DAY 01: USA / EUROPE.
Tour members will gather at the ticket counter at the airport two hours
prior to their departure to Europe. Dinner and breakfast will be served
in-flight.
DAY 02: EUROPE / TEL AVIV.
Upon our arrival at the Tel Aviv airport we will be met and transferred
to our hotel in a suburb of Tel Aviv - situated on the shores of the
Mediterranean Sea. Dinner will be served at our hotel. Weather
permitting, we suggest a walk after dinner on the beach.
DAY 03: THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA / ANCIENT
JOPPA / CAESAREA / MOUNT CARMEL / HAIFA / PLAIN OF ARMAGEDDON /
TIBERIAS.After
a good nights rest and a hearty breakfast we will begin the thrilling
journey of following in the footsteps of Jesus. Ancient Joppa on the
Sea is where Jonah set sail, and where Peter raised Dorcas from the
dead. Joppa was the home of Simon the Tanner. At Caesarea by the sea
we'll visit the Crusader's Castle, the Roman Amphitheater and water
duct, and the port from which the Apostle Paul sailed to Rome. We will
continue northward along the Mediterranean coast to Mount Carmel where
Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal by the Brook Kishon. After Haifa
we'll visit Megiddo and the Plain of Armageddon, Jezreel and Esdraelon.
Eastward we will arrive in Tiberias for dinner and overnight at our
hotel and get our first glimpse of the beautiful Sea of Galilee.
DAY 04: MT. TABOR / DEBORIYA / NAIN /
BETHSHEAN / TIBERIAS.
Traveling westward across Galilee, we will view Mt. Tabor (Psalms
89:12), Deboriya, the hometown of the Prophetess Deborah at the foothill
of Tabor (Judges 4 and 5). Visit Mt. Tabor by car, and then continue to
the Village of Nain where Jesus brought life to a dead child (Luke
7:11-18). We continue to Bethshean, and then back to Tiberias for an
afternoon of leisure for activities of your own.
DAY 05: TIBERIAS / THE SEA OF GALILEE /
CAPERNAUM / MOUNT OF BEATITUDES / TABGHA / CAESAREA PHILIPPI / MT.
HERMON / GOLAN HEIGHTS / THE JORDAN RIVER.This
day will be an exciting day in the Galilee area. After a delicious
breakfast we will depart from the Roman hot springs resort city of
Tiberias via a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum (John
6:24) to visit the ancient ruins of this first century synagogue where
Jesus preached (Matthew 4:13-17). Then on to the Mt. of Beatitudes where
Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and to Tabgha, the
chapel dedicated to the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mark
6:34-44). We will then proceed to Upper Galilee and the site of Peter's
Confession (Matthew 16:16) at Caesarea Philippi and to Mt. Hermon (Psalm
89:12), the probable site of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8) and
the present day Golan Heights where Israel, Lebanon and Syria come
together. We will follow the fresh mountain waters of Mt. Hermon to the
Sea of Galilee and to the outlet passage at the southern tip of the sea.
We will stop at the beautiful Pilgrims Park at the Jordan River. Return
to our hotel for overnight.
DAY 06: NAZARETH / JERICHO / QUMRAN /
DEAD SEA.
Early morning departure to Cana and then on to Nazareth, the hometown of
Jesus, where we will visit the Church of the Annunciation (Luke 1:5-42)
and Mary's Fountain (Luke 4:16-22). We continue past Bethshean and then
south through the Jordan Valley to ancient Jericho where the walls came
tumbling down (I Kings 17:1-6 and II Kings 2:19-22) and a commanding
view of the Mt. of Temptation (Matt. 4:1-11) and Elisha's Fountain.
Continue to Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered for a
visit. See the remains of the Community Center of the Essenes and the
Caves of the Scrolls. Travel to the Dead Sea where we will spend the
night.
DAY 07: MASADA / BETHANY / JERUSALEM.
This morning we drive via the Judean Desert to Masada, a truly
remarkable piece of history. Ascend to Masada by cable car to visit the
magnificent ruins of the fortress where from 70-73 A.D. the Jewish
defenders made the last stand of the Judean Revolt against Rome and
where the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a sixth century Byzantine
church are still on view. Return to Jerusalem visiting on the way the
Inn of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), and Bethany, the home of
Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11:1-46). On to our Jerusalem hotel for
overnight.
DAY 08: JERUSALEM.Drive
to the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. Visit the
Chapel of the Ascension, the Church of Pater Noster and Dominus Flevit.
Walk along Hosanna Road to the Garden of Gethsemane. Visit the Church of
the Nations which stands on the Rock of the Agony. See the Pillar of
Absalom, the Eastern (Golden) Gate and the Pinnacle of the Temple.
After lunch drive to Mt. Zion. Visit the Church of St. Peter in
Gallicantu on the site of Caiphas' House, the Upper Room, the Tomb of
King David and the Dormition. Continue to tour the new part of
Jerusalem: the Hebrew University, the Shrine of the Book that houses
the Dead Sea Scrolls, Ein Karem - the birthplace of John the Baptist -
Kennedy Memorial and the Model City at the Holy Land Hotel. Return to
our hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 09: JERUSALEM / BETHLEHEM / EMMAUS.
This morning we begin our tour to Bethlehem. We will visit the Church
of the Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus, the "Old Bethlehem Museum",
the Wells of David, and Shepherds Fields (Luke 2:1-20) then the Field of
Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 1:16-17 & 4:13). We return to Jerusalem via Emmaus
where Jesus appeared after Resurrection (Luke 24:30-31). Dinner and
overnight at our hotel.
DAY 10: JERUSALEM.
View the Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives from the Eastern Gate as
we start a walking tour to the Old City of Jerusalem entering through
St. Stephen's Gate to the Pool of Bethesda, Saint Anne's Church, the
Ecce Homo Arch (Behold the Man), the Lithostrotos and the Via Dolorosa.
Continue to the temple area of Mt. Moriah. Visit the Dome of the Rock,
El Aksa Mosque and the Wailing Wall. Walk through the Old City bazaars
to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. View the Tower of David and the
Citadel as we leave the Old City through Jaffa Gate. After lunch visit
the Garden Tomb and Golgotha - Place of the Skull - for a worship
service. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
DAY 11: JERUSALEM.
Free day at leisure for shopping or activities of your own.
DAY 12: TEL AVIV /
NORTH AMERICA.
Today we depart Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport for our return trip to
North America. The end of a most enjoyable and unforgettable tour.
After
a good nights rest and a hearty breakfast we will begin the thrilling
journey of following in the footsteps of Jesus. Ancient Joppa on the
Sea is where Jonah set sail, and where Peter raised Dorcas from the
dead. Joppa was the home of Simon the Tanner. At Caesarea by the sea
we'll visit the Crusader's Castle, the Roman Amphitheater and water
duct, and the port from which the Apostle Paul sailed to Rome. We will
continue northward along the Mediterranean coast to Mount Carmel where
Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal by the Brook Kishon. After Haifa
we'll visit Megiddo and the Plain of Armageddon, Jezreel and Esdraelon.
Eastward we will arrive in Tiberias for dinner and overnight at our
hotel and get our first glimpse of the beautiful Sea of Galilee.
This
day will be an exciting day in the Galilee area. After a delicious
breakfast we will depart from the Roman hot springs resort city of
Tiberias via a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum (John
6:24) to visit the ancient ruins of this first century synagogue where
Jesus preached (Matthew 4:13-17). Then on to the Mt. of Beatitudes where
Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and to Tabgha, the
chapel dedicated to the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mark
6:34-44). We will then proceed to Upper Galilee and the site of Peter's
Confession (Matthew 16:16) at Caesarea Philippi and to Mt. Hermon (Psalm
89:12), the probable site of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8) and
the present day Golan Heights where Israel, Lebanon and Syria come
together. We will follow the fresh mountain waters of Mt. Hermon to the
Sea of Galilee and to the outlet passage at the southern tip of the sea.
We will stop at the beautiful Pilgrims Park at the Jordan River. Return
to our hotel for overnight.
Drive
to the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. Visit the
Chapel of the Ascension, the Church of Pater Noster and Dominus Flevit.
Walk along Hosanna Road to the Garden of Gethsemane. Visit the Church of
the Nations which stands on the Rock of the Agony. See the Pillar of
Absalom, the Eastern (Golden) Gate and the Pinnacle of the Temple.
After lunch drive to Mt. Zion. Visit the Church of St. Peter in
Gallicantu on the site of Caiphas' House, the Upper Room, the Tomb of
King David and the Dormition. Continue to tour the new part of
Jerusalem: the Hebrew University, the Shrine of the Book that houses
the Dead Sea Scrolls, Ein Karem - the birthplace of John the Baptist -
Kennedy Memorial and the Model City at the Holy Land Hotel. Return to
our hotel for dinner and overnight.
View the Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives from the Eastern Gate as
we start a walking tour to the Old City of Jerusalem entering through
St. Stephen's Gate to the Pool of Bethesda, Saint Anne's Church, the
Ecce Homo Arch (Behold the Man), the Lithostrotos and the Via Dolorosa.
Continue to the temple area of Mt. Moriah. Visit the Dome of the Rock,
El Aksa Mosque and the Wailing Wall. Walk through the Old City bazaars
to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. View the Tower of David and the
Citadel as we leave the Old City through Jaffa Gate. After lunch visit
the Garden Tomb and Golgotha - Place of the Skull - for a worship
service. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
