Exploring Israel with Pastor Jeff and Laurie Baxter

Overview

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Depart USA

• Board your overnight flight to Israel from Denver, Colorado. Aloft, we will have dinner, time to sleep, breakfast, and the opportunity to praise the Lord for His beautiful creation from the vantage point of 35,000 feet!

Day 2: Tel Aviv, Israel

1 night Herods Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv or similar. Dinner.

• Arrive in Tel Aviv
• Meet your Tour Director
• Check-in at your hotel

Full Day Itinerary: Arrive at Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion) airport. After arriving at Ben Gurion airport we begin our Biblical journey. We will spend the night in Tel Aviv, where we will experience our first Israeli dinner and a walk by the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 3: Jaffa, Mount Carmel, Nazareth & the Galilee 

3 nights Nof Ginossar Kibbutz or similar. Breakfast & dinner.

• Walk in Jaffa, the world's largest seaport
• Caesarea Maritima - Roman Capital of Judea
• Mt. Carmel – Elijah / False Gods
• Megiddo / Armageddon
• Nazareth - visit Mary’s Well

Full Day Itinerary: Enjoy a walk in the Jaffa, the Old Port, the oldest seaport in the world, and home to a vibrant multi-ethnic community of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. We begin with a visit to the port city of Caesarea and then travel to Mt. Carmel where Elijah had a showdown with the prophets of Baal. We will visit the ruins of Megiddo, an important Old Testament site. Continue to Nazareth Village, a remarkable representation of a 1st century farming village that depicts life in the region during the time of Jesus. Later, we visit Marys' Well, reputed to be located at the site where Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, Mother of Jesus and is also the site of the Annunciation. Then on to our Kibbutz on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, for dinner and overnight. 

Day 4: Galilee

Breakfast & dinner.

• Visit the ruins of the Magdala Synagogue
• Capernaum, where Jesus lived during his years of ministry in the Galilee
• Mount of Beatitudes, site of the sermon of the Mount
• Korazim Synagogue
• Bethsaida
• 1st Century Galilee Boat - "Jesus Boat"
• Boat ride across the Sea of Galilee

Full Day Itinerary: Set sail on the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, and visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue. Continue to Tabgha, site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount. Later, we visit Korazin Synagogue. Today we will also view the 1st century "Jesus Boat", found by members of the Kibbutz after a drought in 1985 caused the water level in the Sea of Galilee to fall, exposing this ancient boat. Buried in a mud bank for almost two millenia, it is the only ancient boat to be recovered from the Sea of Galilee.

Day 5: North of Galilee

Breakfast & dinner.

• Caesarea Philippi
• Tel Dan
• Mount Arbel
• Yardenit - Jordan River Baptisms

Full Day Itinerary: This morning we will visit Caesarea Philippi, located 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee and the base of Mt. Hermon. We will drive through Nazareth on our way to Mt. Arbel for a panoramic view of the Sea of Galilee. End your day at Yardenit, a special site on the Jordan River, for a Baptism service. 

Day 6: South to Jerusalem

5 nights Leonardo Plaza, Jerusalem. Breakfast & dinner.

• Beit She'an
• Jericho
• Mount of Temptation
• Jericho Road
• Bethlehem (Shepherd's Field)

Full Day Itinerary: Continue to Beit She’an, an ancient city which has been extensively excavated and is considered the best preserved Roman-Byzantine city in Israel, with beautiful, colonnaded streets, bath houses, and magnificent mosaics. Travel south through the Jordan Valley to Jericho, the oldest known city in the world. It is near Jericho that Jesus was baptized by John.  

Begin the ascent to Jerusalem and the highlight of your visit to Israel. On arrival, check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight. 

This afternoon, drive to Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus, located about six miles south of Jerusalem. Visit the important sites around Manger Square, then return to Jerusalem and your hotel.

Day 7: Masada and the Dead Sea

Breakfast & dinner.

• Visit Masada, the last stand against the Romans
• Enjoy a hike through Ein Gedi Nature Reserve to David’s Waterfall
• Dead Sea Float

Full Day Itinerary: This morning, set off east from Jerusalem, descend through the Judean Desert towards the Dead Sea. En route, stop at a lookout point for a view of Wadi Qelt and the cliff-hanging Monastery of St. George, which was founded in the 5th century and is still active and inhabited by Greek Orthodox monks. Continue to the legendary mountaintop plateau of Masada overlooking the Dead Sea, the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their struggle against the Romans in 73 CE. Ascend via cable car to the fortress of Masada, where Jewish defenders made their last stand against Rome in AD 73. Continue along the shore of the Dead Sea to Ein Gedi, David’s waterfall and a wonderful nature center.

Then enjoy a leisurely afternoon at the Dead Sea, the lowest point at 1,388 feet below sea level. Cover yourself in a mineral-rich mud and float in the buoyant water. Return to Jerusalem for dinner.

Day 8: Jerusalem

Breakfast & dinner.

• Palm Sunday Path
• Garden of Gethsemane
• House of Caiphas
• Judgement Hall of Pilate/Sisters of Notre Dame de Sion
• Garden Tomb (Communion)

Full Day Itinerary: Today, walk the Palm Sunday path to Dominus Flevit Chapel, and visit the ancient olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane. Enter the Old City within the walls and walk the Via Dolorosa, the agonizing route Jesus walked with the cross on the way to Golgotha.

Continue with a visit to Mount Zion and the site of the Upper Room and later the House of Caipha.   Later today, continue to the Garden Tomb: visit the Tomb, tour the garden and attend a communion service.  Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 9: Jerusalem

Breakfast & dinner.

• Temple Mount
• City of David (Hezekiah's Dry Tunnel)
• Davidson Center & the Southern Temple Mount
• Western Wall

Full Day Itinerary: Tour the Jewish Quarter including a visit the Western Wall, the most sacred spot in Jewish religious and national consciousness, by virtue of its proximity to the Western Wall of the Holy of Holies in the Temple. Each step takes us further into Jerusalem's history. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 10: Jerusalem - Day at Leisure

Breakfast & dinner.

• Full day free at leisure
• Farewell dinner

Day 11: USA

Breakfast.

• Early morning transfer to Ben Gurion Airport to board your return flight home. Your fascinating journey comes to an end as you arrive in the USA later today. 

Trip Details

• What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
• Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Please review the visa & entry requirements.
• Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Something else? Just ask!
• Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 21 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
• Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
• What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
• What should I know about Israel? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.