Biblical Archaeology Tour (9 Days / 8 Nights)

DAY 1

Group Flight Arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport

Experience Jaffa – the ancient port and the house of Simon the Tanner

Lodging & Dinner: Grand Beach, Tel Aviv

 

DAY 2

Explore Caesarea Maritima – Herod’s City, the home of Pontius Pilate, Peter, Paul & Philip (Theatre, Praetorium, Hippodrome & Aqueduct)

See where Elijah fought the Prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel

Enjoy a comprehensive visit to Tel Megiddo in the valley of Armageddon

Visit the newly discovered first-century ruins of Nazareth & the Church of the Annunciation

Drive via Cana of Galilee

Lodging & Dinner: Ron Beach, Sea of Galilee

 

DAY 3

Set sail on the Sea of Galilee and hear the music of Dani Carmel, a local Messianic

Dock at Ginosar (Lake Genessaret)

Visit the 1st century Galilee boat at Ginosar’s Yigal Allon Museum

Delve into the archaeological remains at Capernaum, mentioned more times in the New Testament than any other city

Lookout over the road to Damascus and Mount Hermon

Drive around the ‘other side’ of the Sea of Galilee

Enjoy and relax in the hot springs at Hamat Gader

Lodging & Dinner: Ron Beach, Sea of Galilee

 

DAY 4

Visit the Jordan River at Qasr el Yahud, the most likely area where Jesus’ was baptized by John

Visit Qumran, where some of the Dead Sea Scroll caves were copied and Cave 11

End the day at the Ein Gedi Nature Walk to the lower waterfall

Experience Masada, Herod the Great’s desert fortress

Enjoy the rest of the afternoon relaxing and swimming at the Dead Sea

Lodging & Dinner: Prima Kings, Jerusalem

 

DAY 5

See Herodian Jericho

Begin the day at Mt Gerizim (see where the Samaritans perform their sacrifices) and lookout over Shechem Explore the city of Nablus which rises above the Valley of Shechem

See Joseph’s Tomb and Tel Shechem

Explore the ruins of Samaria (the capital of the Israelite Empire under Omri and Ahab)

Experience ancient Shilo and see where the tabernacle once had been stationed

Lodging & Dinner: Prima Kings, Jerusalem

 

DAY 6

Walk onto the Temple Mount to see the site of the former temple and today’s Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque

Visit the Temple Institute

Have a late lunch in the Jewish Quarter

Visit the Jewish Quarter to see Hezekiah's Broad Wall & The Cardo

Go underground to visit the 1^st century Herodian Quarter

Visit the Western Wall Tunnels

Visit the newest excavations in the City of David and wade through Hezekiah’s tunnel or the Canaanite tunnel

Lodging & Dinner: Prima Kings, Jerusalem

 

DAY 7

Climb up the artificial hill of Herodium to see Herod’s fortress, tomb and tunnels from the Great Revolts

Visit Hebron

Journey to Beit Guvrin (ancient Maresha, the home of the prophet Micah) and participate in an archaeological excavation and crawl through caves & tunnels

Lookout from Tel Beth Shemesh (where the ark was returned by the Philistines) and over Zorah and Eshtaol (Samson’s birthplace)

Lodging & Dinner: Prima Kings, Jerusalem

 

DAY 8

Enjoy a leisurely morning of shopping on your own in the Old City

11:00 - Visit Gordon’s Calvary and Tomb

Journey to the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book & Model of the 2nd Temple, the Dead Sea Scrolls and also have some time on your own in the new Archaeology wing

Drive-through the town of Ein Kerem, the traditional birthplace of John the Baptist

Free time in Jerusalem in the afternoon

Lodging & Dinner: Prima Kings, Jerusalem

 

DAY 9

Explore Bethlehem (Shepherds’ Fields)

Drive to the Elah Valley, where David fought Goliath, and gather your own 5 smooth stones

Walk along the Road to Emmaus in the town of Abu Ghosh

Enjoy a farewell dinner in Abu Gosh

Transfer to airport