Day 1 – Monday , 11 December

Departure from Chicago Ohare Airport on your way to Israel, The Land of the Bible.

Day 2 – Tuesday, 12 December

Tel Aviv / Hotel in The Galilee

Today we arrive to Israel at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport where we meet our guide and bus driver.

We drive to the Sea of Galilee where we will be staying at the new Migdal Hotel.

Day 3 – Wednesday, 13 December 


Caesarea / Carmel / Megiddo (Armageddon) / Nazareth / Tiberias

We head this morning to Caesarea to visit the Crusader Fortress built upon the ancient city of Caesarea, 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 Amphitheatre, where the group can experience the acoustics of a structure built in the days of Christ. Continue to Mount Carmel where Elijah issued his challenge to the False Prophets. Visit a Druze Village, then on to Haifa where we view the magnificent panorama over Haifa Bay, so reminiscent of San Francisco. Continue to Megiddo, Site of Armageddon. Now on to Nazareth, where Jesus spent the silent years of his life. From Nazareth the road winds down to Tiberias and the beautiful Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in the Galilee.

Day 4 – Thursday, 14 December 


Boat Ride on Sea of Galilee / Jesus Boat / Golan Heights (Caesarea Phillipi – time permitting) / Kursi (Pig Jump) / Mt of Beatitudes / Capernaum / Yardenit

Today we rise early and board our boat for a cruise on the Sea of Galilee. We visit the Jesus Boat. We then take the road through the Golan Heights . On the Golan Heights we will visit Caesarea Phillippi at Banias, Beit Seida where the Disciples lived and fished, and Korazin, where there are remains of a 1st.Century synagogue similar to Capernaum ; return to the Sea of Galilee area where much of the Galilean 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. We end our day with a baptismal service in the Jordan River at Yardenit.

Day 5 –Friday 15 December 


Beit Shean / Jordan Valley / Jericho / Qumran / Dead Sea / Red Sea

This morning we head South and start the day at Beit Shean - 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 view its magnificent excavations. We continue through the Jordan Valley by passing Jericho. We visit Qumran, center of the Essences. View the ancient caves of Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We will pass by the Dead Sea which is the lowest spot on Earth and the saltiest body of water to be found. We continue driving to the city of Eilat on the Red Sea where we will spend the night at our hotel.

Day 6 – Saturday 16 December 


Petra (Jordan)

A full day tour to exciting Petra in Jordan, one of the 7 wonders of the world. We cross the border at Eilat and drive up to Petra where we will spend the whole day , including lunch, exploring this magnificent Biblical site – this city carved into the pink rock. At the end of this magnificent day we return to Eilat for dinner and overnight.

Day 7 – Sunday 17 December 


Negev Desert, The Tabernacle, Masada

This day offers a full day of touring and travel as we leave the city of Eilat on our way towards Jerusalem.


We will pass through the Negev Desert and we will visit a life-size model of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness.


We will make our way to Masada where we will tour this historic mountain. If time is allowed we will visit the Valley of the Shadow on our way into Jerusalem.


Spend the night at our hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 8– Monday 18 December

Hills of Jerusalem / City of David / House of Caiaphas / Mt Zion / Upper Room / Yad V'shem / Rabbi's Tunnel/ Bethlehem / Jerusalem

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 an outstanding breathtaking view of the city across the Kidron Valley to the Eastern Gate; see Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster and Dominus Flevit. Walk down Palm Sunday Road and visit the Garden of Gethsemane, cross Mount Moriah viewing the Tombs of Absalom, Saint James and Zacharia. Travel around the temple pinnacle.

Day 9 – Monday, 19 December

Old City of Jerusalem / Pool of Bethesda / Praetorium/ Fortress of Antonia /

View of Temp[le Mt. / Western Wall / Via Dolorosa.

Enter the Old City through St Stephen's Gate; Visit the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus cured an invalid man; continue to the Praetorium, site of the public trial of Christ, and his condemnation, and view its ancient remains in the Fortress of Antonia, seat of the Roman Procurator; proceed to the Temple Mount to view the Mosque of Omar and visit the Western Wall, a sacred site for the Jewish People. 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 and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the way. End the day with quiet prayer and communion at the Garden Tomb of Jesus, also seeing Gogatha also called Mt Calvary. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Jerusalem.

10 – Tuesday, 20 December

Model City of Jerusalem / Israel Museum/ Dead Sea Scrolls/ Southern Steps of Ancient Temple

We continue in the new part of Jerusalem by visiting the Israel Museum where there is a scale model of the city of Jerusalem from New Testament Times, including the Second Temple. Also at the Museum visit the Dead Sea Scrolls, housed in a specially prepared building. Continue via the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) and downtown Jerusalem, to Old Jerusalem's reconstructed Jewish Quarter. See the Ancient Cardo Maximo and confirmation of historic sites of yesteryear. Visit to the Southern Steps, the archaeological reconstruction of the Temple Steps where Jesus walked so often. We continue to our Farewell Dinner at a well known Middle-Eastern Restaurant in Abu Ghosh on the way to the airport for our overnight flight.

Day 11- Thursday 21 December

Fly Home

Today we arrive back to the USA, early morning
 And we say again "Next Year in Jerusalem”!

DAILY ITINERARY