Welcome to Israel! Upon arrival into Ben Gurion International Airport, you are met by our Kenes staff at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Tel Aviv for dinner and overnight

Overnight, Tel Aviv.

Following a delicious Israeli buffet breakfast (which you will enjoy each morning prior to departing for your day of touring), depart Tel Aviv. Drive north along the coastal plain to Caesarea (Acts 9.30 Acts 10 24-48), capital of Judea under the Romans. Visit the excavations of this ancient city, the Roman theatre and aqueduct. Continue to Megiddo (1 Kings 4.28, 9,15, 2 Kings 23,29 & Revel. 16.16), identified as the site of Armageddon. Visit the archaeological excavations at Megiddo, including the well-preserved water supply system. Drive to the beautiful port city of Haifa, nestled on the Mediterranean Sea, for a panoramic view of the Bahai gardens and Haifa Bay. From Haifa continue to Acre (Micah 1.10), capital of the Crusaders for more than a century. Visit the ancient city and harbour before continuing eastwards across the plains of the Galilee.

Dinner and Overnight, Kibbutz Lavi, Galilee.

After a short tour of the Kibbutz grounds we take a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum (Matt. 4.13 13.54, 17.24, Luke 7, Mark 1.2, John 4.46-54). Visit the remains of the 2nd century synagogue. Proceed to Tabgha (Matt. 13, Mark .33-45, & John 21), the site of the miracle of fish and loaves, and visit the Church of Multiplication with its 4th century mosaic floor. Continue to the Mount of the Beatitudes (Matt. 5,6,7,8), where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Drive to the Banias Spring and Waterfall (Matt. 16.13 and Mark 8.27), where Jesus was recognized as The Messiah by His Disciples. Tour the Golan Heights, with its valleys, grazing land and snow capped mountains. Return to Kibbutz Lavi for dinner and overnight.

Overnight, Kibbutz Lavi, Galilee.

Begin the day with a drive to Nazareth (Luke 1.26, 4.16-29, Matthew 2.23) via Cana of Galilee (John 2.1-11). In Nazareth, we will visit the Church of the Annunciation, St. Joseph’s Workshop and Mary’s Well. Next on our program is the Jordan River Baptismal site. Continue to Beit Shean, one of the ancient Decapolis cities (Mark 5.20, 7.31), and visit the Roman theatre. This is the city where Saul and his son Jonathan were nailed to the walls (1st Samuel 31.10). Judges 1.27 also mentions Beit Shean. Continue south along the shores of the River Jordan. Passing Jericho, we proceed westward and climb to the Golden City of Jerusalem.

Dinner and Overnight, Jerusalem.

Today we visit the Old City of Jerusalem. Our appreciation of this Golden City begins with a panoramic view from the Mount of Olives, overlooking the walls of the old city and the ancient Jewish cemetery. Enter the Old City to begin exploring the wonders of Jerusalem. Visit the Church of All Nations. Proceed to Mount Zion to see the tomb of King David and the nearby Room of the Last Supper (Mark 14.13, Luke 22. 10-38, Matt 26 17-29, Acts 1.13 and Acts 2 The Pentecost). Walk through the Cardo, the main street of Jerusalem 2000 years ago. View the Temple Mount and the Western Wall. Walk along the Via Dolorosa, where Jesus carried His Cross. Continue to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Matt. 27. 33-57, 28.10). No visit to Jerusalem is complete without a walk through the colourful Arab bazaar (a chance to test your negotiating skills).

Dinner and Overnight, Jerusalem.

Today’s program is dedicated to the new city of Jerusalem.  Visit the model of ancient Jerusalem. Continue to Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.  Enter the site by walking along the Street of the Righteous Gentiles, dedicated to the non-Jews that risked their lives in order to save their Jewish neighbors.  Continue to Ein Karem, birthplace of John the Baptists (Luke 1.39-80). This Spanish style church and Mary’s well is where Mother Mary met her cousin Elizabeth. Proceed to Bethlehem* to visit the Church of the Nativity (see note).

Dinner and overnight, Jerusalem.

Drive through the Judean Desert to Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947 by a Bedouin boy. Visit the ancient city of Qumran and drive along the shore of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, to Massada, the last stronghold of the Jews after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 A.D. Ascend Massada by cable car and visit the food storeroom, water irrigation system, and Herod’s Palace. Time and weather permitting, an opportunity will be provided to float in the dead sea.

Dinner and Overnight, Jerusalem.

Drive from Jerusalem to the border crossing procedures to enter Jordan. Proceed to Jerash - city of the Decapolis, located about 45Km North of Amman in the fertile heights of the Gilad, visit the ancient Roman city with colonnaded streets, the baths and the hill of the top Temple etc. Then drive to Amman for a city tour of the Jordanian Capital.

Overnight in Amman

After early breakfast, leave the hotel and travel south on the road to Wadi Musa. Then on horseback to the "Siq" (canyon) and then on foot to Petra known as "Sela Edom" or red rock city, the ancient capital of the Nabateans from 3rd century B.C. to 2nd Century A.D. Visit the most interesting monuments, such as the Treasury, El Khazneh (a tomb of a Nabatean king) then the field of tombs, obelisks, the altar, (Al Madhbah) from this point you can view the whole of the rock city, then back to Wadi Musa village and drive back to Amman for overnight.

Overnight in Amman

Drive to Madaba to see the ancient mosaic map of the Holyland and ruins of historical sites. Continue about 10Kms. to Mount Nebo, from where Moses viewed the Promised Land. From there you will see the Jordan Valley, Jericho, Dead Sea, etc. Visit the remains of a Byzantine church with a mosaic floor. Drive to the border and re cross into Israel.

Transfer to Jerusalem or to Tel Aviv. ( Optional extra night available upon request! )

* Bethlehem visit subject to availability
Note: All itineraries are subject to change

Rates

For 2011-2012 Tour Rates Click Here

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