Tour members meet and depart the USA on our flight to Tel Aviv, Israel. After take-off we are served dinner according to flight schedule. Enjoy the flight as we anticipate a great time in Israel.

We arrive in Tel Aviv where we are met by our agent who assists us through customs and security. We then transfer to our motor coach where we meet our guide & driver. Our pilgrimage begins with a stop at the Valley of Elah, where David meets the Giant Goliath (depending on the groups flight arrival time). We will then drive to our hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and our first night in the Holy Land! 

Our tour this morning begins with a drive to the top of the Mount of Olives to see a panoramic view of the Holy City. We then walk The Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane with its ancient olive grove. We stop for a time of reflection and devotion. Adjacent is the Church of Agony. We then walk across the Kidron Valley to St. Stephen’s Gate (to the “Old City”) to visit St. Anne’s Crusader Church and Pools of Bethesda. The street begins the “Via Dolorosa” & we stop to see The Stone Pavement, where Jesus stood before Pilate. We walk through the Ecco Homo Arch on the Via Dolorosa, which ends in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is an ancient church, built in the 4th Century; and covers where Jesus was crucified and resurrected. Of interest is Station #6, the authentic gate location Jesus passed through to Calvary! After lunch, we walk to the holiest site in the Jewish world, the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) of Herod’s temple. Beyond the wall lies the 35-acre Temple Mount, bought by King David (2 Sam. 24) and expanded by King Herod. On this site is the Dome of the Rock (the third holiest Islam shrine) and the El-Aksa Mosque. We then go to the North side of the city to view King Solomon’s quarry, a unique site which is beneath the Holy City. After dinner in our hotel, we will meet for a time to get better acquainted.

This morning starts with a visit the Archaeological Park, where we walk past the “Pinnacle of the Temple”, to the Southern Steps. Jesus & disciples would have walked here, with all those going “up to the Temple”. We’ll note the Hulda Gates, the entrance to and exit from the Temple Mount. Some believe this is the place where Pentecost occurred! It is one place in the city that can hold at least 3000 people. Next is the Rabbinical Tunnel, near the Western Wall, which shows the massive wall from Jesus’ era. A bus ride to west Jerusalem takes us to a 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem as it would have appeared in Jesus’ day. Adjacent is the Shrine of the Book, the museum of the Dead Sea Scrolls. We also will see several Biblical related displays in the nearby Archaeological Museum. A significant stop is our visit to the Yad Vashem, the Holocaust History Museum. We return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. OPTIONAL AFTER DINNER: A WALK INTO THE “OLD CITY” to experience Jerusalem at night and another view of The Western Wall.

On this unique day, we begin with a drive to the Wilderness, experiencing a drop of 4000 feet in 13 miles. After a drive to the south end of the Dead Sea, we take a cable car to the top of Masada, to explore the mountain fortress of King Herod. Next we have the opportunity to float or wade in the Dead Sea, followed by lunch at Ein Bokek. We then travel to Ein Gedi (1 Samuel 24) and enjoy this unique oasis in the desert as we walk to the first waterfall. Next, we explore Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, before returning to our hotel in Jerusalem.

Our visits begin at St. Peter’s in Gallicantu, where we see the possible dungeon of Jesus the night before crucifixion. Then we tour the City of David and new excavations of the king’s palace. We next experience the highlight of Hezekiah’s Tunnel from 700 BC! You can walk either the dry tunnel or the water tunnel. Those walking the water tunnel (about knee high) should bring a headlight and water shoes. Both groups will then meet at the newly excavated Pool of Siloam. We continue to Bethlehem for lunch at Nissan Bros Restaurant. We will visit their olive wood workshop and shop at Nissan Bros Souvenir Store. We then visit the ancient Church of the Nativity & the Shepherd’s Field. We return to Jerusalem for our last evening dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Our day begins with a drive through the Wilderness of Judea, stopping along the Wadi Kelt to view the “Valley of the Shadow of Death” (Psalm 23). Our next stop is in the Jordan Valley to view the Biblical sites of Jericho (Joshua 6) & the Mount of Temptation. We have lunch in Jericho before visiting Seeds of Hope’s amazing ministry & school. We then visit the Jordan River baptism site, followed by a special stop & presentation at Shiloh. where the Tabernacle & Ark of the Covenant stood for over 300 years. We then travel north to Harad Spring, where Gideon chose 300 men to fight the massive Philistine army (Judges 7). It is at the base of Mount Gilboa. Time permitting, we will stop at ancient Dothan, where Joseph was put in a well by his brothers (Genesis 37), and where angels protected the city & Elisha (2 Kings 6). Next, we visit Beit Shean, the best-preserved city of the Decapolis (“10 Greek cities”). It is also the city where the Philistines hung the dead bodies of Saul & Jonathan (1 Sam 31). We then drive to and around the West side of the Sea of Galilee, passing through Tiberias, founded by Caesar in 22 AD. Our hotel is located on the Northwest coast of the Sea of Galilee, Nof Ginosar (ginosar.co.il). 

It’s great to wake up on the shore of the Sea of Galilee! We begin our tour at the top of Mount Arbel, directly west of the Sea of Galilee, for a great view of the Sea of Galilee. Looking west we see the Horns of Hattin, where 12,000 crusaders died to end the Crusades on July 4, 1187. Below the mountain we visit the ruins of Magdala, home of Mary Magdalene. We will sit in the ancient synagogue for a presentation and visit the unique chapel. We descend to the lower level to see the dramatic painting, “The Encounter”! Then, we continue to the Mt. of Beatitudes (Matt. 7) with time for reflection, and walk to the shore of the Sea of Galilee for these Biblical sites: “Seven Springs” (Mark 6 - Feeding of the 5000), “St. Peter’s Primacy” church (John 21 – Jesus’ breakfast); plus an opportunity to walk on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Another memorable site is a visit to Capernaum (St. Peter’s house & the synagogue). We enjoy dinner and overnight at the Nof Ginosar kibbutz.

We travel to Mount Tabor, in the Jezreel Valley, known fortwo Biblical events: Deborah & Barak defeat of Sisera’s army (Judges 4 & 5), and a possible site of Jesus’ Transfiguration (Matthew 17). We continue to Nazareth (Luke 1 & 2) for three memorable visits: The Church of the Annunciation, The Precipice Hill (Luke 4) and then a special lunch visit with George & Souad Kawaneh, Palestinian Christian missionaries to Muslims, with “Hand of Love”. Our day ends with both a wooden boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, and a visit the Ancient Boat Museum, which shows a first-century boat discovered on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Our day begins with Mt. Carmel (Elijah & the Prophets of Baal (I Kings 18) taking time for devotions and the view of Nazareth across the Jezreel Valley. Next is the strategic city of Megiddo. We view a video of its long history, and then a walk through the site, see Solomon’s stables, and walk through the “escape tunnel”. We continue to Caesarea Maritima (Acts 9 & 25) stopping at the theatre & palace, view the “Pilate Stone” and aqueduct. Then we travel to Netanya for a brief tour along the coast, time permitting. Our “farewell dinner” at our hotel in Netanya follows.

Morning transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for our flight back to the U.S.A. As we close an unforgettable tour, we bring with us lasting memories of the Old and New Testaments, a renewal of our faith, and a rich understanding of the ministry of our Lord Jesus!