The Holy Land
Day 1 Mon, Oct 24: MINNEAPOLIS - EUROPE - TEL AVIV. Tour members gather at the ticket counter at the airport two hours prior to departure to Europe. Dinner and breakfast are served in-flight.
Day 2 Tue, Oct 25: TEL AVIV. Upon our arrival at the Tel Aviv airport, we are met and transferred to our hotel in a suburb of Tel Aviv - situated on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Dinner is served at our hotel. Weather permitting; we suggest a walk on the beach after dinner.
Day 3 Wed, Oct 26: MEDITERRANEAN SEA - CAESAREA - MT. CARMEL - HAIFA - PLAIN OF ARMAGEDDON - TIBERIAS. After a good nights rest and a hearty breakfast, we begin the thrilling journey of following in the footsteps of Jesus. At Caesarea by the Sea, we visit the Crusader's Castle, the Roman Amphitheater and water duct, and the port from which the Apostle Paul sailed to Rome. We continue northward along the Mediterranean coast to Mount Carmel where Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal by the Brook Kishon. After Haifa, we view Megiddo and the Plain of Armageddon, Jezreel and Esdraelon. Eastward, we arrive in Tiberias and get our first glimpse of the beautiful Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
Day 4 Thu, Oct 27: MT. TABOR - DEBORIYA - NAIN - BETHSHEAN - TIBERIAS. Traveling westward across Galilee, we visit Mt. Tabor (Psalms 89:12), Deboriya, the hometown of the Prophetess Deborah, at the foothill of Tabor (Judges 4 and 5). Continue to the Village of Nain where Jesus brought life to a young man (Luke 7:11-18). Then, on to Nazareth the hometown of Jesus where we tour the Church of the Annunciation (Luke 1:5-42) and Mary’s Fountain (Luke 4:16-22). On the way back, we stop by Cana—the site of Jesus first Miracle.
Day 5 Fri, Oct 28: TIBERIAS. Today is a free day at leisure for shopping or other pursuits on our own.
Day 6 Sat, Oct 29: TIBERIAS - SEA OF GALILEE - CAPERNAUM - MT. OF BEATITUDES - TABGHA - CAESAREA PHILIPPI - MT. HERMON - GOLAN HEIGHTS - JORDAN RIVER. This will be an exciting day in the Galilee area. After a delicious breakfast, we depart the Roman hot springs resort city of Tiberias via a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum (John 6:24) to walk among the ancient ruins of this first century synagogue where Jesus preached (Matthew 4:13-17). Then, on to the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and to Tabgha, the chapel dedicated to the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mark 6:34-44). We then proceed to Upper Galilee and the site of Peter's Confession (Matthew 16:16) at Caesarea Philippi and to Mt. Hermon (Psalm 89:12), the probable site of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8) and the present day Golan Heights where Israel, Lebanon and Syria come together. We follow the fresh mountain waters of Mt. Hermon to the Sea of Galilee and to the outlet passage at the southern tip of the sea. Next, we stop at the beautiful Pilgrims Park at the Jordan River. Return to our hotel for overnight.
Day 7 Sun, Oct 30: BETHSHEAN - JERICHO - BETHLEHEM - JERUSALEM. Early morning departure to Bethshean, then head south
through the Jordan Valley to ancient Jericho, where the walls came tumbling down (Joshua 6:1-27), view of the Mt. of Temptation (Matthew 4:1-11), and Elisha's Fountain. Continue to Bethlehem where we visit the Church of the Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus, and Shepherds Fields (Luke 2:1-20) then the Field of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 1:16-17 & 4:13). We return to Jerusalem passing Rachel's Tomb (if viewable) to our hotel in Jerusalem for overnight.
Day 8 Mon, Oct 31: JERUSALEM. After a night of rest and a hearty breakfast, this exciting day begins with a drive to Mt. Scopus and the Mt. of Olives (Matthew 24:3) for a panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem, visiting the Chapel of the Ascension, the Church of Pater Noster and the Dominus Flevit. Walk along Hosanna Road to the Gethsemane to see the Church of All Nations that stands on the Rock of Agony where Jesus was betrayed by Judas (Matthew 26:36-57). See the Pillar of Absalom, the Eastern (Golden) Gate and the Pinnacle of the Temple. We then drive to Mt. Zion where we visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu on the site of Caiaphas' House, the Room of the Last Supper (Luke 22:14-20) and the Tomb of King David. Continue on to tour New Jerusalem: Hebrew University, the Shrine of the Book that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Model City of Jerusalem which depicts in miniature the Holy City as it appeared in the first century. Return to our hotel for overnight.
Day 9 Tue, Nov 1: MASADA - DEAD SEA - QUMRAN - BETHANY. This morning, we drive via the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea - the lowest point on earth. A beautiful new road takes us south along the shores of the Dead Sea to Masada, a truly remarkable piece of history. Ascend to Masada by cable car to visit the magnificent ruins of the fortress where, from 70-73 A.D., the Jewish defenders made the last stand of the Judean Revolt against Rome and where the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a sixth century Byzantine church are still on view. Return along the Dead Sea to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Visit the remains of the Community Center of the Essenes and the Caves of the Scrolls. We continue on the Jericho Road viewing the Inn of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). If possible, we visit Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus’s tomb (John 11:1-46) on the return to Jerusalem. On to our Jerusalem hotel for overnight.
Day 10 Wed, Nov 2: JERUSALEM. Today begins at the Western (Wailing) Wall where the faithful Jews cry their petitions to God, continue to the Temple Area of Mt. Moriah. Visit the El Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which is built on the ancient site of Solomon's Temple (Genesis 22:9-14) and over the Rock of Sacrifice where Abraham offered Isaac (Genesis 22) and the ceremonial sacrifice of animals took place. After this, we walk along the Via Dolorosa to Pilate's Judgment Hall, the Chapel of the Flagellation, the Ecce Homo Arch (John 19:13) where Jesus was tried before Pilate (Mark 15:6). Then, we continue through the Old City bazaars to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Visit the Garden Tomb and Golgotha - Place of the Skull - for a worship service. Dinner and overnight at our hotel
Day 11 Thu, Nov 3: TEL AVIV - EUROPE - MINNEAPOLIS. Early morning departure for our flight home - the end of a most enjoyable journey.
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