Holy Land Tour (8 Days / 7 Nights)

DAY 1

11:35 am Arrival to Ben Gurion Airport, Israel

VIP assistance at the airport

Short tour of Jaffa (biblical Joppa) the ancient seaport from which the Prophet Jonah Fled from God (Jonah 1:17) and where Peter stayed with Simon the Tanner and restored Tabitha to life (Acts 9:36-43).  

Leisure dinner and overnight Tel Aviv

Overnight and Dinner at Prima City Tel Aviv

 

DAY 2

Drive north along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, the great Roman Port city and one of the largest archeological digs in Israel. Here the Roman centurions Cornelius was baptized by Peter and became the first gentile convert to Christianity (Acts 10) and Paul was tried by Festus (Acts 25:6-12).

Mukhraka on Mount Carmel, where Elijah battled the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:25).

Megiddo (1 Kings 9:15), site of a fascinating Tel (hill) comprising 26 ancient civilizations superimposed on one another,

Lookout the Valley of Jezreel to Valley of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16).

Drive across the valley to Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus.

Visit the Church of Annunciation and Mary’s Well.

See Gideon’s Spring (Mayan Harod) and watch Judges 4 come to life.

Drive to Tiberias, overnight.

Overnight and Dinner at Golan Hotel Tiberias

 

DAY 3

The day begins by visiting the Biblical sites around the Sea of Galilee.

Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus gave the Sermon of the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12);

Capernaum, the town where Jesus lived during His Galilee ministry (Matthew 4:13, Mark 3:1);

Tabgha, where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes (Luke 9:10-17); chapel that commemorates where Jesus instructed Peter to “feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17).

Stop at Nof Ginnosar to see the 2,000-year-old “Jesus Boat” unearthed from the Sea of Galilee and a traditional Peter’s fish lunch.

Boat ride with Dani Carmel on Sea of Galilee

Lunch St Peter’s Fish

After lunch, view the “Galilee experience” audiovisual presentation.

Continue to Yardenit for a Baptism service in the Jordan River.

Dinner and Overnight at Golan Hotel Tiberias

 

DAY 4

Visit the upper Galilee and the Golan Heights to see ancient cities of Caesarea Philippi and Hazor

Mt Bental

Drive down the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea.

The first stop will be Beith Shean excavations.

Stop briefly to float on the Dead Sea.

Proceed through the wilderness of Judah

Overnight and Dinner at the Dead Sea at Prima Oasis Hotel

Shabbat Dinner at hotel David Dead Sea Resort

 

DAY 5

Begin day at Masada, ascend the mountain by cable car to view Herod’s desert fortress.

Continue to the beautiful Oasis of Ein Gedi where David hid from King Saul (1 Samuel 24).

Drive to Qumran, the home of the first century sect known as the Essenes, the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Continue to Jericho, the world’s oldest city, conquered by Joshua (Joshua 6:20).

Take the cable car from Jericho to Qarantal (the Mount of Temptation, Matthew 4:1-11) and the monastery.

Drive to Jerusalem an ascent of 4,000 feet in 13 miles, stopping at the Inn of the Good Samaritan along the way (Luke 10:24-26).

Lookout Mount Scopus view the “Golden City” as the sun sets over Jerusalem.

Overnight in Jerusalem at Prima Park Hotel Jerusalem

 

DAY 6

Begin exploring Jerusalem with a drive around the old city walls, noting the gates and quarters, their wealth of history and significance.

Lookout Jerusalem from Mount Olives to view the entire city of Jerusalem.

Chapel of Ascension

Then, walk down the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:30)

Visit Dominus Flevit, where Jesus stopped and wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41).

See the ancient olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane

Visit the beautiful Church of All Nations

Ride up Mount Zion where you will visit the Tomb of David and the Upper Room (Mark 14:12-26; Acts 1:13).

Enter the Old City through the Zion Gate, walk to the Jewish Quarter, visit the Cardo and Hezekiah’s Wall, and have your first glimpse of the Western Wall.

View the Temple Mt

Via Dolorosa

Holy Sepulcher

End the day with a communion at Garden Tomb

Overnight and Dinner at Prima Park Hotel Jerusalem

 

DAY 7

Then, return to the Old City through the Dung Gate. 

Explore the Southern Temple Excavations and the Western Wall.

Visit the Rabbinic Tunnel, which runs underground to the base of the Temple Mount, and the actual streets that Jesus and His disciples walked.  

Pools of Bethesda (John 5:1-24)

House of Caiphas

Lythostratos

Ecce Homo Arch

Oriental Market

Visit Bethlehem, the Church of the Nativity, and Manger Square (Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-7), as well as Shepherd’s Field at nearby Beit Sahour, where the “Good News” was first heard.

Overnight in Jerusalem at Prima Park

 

DAY 8

Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are kept

Drive via Elah Valley where David fought Goliath

Follow the road to Emmaus

Enjoy a farewell Middle Eastern style dinner together in Jaffa on the Mediterranean.

Transfer to Airport.