Capture The Holy Land On The Trip Of A Lifetime!
Please call
for Group or Custom Designed Tours for your Church
800 2 ISRAEL (2477235)
or email us:
 |
|
|
Day 1 |
|
Enjoy non-stop flight to Israel, The Holy Land. |
|
Day 2 |
Land at Ben Gurion Airport and go directly to the historic port of Jaffa. See
Jonah's fish and stand by the house of Simon the Tanner, where Peter had his housetop
experience.
Explore artists' shops in Old Jaffa before returning to Tel Aviv for dinner and a free evening to enjoy the city's
beachfront Promenade or nearby Dizengoff Street with its artistically-acclaimed
Agam fountain.
Dinner and overnight Tel Aviv. |
|
Day 3 |
Begin
the day with a scenic drive north along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, the port city
where St. Paul was imprisoned. See the Roman Theatre and the Aqueduct as well as the
historic Crusaders' walled city.
Head north to Mt. Carmel, home of the Prophet Elijah, to
the church at Muhraka, where a beautiful panorama of the scenic Jezreel Valley and the
Galilee are spread before you. Visit a Druse village en route to Haifa, Israel's largest
port city.
Enjoy the view of the harbor from top of Mt. Carmel. If possible, visit the Cave of Elijah in the Stella Maris
Church.
Proceed to Acre (Akko) the charming Crusader port city that controlled the great
land trade route to the East, and visit its underground level. From Acre we'll be on our
way to Tiberias, which will be our base for the next three days.
Dinner and overnight
Tiberias. |
|
|
Day 4 |
Heading
north along the western shores of the Sea of Galilee, view Magdala in passing and drive
through the Valley of Genesareth (Ginosar) to the Banias, the source of the Jordan River
and the location of Caesarea Philippi.
Take off for the Golan
Heights for a visit to the town of Katzrin. Then, on to Capernaum, a main center for
Jesus' teachings on the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee. Sail on the lake to
Tiberias - with ample time for prayer and meditation - for an elective St. Peter's Fish
lunch.
In the afternoon, bus to the Tabgha shoreline to visit the churches of your choice.
Area churches include the Church of Multiplication and the Church of St. Peter's Primacy. End the day on Mount of
Beatitude, for the Sermon on the Mount. Time permitting, see the fishing boat of the New
Testament period, found in 1986 on the shore of Kibbutz Ginosar.
Dinner and overnight
Tiberias. |
|
|
Day 5 |
Head west from
Tiberias to Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine, and on to Nazareth for a visit to
the Church of the Annunciation, Mary's Well, etc. Later, head to Megiddo (Armegeddon), a
fortress on the Via Maris, site of many battles and prophecies. It is possible today to
climb Mt. Tabor for a special visit to the Church of Transfiguration. End the day at the
Yardenit baptismal site on the Jordan.
Dinner and overnight Tiberias. |
|
Day 6 |
On to Jerusalem! Along the way, visit Gideon's Spring at Ein Harod, where Judge
Gideon chose 300 devout men for his night battle against the Midianites. From there, visit
the exciting excavation site at Beit She'an, the new Pompeii of Israel.
Then, head south through
the Jordan Valley to Jericho, the world's oldest city, conquered by Joshua, for a visit to
the tel and for a view of Mt. Temptation.
While in town, a visit to the beautiful mosaic
floor at Caliph Hisham's Winter Palace can be incorporated. Along the way, we'll be in the
area of Zacheus Tree. Then, it's on to the
observation point in Wadi Kelt looking over the St. George Monastery, and up to Jerusalem.
Dinner and overnight Jerusalem. |
|
Day 7 |
Start
the day with a drive to the Mt. Of Olives for an awe-inspiring panoramic view of
Jerusalem. When atop the mountain, pay your respects at the Church of the Pater Noster or
the Chapel of the Ascension, after which we'll proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane.
Crossing the
Kidron/Joshaphat Valley are the Tombs of Absalom, Zecharia and St. James, we'll enter the
Old City via the Dung Gate to climb to the Temple Mount for a visit of the Dome of the
Rock.
Then on to the Church of St. Anne, site of the Pools of Bethesda, where Jesus healed
the lame man. Continue on the Via Dolorosa by Pilate's Judgement Hall, Flagellation and
Eche Home Arch.
In the afternoon, proceed
to Mt. Zion to stand by the traditional Tomb of King David and climb to the Upper Room,
followed by a possible visit to the Dormition Abbey. We'll make our way down the slope to
the Church of Peter Gallicantu, a possible site of Caiapha's Palace, and continue by bus
to Bethlehem for a visit to the Church of the Nativity, Manger, and Grotto of St. Jerome.
Conditions permitting, a visit to the Shepherds' Fields will follow.
A visit to one of
Bethlehem's world famous craft shopping centers will be included. We'll view Rachel's Tomb
while returning to Jerusalem.
Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. |
|
|
Day 8 |
Explore
the New City, beginning with the Model of Jerusalem in the time of the Second Temple at
the Holy Land Hotel, the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, the beautiful Marc Chagall stained
glass windows at the Hadassah Medical Center, and Dead Sea Scrolls at the Shrine in the
Book of the Israel Museum.
Our tour will take us to the village of Ein Karem, birthplace
of John the Baptist and give us a chance to plant a tree, which is a symbol of life and
regeneration, with our own hands. In the afternoon, enter
the Jewish Quarter of the Old City to visit the Herodian mansions, which provide an
understanding of life in Jerusalem in the time of Jesus.
Proceed to the Cardo and
Hezekiah's Wall and then to the Western Wall (Wailing Wall), the only remains of the Holy
Temple. Finish the day by walking
the Via Dolorosa to either the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or the Garden Tomb.
Return to
hotel for dinner and overnight. |
|
|
Day 9 |
On the
way through the Judean desert, en route to Masada, stop at the Qumran Caves, where the
Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947.
Ascend Masada by cable
car to see the magnificent ruins and the fortress where Jewish Zealots made their last
stand against the Romans (73-74 AD).
Descend to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth,
where a quick dip could feel rejuvenating, while a climb to the falls at Ein Gedi would be
an alternative. Return to the hotel for final shopping, dinner, packing and late-night
transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for return trip on Day 10. |
|
|
Day 10 (Optional) |
|
A Free Day to
visit places of your choice in Jerusalem or do any final shopping. Public transportation
can take you anywhere in the city. Late night transfer to airport for return trip. |
|
Day 11 |
|
Enjoy return
trip home |
|
|
