Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Ben Gurion Airport – Tel Aviv

Arrive to Ben Gurion airport in the late afternoon. Reception by Monarch – Israel representative Transfer to your hotel in Tiberias. Dinner and overnight.

Day 2 Sea of Galilee Area – Caesarea Philippi (Banias)

After breakfast, start your tour of the Sea of Galilee and the towns and areas of Jesus’ ministry as written in the Gospels. Visit Capernaum, a main centre for Jesus’ teachings where Peter’s house has been discovered along with the synagogue where Jesus taught; Tabgha, the traditional site of the Multiplication of the loaves and the fishes and the Mount of Beatitudes, where you can stand at the site of the Sermon on the Mount and wonder at the natural amphitheatre. At the village synagogue of Korazim you may sit in the “Seat of Moses”, a stone chair possibly used by Jesus, Himself. See a 2,000-year-old boat known as the “Jesus Boat” at Yigal Alon Museum in Kibbutz Ginosar. Take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and enjoy a St. Peter’s Fish Lunch. In the afternoon drive towards the north, passing by Kiryat Shmona, the city in the north of Israel, to Banias (Caesarea Philippi) and Dan the source of the River Jordan. Proceed to Yardenit, the baptismal site on the river Jordan and return to Tiberias. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 3 Acre – Mt. Carmel. Haifa – Megiddo – Mt. Tabor

After breakfast drive to Acre, the crusader port immortalized by the Crusaders, Turks and the British. Napoleon of France tried to conquer Acre but gave up. See the underground Crusader City and walk through the Old City of Acre. Continue to Mt. Carmel. Enjoy a panoramic view over Haifa and the Bay. Visit Muhraka and view the Bahai Temple with its hanging Persian Garden. Drive to Megiddo, the site of Armageddon. According to the archaeologists, there are 25 civilizations built one upon another one there. Walk through amazingly well preserved ancient waterways. Continue to Mt. Tabor, the traditional site of Transfiguration. Return to your hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

Day 4 Tiberias – Cana of Galilee – Nazareth – Jordan Valley – Jerusalem

After breakfast, drive to Cana of Galilee and see the Wedding Church. Proceed to Nazareth. See the Church of Annunciation and Joseph’s workshop. Wander around oriental bazaars and the restored Old City of Nazareth. Drive along Jordan Valley, passing by Jericho, one of the oldest towns on earth. Continue to Jerusalem where you will spend the next five nights. Dinner and overnight.

Day 5 Mount of Olives – Mt. Zion – Garden Tomb

After breakfast drive to the Mount of Olives for a spectacular panoramic view of Jerusalem and the Old City. You will see the Church of Ascension, Pater Noster (Luke 11:1-4), where the disciples were taught the Lord’s Prayer, and the lovely Chapel of Dominus Flevit (Luke 19:37-44) recalling the spot where Jesus wept over Jerusalem’s pending destruction. Here too is the luminous Russian Church with its enchanting onion chapel domes. At the foot of the Mount of Olives is the Garden of Gethsemane with its eight olive trees; it was here that Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:32-52; Matthew 26:36-46). Drive along the Kidron Valley past the Tombs of Absalom, Zecharia and St. James, to Mount Zion and visit the Church of St. Peter In Gallicantu (Caiaphas’ House), where Jesus was imprisoned and interrogated by the High Priest (Matthew 26:57-75; Mark 14:53-72). See the room of the Last Supper and traditional tomb of King David. Onto the Garden Tomb and Gordon’s Golgotha for communion. Proceed to your hotel. Dinner and overnight.

Day 6 Old City of Jerusalem – Ein Karem- Bethlehem

After breakfast drive to the walls of the Old City and enter through St. Stephen’s Gate. See the Church of St. Anne, mother of Mary, and the excavated twin Pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed the Crippled (John 5:1-9). Walk along the Via Dolorosa (Mark 15:21-47) to Calvary, the traditional route with its 14 Stations of the Cross, along which Jesus carried His cross. See the Chapels of the Condemnation (Mark 15:1-16) and Flagellation (mark 15:16-20) where Barabbas was released and Jesus whipped by Roman soldiers. Continue following the Stations including St. Veronica’s Church – the 6th station where Jesus’ brow was wiped. Onto the Church of the Holy Sepulchre built over the site of Golgotha Calvary (Matthew 27:33-62; Mark 15; 22-47; Luke 23:33-56). Proceed to Ein Karem (Luke 1:57-80) to visit the Church of St. John the Baptist, erected over the grotto where he was born. In the afternoon drive to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-20) to visit the Church of the Nativity, Built over the traditional site of the manger where Jesus Christ was born. Return to Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight

Day 7 New City – Yad Vashem – Israel Museum

After breakfast proceed to Israel Museum. Visit the Shrine of the book where the famous Dead Sea scrolls found in the caves of Qumran are housed. See the Holy land model – a miniature replica of Jerusalem as it was during the second temple period.
Drive to Yad Vashem, the memorial to victims of Nazi Holocaust. Drive through the streets of new City of Jerusalem and visit the recently restored famous Mahane Yehuda open market, one of the exotic places in Jerusalem. Drive by the Knesset (Israeli parliament) and enjoy the very beautiful Menorah. Return to your hotel. Dinner and overnight

Day 8 Jerusalem – Caesarea – Jaffa – Tel Aviv

Breakfast at your hotel. Spend some time in the Old City and leave Jerusalem in the early afternoon. Proceed Caesarea (Caesarea Maritime), built in the times of King Herod and once the ancient capital of the region. See the recently restored ancient Roman Theatre, the Aqueduct and the Hippodrome. Drive along the shores of the Mediterranean to Old Jaffa, one of the supposedly oldest harbours on earth and the Biblical Port where Jonah fled from the call of God. Here St. Peter had his dream (Acts 10:9-16) to evangelise the Gentiles and brought Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43) back from the dead. See the House of Simon the Tanner and proceed to your hotel in Tel Aviv. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 9 Tel Aviv – Return Flight

Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your flight home