I am?” (Mark 8: 27-30, Matt. 16:13).  Continuing north, we enjoy a short hike through the beautiful nature reserve of Tel Dan where the remnants of the Bronze-Canaanite Era can be found. This area later became the northernmost city of the Kingdom of Israel belonging to the Tribe of Dan (1st Kings 12:28-29). We will see a Canaanite-era gate as well as an impressive ritual site, most likely built by King Jeroboam, as well as the Israelite Gate from the time of the Judges.  We make a stop at Tabgha, the traditional site of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes followed by a short walk to visit Peter’s Primacy - located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and best known for where Christ appeared to His disciples after His resurrection and where He commands Peter to “feed and tend” His flock. We enjoy a time of teaching and prayer at this lovely site.  We ascend to the Mt. of Beatitudes where we enjoy the beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee as we reflect on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. (Matt. 5: 1-15). We return to the hotel for dinner and overnight in Tiberias.  

Today we depart early for Jerusalem with interesting places to visit along the way.  Before we depart the area, we make an early morning stop at Mt. Arbel taking a short hike for an incredible panoramic view of the Sea of Galilee.  We leave the Galilee area and stop at Beit She’an to see 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 continue through the Judean desert toBethany Beyond the Jordan, believed to be the location where John the Baptist baptized Jesus.  Here we enjoy a time of teaching and baptisms.  Before ascending to the holy city of Jerusalem, we stop to view the Valley of the Shadow of Death- another name for the road between Jerusalem and Jericho- the ancient road used by David, Jesus, and thousands of Jews heading to festivals in Jerusalem.  Soon after, we enter Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We begin our day early with a visit to the Temple Mount to see the Golden Dome of the Rock (the third holiest shrine in all Islam) and the El-Aksa Mosque. This area is traditionally said to be the site where Abraham demonstrated his devotion to God by taking his son, Isaac, to be sacrificed (Gen. 22).  This is also the site where the First and Second Temples were built. Next, we visit to the City of David where we visit the archeological remains of David’s period and that of the Kings of Judah (2 Samuel 5: 8-10). We will have the opportunity to walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel, the 2,700-year old tunnel dug during the reign of King Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32:30) and remaining today as one of the wonders of early engineering.
The tunnel ends at the Pool of Siloam where Jesus healed the blind man.

. We end our day with a visit to Golgotha and the Garden Tomb for a time of quiet reflection, worship, and communion.  Farewell dinner and overnight in hotel.

Following breakfast, we check out of the hotel by 11:00 AM and depart for airport for return flight to USA.