Christian Israel Tour Package, 9 Days

 Day 1: Welcome to Israel

After you touch down at Ben Gurion Airport and make your way to your Tel Aviv or Jerusalem hotel you’ll have time to relax and settle in. Your hotel accommodation is included in your tour package.  If you want you can use some of our suggestions about how to spend your first day in Israel or you could spend the day discovering the unique character of the Holy Land and its people. Welcome to Israel!

Overnight stay: Jerusalem

 Day 2: Jerusalem Old and New

We take in the panoramic views of Jerusalem from the top of Mount of Scopus then travel down the mount passing the biblical Garden of Gethsemane, Church of All Nations, and Kidron Valley which holds monumental Jewish tombs. In the Jewish Quarter, we see the Cardo; the Byzantine-era main street of Jerusalem. We stop at the sacred Western Wall to place a prayer note between the ancient stones of the wall. The tour follows part of the Via Dolorosa to the stunning Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Here we see the site of Christ’s crucifixion and his burial tomb. After a lunch break and walk through the Old City bazaar we travel to new Jerusalem. Driving through the modern city we reach Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. The museum’s exhibits include authentic artifacts, original documents, photos, and video testimonials of Holocaust survivors.

 Day 3: Jerusalem In the Footsteps of Jesus

We follow in the footsteps of Jesus on the Mount of Olives visiting the Church of the Ascension where Christ ascended to heaven, and the nearby Church of the Pater Noster, where Christ taught his disciples the Lord’s Prayer.

See the Dominus Flevit - the place Jesus looked out over Jerusalem and wept as he foresaw its destruction. We visit the Church of all Nations and the adjacent Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was arrested on the eve of his crucifixion.

We view the Pools of Bethesda then go into the Old City where we stop at the Church of Saint Anne plus the Convent of the Sisters of Zion. From there we walk to the 3d Station of the Cross on Via Dolorosa, the path Jesus would have taken carrying his cross toward his crucifixion on Calvary.

Note that this unforgettable tour includes over 5 Miles in a hilly city area - which might not be suitable for people with difficulty walking long distances. 

 Day 4: Bethlehem, Jericho and Qasr el Yahud

Take this Bethlehem and Jericho tour past the Inn of the Good Samaritan and descend beneath sea level to the ancient city of Jericho. In Jericho see the sycamore tree climbed by Zacchaeus when he tried to get a better look at Jesus. Recall the biblical tale of Joshua marching his troops around Jericho’s city walls until they fell. The tour leaves Jericho passing the Mount of Temptation and continues to Qasr al-Yahud on the Jordan River where John baptized Jesus. Then the tour visits Bethlehem where Jesus was born just over 2,000 years ago. The Bethlehem tour stops in Manger Square and we enter the Church of the Nativity which holds the Holy Grotto where the nativity took place. The tour visits the adjacent Church of St. Catherine and its subterranean caves holding ancient tombs and shrines. From here the tour passes Shepherds Field and returns to Jerusalem.

 Day 5: Day of Leisure in Jerusalem

With a free day in Jerusalem you can visit sites you’ve dreamed of or discover new places in the City of Gold. Wander through the Old City visiting churches and ancient sites or venture into the new city. At the Machane Yehuda Market taste local delicacies and at Mamilla Mall experience luxury shopping. Visit Ein Kerem, a village-like neighborhood or explore Mt. Zion. Jerusalem has brilliant parks and museums including the Israel Museum and Shrine of the Book that holds the Dead Sea Scrolls. We can offer suggestion of how to spend your free time in Jerusalem.

 Day 6: Masada and the Dead Sea

This tour heads to southern Israel through the Judean Hills and past the Inn of the Good Samaritan. We pause at sea level for an unforgettable photo-op then continue our descent further and further down beneath sea level towards the iconic Dead Sea. Our first stop is at Masada where we take a cable car to the plateau summit and tour the remains of Herod’s 2,055 year old palace fortress. We see remarkable structures including palaces and a bathhouse. From Masada the tour takes you past the desert oasis of Ein Gedi and Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We spend the rest of the day relaxing on one of the Dead Sea beaches. You can float in the salty-water that is 8.6 times more saline than the ocean creating natural buoyance. Use the Dead Sea mud as a natural skin mask and soak up the glorious Dead Sea sun. 

 Day 7: Nazareth, Capernaum and Sea of Galilee

This tour begins with a drive up the coastal road, then we turn off towards the Valley of Armageddon. From here we can see Megiddo. We pass by Mt. Precipice and arrive in Nazareth. Here we tour the beautiful Church of Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph. On route to the Sea of Galilee, we pass Cana, where Christ transformed water into wine. From a distance, we see Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount and stop in Capernaum on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. In Tabgha, we tour the Roman Catholic Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. We pass Tiberias on the edge of the Sea of Galilee and stop at Yardenit. This River Jordan baptismal site could have been where John baptized Jesus. On our return journey, we pass Mt. Tabor where the Transfiguration took place.

 Day 8: Caesarea, Acre and Rosh Hanikra

Tour the coastal cities of Israel as we drive north of Tel Aviv and make our first stop in Caesarea. Here we tour the remains of an ancient Roman port city and see the theater, hippodrome, and ruins of palaces, temples, and bathhouses. We travel further north along the coast to the port city of Haifa. Here we see the terraced Baha’i Gardens on Mt. Carmel and learn about the Baha’i faith. Continuing all the way to Israel’s border with Lebanon the tour takes you to the sea caves of Rosh HaNikra. Here we can enter the cave chambers and tunnels where waves crash against the rocks. We return south and the tour visits the Crusader city of Acre. Here we tour the Crusader fortress built in the 12th century, the Ottoman structures, and a former Turkish and British Mandate citadel prison. 

 Day 9: Last Day in Israel

On your last day in Israel you will have time to pack your bags and say good-bye to the Holy Land. If your flight is in the evening check-out at 11am and leave your luggage at the hotel. Head into the city to enjoy a “last supper” or do some last minute shopping. Perhaps return to a place you fell in love with; visit somewhere new or mix with the locals at a neighborhood café. If you would like to use your last day to the fullest we would be happy to make suggestions or help you plan a tour.