Day 1: Tel Aviv
Arrive at the airport in Tel Aviv, & transfer to your hotel. Enjoy dinner & an overnight stay in the city.
Day 2: Jaffa, Caesarea, Megido, Sea of Galilee
Start the day with a visit to Jaffa; visit the House of Simon the Tanner & walk through Jaffa's reconstructed Old Quarter. In Caesarea, view the ruins of Roman, Byzantine & Crusader times. Drive to Mt. Carmel, a site where Elijah challenged & defeated the 450 prophets of Baal (I Kings 18) & on to Acre, the Crusader port of the Knights of St. John. Visit the Knights' Halls & the underground complex. Walk through the colorful Bazaar to the port. Drive to Rosh Hanikra & visit the Grottos.
Day 3: Caesarea Phillipi, Sea of Galilee
Drive to the Mt. of Beatitudes, the site of the Sermon on the Mount, along the Hula Valley to Tel Dan, & to Caesarea Phillipi, where St. Peter made his confession of faith in Jesus (Matthew 16: 13-23). Ride through the Golan Heights to the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. See the ruins of Capernaun, where Jesus lived after leaving Nazareth (Mark 2:1). View those remains of the ancient synagogue where he preached & the house of St. Peter (Matthew 8: 14-17). Take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee & try the traditional St. Peter fish. On to Tabgha, where the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves & fishes took place (Matthew 14: 16-20).
Day 4: Galilee
Drive to Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle (John 2: 1-11). Continue to Nazareth, the home of Joseph & Mary, pass Mary's Well, & visit the Church of the Annunciation (Luke 1: 26). Visit the Synagogue & drive by Mary's Well. Drive through the Galilee hills to explore Tzippori (Sepphoris), Capital of Galilee in Herod's time & home of Joachim & Anna. Visit Kfar Kedem & see a village that brings us back to Jesus days. Drive to Megido. Visit Megido the Fortress City of King Solomon, later built upon by King Ahab. The books of Daniel & Revelation will come alive as we study about the final Battle of Armageddon, while viewing the Plains of Jezreel.
Day 5: Bet She'an, Bet Alfa, Ein Harod, Mount Tabor
Today, leave Tiberisa & drive to Bet She'an & see impressive ruins of the country's largest city in the Roman & Byzantine periods. Drive to Bet Alfa & see the ancient Synagogue. Visit Ein Harod. Drive through the lush Jezrael Valley & visit Mount Tabor, traditional place of the transfiguration (Matthew 17: 1).
Day 6: Yardenit, Jericho, Jerusalem
Drive to Yardenit, the Baptismal Center on the Jordan river. Here we'll have a chance to have our baptismal service. Continue to Jericho, the first city taken by Joshua when the Hebrews returned from Egypt & the site of the Mount of Temptation (Mark 1:13). Drive from Jericho to Jerusalem, via Wady Kelt. Stop for a observation on St. George Monastery. Enter Jerusalem as pilgrims & view the city from Mt. Scopus.
Day 7: Jerusalem, Bethlehem
In the morning, ascend the Mount of Olives for a breathtaking panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem. Visit Dominos Flevit. Descend to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus spent the last night before he was arrested (Matt. 26:36). Visit the famous Church of All the Nations. Walk along the "last Way" to Mt. Zion. Walk in the Kidron Valley & see the Tombs of Absalom, Zachary & James. Spend the afternoon visiting the Southern Wall & the Dig area at David's City.
Day 8: Jerusalem
Drive to Mt. Zion & visit the church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, where St. Peter denied his Lord three times (Matthew 26:31-34). It was also the House of the High Priest Caiaphas (Mark 14:12), where Jesus was interrogated. Visit the Last Supper Room on Mt. Zion (Matthew 26: 17-25) & King David's Tomb. Drive to the city of Bethlehem & visit the Church of Nativity.
Day 9: Qumran, Dead Sea, Masada
Travel east to the shore of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. Visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Drive along the shore & ascend by cable car to Masada, where Jewish refugees held off the Roman army for years! Continue to the Dead Sea for a float. Pass the traditional site of the Inn if the Good Samaritan en route to Bethany, the city of Lazarus & Marta. Visit the Tomb.
Day 10: Jerusalem
After breakfast, drive to Mt. Moriah. Visit the Western Wall, last remnant of the second Jewish Temple (which stood there in the days of Jesus). Visit the Dome of the Rock & the El Aqza Mousqe (based on availability). Walk to the Pool of Bethseda & St. Anne Church, which is a fine sample of Crusader architecture. Walk along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Walk through the colorful Bazaar to Jaffa Gate. Proceed to the Holy Land walk-around model of the city of Jerusalem as it was in the Second Temple period (the time of Jesus).
Day 11: Jerusalem
Today, we'll drive to the Knesset (Israel Parliament) & see the Menorah. Visit the Israel Museum & see the Dead Sea Scrolls in the impressive Shrine of the Book. Drive to Yad Vashem & visit the Holocaust Memorial. Plant a tree in a forest next to Jerusalem. Visit Ein Kerem the city of John the Baptist. Visit the Birthplace & the Church of Visitation. If time permits, visit the Jewish Quarter.
Day 12: Maresha, Bethlehem
After breakfast, we'll leave Jerusalem & drive to Bet Guvrin & spend the morning with an archeological dig in Tel Maresha. In the afternoon, drive to the city of Bethlehem & visit the Church of Nativity (Luke 2:2-7). Visit the Shepherd's Fields. We'll end our visit in Jerusalem with a service at the Garden Tomb.
Day 13: Jerusalem, Beer Sheva, Eilat
We'll leave the hotel & drive to Beer Sheva, passing Abu Gosh, & stop at Tel Beth Shemes. See the Valley of Elah, the site where David confronted Goliath. Drive to Kibbutz Sde Boker & visit the house of David Ben Gurion & his Tomb. Drive to Ovdat & visit the Nabatean City, then to Mizpe Ramon & see the crater from the Visitors Center.
Day 14: Eilat
In the morning, we'll take a yacht cruise on the Red Sea. After lunch we'll visit the underwater observatory. And in the afternoon, there is an option for a Jeep Tour or just relaxing on the shore.
Day 15: Petra, Jordan
Today, we can take an optional tour to the city of Petra in Jordan, which is one of the world's eight wonders.
Day 16: Eilat
Spend the day at leisure in Eilat.
Day 17: Eilat - USA
Transfer to the airport, & board return flight home.