Depart from Raleigh/Durham International Airport early in the afternoon on the first leg of your journey.

Saturday, October 20   Jaffa, Israel

After changing planes in Frankfurt this morning, arrive at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport late in the afternoon where you will be met by your driver and guide. Continue to Jaffa (Joppa), the port city from which Jonah departed to try to escape from the Lord. Take a walking tour of the Old Town, including the house of Simon the Tanner, where Peter had a vision on the roof. Dinner and overnight in Jaffa. (D)

Sunday, October 21   Jaffa – Sinai, Egypt

Drive to Beersheba today for a visit to Abraham’s Well. Continue south to view the stupendous Wilderness of Zin. Drive through the Arava Valley to Eilat, at the southernmost tip of the country, crossing the Taba border into Sinai, Egypt. Drive along the beautiful Red Sea into the area of the mountains and desert of Sinai, where Bedouins still live today as they did in Biblical times. Dinner and overnight will be at Morgen Land Village, located near Mount Sinai. (B, D)

Monday, October 22   Mount Sinai – Petra, Jordan

Rise very early this morning to follow the footsteps of Moses up Mount Sinai, where he received the Ten Commandments. If you wish, for a small fee, part of the ascent or descent may be made on camelback. As the sun rises, the full wonder and beauty of these unique and historic mountains are revealed in the stunning view. After your climb, visit St. Catherine’s Monastery in its spectacular setting at the foot of Mount Sinai. The monastery was founded in the fourth century on what is believed to be the site of the burning bush. After a hearty breakfast, depart Sinai for Nuweiba, where you will board a ferry boat to Aqaba, Jordan. Drive through the Wadi Rum Midian Country, made famous by Lawrence of Arabia, to Petra, the rosered city. Dinner and overnight at Edom Hotel, Petra. (B, D)

Tuesday, October 23   Petra – Dead Sea

For hundreds of years, Petra was forgotten until it was rediscovered in 1812. It must be entered on foot, horseback, camel or by donkey cart. The Nabateans carved breathtaking temples and monuments, 800 in number, out of the multicolored sandstone. See the 3,000-seat theatre, the Palace Tomb and the Treasury, the most famous monument appearing dramatically at the end of the siq. During the time of Jesus and the Apostles, one of the East Mediterranean’s greatest commodities emporiums was located in Petra. It is likely that Petra was the last stopping post of the kings from the East who took gold, frankincense and myrrh to baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Drive north along the King’s Highway to the church of Madaba, with a mosaic floor from the 6th century showing the earliest original map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land as Christian pilgrims knew it. Stop at nearby Mount Nebo, from which God showed Moses the Promised Land. Dinner and overnight will be at the Dead Sea Spa, located on the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest elevation on earth. There will be opportunity for many different activities, including floating in the Dead Sea, swimming in the spa pool, massage, mud packs, and much much more! (B, D)

Wednesday, October 24   Dead Sea – The Galilee, Israel

Begin the day at Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan, where recent archaeological excavations since 1996 have produced evidence of this location as the area where John the Baptist preached and baptized during the early days of his ministry and the place where Jesus was baptized. As Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land, cross the Jordan River into Israel, stopping at Jericho to visit the tel of this oldest city. Drive north along the Jordan River to Beit Shean, the site of an extensive archaeological excavation and restoration project, where about twenty levels of civilization have been revealed. It was here that the Philistines fastened the bodies of Saul and his sons to the wall of the city. Dinner and overnight at Kibbutz Ma’agan, located along the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee.

Thursday, October 25   The Galilee

Drive to Kibbutz Nof Ginosar for a visit to the museum displaying the “Jesus Boat,” found buried under an exposed section of the lakebed during a drought in 1986. Stop at the Mount of Beatitudes, the site where Jesus delivered His Sermon on the Mount, overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Walk down the hill to Tabgha to visit the Church of the Loaves and Fishes, where your bus will pick you up and take you to Capernaum, the town used as a base by Christ during his ministry. See the remains of the fourth-century synagogue and the nearby house of St. Peter. Drive north to Caesarea Philippi (Banias), a source of the Jordan at the foot of Mt. Hermon – where Peter confessed his recognition of Jesus as the Christ. Enjoy a nature walk at Tel Dan and visit the high place where Jeroboam son of Nebat set up a golden calf. End the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, before returning to Kibbutz Ma’agan for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Friday, October 26   The Galilee - Jerusalem

Drive to Nazareth, the home town of Jesus, visiting its spring and walking through the present-day bazaar, over the site of the ancient village, to the Church of the Annunciation. See the Basilica of the Annunciation, built above the sunken grotto which may have been the home of the Virgin Mary and the place where she received the Annunciation / announcement of the imminent birth of Jesus. Continue to the mound of Megiddo, har megiddo in Hebrew, which gave its name to Armageddon. Stop at Caesarea Maritima, with its magnificent harbor, theater and aqueduct constructed during the reign of Herod. It was here that Peter explained the way of salvation to Cornelius. Finally, from the top Mt. Scopus, behold the majestic Holy City of Jerusalem, with dinner and overnight at the Ambassador Hotel. (B, D)

Saturday, October 27   Jerusalem

Leaving Jerusalem, drive to Beit Sahour to see the Shepherds’ Fields. In nearby Bethlehem visit the Church of the Nativity, built over the site believed to be the place of Jesus’ birth. Drive south along the western shore of the Dead Sea to Masada, a high plateau fortified by Herod the Great and the last stronghold of the Zealots against Rome in 66 A.D. Take a cable car to the top of the plateau to visit the ruins and enjoy the spectacular view of the surrounding area. Continue driving towards the northern edge of the Dead Sea to visit Qumran. View Cave # 4, which contained the greatest quantity of Dead Sea scrolls, discovered in 1947. Some scholars suggest that John the Baptist spent some of his early years being educated at Qumran with the Essene community. Return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Sunday, October 28   Jerusalem

Begin the day on the top of the Mt. of Olives for a breathtaking view of the Old City. Visit the Monastery of Pater Noster, where you can see the Lord’s Prayer inscribed in 100 languages. Follow the traditional Palm Sunday route to the church known as Dominus Flevit (“the Lord weeps”). See the olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane and visit the Church of All Nations. Enter the Old City through St. Stephen’s Gate to see the Pool of Bethesda and St. Anne’s Church, with its outstanding acoustics. Walk along the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Return to the Ambassador Hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D)


Monday, October 29   Jerusalem

rive to Mt. Zion to see Upper Room, possible site of the Last Supper. Visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu (“cock crow”), believed to be the site of Caiaphas’ house where Jesus was tried and kept overnight. Drive to the New City to visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum. Visit the nearby Shrine of the Book, which displays many of the Dead Sea Scrolls found in the caves at Qumran. See the model of Jerusalem, representing the city as it looked on the eve of the Jewish revolt, 36 years after the Passion of Jesus. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B, D)

Tuesday, October 30   Jerusalem

Take time to pray at the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site. Sit on the southern steps, where Jesus most surely sat and taught His disciples. Walk through the nearby Rabbi’s Tunnel that enables you to examine the length of the outer Herodian Temple wall—mostly preserved in mint condition— including two stone blocks each weighing about 600 tons. Ascend to the Dome of the Rock and the al- Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site of Islam, located on the traditional site of the ancient Temple Mount. Visit the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, walking down the Roman Cardo, where you will see a replica of the mosaic map of Jerusalem that you viewed at Madaba in Jordan. Visit the Wohl Archaeological Museum to see the remains of several mansions from Herodian times. For a memorable time of fellowship, end the afternoon with Communion at the Garden Tomb. A special Middle Eastern farewell dinner has been arranged at the Ambassador Hotel where you will spend the night. (B, D)

Wednesday, October 31   Arrive U.S.A.

Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport early this morning on your flight to Frankfurt. After changing planes, arrival at Raleigh/ Durham will be early in the evening.

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