Sample Itinerary

DAY 1 // Travel day

DAY 2 // Arrive in Israel / Meet up with the group at our hotel in Tel Aviv

Acclimate, and explore Tel Aviv! Get over jet lag by throwing on your swimsuit and soaking up some Mediterranean sun! We will have a relaxed dinner together and go to bed early - we’ve got a big day tomorrow!

DAY 3 // Caesarea / Mount Carmel / Jezreel Valley / Arbel

Grab a coffee and hit the ground running! First stop: Caesarea by the Sea, named after Augustus Caesar, who imposed the tax that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Here we will visit a beautiful example of the Roman Amphitheater, where the group can experience the acoustics of a structure built in the days of Christ. This was the home of Cornelius, the first gentile to receive the Gospel! Continue North to Mount Carmel where Elijah issued his challenge to the false prophets of Baal. Overlook the Valley of Megiddo where a great future battle will occur prior to the return of Jesus. Follow the road winding down to the Sea of Galilee, hike the striking Mt. Arbel and take in the view! Spend the night at a real working Kibbutz.

DAY 4 // Sea of Galilee / Capernaum / Nazareth / Magdala

Today we rise early to explore around the Sea of Galilee! This is where much of Jesus’ Ministry took place. Here were the homes of the disciples James, Simon, John and Andrew. Near here Jesus gave Beatitudes and taught in the synagogue on many occasions, performing many miracles. Visit Capernaum, home of Peter, Andrew, and Matthew. Then on to Nazareth Village, an amazing working replica of a first century village - just like it would have looked when Jesus lived in Nazareth! Finish up the day seeing Magdala, a magnificent, still-unfolding archaeological discovery: hometown of Mary Magdalene. Night at our Kibbutz.

DAY 5 // Golan Heights / Caesarea Phillipi / Tel Dan / Mt. Bental / Valley Of Tears

The land of Israel is both ancient and modern! We take the winding road through the Golan Heights where we will learn the strategic military and political significance of this area. We see Mount Hermon, the “eyes of Israel” into Syria. We will visit Caesarea Phillipi at Banias, the place where Jesus taught his disciples about the “keys to the Kingdom.” We will explore Tel Dan, a beautiful nature reserve and a water source leading to the Jordan River, hiking down to a gorgeous waterfall. Dan was the northernmost city in the ancient kingdom of Israel, and is very well-excavated. End the day with a cold juice or coffee on top of Mt Bental. Night at our Kibbutz.

DAY 6 // Beit She’an / Shiloh / Dead Sea Camping

We start our day at the city of Beit She’an, one of the earliest and most important cities in Israel from the time of the Canaanites. It was here the Philistines impaled King Saul’s body to the city wall. We walk on a Roman road though its magnificent excavations. Heading South, we stop at Shiloh, the home of the Tabernacle for over 400 years before it was moved to Jerusalem, and the home of Eli and Samuel the prophet. Tonight we will enjoy a traditional dinner, campfire and night “glamping” in the desert!

DAY 7 // Sunrise Masada Hike / Ein Gedi / Jerusalem

We start the morning early hiking the mighty fortress of Masada: last stronghold and stand of the zealots against Rome. Masada is a symbol of courage and perseverance for the Jewish People, where 960 Jewish defenders organized their last resistance to the Roman conquerors and took their own lives rather than surrender into slavery. Recover by floating in the Dead Sea - the saltiest body of water, and the lowest geographical point on earth! Then hike in the hidden waterfalls of Ein Gedi, an oasis in the barren desert near the Dead Sea. Picture David running from Saul and hiding in these caves. Marvel at the wildlife and jump in a refreshing waterfall. We head up to Jerusalem and spend our first night in the City of the Great King!

DAY 8 // Old City / Via Dolorosa / Church of the Holy Sepulcher / Pool of Bethesda / Shabbat

Enter the Old City through the Jaffa Gate. Continue through the picturesque market streets past the Citadel of David and exit through the Jaffa Gate, passing the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Visit the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed a crippled man on the Sabbath. Enjoy a shabbat dinner together, welcoming the sabbath.

DAY 9 // Mount of Olives / Garden of Gethsemane / Bethlehem

This morning we start the day at Mt of Olives for an introduction to Jerusalem. Ascend the mountains of Jerusalem from Scopus to Mt of Olives for a breathtaking view of the city across the Kidron Valley to the Eastern Gate; see Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster and Dominus Flavit. Walk down Palm Sunday Road and pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. We cross Mount Moriah viewing the Tombs of Absalom and Zechariah. We head to Bethlehem to see the Shepherd’s fields where the birth of Jesus was announced, and the Church of the Nativity built over His birthplace. We will meet locals, hear their stories and learn more about the current political situation. We will walk the graffiti-art-covered wall dividing the West Bank from Israel and pray for peace. Returning to Jerusalem, we will rest up and go into the old city late at night to experience the wild and wonderful festivities of Shavuot or Pentecost! The celebration of the giving of the Torah, when we also celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit.

DAY 10 // Western Wall / Temple Mount / Southern Steps of Ancient Temple / City of David / Hezekiah’s Tunnel / Yad Vashem

We will spend the day in Jerusalem, waking up very early to get in line to walk on the Temple Mount: the most contested piece of real estate in the world! We will see the Al Aqsa Mosque as well as the Dome of the Rock. We will view the Eastern Gate from above and the Mount of Olives from the site of the ancient Temple. After descending the Temple Mount we will visit the Southern Steps which led up to the Temple Mount in Jesus’ day. There we will study God’s word and pray where Neil Armstrong said, that though he had walked on the moon it “did not compare” to standing on steps where we know Jesus’ feet once stood. We will see the City of David: excavations from the time of David that are widely believed to be remains of his palace. Those who dare will venture through Hezekiah’s Tunnel - over a football field long, chiseled into solid rock in the 8th century BCE. We will finish up the day with a visit to Yad Vashem, the largest Holocaust memorial in the world: a remembrance of 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis.

DAY 11 // Garden Tomb / Depart for the US

We begin the day with an early visit to the Garden Tomb, taking communion together and praising God for what he has done for us in our Messiah. We will then continue to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv for our group flight to the back to the USA. Shalom!

*This itinerary is an example, and is subject to change depending on many factors on the ground in Israel. No matter what we do or when we do it, it will be amazing!