Tour members meet for our evening flight. After dinner is served, sit back and relax, enjoying the on-board entertainment as you prepare for this exciting adventure of a lifetime.

Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, we meet our local Israeli representative who assists us with baggage and transfers us to our motor coach. We take a short drive to Jaffa (Jonah 1, Acts 9-10) if time permits to walk through the alleyways of this port city and to see the Tel Aviv shoreline. We then make our way north to our hotel in Netanya for dinner and overnight beside the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.

After an abundant breakfast buffet, we journey north along the coast to Caesarea, built 2000 years ago by King Herod. We walk through the ancient theater, the Crusader city and the fantastic aqueduct that served as a backdrop for the book of Acts. From here we depart to Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18), site of Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal. Then we proceed to Megiddo (Armageddon; 1 Kings 9:15; Rev. 16:16). From here we ascend to the one of the high peaks of Mt. Gilboa where King Saul and his sons died (1 Samuel 31). Finally, we cross the Jezreel Valley to the precipice of Nazareth (Luke 1 and 4). We end our day here as we are introduced to the life and ministry of Jesus in this area. Driving through Cana (John 2), we finally arrive at the outskirts of Tiberias (John 6:23). We arrive at our “kibbutz hotel” located right on the Sea of Galilee shoreline. After dinner, we enjoy sitting together for a time of fellowship and worship.

We begin the day by driving into the Golan Heights. Circling the northern end of the Sea of Galilee we will see where the Feeding of the 5,000 took place (John 6). Driving to the southeastern corner of the lake we ascend to the site of Hippos (also called Susita). This was a massive Roman city, one of the Decapolis cites mentioned in the Gospels. Our view of the lake below will be panoramic here from the small theater! Up on the plateau of the Golan Heights is the site of Qatzrin, a partially reconstructed Talmudic village. We see what a typical village looked like during the days of Jesus. Sitting in a reconstructed stone house, we’ll read from Mark 2 about the lame man being lowered down to Jesus through the roof. Driving along the northern border, we will stop and look into southern Syria.

We begin the day with a pre-breakfast hike to “Hill 713” in the Upper Galilee to take in the sunrise! We return to the hotel for breakfast before driving to Mt. Arbel, a mountain on the northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee. We will have the option to hike to the top of this 800-foot cliff (the bus will take others to the top from the other side). The view from the top is the best of the whole Sea of Galilee below! We will consider the teaching of Jesus here about the principles of the kingdom from Matthew 5-7 and Matthew 13-14. Driving south to the southern end of the Sea of Galilee, we arrive at Yardenit. You will have the opportunity to reaffirm your baptism in the waters of the Jordan River. From here we drive back to the NW corner of the lake to Magdala, the home of Mary Magdalene. Here we will see another 1st century synagogue. Jesus must have taught from here! Among the other ruins are ritual baths. After lunch we visit Chorazin, one of the three cities condemned by Jesus (Mt. 11). We see the basaltic ruins of this city, including a synagogue dating to the 3rd century AD. Close by on the water’s edge is Capernaum, the home center of ministry for Jesus here in Galilee. Here we read about the many stories related to the ministry of Jesus in the 4th-5th century synagogue. We also spend some reflection time on the shoreline. It was in this area where Jesus called His first disciples. We end the day at Nof Ginnosar to see the “Jesus boat” from the first century, a vessel found here along the shores of Galilee in 1986. This is also where we board a small boat for a quiet and peaceful worship service on the Sea of Galilee. Upon landing, we return to our hotel for dinner and a free evening.

We begin the day by driving south to the Jordan Valley to the site of Beth Shean (1 Sam. 31), an impressive Roman city of the Decapolis. Driving south along the Jordan Valley and then turning west into the area of Samaria, we visit the rather new excavations of Shiloh. This is where the Tabernacle once stood. Here we see impressive archaeological ruins dating to the days of Samuel. Driving past Bethel (Gen. 12, 28) and through the Desert of Pareth (Jeremiah 13), our next stop is Jericho. After a late lunch here, we climb the tel (ancient mound) to see portions of the fortification wall that supported the mud-brick walls that “came tumblin’ down” (Joshua 6). From here we drive up through the Judean Desert to see St. George Monastery built into the face of the cliff. To end the day you will have the opportunity to an optional hike down to the bottom of the canyon and take the trail to New Testament Jericho. From here we drive to the southern end of the Dead Sea to our hotel. Prior to dinner, you will have a chance to float in the salt and mineral-rich waters of this unique body of water!

This morning, we drive south along the western coastline of the Dead Sea. Our first site is Qumran. The settlement of Qumran is where the first century sect known as the Essenes authored the Dead Sea Scrolls. We’ll hike to the edge of the cliff before seeing the archaeological site and few of the caves where the scrolls were found. Next, we continue south to Ein Gedi. This is where David hid from King Saul (1 Samuel 24), We’ll also enjoy getting wet under the waterfalls here. Our last site of the day is Masada. Here we ascend high upon the wilderness mountain by way of cable car to the fortress built by King Herod. We survey the ruins of the fortifications, waterworks, synagogue, temples and palaces. An optional walk down the Snake Path will be offered (heat-index permitting). We end the day at Ein Bokek where we will have the opportunity to float in the Dead Sea. Dinner and overnight is here at our hotel also.

We begin the day by driving to the biblical Negev and to the archaeological site of Arad. This was both a Canaanite and later and Israelite city. Kings like Hezekiah and Josiah enacted their reforms in places like this (2 Kings 18, 2 Chronicles 34). We will see the false worship center built here by the Judeans. Next, we visit Sde Boker, where Ben Gurion (Israel’s first Prime Minister in 1948) is buried. We then drive to the bottom of the majestic canyon for a hike in the Zin Desert. You will have the option to hike all the way to the opposite rim of the canyon. After lunch at Avdat, we drive to the Shephelah (Lowlands) of Judah and to the archaeological site of Lachish. This was aa city that was conquered by Joshua in two days (Joshua 10), later by the Assyrians at the end of the 8th century BC (2 Chronicles 32), and eventually by the Babylonians in the 6th century BC.. Here, we see where the famous “Lachish Letters” were discovered. We hike to the top of the tel to see the palace built by Rehoboam. We end the day over looking the Elah Valley where David defeated Goliath. We will climb to the top of Azekah where we will read the dramatic story of 1 Samuel 17. We drive to the Hill Country of Judah and to Jerusalem where we check into our hotel. Following dinner, an optional walk to the famous Western Wall will be offered.

We get our first glimpse of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives, beholding a breath-taking panorama of the Holy City. We walk down the “Palm Sunday” route to the Garden of Gethsemane. Next, we enter the Old City of Jerusalem through the Lion’s Gate (St. Stephens) and visit the Pools of Bethesda (John 5). We also enjoy some marvelous singing in St. Anne’s church from the Crusader period. Our walk through the Old City will take us to the Christian Quarter and to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. In the afternoon we leave the Old City and drive southeast to Herodium. This was one of Herod the Great’s palace-fortresses. You can even view Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Tekoa, and the Judean Desert from atop this site. Herodium is where Herod was buried in 4 BC. Nearby are the Shepherd Fields. Located in Beit Sahour, we will sing a few Christmas carols in celebration of Christ’s birth. We end the day by visiting an olive factory/store in Bethlehem. We drive back to Jerusalem for dinner and a free evening.

Today is a museum day. Following breakfast, we drive to Yad Vashem and the Holocaust Memorial. Together, we will visit the Valley of the Communities, the Children’s Memorial, and then walk through the main museum on our own. In the late morning we’ll visit the fascinating Israel Museum. Here we will see three things: the model of Jerusalem (1:50 scale model of Herodian Jerusalem as it would have appeared in Jesus’ time), the Shrine of the Book where we will see some of the Dead Sea Scrolls on display, and the archaeological museum where we will see the significant artifacts that connect us to the Bible. In the afternoon we return to the Old City where we will take a walk on the Old City rampart walls. Some free time will be offered after this, with a ride back to the hotel offered at the end of the day. At the hotel we will enjoy dinner together followed by an optional walk.

We begin the day by visiting the City of David and the new excavations of David’s palace. Those who want to will take an optional walk through the water of Hezekiah’s Tunnel (1,720 feet long). We then sit on the steps of the Siloam Pool and listen to the story of John 9. From here, we walk up through an exposed Herodian drainage channel that takes us to “Robinson’s Arch” and the Southern Wall Excavations. We walk on a Roman street and ascend the Temple steps. Closely is the Western Wall, the most holy place for Jews today. We’ll visit this special place before walking up to the heart of the Jewish Quarter. Here, we’ll grab a bite to eat for lunch in the Jewish Quarter (not included) and and some free time to do last minute exploring or shopping. Our day ends at the Garden Tomb for Communion. We return back to our hotel for our “Farewell Dinner.” After eating, we will transfer to the airport for our flight back to the U.S.A. (note: some flights may be scheduled for the following morning. If this is the case, you will overnight in Jerusalem before transferring to the airport in the morning).

We arrive back in the U.S.A. After going through U.S. Customs, we board our domestic flight back to our homes at the end of a life transforming trip!