Dead Sea Extension

Welcome to the Holy Land! You will land at Ben Gurion airport and be met by your guide. Depending on your arrival time, we may make a short stop at Old Joppa, the ancient seaport city where Jonah boarded the ship and headed to Tarshish, where Peter received his vision while on the housetop (Acts 10). From there, we will drive to our hotel along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea for dinner and your first overnight stay.

Hotel: Tel Aviv or Ashdod

After breakfast and check out, we will depart the hotel and head south. On our way, we will drive through Tel Beit Shemesh, meaning house of the sun, a Levite city. The ark of the covenant stopped in the Valley of Beit Shemesh when it was returned from the land of the Philistines (1 Samuel 6). From there, we will drive to the Valley of Elah, where David killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17). Our next stop will be the Roman Amphitheater in Beit Guvrin from the second century A.D. Continuing south, we will arrive at Tel Beersheba, the most southern city in ancient Israel and later in the Kingdom of Judah. The area where the forefathers of the Jewish nation (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) lived. Our last stop is Tel Arad, where the remains of a fortified Canaanite city and fortresses from the time of the Kings of Judah as well as a small-scale temple, were found. We will then arrive at our hotel at the Dead Sea, where its shores are the lowest land-based elevation on Earth, for dinner and an overnight stay.

Hotel: Dead Sea

We'll start our day by driving to Masada, the amazing desert fortress built by Herod the Great and used more than 70 years after Herod’s death by Jewish rebels as the last stronghold during the great revolt against the Romans. Then, we will head to the desert oasis of Ein Gedi (the spring of the baby goat), where David hid from King Saul in the cave (1 Kings 24). Returning to our hotel early to enjoy some free time at the Dead Sea and the Spa, where you can float effortlessly and enjoy the healthy benefits of skin-nourishing minerals.

Hotel: Dead Sea

After breakfast and check-out, we depart our hotel and head north. Our first stop is Qumran, where a shepherd boy discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 (the oldest Hebrew manuscript of the Bible, dating back to the second and first century B.C.) Continue to Beth Abara, the place where the Israelites came across the Jordan River (Joshua 3) and the place where Jesus was baptized by John (John 1:28, Matthew 3). Next, we will visit Tel Jericho, the first Canninate city conquered by the Israelites after crossing the Jordan River, “and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down” (Joshua 6). We will view from there the Mount of Temptation, the traditional site where Jesus was tempted by Satan (Matthew 4). Continuing to drive north along the Jordan Valley, where we will arrive at Beit She’an - Scythopolis, the most complete Roman-Byzantine city ever found in Israel. It was the largest and main city of the Decapolis. The Old Testament city walls of Beit She'an, which was the location where the Philistines hung the headless bodies of Saul and his sons after their deaths on Mt. Gilboa (1 Samuel 31). Our last stop for the day will be Yardenit, the baptismal site at the Jordan River. Those who want to can get baptized there. We will then check into our hotel in the area of the Sea of Galilee for dinner and an overnight stay.

Hotel: Sea of Galilee area

We will start our day with a wonderful boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, where we will enjoy background Gospel music. After disembarking, we will be charmed by an ancient Boat Museum, where we will see an authentic boat from the time of Jesus. From there, we will drive up to the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus taught the Sermon of the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Next, we will proceed to the Valley of the Seven Springs (Tabgha), the place where Jesus fed the 5,000 men, besides women, and children (Matthew 14) and the area where Peter was restored (John 21). Continue to Capernaum, Jesus's ministry home base in Galilee. We will have a fish lunch, St. Peter’s fish (other options are available). After lunch, we will drive through the land of the Gadarenes and stop at the cliff where the pigs rushed down to the water (Matthew 8, Mark 5, and Luke 8). Continuing to Sussita (Hippos), one of the ten non-Jewish cities (Decapolis) that were the first to hear about the healing of the demon-possessed man (Matthew 8:33-34) and also believed to be the city on the hill that could not be hidden, which Jesus referred to when he taught the Sermon of the Mount (Mattew 5:14). Return to our hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Hotel: Sea of Galilee area

Our first stop will be Chorazim, one of the three cities (together with Bethsaida and Capernaum), cursed by Jesus and never rebuilt after their destruction (Matthew 11: 20-24). Next, we will visit Tel-Hazor, the largest Canaanite city conquered and burned down by Joshua (Joshua 11). Continuing north, close to the Lebanese border, to Tel Dan, the most northern ancient city in Israel. From there, we will arrive to travel to Caesarea Philippi at the foot of Israel's highest mountain, Mt. Hermon, where Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do man say that I am" (Matthew 16). Going up along the Damascus Road, we'll travel through the Golan Heights region and share Israeli war stories. The next stop will be Magdala, the home of Mary Magdalena, where we will see an ancient synagogue from the time of Jesus. We will finish our day at the Gospel Trail (Valley of the Doves), walking in the valley along the cliffs of Arbel, where Jesus walked on His way from Nazareth to Capernaum. After that, we will return to our hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Hotel: Sea of Galilee area

Today we will depart the hotel after breakfast and check out. Driving east, we will leave the Sea of Galilee area and proceed to Nazareth, visiting the Old Synagogue, where Jesus read from the book of Isaiah Chapter 66, proclaiming that He is the Messiah (Luke 4). Next, we will stop at Mount Precipice, a hill just out of Nazareth, believed to be the site where the people of Nazareth tried to push Jesus off the cliff (Luke 4). We will proceed to Tel Megiddo, one of the Bible's most important ancient cities, and view the Valley of Armageddon, where the final battle will take place (Revelation 16, 19). We will continue our day with a visit to Mt. Carmel, where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and where the fire of the Lord fell (1 Kings 18). Our last stop of the day will be Caesarea Maritima, the ancient seaport city built by Herod the Great. Here, Peter preached to the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, the first gentile who came to faith with all his household (Acts 10), and Paul shared his testimony (Acts 26). The port from which the good news was carried out west, to the other nations. We will then drive up to Jerusalem and arrive at our hotel for check-in, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Hotel: Jerusalem

We begin the day on the Mount of Olives, overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem, where the Lord will set His feet when He returns (Zechariah 14). We will follow the Palm Sunday Path and stop at the place where the Lord wept - Dominus Flevit Chapel (Matthew 23: 37-39, Luke 19: 41-44). Continuing to the base of the mountain to visit the Church of all Nations and the Garden of Gethsemane to have a special prayer service in a private garden. Next, we will drive to Shepherd's Fields near Bethlehem, where the angel of the Lord appeared before the shepherds at night, telling them that a Savior was born in the City of David. If time permits, we will visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. We will then proceed to Herodian, Herod’s fortress and burial place. From there, returning to our hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Hotel: Jerusalem

The day's first stop is the Temple Mount (Mt. Moriah), where Abraham brought his son Isaac to offer him as a sacrifice (Genesis 22). This is the place where the different Temples stood and were destroyed. From here, we will go down to the Western Wall, the holiest place today for the Jewish people. We will continue to the Archeological Park, including the Southern Steps (the Herodian Staircase), which led the Pilgrims up and down from the Temple platform during the three main festivals. This is where the 3,000 were baptized and came to faith on the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2: 41). Then, we will walk down to the City of David. David conquered the Jebusite city and made it the capital of Israel (2 Samuel 4-10). We will see the archeological site, including the city's water systems from different periods. It will be optional to walk through Hezekiah's Tunnel, built between 705 – 701 B.C. (for those who would like to, we recommend water shoes, shorts, and flashlights). We'll continue to the Pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed the man who was born blind (John 9). Next, we will visit the Upper room, the room of the Last Supper (Matthew 26 and Luke 22), and where the Holy Spirit came down on the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2). We will then walk down underneath the Upper Room to visit David’s Tomb. From there, continue to Saint Peter in Gallicantu (the House of Caiaphas), where Peter denied the Lord three times and where Christ was held the night prior to His appearance before Pilate (Matthew 26: 57-63, John 18: 15-18, 25-27). We will then return to our hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Hotel: Jerusalem

Today, we will check out after breakfast and start our day at the Pool of Bethesda (St. Anne's Church), where Jesus healed a man who had been lame for thirty-eight years (John 5: 1-19). We will then continue to the northwest corner of the Temple compound, the area of the Antonia fortress (Ecce Homo), to Pilate's Judgment Hall, where Jesus was condemned to the cross (Matthew 27, John 19). We will walk down the Via Dolorosa (Way of Suffering) and leave the Old City through Damascus Gate to visit Calvary (Skull Hill), as well as the Garden Tomb (the empty tomb), for a communion service. From there, we will stop at the Israeli Museum to view the Shrine of the Book (where the Dead Sea Scrolls are held) and examine the impressive model of Jerusalem, depicting the city before its destruction by the Romans in the year 70 A.D. We will leave Jerusalem, driving to Emmaus, where Jesus revealed himself for the second time after He rose from the dead (Luke 24). Then, we will drive through Ajalon Valley, where Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still (Josuha 10), to Modi'in (a modern city in Israel). This is where we will have a farewell dinner before heading to Ben Gurion airport for departure. SHALOM TO THE HOLY LAND.