Overnight flight 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 Baal 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, with a short drive to Nazareth to visit “Nazareth Village” – a re-­created village offering detailed explanation of what life was like during the time of Jesus. Leaving Nazareth, we soon ascent to the Mt. of Beatitudes where we enjoy time for spiritual reflection and meditation as we reflect on Jesus’ teachings from the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5: 1-15) and enjoy the beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee. 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. 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. Our day ends with a short ride up to Mt. Arbel for an incredible panorama view of the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we travel north into the Golan Heights to view the Galilee from a special lookout. We continue along the Banias River to the ancient site of Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus asked His disciples “who do men say that I am?” (Mark 8: 27-30). We take walk to the beautiful nature reserve of Tel Dan (named for the tribe of Dan) where we will see the gate of Jeroboam and then we take a short walk to a new discovery known as the “Abraham Gate” believed to be from the time of Abraham. We enjoy a special “St. Peter’s Fish” lunch before heading to Peter’s Primacy where Jesus redeems Peter.  We end our day at the Yardenit for baptisms in the Jordan River. A white robe must be worn over clothes or swimwear for baptism.  Robe and towel are rented on site.   Dinner and overnight in Tiberias.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We start our journey early today to Jerusalem with a brief stop at Beit She’an, one of the best-preserved Decapolis Roman cities. In Beit She’an, the bodies of King Saul and his sons were hung from the city walls (1 Samuel 31:10-12) after the Philistines defeated them. From here we travel Jericho to look at the Mt. of Temptation Monastery.  We head to Gideon’s Spring where Gideon chose his warriors based on how they drank water (Judges 7:1-8) saying “Those who lapped the water like dogs were left behind in historical obscurity and the 300 men who drank with a cupped hand went on to immortality”.  We continue with our ascent to the majestic city of Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. 

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 to 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). Entering the Old City of Jerusalem through the Zion Gate, we walk to the most holy site of the Jewish people, the Western (Wailing) Wall of Herod's temple. Beyond the wall lies the 35-­acre Temple area purchased by King David (2 Samuel. 24:18-­25). On this site now stands the golden Dome of the Rock (the third holiest shrine in all Islam) and the El-­Aksa Mosque. From the temple area, we make our way along the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) the road which Jesus walked after being sentenced by Pontius Pilate– with stops at the Pools of Bethesda, where Jesus healed a paralytic (John 5:1-­15), the Pavement where Jesus stood while being tried by Pilate, Ecce Homo Arch “Behold the Man”, and the ancient Cardo, reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional site of the crucifixion and burial of Christ.   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 end our day with a visit to Bethlehem seeing the Church of the Nativity-­the birthplace of our Lord and Shepherd's Field where the angel of the Lord proclaimed the Good News of the birth of the Savior (Luke 2:8-­18). Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leaving Jerusalem this morning, we meander through the Judean desert and along the western shore of the Dead Sea.  Our first visit is to 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.  We pass by the lovely Ein Gedi, the area that David hid from King Saul (1 Sam 24: 1-7) onto our way to Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were written over 2000 years ago and discovered in 1947. We conclude the day with a relaxing float in the healing waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest spot-on earth. **Please be sure to bring water shoes, as the bottom surface can be rough, swimsuit, and towel.  Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Following breakfast, we depart for our day in the City of David to experience 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 ending at the Pool of Siloam where Jesus healed the blind man by spitting on the ground. Be sure to bring a flashlight and good water shoes with you, as you will get wet walking through the tunnel should you choose to do so. We then drive to the Garden Tomb for a time of worship, reflection, and communion.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We check out of the hotel and transfer to the Tel Aviv Airport for our flight back to the USA.

Breakfast