HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE
(10 DAYS, CATHOLIC)
overnight flight including dinner, breakfast and in-flight entertainment.
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport. We are met, assisted and escorted to our hotel by aviatours staff. We meet for dinner. (If you arrive early in the day, we will add sites on the way to the hotel).
After breakfast we drive towards Cana (John 21:2) where the first miracle of Jesus took place, and then to Nazareth(Matt 2:23) to visit the place where he lived as a young boy and visit a typical house of his time. Drive to Caesarea(Acts 10:1ff),the port-city built by King Herod. Apostle Paul was put in prison here until he was expelled to Rome. We continue to the Baptism site at the Jordan River, where those who wish, may renew their Baptism in this unique place. We reach Tiberias (John 6:1; 21:1) for dinner.
After breakfast, we descend and take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. In the middle of the sea we shut the engines and read the moving scriptures: Matthew 14:26-27. We reach Capernaum (Luke 4:31) to visit the ruins of an ancient synagogue and the Byzantine chapel at the site of Peter's House. We then continue to Tabgha (Matt 14:17, 19), the site of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fish, Mount of Beatitudes (Matt 5-7) and Magdala - home of Mary Magdalene. We will ascend to Mt.Tabor– the site of the transfiguration of Jesus (Matt. 17:1-8). Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Today we head south through the Jordan Valley to reach Jerusalem. Our first stop will be the Mount of Olives (Mark 13:3) with a panoramic view of both the "old" and "new" Jerusalem. We follow the path down the Palm Sunday road to the Gardenof Gethsemane (Matt 26:36) and the nearby Church of All Nations. We then take a short drive through the Kidron Valley to reach Absalom and Zachariah's Tomb. Continue to MountZion (King David's tomb) and the Upper Room (John 13:1ff), site of the Last Supper. Nearby is the house of Caiaphas . We reach our hotel for dinner and overnight
We drive south to the Dead Sea through Masada, the palace-fort built by King Herod. Here, in 73 A.D., 960 Jewish zealots committed suicide rather than surrender to the Romans. The plateau is reached via a cable car ride with a spectacular view of the plains surrounding it. We’ll also dip in the Dead Sea – rich with minerals, God’s gift to your skin. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
After breakfast we visit the modern city of Jerusalem, the famous Menorah near the Israeli Parliament (Knesset), the YadVa Shem Museum (the Holocaust Museum). Afternoon visit to the little town of Ein Karem, the town of Elizabeth and St John the Baptist (Luke 1:5) Our day ends with dinner and overnight in our hotel in Jerusalem.
We start the day with a visit to the Wailing Wall (the Western Wall) - the last remains of the Temple built by King Herod and the Rabbi’s Tunnel whichexposes to you the unique size of the Wailing Wall. We thenwalk along the Via Dolorosa “The Way of the Cross” with its 14 stations, ending in the Church of The Holy Sepulcher (Matthew 27:11-31). Next we then travel to the "little town of Bethlehem (Matt 2:1ff) and its' Church of the Nativity and Milk Grotto. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
A day at leisure for your own independent explorations and activities, or additional optional sightseeing. Our day ends with a farewell dinner and over night in Jerusalem.(If your flight departs at midnight, you will be transferred to the airport after dinner).
Transfer to the airport. Arrival home in the U.S.A. on the same day. Welcome back. You have just returned from a lifetime experience.
THIS PROGRAM MAY BE ALTERED TO FIT THE NEEDS OF YOUR GROUP
For more information about this program and prices email us at info@aviatours.netor call us during our office hours (weekdays 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM EST) at (800) 950-0747.