| Day
One - Departure for Tel Aviv |
Day
Two - Tel Aviv & Jerusalem
Arrive at Tel
Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport late in the afternoon. Drive and look over the
“little town of Bethlehem,” which, in spite of its fame, has remained
a relatively small town, with a population of about 22,000, half of whom
are Christians. Enjoy a panorama view of the town before driving to
Jerusalem for dinner and overnight at the Ambassador Hotel. |
Day
Three - Jerusalem & Tiberias
Climb the Temple
Mount, a holy site to Jews, Christians, and Moslems. See the Dome of the
Rock, built over the sacred rock upon which Abraham prepared to sacrifice
his son. Depart Jerusalem for Neot Kedumim, the Biblical Landscape
Reserve, for a special “Welcome to Israel” Tour of the reserve. Neot
Kedumim maintains the agricultural installations, archeological finds,
herds of domestic and wild animals, and biblical plant life using the same
methods as their ancestors.
Drive north along the Mediterranean Sea, stopping at Caesarea Maritima to
see the aqueduct built by Herod to bring water from springs at the base of
Mt. Carmel to the city. Continue to Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus.
View the Jezreel Plain from the southern rim of the Nazareth ridge, where
the townsfolk tried to throw Jesus off the cliff. Stop at nearby Cana,
where Jesus transformed water into wine at a wedding feast. The
opportunity will be given for a special Wedding Vow Renewal Service. Late
this afternoon continue to the top of the Arbel Cliff, which provides an
excellent view over the area of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. Drive to
Tiberias for dinner and overnight at the Caesar Hotel. |
Day
Four - Sea of Galilee Area
Begin the
morning on the Mount of Beatitudes, the site where Jesus delivered His
Sermon on the Mount, overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Walk down the
mountain, where your bus will pick you up and take you to Capernaum, the
town used as a base by Christ during his ministry. See the remains of the
fourth-century synagogue and the nearby house of St. Peter. Enjoy a boat
ride on the Sea of Galilee, ending at Kibbutz Nof Ginosar, for a visit to
the museum displaying the “Jesus Boat,” found buried under an exposed
section of the lakebed during a drought in 1986.
Continue around the eastern side of the lake to visit Gadarra, where Jesus
exorcised the evil spirits, who entered a herd of swine, which ran into
the Sea of Galilee. Stop at Yardenit, the traditional baptismal site,
where the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee runs into the Jordan River. A
Baptism service will be held before returning to Tiberias for dinner and
overnight. |
Day
Five - Sea of Galilee Area
Begin the day at
Korazim, one of the towns cursed by Jesus for refusing to repent, where
you will see the remains of a Jewish town from the Byzantine period.
Continue to Caesarea Philippi, where Peter declared Jesus was “the
Christ, the Son of the living God.” Enjoy a picnic lunch at Banias
Spring before visiting the nature reserve at Mount Hermon, thought by many
to be the “high mountain” of the Transfiguration. Return to Tiberias
for dinner and overnight. |
Day
Six - Tiberias & Jerusalem
Leave Tiberias
this morning, stopping at Megiddo, the city that dominated the Via Maris
(Way of the Sea), the strategic trade route from Egypt to Mesopotamia.
Explore its extensive excavations, including Ahab’s stables, a grain
silo, and an ancient underground water system. Drive south through the
Jordan River Valley to the northern Dead Sea area. Stop at Kibbutz Almog
to walk through the full-scale replica of the Tabernacle. Continue to
Jerusalem, where dinner and overnight will be at the Ambassador Hotel. |
Day
Seven - Jerusalem
Begin the day at
the Israel Museum to see the model of Jerusalem as it was in 69 A.D. Then
enter the Old City through the Lion’s (St. Stephen’s) Gate to see the
Pools of Bethesda, where Jesus cured the man who had had infirmities for
thirty years. Visit nearby St. Anne’s Church, believed to be built over
the site of the home of Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary.
Known for its spectacular acoustics, you may want to offer a hymn in the
church.
See the Davidson Exhibition and Virtual Reconstruction Center at the Old
City’s Southern Wall excavations, where you will view important
archeological discoveries spanning thousands of years. Stop at the Western
“Wailing” Wall before driving to Mount Zion to see the Church of St.
Peter in Gallicantu, the traditional site of the denial of Jesus by Simon
Peter. Return to the hotel for an early dinner before driving to the
Church of All Nations, stopping for prayer and meditation in the Garden of
Gethsemane. Overnight in Jerusalem |
Day
Eight - Jerusalem
Drive to the top
of the Mount of Olives and walk down the Palm Sunday route to the bottom
of the mount. Continue to Bethany to visit a local orphanage. Stop at
Golgotha and the Old Bus Station, believed by many to be the site Calvary.
Celebrate Holy Communion at the Garden Tomb before returning to your hotel
for your farewell dinner on your last night in Jerusalem. |
Day
Nine - Departure
Depart from Ben Gurion Airport
for your flight home.
TOUR PRICE:
$2,800, Based on Double Occupancy
TOUR
PRICE INCLUDES: Round
trip air fare, first class and superior tourist class accommodations in
hotels listed, or similar; breakfast and dinner daily; services of
experienced licensed guide; airport transfers outside of U.S.; sightseeing
and all entrance fees.
Contact
us at:
Phone - 800-552-8857
ghusk@horizon-tours.com
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