Day by Day Travel Itinerary

• DAY 01 Wed . Oct . 21

  Depart USA

  Today we depart for our flight to Tel Aviv, Israel, with a connection in Newark

• DAY 02 Thu . Oct . 22

  ARRIVE TEL AVIV / CAESAREA / NAZARETH

  Upon arrival in the morning and after clearing customs, we will be met by our guide, and we will start our tour of the Holy Land by driving north west through the Sharon Plain to Caesarea by-the-Sea. Here we begin where the baptism of Gentiles: at Caesarea Maritima (Focus on Acts 10). We include the sunken harbor, the hippodrome, the theater and the Roman aqueduct. Then we drive to Muhraka (“burnt offering”) on Mt. Carmel, with a panorama of the Plain of Jezreel (Esdraelon). Continue passing Megiddo for the background to Armageddon. After surveying the Plain of Jezreel from the Mount of Precipice we proceed then to spend time getting acquainted with Nazareth and walking through the present-day bazaar to the site of the ancient village, where today stands the Church of the Annunciation. We then proceed to our hotel on the shores of the Sea of Galilee for dinner and the next three overnights.

• DAY 03 Fri . Oct . 23

  THE LOWER GALILEE

  This morning, we drive west through Poriah. We arrive at the foot of Mt. Tabor where there is the little village of Naim where Jesus raised the only son of the poor widow from the dead (Luke 7:11-17). We take taxis up to the top of Mt. Tabor. The elevation provides an utterly commanding view of all of lower Galilee, and the valley of the Armageddon. Visit the site of the Transfiguration where we also will have time for a contemplative prayer from this location. We take the taxis back down to base regain our bus and drive down into the Jezreel Valley and then up the lower Galilee heading nearby Sepphoris, a stunning example of a mixed (Jewish-Gentile) city. After a stop at Cana, where Jesus performed his first sign (John 2), we drive back to the Sea of Galilee where we will visit the town of Capernaum, where we visit the synagogue and the place where early Christians remembered Peter’s house. We end the day at our hotel on the Sea of Galilee.

• DAY 04 Sat . Oct . 24

  A DAY ON THE SEA OF GALILEE

  We drive along the Sea of Galilee to Tabgha (short for Heptapagon, “seven springs”) to view the mosaics in the Church of the Loaves and Fishes. Ascending the Mt. of Beatitudes, we listen to Jesus’ teachings. On an ancient trade route, we pass Hazor and then go on to Dan. Here we do a nature walk and visit the high place where Jeroboam, son of Nebat set up a golden calf. We continue to Caesarea Philippi (Banias), where Peter answered Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” Our route then takes us over the Golan Heights, skirting Mt. Hermon, with a view toward Damascus. We will have a special baptismal service at the Jordan River. If you wish to be baptized or reaffirm your faith again by baptism, plan to join this ceremony. We end the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

• DAY 05 Sun . Oct . 25

  THE BIBLICAL HEARTLAND / JERICHO

  This morning, we drive along the western shores of the Sea of Galilee heading south into the Jordan Valley. We drive through the Jezreel Valley west to visit Ein Harod. We then drive back and connect with the Jericho/Jerusalem highway and cross the Judean Desert to ascend towards Jerusalem. Ascending the Roman road along Wadi Qilt, we stop for a look at the picturesque St. George’s Monastery built deep in Wadi Kelt. We continue on the main road to Jerusalem passing by the Good Samaritan Inn. Finally, atop Mt. Scopus, we behold majestic Jerusalem! Drive down into the city and check in to our hotel for dinner and overnight for the next five nights.

• DAY 06 Mon . Oct . 26

  MASADA / JERUSALEM

  This morning, we drive on the western shores of the Dead Sea to the southernmost point, Masada, last stronghold of the Jewish rebels in 73 AD rising 1,200 feet above the desert plain. See the restoration efforts on remains of buildings dating back to the fourth and fifth centuries AD. We then drive north to Qumran for a look at one of the caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were found by a Bedouin shepherd in 1948. We stop at Ein Gedi and climb a mountain path to the waterfall where David may have hidden when he was running from Saul. Later this afternoon we will head to the beach on the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the face of the earth. Enjoy a float (even if you can’t swim!) you can still enjoy a mud bath! After this we will head back to our hotel in Jerusalem.

• DAY 07 Sun . Feb . 02

  JERUSALEM / BETHLEHEM

  After breakfast, we continue past the Dung Gate and up Mt. Zion to the church grounds called Peter in Gallicantu, which affords the best view of early Jerusalem from the west. Here, the Assumptionist Fathers propose, was the house where the High Priest Caiaphas interrogated Jesus. Continuing on Mt. Zion we visit the Upper Room, the traditional site of the Last Supper and King David’s Tomb on the grounds of Mt. Zion. We’ll end the day at Mount Scopus for a private communion service sitting on the wall overlooking Jerusalem. We drive south to Bethlehem, noting its relation to the rest of the central mountain range, including Jerusalem, as well as to the desert and the area of ancient Moab and the “Shepherds’ Fields. Here we rejoice over the glad tidings of the birth of Jesus. Next, we continue into Bethlehem itself, walking through the restored old town to the Church of the Nativity and visiting the manger and Jerome’s Grotto where he lived and translated the Vulgate Bible. We’ll have time for shopping in Bethlehem before returning to our hotel in Jerusalem.

• DAY 08 Wed . Oct . 28

  JERUSALEM / JACOB’S WELL AND SEBASTIA

  This day we will start the tour with an orientation to the beautiful city of Jerusalem, the hub of the three monotheistic religions. Our tour starts with an ascent up the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of the Old City and then progresses to the Old City of Jerusalem. We walk down the Palm Sunday Road to the Church of Dominus Flevit and reflect on Jesus’ weeping over the city that has yet to know peace. We next stop at the beautiful Russian Church of Maria Magdelena before we get to the Church of Gethsemane, meditating on the sorrow of Jesus the night preceding his judgment. We will marvel at the gnarled ancient olive trees and gather for prayer in the garden. We then drive through the Kidron called the Valley of Jehosafat, where God will judge the nations of the world. Continuing north we go through to visit Nablus and Sebastia. The Biblical heartland, Nablus (Schechem), is the standing stone of Joshua where he renewed the covenant. and to Jacob’s Well at Sychar, where Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman.

• DAY 09 Thu . Oct . 29

  OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM

  First thing this morning, we can opt to take the ramparts walk on the Old City Walls from Jaffa Gate to the Western Wall. Descend from the Old City Wall and take the time to examine the ruins near the south side of the Temple complex, which includes steps where you may be certain that Jesus taught, and He and his disciples walked. We walk up to the Western Wall Judaism holiest site and view the Dome of the Rock the masterpiece of Islamic art. Spend some time walking around the Jewish Quarter. Walk along the Cardo, the ancient Roman road; View the Broad Wall. Exit Jerusalem by Dung Gate and continue walking along the path to the City of David. The tour starts with a 10 minute 3-D movie. It gives a visual timeline of the geography of the City of David from the original settlement to present day. Then descend into the ground to Hezekiah’s tunnel built somewhere near 700 B.C. and was needed to bring fresh water from outside the fortified City of DaviD so that the city would have drinking water during any siege. As part of the tour, you can do the 40-minute walk in knee-high water from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam. The rest of the afternoon is left free for personal interest, or an option to visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial Museum. This evening, we have a special treat, walking through underground tunnels to see the remnants of the Temple Mount of Jesus’ day including hewn stones of over 400 tons!

• DAY 10 Fri . Oct . 30

  JERUSALEM / SHOPPING / FAREWELL DINNER

  We transfer to St. Stephens Gate and walk through the gate to the Church of St. Anne a Byzantine Basilica and possesses amazing acoustics perfect for Gregorian chant, with sounds moving across the open space and up from the grotto. This makes the church a pilgrimage site for soloists and choirs. Also, in the same compound we view the two Pools of Bethesda built during the Roman period as a pagan shrine to either the Egyptian god Serapis or the Greek god Asclepius, both gods of healing and it is where Jesus healed the crippled person. Along the Via Dolorosa - “Sorrowful Road,” we see the stations connected with Jesus’ crucifixion. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre represents the final station where He was crucified. Then we walk through the Arab Souks and bazaars to Damascus Gate. This evening, we will have a farewell dinner before we transfer back to Ben Gurion Airport for our flight back home.

• DAY 11 Sat . Oct . 31

  ARRIVE U.S.A

  Today we arrive back in the USA on our flight from Tel Aviv