Walk in the Footsteps of Jesus in the Holy Land

Departure on your way to Israel — The Land of the Bible.

Welcome to Israel. Upon arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport you will be met and assisted by our airport representative and transferred to Tel Aviv — Israel’s largest and most modern city, a short distance from ancient Jaffa.

Check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Your hotel is conveniently located near the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and close to Tel Aviv city center, shopping, and attractions — including the famous beachfront promenade lined with outdoor stores, restaurants, and coffee shops.

If time permits, visit the artistic neighborhood of Neve Tzedek, one of Tel Aviv’s oldest and most atmospheric neighborhoods.

Overnight Tel Aviv — Full Buffet Breakfast and Dinner included.

In the morning visit the Old Town of Jaffa, walking through its narrow stone passages. Believed to be one of the oldest port cities in the world, it was here that cedars from Lebanon arrived to build Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 2:16). Visit St. Peter’s Church, which marks the traditional site of Peter’s vision of the Great Sheet (Acts 10:9-16), and take in a spectacular panoramic view of the Tel Aviv shoreline from Jaffa Hilltop.

Depart Tel Aviv driving north along the coastal plain to Caesarea Maritima (Acts 9:30, Acts 10:24-48), the center of early Christianity and Roman capital of Judea. Visit the excavations of this ancient city including the Roman theatre and aqueduct, where Paul made his defense before Festus and King Agrippa prior to his final journey to Rome (Acts 25-26).

We’ll stop at Mount Carmel (Muchraka), where Elijah issued his challenge to the False Prophets (1 Kings 18:16-24), and enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view over Haifa Bay and the Western Galilee.

Continue to Megiddo (Joshua 12:21, 1 Kings 9:15, 2 Kings 23:29, Revelation 16:16) — the site of Armageddon, where prophecy foretells the gathering of the armies for the end of times (Revelation 16:14-16). See the remains from Solomon’s days and view the valley below, then explore the archaeological excavations including the remarkably preserved ancient water supply system.

Continue along the Jezreel Valley to Nazareth (Luke 1:26, Luke 4:16, Matthew 2:23). From the top of Mount Precipice — also known as the Mount of the Leap of the Lord — take in a beautiful view over Lower Galilee. It is believed to be the very site of the rejection of Jesus (Luke 4:29-30). Continue to the Basilica of the Annunciation, the church built over the site where the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus (Luke 1).

If time permits we will drive to Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first public miracle — turning water into wine at the wedding feast (John 2:1-11).

Arrive at the beautiful Sea of Galilee and the town of Tiberias. Your hotel is situated right on the town center and the shores of the Sea of Galilee, making it possible to walk along the lakeshore and explore Tiberias in the evening.

Overnight Sea of Galilee — Full Buffet Breakfast and Dinner included.

We begin this day with a visit to Magdala (Matthew 15:39), known as the home of Mary Magdalene. Here we explore a first-century Jewish city where Jesus healed the afflicted, and the oldest excavated synagogue in the Galilee from the time of Jesus’ ministry — a place where he almost certainly taught.

We then board a wooden boat and sail the Sea of Galilee as the disciples did 2,000 years ago — the same waters where the Lord calmed the storm (Luke 8:22-25), walked on water (Mark 6:47-52), and appeared to his disciples for a third time after the resurrection, calling them to cast their net on the right side of the boat and making them breakfast on the shore (John 21).

We dock at Kibbutz Nof Ginosar to visit the Ancient Jesus Boat — the remarkably preserved remains of a 2,000-year-old vessel discovered in 1986, dating to the very era of Jesus and his disciples.

We drive to the beautiful Golan Heights, where we visit Banias — ancient Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:13, Mark 8:27) — where Jesus said “On this rock I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18).

Continue through the Hula Valley and the Upper Galilee before returning to the Sea of Galilee to visit the baptismal site of Yardenit on the Jordan River. Here believers celebrate and many take the opportunity to be immersed in the same waters where John the Baptist baptized Jesus as the Holy Spirit descended like a dove from heaven (Matthew 3:13-17).

Overnight Sea of Galilee — Full Buffet Breakfast and Dinner included.

Today we visit the sites of Jesus’ early ministry around the Sea of Galilee, beginning at the Mount of Beatitudes (Matthew 5–8), where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. See the famous Church of the Beatitudes, an octagonal chapel constructed between 1936 and 1938 by the noted Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi, and enjoy its sweeping view over the Sea of Galilee.

Visit Tabgha — the site of the Feeding of the 5,000 and the Primacy of Peter (Matthew 14, John 21) — and the Church of the Multiplication with its remarkable 4th-century mosaic floor.

Continue to Capernaum (Matthew 4:13, Matthew 13:54, Luke 7, Mark 1:2, John 4:46-54), believed to have been Jesus’ home and the center of his Galilean ministry. Stand in the ruins of the very synagogue where Jesus taught and performed miracles, and see the site of the home of Peter, where Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-40).

Journey through the Valley of Beit She’an to the ancient city of Beit She’an (Mark 5:20, Mark 7:31) and view its remarkable archaeological site. It was here, after defeating Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa, that the Philistines hung their bodies on the walls of the city (2 Samuel 21:12-14).

Continue through the Jordan Valley past Jericho and arrive at the Dead Sea — the lowest point on earth at over 1,400 feet below sea level. Check in at your hotel on the shores of the Dead Sea and enjoy optional spa treatments, a float on the remarkably buoyant salt water, or a swim in your hotel pool.

Overnight Dead Sea — Full Buffet Breakfast and Dinner included.

Today we visit the mountaintop fortress of Masada, the 1,300-foot mountaintop fortress famous as the last stronghold of the Jewish rebellion against Rome. We ascend by cable car and explore the first-century synagogue, King Herod’s Bathhouse, palaces, and the breathtaking views over the Dead Sea and Judean Desert.

Descend and continue to the desert oasis of Ein Gedi, where David hid in a cave when fleeing Saul (1 Samuel 23) and composed several of his most beloved Psalms.

Next we visit Qumran, where a cache of ancient biblical manuscripts — the Dead Sea Scrolls — was discovered in 1947, representing the oldest known copies of the Hebrew scriptures and among the most significant archaeological finds in history.

Continue through the Judean Desert to the Golden City of Jerusalem. We proceed first to a panoramic view of the Holy City from Mount Scopus — a moment to take in the full sweep of the Holy City and pause for prayer — before continuing to your hotel, conveniently located within walking distance of the Old City.

Overnight Jerusalem — Full Buffet Breakfast and Dinner included.

From the top of the Mount of Olives — where the Lord ascended into heaven (Acts 1) — we look across the Kidron Valley to the Eastern Gate, where the Prince of Peace will one day enter (Ezekiel 43). We pass by Pater Noster Church, standing on the traditional site of Christ’s teaching of the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4), and visit Dominus Flevit, where “the Lord wept” as he beheld the Holy City (Luke 19:41-44).

Through the Palm Sunday Road we descend to the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32, John 18:1, Matthew 26:36), where 2,000-year-old olive trees still stand from the time of Christ. In this garden Jesus prayed (Luke 22:39), an angel appeared to strengthen him (Luke 22:43), Judas betrayed him (Luke 22:47-52), and where Jesus found his sleeping disciples and told them to rise and pray (Luke 22:46).

We continue to the Western Wall — the holiest site in Judaism and a remnant of the Temple Jesus himself walked through and taught in. We then visit the Western Wall Tunnels, which run along the base of the wall and reveal the astonishing construction of the Temple Mount and the Roman street where our Lord was led to judgment.

Continue to St. Anne’s Church and the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the paralytic who had waited 38 years to be cured (John 5).

We then walk the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa, beginning at Station 2 — the Judgment Hall of Pilate (John 18:33) — at the Church of the Flagellation and the Church of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross, all the way to Station 14 inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Matthew 27, Matthew 27:57, Matthew 28:1-10).

In the afternoon enjoy time to explore the colorful bazaars of the Old City. In the evening we join in prayer at the Western Wall before returning to the hotel for Shabbat Dinner.

Overnight Jerusalem — Full Buffet Breakfast and Dinner included.

We begin the day at Mount Zion, visiting the Upper Room (Luke 22) — site of the Lord’s Supper and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. We also visit the King David’s Tomb and walk through the Jewish Quarter.

We drive through the New City, passing the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament), and continue to Ein Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist (Luke 1:57-80) — he who came to announce the coming of the Lord (Isaiah 40:3). Visit the Church of the Visitation, which commemorates Mary’s visit to Elizabeth and the singing of the Magnificat (Luke 1:39-56).

Continue to Bethlehem, where Joseph traveled with the pregnant Mary (Luke 2:1-7) and where Jesus was born (Matthew 2:1-5). Visit the Church of the Nativity, one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world, built over the traditional site of Christ’s birth. Proceed to the Shepherd’s Field, where the angel appeared to announce the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:8-20).

In the afternoon visit The Garden Tomb to celebrate the resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15, Luke 24:6-7, Mark 16:5-7) with a time of prayer. This peaceful garden setting, with its rock-cut tomb and nearby skull-shaped hill, offers a quiet and deeply moving place to reflect on the risen Lord before concluding your time in Jerusalem.

Return to the hotel for a farewell dinner.

Overnight Jerusalem — Full Buffet Breakfast and Dinner included.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel by 12 noon and store your luggage with the hotel to enjoy a free morning in Jerusalem before your departure.

Use your free time to revisit favorite holy sites or explore places you didn’t get to earlier in the tour. Some suggestions:

• Yad Vashem — Israel’s memorial and museum dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust
• Davidson Center — Archaeological park at the southern foot of the Temple Mount and Western Wall
• Ben Yehuda Street — Jerusalem’s lively pedestrian mall with shops, restaurants, and coffee shops
• Mahane Yehuda Market — Jerusalem’s famous outdoor food market with authentic local restaurants and stalls
• Israel Museum — one of the world’s leading art and archaeology museums, recently renovated, home to the Dead Sea Scrolls display and a remarkable scale model of Second Temple Jerusalem
• Shrine of the Book — within the Israel Museum, housing the Great Isaiah Scroll and other Dead Sea Scrolls

Transfer from your hotel lobby to Ben Gurion International Airport approximately 4 hours prior to your flight departure.

Breakfast included. Safe travels — we hope to welcome you back to the Holy Land soon.

Arrive home this morning and begin planning your next memorable journey to the Holy Land.

Please note: The itinerary may be subject to changes or adjustments to prioritize the safety, security, and comfort of our travelers in response to unforeseen events.