12 Day Tour

 

Day 1 - SATURDAY

Departure from North American or other International Gateway

Day 2 - SUNDAY
Welcome to Israel! Upon arrival into Ben Gurion International Airport, you are met and assisted by our airport representative and brought to your guide. Proceed to your hotel in Tel Aviv for dinner and overnight.

Day 3 - MONDAY
Caesarea / Megiddo / Haifa / Acre
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. Visit the world famous Persian Gardens at the Bahai Temple. From Haifa, drive 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 to Kibbutz Hotel Lavi, not far from the Sea of Galilee, dinner and overnight. After dinner, an evening lecture by one of the Kibbutz members about life in a Kibbutz.

Day 4 - TUESDAY
Tiberias / Capernaum / Banias
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.

Day 5 - WEDNESDAY
Nazareth / Beit Shean
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 shall 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 of Jordan. Passing Jericho, we proceed westward and climb to the Golden City of Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 6 - THURSDAY
Jerusalem - Old City
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). Continue to visit the Garden Tomb. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 7 - FRIDAY
Jerusalem – New City and Bethlehem
Today’s program is dedicated to the new city of Jerusalem. Visit the model of ancient Jerusalem at the Holy Land Hotel. 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. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 8 - SATURDAY
Dead Sea / Massada
Drive through the Judean Desert to Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls where 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 on the Dead Sea.
Return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Day 9 - SUNDAY
Beer Sheva /Sde Boker / Mitzpe Ramon / Eilat
Travel south to the Negev desert; Visit Israel’s Air Force Museum at Hatzerim to view the planes and equipment and to hear the story of this brave fighting force. Stop for a camel riding experience and a visit to an authentic Bedouin tent, learn about the Bedouin hospitality and enjoy a light lunch. Proceed to visit Sde Boker and see Ben Gurion’s hut and grave, overlooking the magnificent Zin valley. Stop at Mitzpeh Ramon to gaze into the Ramon Crater, an otherworldly geological wonder. Arrive to Eilat for overnight.

Day 10 - MONDAY
Day at leisure in Eilat
Stroll around the city’s streets, the beach promenade and enjoy
the water sport activities – on own or take optional tour to Petra.

Optional: Tour to the Rose city of Petra.

Overnight in Eilat.

Day 11 - TUESDAY
Eilat/Timna/Tel Aviv
Visit the underwater observatory , one of the largest sea aquariums in the world, built into a coral reef. Drive to Timna to see the copper mines and King Solomon’s pillars and marvel at the huge multi-colored rock formations. Overnight in Tel Aviv.

Day 12 - WEDNESDAY
Tel Aviv/Ben Gurion Airport
After breakfast, transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your flight back home.