11 Days The Holy Land with Petra and Dead Sea

Day 1:  USA - THE HOLY LAND.  Tour members gather at the ticket counter at the airport two hours prior to our departure to The Holy Land.  Dinner and breakfast are served in flight.

Day 2:  TEL AVIV.  Upon arrival, we are met and transferred to our beautiful hotel in a Tel Aviv suburb where the thrilling journey of following in the footsteps of Jesus will begin.  Weather permitting, we suggest a walk on the beach after dinner at our hotel.

Day 3:  CAESAREA – MOUNT CARMEL – HAIFA – MEGIDDO – NAZARETH – 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 visit Megiddo and the Plain of Armageddon (harMegiddo), Jezreel and Esdraelon.  Then, on to visit Nazareth and Cana.  Eastward, we arrive in Tiberias for dinner and overnight at our hotel and get our first glimpse of the beautiful Sea of Galilee.

Day 4:  TIBERIAS – SEA OF GALILEE – CAPERNAUM – MT. OF BEATITUDES – TABGHA – MT. HERMON – JORDAN RIVER.  This day will be an exciting day in the Galilee area.  After a delicious breakfast, we depart the Roman hot springs resort city of Tiberias and take 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 4:1317).  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 6:3444).  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, a stop at the beautiful Pilgrims Park for a baptismal service in the Jordan River.  Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 5:  TIBERIAS – JERASH – MT. NEBO – PETRA.  This morning, we depart Tiberias via the Sheik Hussein Bridge and cross into Jordan.  We continue to Jerash, then Mt. Nebo, Madaba and then on to Petra:  “The Rose Red City – Half as Old as Time”.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 6:  PETRA – DEAD SEA.  After breakfast, we tour Petra.  This ancient Edomite and Nabatean capital is an amazing city of prophecy.  We see this spectacular “City of the Dead” with its famed gorge, ancient street, temples, dwelling places and tombs carved from the solid rock.  We then go to El Ji Post and continue the one-mile journey on horseback, or walk, passing through the famous SIQ (natural gorge) and arrive at the “Treasury”.  Visit the ancient theater.  In the Nabatean Judgment Hall, Place Tombs, famous Urn Temple and the Roman amphitheater.  Those willing to climb may view the monastery, Jebel Harun (Mountain of Aaron), reputed to be the burial place of Aaron.  Lastly, we return to El Ji Post and continue on to the Dead Sea for dinner and overnight.

Day 7:  DEAD SEA – EIN GEDI– MASADA – QUMRAN – JERICHO – BETHANY – JERUSALEM.  This morning, we continue to Masada where we ascend by cable car to walk among the remarkable ruins of the Fortress, built by Herod the Great, and where, from 70-73 AD, Jewish defenders made their last stand of the Judean Revolt against Rome.  We see the remains of Herod’s Palace; the apartments, baths, storehouses and water cisterns – all used by the Jewish Defenders who took refuge here.  We then travel onward to Qumran, the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in caves by a shepherd boy.  Drive through Jericho to Old Jericho for a visit.  We continue on the Jericho Road viewing the Inn of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:2537).  Then, we visit Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11:1-46) en route to the Holy City of Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Day 8:  JERUSALEM – BETHLEHEM.  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 visit the Church of All Nations which stands on the Rock of Agony where Jesus was betrayed by Judas (Matthew 26:36-57).  A service will be offered in the private garden. See the Pillar of Absalom, the Eastern (Golden) Gate and the Pinnacle of the Temple.  This afternoon continue our tour to Bethlehem.  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 for dinner and overnight.

Day 9:  JERUSALEM.  This morning, we begin with a walking tour of the Old City of Jerusalem.  Starting 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).  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 22:1420) and the Tomb of King David.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 10:  JERUSALEM.  This morning, we visit the Garden Tomb and Golgotha – Place of the Skull – for a worship service.  After lunch we continue 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.    Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 11:  JERUSALEM – TEL AVIV – USA.  Early morning departure from Jerusalem to the Tel Aviv Airport for our return home – the end of a most enjoyable journey.