Extended Christian - Holy Land Tour – upgraded 2011


This tour is intended for everyone who wants to book a Christian Tour to Israel the Holy Land, but with some more insight into the Biblical sites as well as some understanding of the Holy Land today. It contains the most famous Christian Pilgrimage Sites, together with the newest Biblical Sites in Israel and sites of General Interest in Israel. This itinerary is intended to be a general proposal. Our experts will be glad to custom-made YOUR special tour to the Holy Land. Ask your Pastor / Priest to contact us as for your next Church Tour to Israel!

 

Day 1:

Arrival – Welcome Dinner


Upon arrival at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, your guide will greet you and we will assist you with the first formalities... Transfer to Tel Aviv for check-in at your hotel. Guests arriving on an early flight can spend some time at Tel-Aviv's pulsating seaside Promenade. Festive Welcome-Dinner at a local restaurant and introduction of the tour by your guide.

 

Day 2:

Caesarea – Megiddo – Mt. Carmel – Haifa


Drive to Caesarea Maritima, the magnificent port-city built by King Herod the Great. From here St. Peter went to Rome and started with his first miracles. In Caesarea's well-preserved theater an inscription of the procurator Pontius Pilate was found. We continue to Tell Megiddo, one of Israel's most ancient cities, where we can find traces of fortifications left by the Canaanites, King Salomon, King Ahab, and more, as well as a very sophisticated water system, some claim was built by the king Salomon. This strategic place has always been the scenery of war, and according to John's Revelation it is here where the last battle shall take place – the battle of Armageddon. From here we drive through some Druze villages to the modern port-city Haifa, situated on the slopes of the evergreen Mt. Carmel. The view from this mountain is famous for its beauty, and time permitting, we can also visit the Carmelite monastery Stella Marris, where "Elijah's Cave" can be seen. O/N in Haifa.

 

Day 3:


Acco (Acre) - Cana – Nazareth: Church of Annunciation – Mary's Well – Orthodox Church – Nazareth Village


Drive to the oriental city of Akko (Acre), where the Crusaders built their most important port. We can still visit the very well-preserved "Knights Halls" under the living oriental Bazaar with its colors and odors of the East, and listen to the legends told by The Last Bath Attendant in the Turkish Bath – The Hammam. Visit Cana in Galilee, where Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water to wine at a wedding, and continue to Nazareth, where we visit the Basilica of the Annunciation and the Greek-Orthodox St. Gabriel Church near Mary's Well. We end the day at the "Nazareth Village", where daily life, as it was in the time of Jesus is reconstructed – a unique biblical experience! Over-night in Tiberias/Nazareth.

 

Day 4:


Sea of Galilee: Capernaum – Mt. Beatitudes – Tabgha – Sail on "Jesus Boat" on the Sea of Galilee – Jesus Boat Museum in Ginosar – Yardenit Baptismal Site on the Jordan River


Today we visit the places where Jesus acted around the Sea of Galilee: Capernaum, with Peters House and the famous Synagogue, enjoy the view from Mt. of the Beatitudes, where the "Sermon on the Mount" was given, and the reconstructed church at Tabgha, where tradition puts the miracle of the Bread and The Fish. We will also sail on the sea in a boat similar to the boat used by Jesus and his disciples and see the Boat of the times of Jesus exhibited in the museum by Kibbutz Ginossar. In the afternoon we make a short drive along the Golan Heights, and end the day at the Yardenit Baptismal Site on the Holy River Jordan. O/N in Tiberias/Nazareth.

 


Day 5:

Caesarea Philippi (Banias) – Golan Heights – Qatzrin – Kibbutz Tour


After breakfast we ascend the Golan Heights to Caesarea Philippi (Baniass) – one of the sources of the holy Jordan River. The natural beauty of the spot is the scenery to the remarkable archaeological findings of Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus gave Peter the authority to be "the Rock on which I shall build my Church!". Drive up to the summit of Mount Bental. From the top of this non-active volcano you have a wide view over the Mountains of Galilee, up to Lebanon, and far over the Syrian border. This is an excellent spot to explain the geography and history of this region in the past and present. Continue to Ancient Katzrin, to view the well-preserved synagogue and town, where you can also understand daily life during Jesus' Time. For those interesting, a wine-tasting session at the famous Golan Winery in Katzrin can be arranged. In the afternoon we drive to Kibbutz Sha'ar Hagolan, where one of the members will tour the Kibbutz with us, and explain to us all about this unique modern Jewish way-of-life, that is actually very similar to the way Jesus lived with his deciples! O/N in Tiberias/Nazareth.

Day 6:


Mount Tabor (transfiguration) - Jordan Valley – Jericho: Sycamore Tree – by Cable-car to Mt. Temptation – Elishah's Spring; - Good Samaritan Inn - Jerusalem: Mt. Scopus


Following Jesus' Footsteps we drive up a steep, winding road to Mt. Tabor with its scenic Church of the Transfiguration. After descending the mountain, we drive along the Jordan Valley to Jericho, where we shall see the Sycamore Tree, on which tradition says that Zacchaeus the Tax-collector climbed in order to see The Lord, and Elisha's spring. A modern cable-car will take us up to the Mount of Temptation, where the monks built their monastery hanging from a cliff, on the spot where Jesus was tempted by the Devil. From Jericho we ascend through the Judean Desert, to the newly re-opened Inn of the Good Samaritan, where except for the ancient Byzantine Church we can see there, we can visit a rare archaeological exhibition of Jewish, Christian and Samaritan findings, which can spread a lot of light on the story of the Good Samaritan. We continue our travel in Jesus' footsteps and enter Jerusalem triumphantly via the Mount of Olives. On Mount Scopus, at a point viewing the Holy City, we will step out of the bus for a Welcome Ceremony to Jerusalem. O/N in Jerusalem.

 

Day 7:


Bethlehem: Church of Nativity – Milk Grotto - Shepherds Fields; - Mt. of Olives – Church of Ascention – Pater Noster Church – Dominus Flevit – Gethsemane


Drive to Bethlehem and visit the ancient Church of Nativity, the very place where Jesus was born, with the Catholic St. Catherine Church housing the tombs of the Forty Innocent Children, as well as the Milk Grotto. Drive to Beit Sahur to visit the Church of the Shepherds Fields. Returning to Jerusalem, we ascend the Mt. of Olives to the Church of Ascension, from where we walk to the Pater Noster Church, one of the first 4 churches built by St. Helen. Now, just like Our Lord in the past, we can enjoy a panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem! A steep road takes us down to the Dominus Flevit Church, where the Lord wept over the destruction of the Temple. We will end this day at the Garden of Gethsemane, humbly meditating under the ancient Olive Trees, remembering Our Lord's wailing in the Church of All Nations… O/N in Jerusalem.

 

Day 8:


Western (Wailing) Wall – Temple Mount: Dome of the Rock & Al Aqsa Mosque - Bethesda Pool – Praetorium with Lithostrotus – Ecce Homo – Via Dolorosa – Golgatha & Jesus Tomb at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre – Roman Cardo – Mt. Zion – Upper Room (Cenacle) – King David Tomb – St. Peter Gallicantu


Our Old City Tour starts at the famous Western ("Wailing" Wall) –the last remnants of the Jewish Temple. Today different Jews from all over the world come here to worship. If open to visits, we will ascend the Temple Mount to view (from outside) the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aksa Mosque. Now we will re-experience that dramatic Friday, when Jesus was crucified. We start at the Bethesda Pools, where Jesus healed the crippled man who couldn't walk for decades, and the St. Anna Church, famous for its long-lasting echo. Following Our Lord on the Way of the Cross – the "Via Dolorosa", we stop by the Ecce Homo Arch, before entering the Sisters of Zion Monastery to see the Pretorium where Jesus was sentenced to Death, with the famous Lithostrotus, where you can still see some Roman engravings on the ancient pavement. The stations of the Via Dolorosa lead us through the colorful "Suq" (Bazaar) of the Old City to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where we will see the Hill of Calvary (Golgotha) and the empty Tomb of Jesus. Walking through the Jewish Quarter we will see the well-preserved Roman Cardo. We exit the Old City through the Zion Gate to visit the "Upper Room" (also known as the Cenacle or Caenaculum) where Jesus and his disciples had the Last Supper together, King David's Tomb and the St. Peter in Gallicantu Church, where Jesus was imprisoned in the House of Caiaphas the High Priest. O/N in Jerusalem.

 

Day 9:


Ein Karem – Yad Vashem – Knesset (Menorah) – Israel Museum: Jerusalem Modell – Shrine of the Book – Machane Yehuda Market


This day is dedicated to the New City of Jerusalem: After breakfast we drive to Ein Karim, the picturesque village where tradition says that John the Baptist was born. Visit Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust Memorial, following by a visit to the known Menorah (Candelabra) situated in front of the Knesset Building, housing Israel's Parliament. At the Israel Museum we will visit the 1:50 Model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple Period (the Time of Jesus) and the "Shrine of the Book" where the original "Dead Sea Scrolls" are exhibited. We end the day at the colorful (and noisy…) Machane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem's "real" parliament… O/N in Jerusalem.

 

Day 10:

Qumran – Masada – Dead Sea


Leaving Jerusalem, we descend to the deepest place on earth – The Dead Sea! Arriving there, we will visit Qumran, where the famous "Dead Sea Scrolls" were found and learn about the life of the Esseans, who lived a life that was very similar to the life and ideas of Jesus and his disciples. We will then climb (by cable-car…) the cliff-fortress Massada. Here, on a high cliff in the middle of the desert King Herod the Great built a magnificent palace. This fortified palace was later used by Jewish rebels as a stronghold against the Romans. Their heroic struggle against the mighty Roman Empire became a significant symbol for the modern state of Israel and was recognized by UNESCO as "World Heritage Site". We end the day floating (you can't swim…!!) in The Dead Sea, known for its healing qualities. O/N by the Dead Sea.

 

Day 11:


Sodom -  "Peace Road" and agricultural tour in the Arava Desert - Biblical Meal at Emek David - Old Jaffa


In Sodom (yes, THAT Sodom!) we stop to see the Pillar of Salt that according to the bible was Lots wife. From this unfertile land we continue to the Arava Valley, where we drive on the newly constructed "Peace Road" - right by the Jordanian Border, to see the state-of-the-art agriculture that enable the local farmers to make the desert bloom and make the arid Arava the area from which 50% of Israel's vegetable export is produced!  Now we return to Israel's more fertile areas, to "Emek David", situated right in the Valley of the Terabynth, where the dramatic battle between David and Goliath took place. Here we shall have a Biblical Meal, reconstructing those days... A tour in self-drive 4x4 Ranger vehicles tracing history, nature and archeology in the valley can also be arranged. We end the day in Old Jaffa, one of the ancient gateways to the Holy Land: Through its port the Cedar trees for Salomon's Temple were brought, the prophet Jonas tried to flee God, but most important: It was in Jaffa where Christianity began to be spread among the nations. Here St. Peter lived in the house of Simon the Tanner and had the "Vision of the Flesh", and here he made his first miracle by healing the little girl. Today Jaffa's renovated alley-ways attract many artists, who have their galleries there. Farewell-Dinner and Over-night in Tel Aviv - Jaffa.

 

Day 12:

Departure


Depending on your flight-schedule, free time in Tel Aviv before your transfer to the Ben Gurion Airport for your flight back home.

 

 

 Pastors & Priests are welcomed to contact us for more information & bookings

 

Our Advantage is our Flexibility... but most of all - Our Heart

Contact Info:

Ahalan Olympus Ltd
Shalom Plaza Hotel Eilat
POB 3011, zip 88000
Fax. +972-8-6345001
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Tel. +972-8-6347022
e-mail: kfir@ahalan.co.il
websites:
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