12-Day Holy Lands

DAY 01:  USA / TEL AVIV.  Tour members will gather at the ticket counter at the airport two hours prior to their departure to Tel Aviv.  Dinner and breakfast will be served in-flight.

DAY 02:  TEL AVIV.  Upon our arrival at the Tel Aviv airport we will be met and taken to Ancient Joppa on the Sea, where Jonah set sail, and where Peter raised Dorcas from the dead.  Joppa was the home of Simon the Tanner.  Then, continue to our hotel in Herzlia - 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 on the beach after dinner.

DAY 03:  TEL AVIV / GALILEE.  After breakfast, we drive through the citrus groves and farms of the rich land of Sharon, northward to Caesarea, the Roman city of Herod where sights include Crusader fortifications and the Roman aqueducts and amphitheater.  Driving through the Jezreel Valley to the fields of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16) and Megiddo.  Continuing northward along the Mediterranean Sea to Haifa and Mt. Carmel - the biblical site of Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal (I Kings:18).  Traveling eastward across Galilee, we will view Mt. Tabor (Psalm 89:12), Deboriya - the hometown of the prophetess Deborah - at the foothill of Mt. Tabor (Judges 4 and 5).  Overnight at our hotel on the shores of the beautiful Sea of Galilee.

DAY 04:  TIBERIAS / CAPERNAUM / CAESAREA PHILLIPI / MT. HERMON / GOLAN HEIGHTS.  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 the first century synagogue where Jesus preached (Matt. 4:13-17).  Then, on to the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the "Sermon on the Mount" (Matt. 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 (Matt. 16:16) at Caesarea Phillipi and to Mt. Hermon (Psalm 89:12) the probable site of the Transfiguration (Matt. 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 05:  TIBERIAS / BETHLEHEM / JERUSALEM.  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. Then, we continue to Bethlehem and the Church of The Nativity, Manger Square, the Christmas Bell and Rachel's Tomb. Visit the Fields of Boaz and Shepherd's Fields and Caves.  Shopping time in Bethlehem before driving to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

DAY 06:  JERUSALEM.  Drive up to the Mt. of Olives for a panoramic early morning view of the city.  Visits include the Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster and Dominus Flevit.  Walk the Hosanna Road if you like.  Stop at the Garden of Gethsemane and Church of All Nations.  View the Golden Gate, the Pool of Siloam and Hezekiah's Tunnel.  Afternoon visits include St. Peter's in Gallicantu, Mt. Zion, King David's Tomb, Room of the Last Supper, Shrine of the Book housing the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Yad Vashem Memorial.  View Chagall's famed windows, the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), Menorah, Kennedy Memorial and Hebrew University.  Final stop at the remarkable Model of Ancient Jerusalem.

DAY 07:  OLD WALLED CITY / JERICHO / QUMRAN / MASADA / DEAD SEA.  This morning our tour takes us within the ancient Old Walled City, highlighted by the Western (Wailing) Wall, the Temple area, Dome of the Rock, Via Dolorosa, Ecce Homo Arch, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Pilate's Judgment Hall, Chapel of the Flagellation, Pool of Bethesda, David's Tower, Damascus and Jaffa Gates.  Then, visit the garden city of Jericho, oldest city in the world, dominated by the Mount of Temptation, on our way to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.  Continue to Qumran Caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947.  Continue to Masada, truly a 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 6th century Byzantine Church are still on view.  Overnight at our hotel on the Dead Sea.

DAY 08:  DEAD SEA / PETRA.  Today we depart the Dead Sea for Petra via the Wadi Araba Bridge.  This ancient Edomite and Nabatean capital is an amazing city of prophecy.  See this spectacular "City of the Dead" with its famed gorge, ancient street, temples, dwelling places and tombs carved from the solid rock. Arrive at El Ji Post and continue the one-mile journey on horseback, or walk, passing through the famous SIQ (natural gorge) and arrive at the "Treasury". Visit the ancient theater.  In the Nabatean Judgment Hall, Place Tombs, famous Urn Temple and the Roman amphitheater.  Those willing to climb may view the monastery, Jebel Harun (Mountain of Aaron), supposed to be the burial place of Aaron.  Horseback journey back to El Ji Post.

DAY 09: PETRA / ST. CATHERINE’S. This morning we depart Petra on our way to St. Catherine's. We again cross  via the Wadi Araba Bridge to Egypt. When we cross the border into Egypt we will be met by our Egyptian guide and driver. Early dinner and overnight to prepare ourselves for the early morning activities planned for tomorrow.

DAY 10:  ST. CATHERINE'S / CAIRO.  Very early morning.  At 2:00 am, assisted by a Bedouin guide, ascend a flight of 3,000 steps to the top of Mt. Horeb.  A picnic breakfast is provided.  Descending at 8:30 am we will visit the monastery grounds and buildings.  The chapel, library and ossuary (bones of the saints of many centuries) will provide a lifetime experience.  At 10:30 am, we leave on our way through the Sinai Desert to Cairo for dinner and overnight.

DAY 11: CAIRO / GIZA.  Morning visit to the Egyptian Museum to view many specimens of finest antiquities, including precious collections from the Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amon.  Then drive through the city past Cairo University to Giza.  Visit Cheops Pyramid and the Sphinx.  Camels or horses will be available to ride to the Pyramid Plateau.  Afternoon sightseeing drive along the Nile Corniche, past East El Ainin Hospital to "Old Cairo" to visit the Coptic Churches of Abu Sarga associated with the Flight of the Christ Child to Egypt and visit Ben Ezra Synagogue, AMR Mosque and the site of the Nile where Moses was found in the bulrushes.  Drive via Republic Square, past Abdin Palace to Sultan Ahassan Mosque, the Citadel, Mohammed Aly Mosque for a panoramic view of Cairo, through the City of the Dead, El Azhas University to the native bazaars of Khan El Kahalili where time is allowed for browsing and shopping. Overnight at our hotel.

DAY 12: CAIRO / TEL AVIV / NORTH AMERICA.  Early this morning we transfer to Tel Aviv Airport for our return flight home to North America. We bring photographs, gifts and unforgettable impressions of an in-depth inspirational journey enhanced by our rich fellowship together.