Itinerary

 

 

Day 1 – Thursday, March 24

Depart on Westjet from Vancouver to Toronto departing at 8:15am  and arriving in Toronto at 3:45pm. Connect to our El Al Israel Airlines flight flying  non-stop flight to Tel Aviv departing at 6:45pm.

 

 

Day 2 –Friday, March 25: TEL AVIV/JAFFA

Arrive in Tel Aviv at 12:55pm  where our tour guide will meet us. We begin our tour in Jaffa, which affords us a breathtaking view of the city of Tel Aviv. At this picturesque port city of winding alleys, art galleries and crafts boutiques, King Solomon had the cedars of Lebanon rafted for the building of the First Temple in Jerusalem.

 

You will view the spot of the House of Simon the Tanner.  We then transfer to our hotel in Tel Aviv for check-in.  Balance of the day in Tel Aviv is at leisure. Walk along the Mediterranean promenade to see the sunset before dinner.

 

Dinner and overnight in Tel Aviv at the Grand Beach Hotel, Tel Aviv.

 

 

Day 3—Saturday, March 26: CAESAREA/MT.CARMEL/BEIT SHEARIM

After our breakfast we drive north along the Plain of Sharon, the Mediterranean and the old coastal road- the Via Maris that linked Egypt and Babylon as we journey towards Galilee. We stop at Caesarea the incredible fortress city built by King Herod the Great. Here, Pontius Pilate had his base; where Cornelius lived and was baptized (Acts 10); where Paul embarked to Tarsus (Acts 9:30) and where Philip preached (Acts 8:40). Visit the Roman Theatre, the Hippodrome, and the Crusader City. We then travel north towards Haifa and ascend Mt. Carmel the site where the prophet Elijah fought the 400 false prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:30).

 

We will stop for an incredible panoramic view of Haifa. We continue to Beit Shearim the archeological site of a Jewish town founded at the end of the 1st century B.C. The Sanhedrin (Jewish legislature and supreme council) moved to Beit Shearim. We visit a large number of ancient rock-cut Jewish Tombs. Continue to Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee.

 

Dinner and overnight at Kibbutz Nof Ginossar Guest House on the Sea of Galilee                                             

 

 

Day 4 – Sunday, March 27- JESUS MINISTRY IN THE GALILEE

After breakfast, we will depart our day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee to Kibbutz Ginossar where we meet our bus and travel to Capernaum, the centre of Jesus’ Galilean ministry and the site of many of his miracles. We will see the remains of Peter’s house and the synagogue site where Jesus taught and worshipped. Drive to Tabgha and visit the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes. Continue to the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus delivered what is perhaps the most famous sermon ever preached – “The Sermon On The Mount” (Matt.5) where we will have time for worship. 

 

We will then proceed to the site of the city of Korazim where there are remains of a First Century Synagogue where Jesus frequently ministered. Return to the Kibbutz via the east side of the Sea of Galilee stopping at Kursi to see the places where the demons entered the swine and drowned in the Sea of Galilee

 

Dinner and overnight at Kibbutz Nof Ginossar Guest House on the Sea of Galilee

 

 

Day 5 – Monday, March 28—UPPER GALILEE/SAFED/GOLAN HEIGHTS

Drive to the Golan Heights and have a panoramic view of the corner of Israel, Syria and Jordan from Mt. Bental. Continue to the Banias, one of the sources of the Jordan River and the site of ancient “Caesarea Philipi”, where Peter made the confession of faith in Christ (Matt; 16:16).

 

Continue to Tel Dan to see the ruins from Abraham’s time and the Dan Spring, which is a source of the Jordan River. Drive to Safed, one of the four holy cities in Israel for Judaism and the center of Kabbalah. Visit some of the ancient synagogues from the 16th century and the artist colony. Finish the day at Yardenit, the Baptismal Center on the Jordan River. 

 

Dinner and overnight at Kibbutz Nof Ginossar Guest House on the Sea of Galilee

 

 

Day 5— Tuesday, March 29—NAZARETH/ MEGIDDO/ BEIT SHEAN/JERUSALEM

We start the day in Nazareth, the boyhood town of Jesus. We will visit Nazareth Village depicting a village from the time of Jesus. We turn inland and proceed to Megiddo, one of King Solomon’s walled fortified cities (1 Kings 9:15; 10:26), with ruins of 20 levels of civilization. From here the Books of Daniel and Revelation will come alive as we read about the final Battle of Armageddon, while viewing the Plains of Jezreel.  We continue southward to Beit Shean, where we will walk through the incredible excavations of the largest ongoing archaeological dig in the land of Israel with its Roman theatre, colonnaded Roman streets, mosaics and Roman bathhouses. It is also the city where the body of King Saul and his sons where nailed to the walls by the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:10). We then drive through the lush Jordan Valley, where the desert now blooms with flowers and vegetation of every description (Isaiah 35:1-2). Ascend up the Judean Wilderness to the Golden City of Jerusalem.

 

Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

 

 

Day 6 – Wednesday, March 30---- OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM

We will drive to the top of the Mount of Olives, for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. Tracing the footsteps of Jesus, we will stroll down the Palm Sunday Route on the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. From here drive across the Kidron Valley, past the Tombs of Absalom, Zechariah and James and proceed to Mt Zion to visit the traditional site of the Upper Room (Room of the Last Supper) and the Church of St. Peter’s in Gallicantu, built on top of the High Priest Caiphas’ house.

 

We walk to the Zion Gate and enter the Old City of Jerusalem to the Jewish Quarter. Walk along the Roman/Byzantine Street called the “Cardo” to the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest spot for a visit. We continue our walk along the Via Dolorosa to visit the Pools of Bethesda, St. Anne’s Church. We pass through the colourful bazaars, alleyways and market places and reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for a brief visit. Walk through the Old City alleyways and exit from the Jaffa Gate where our bus will be waiting for us. Finish the day with a visit to the Garden Tomb or Gordon’s Calvary for a communion service before returning to your hotel.

 

Dinner and overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Jerusalem

 

 

Day 7- Thursday, March 31---- NEW CITY OF JERUSALEM

We start the day with a visit Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the Holocaust commemorating the six million Jews who perished. Visit and walk through the newly opened Museum, Children’s Memorial, walk along the Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles for those who risked their lives to save Jewish lives. Continue to the Israel Museum and visit the Shrine of the Book housing the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest manuscripts of the Bible ever found.

 

Visit the Model of Jerusalem from the Second Temple Period as it looked from the time of Jesus. Return to the Old City and visit the City of David excavations and see the Pool of Siloam and Hezekiah Tunnel. Continue to the Davidson Center to see a fantastic computer imaging of the Temple Mount before visiting the Southern Wall Excavations of the Temple Mount. Continue to visit the newly excavated Western Wall Tunnels. We finish the day at the King of Kings Pavilion. 

 

Dinner and overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Jerusalem

 

 

Day 8—Friday, April 1--- QUMRAN/ MASADA/ DEAD SEA

Depart Jerusalem and drive to the lowest point on earth, 1300 ft below sea level to the area of the Dead Sea. Arrive in Qumran for a visit where a young shepherd boy discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 in the cave that you will see. These scrolls are the oldest scriptures of the Bible ever found. Continue south to Masada and ascend by cable car to the summit of this magnificent fortress built by King Herod the Great and the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots.

 

You will walk around this historic ruins you will see the palaces, bath houses, swimming pool, the oldest synagogue in the world on this mountain in the middle of the desert.  After descending this mountain by cable car we continue to the shores of the Dead Sea where you will have a chance for a float in the saltiest body of water in the world. Return to Jerusalem.

 

Dinner and overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Jerusalem

 

 

Day 9—Saturday, April 2----JERUSALEM/ FAREWELL DINNER

Today is a day of leisure. Return back to the Old City and bargain in the bazaars, go to the Museums or have a chance to walk the walls of Jerusalem. After checking out of the hotel in the afternoon we will have our farewell dinner in a Middle Eastern Restaurant before transferring to the airport for our flight back to Canada.

 

Day 10---Sunday, April 3

TEL AVIV/ TORONTO/VANCOUVER

Depart Tel Aviv at 12:50am on El Al Israel Airlines flying non-stop to Toronto arriving at 6:15amm. Connect to your Westjet flight departing Toronto at 8:00am and arriving in Vancouver at 10:16pm

 

 

 

**PLEASE NOTE THE ITINERARY IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND MAY VARY IN THE ORDER WE VISIT.**