Duration: 10 Days
Dates: April 02 - 11, 2025
Departure City: Atlanta, Georgia (ATL)

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Detailed Itinerary

Day 1, April 02nd, 2025 (Wednesday): Departure to Tel Aviv

Day 2, April 03rd, 2025 (Thursday):  Arrive In Tel Aviv – Jaffa (time permitting) 
Transfer To Herzliya Arrive in Tel Aviv and board a new, climate-controlled motor coach where our guide will greet us and give us an orientation of the land. Time permitting visit Jaffa. There we will consider the vision of Peter (Acts 10) and start following the sequence of events that lead to the opening of the gates of the early church to Gentiles. As we look at the very place where Jonah ran from the Lord, we will also reflect on our own walk with God.  Check into our hotel on the coastal plains of the Mediterranean Sea.  Dinner and overnight in Herzliya (D) Important: Passengers from US and all other countries exempted from entry visa to Israel have to fill the following form prior to arrival.  Israel ETA Application | Apply for your Israel eVisa online: etaisrael.com  

Day 3, April 04th, 2025 (Friday): Caesarea Maritima – Mount Carmel – Megiddo – Nazareth (including Mt. of Precipice) – Sea Of Galilee
After a buffet breakfast, we depart to Caesarea Maritima (entrance included), where we will visit the magnificent city with Roman, Byzantine, and Crusader ruins. Here we will elaborate on the story of the baptism of Cornelius, the first gentile converts into Christianity (Acts 10), and on the travels of Paul — those events that led Caesarea Maritima to become the springboard of Christianity to the West. We will then continue to Mount Carmel (entrance included) and consider the contest between the Prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal (I Kings 18), discussing the reasons why the Prophet chose that place for the contest, and the lessons we learn from the story. We then drive by Megiddo (included). Overlooking the Armageddon Valley, we will also discuss the reasons why we believe this will be the setting for the final battle between good and evil mentioned in Revelation 16:16. After a self-hosted lunch break, we travel to Nazareth where we will climb the Mount of Precipice, the brow of the hill on which the city was built (Luke 4). There we will reflect on the rejection of Jesus by his family and friends in Nazareth. In addition to discussing Jesus’ boyhood, we will also consider the life and times of Deborah (Judges 4). We will also visit the Church of the Annunciation, the location of ancient Nazareth and Mary's Well, believed to be the well of Nazareth at the time of Jesus. We check into our hotel on the Sea of Galilee for the next two nights and enjoy another dinner together. Overnight at the Sea of Galilee (B, D)

Day 4, April 05th, 2025 (Saturday): Sea of Galilee: Boat ride & Museum – Caesarea Philippi – Mt. of Beatitudes – Primacy of Peter – Capernaum – Magdala – Jordan River
After a buffet breakfast, we start our day with a visit to the ancient boat museum (entrance included), containing 2000-year-old fishing boat. We will then sail on the Sea of Galilee on a replica of that boat (included). Then, we drive to Caesarea Phillipi (entrance included). We will drive by Korazim as we make our way to the Mount of Beatitudes and discuss the Sermon on the Mount. We will then visit The Primacy of Peter where Jesus reinstated Peter (John 21). During our lunch break you will have the opportunity to try St. Peter’s fish (not included), commonly eaten by people in Jesus’ day. We will then visit Capernaum (entrance included), Jesus’ Galilean ministry base. There we will see the house of Peter’s mother-in-law, in addition to other ruins of the village. We will stand in the ruins of the ancient synagogue where Jesus was confronted by the demoniac. We will then visit Magdala (entrance included) the hometown of Mary Magdalene with its significant finds. Our last stop today will be the baptismal site of Jesus on the Jordan River. You will be offered the opportunity to be baptized in the waters of the Jordan in an available location picked by your host and guide. We return to our hotel. Dinner and overnight at the Sea of Galilee (B, D)

Day 5, April 06th, 2025 (Sunday): Beth Shean – Jacob's Well – Jericho – Dead Sea
After a buffet breakfast, we leave the area of Galilee, following the Jordan Valley Road to Beth Shean (entrance included), the capital of the Decapolis. There we will see the ruins of the Roman and Byzantine cities. We will also discuss the demise of King Saul and his sons, whose bodies were hanged on the walls of Beth Shean. We will then go to Jacob's Well***. We will then continue traveling south to the actual location where John the Baptist was baptizing on the Jordan River. Jericho will be our next stop, where we will visit the Tel of Jericho (entrance included) with its ancient ruins, pointing out what possibly could be the foundations of the ramparts that Joshua and the Israelites brought down.  Dinner and overnight at the Dead Sea(B, D)

Day 6, April 07th, 2025 (Monday): Ein Gedi – Qumran – Bethany – Jerusalem
After a buffet breakfast, we begin our day visiting Ein Gedi (entrance included) the oasis in the desert where the meeting between David and King Saul took place (I Samuel 24) and where many of the psalms were written by David. We visit Qumran (entrance included), the location where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found by a Bedouin boy back in 1947. There we will see the caves and other buildings that the Essenes, the group of Jews who wrote the scrolls, lived. We will then visit Bethany (entrance to the Lazarus Tomb included). We are heading to Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem (B, D)

Day 7, April 08th, 2025 (Tuesday): Mt. of Olives – Southern Wall Excavations – Bethlehem – Shepherd’s Fields – Valley of Elah
After a buffet breakfast, we begin our day with an orientation over the holy city from the Mount of Olives, pointing out important locations within the Old City, connecting them with Biblical stories and prophecies about the return of Jesus. We will then walk down the Palm Sunday Procession past the Garden of Gethsemane, where the passion of Jesus began. We will then visit the Southern Wall excavations (entrance included) where ruins of the retaining walls of the Temple Mount are still visible. We will then gather at the teaching steps, the main entrance to the Temple where Rabbis met and taught their disciples. After a self -hosted lunch we then travel to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. We begin with a visit to the Shepherds Fields where the angels appeared to the shepherds and announced the birth of Our Lord. These fields are also the setting of the Book of Ruth. We will then travel to the Church of the Nativity and view the actual place where Our Lord was born. Time will then be given to shop for olive wood and other items. We will then drive to the Valley of Elah. We return to our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem (B, D)

Day 8, April 09th, 2025 (Wednesday): Temple Mount – Wailing Wall – Western Wall Tunnels – St. Anne and Pools of Bethesda – Israel Museum – City of David
After a buffet breakfast, we begin our day with visit to the Temple Mount, discussing its connection to both the Old and New Testaments. We will also discuss why it is considered the third holiest site in Islam. Also we will visit the Western Wall. Next visit to the Western Wall tunnels (included). Afterwards, we will visit the Church of St. Anne’s (entrance included), a perfectly intact Crusader church. It is a wonderful place to gather and sing a song (sometimes with fellow Christians from all over the world). There, we will also visit the pools of Bethesda where the healing at the pool took place (John 5). We will then have a visit to the original location of the city of Jerusalem, going back in history 3000 years.  After a self-hosted lunch, we travel to the Israel Museum (entrance included) where we will visit the Second Temple Period Model of Jerusalem, a 1:50 scaled model of the city from the year 66 AD. We will also visit the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are on exhibit, in addition to the archaeological section where many artifacts are displayed, we will play special attention to those items that relate to Bible history. We will also visit Hezekiah’s tunnel (entrance included), a 1749-foot-long tunnel that was dug by King Hezekiah as he prepared for the Assyrian King Sennacharib’s invasion in 701 BC. Those interested in walking the knee-deep water tunnel will have the chance to do so. We then return to our hotel.  Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem (B, D) Please note that, due to security reasons, the only items the visitors can carry into Temple Mount are telephone, small camera, notebook and a bottle of water.  Groups are not allowed to enter with professional cameras, iPads, backpacks, purses, any religious symbols such as Bible or crosses as well as Swiss penknives and clippers.

Day 9, April 10th, 2025 (Thursday): Upper Room – Garden of Gethsemane – Kidron Valley – House of Caiaphas – Judgment Hall – Garden Tomb
After a buffet breakfast, we begin our day with a visit to the Upper Room where Jesus had His Last Supper. We will then visit the Garden of Gethsemane where the passion of Jesus began. Each of us will be given some personal time in a private section of the Garden for personal prayer and reflections. Crossing the Kidron Valley, we will then continue to the home of the High Priest, Caiaphas (entrance included), followed by the Ecce Homo Convent where the Lithostratos (Judgment Hall) is present (entrance included). After a self-hosted lunch, we end our day with a visit to the Garden Tomb (donation included), where we will worship together and celebrate communion. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight (B,D)

Day 10, April 11th, 2025 )Friday): Flight back home Buffet breakfast. Check-out of the hotel
Drive to the Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport and board your homebound flight. (B) Note: You have to be at the airport 3h prior the flight.   *In case of unforeseen events, this itinerary is subject to change.