ISRAEL ADVENTURE STUDY TOUR ITINERARY

 Please note that due to local conditions changes may be made to the itinerary before or during the time of travel.

DAY 1 – Monday, June 4th – Meet our tour group in Newark for a 10:50pm departure on United Airlines for our flight to the land of Israel.

DAY 2 – Tuesday, June 5^th – Arrive BEN GURION (TEL AVIV) at 4:20 pm and drive to JERUSALEM to check into the beautiful Dan Jerusalem hotel for a buffet meal and a good night’s sleep before the next day’s adventure!

DAY 3 – Wednesday, June 6^th – JERUSALEM- Our morning takes us to the MOUNT OF OLIVES for devotions and an historical overview of the Old City of Jerusalem. Next, we walk down the Disciples Path to DOMINUS FLEVIT for a closer look at the Temple Mount and a prophetic overview of its future history. Following this we travel to the ISRAEL MUSEUM to see a scale MODEL of SECOND TEMPLE JERUSALEM and tour the SHRINE OF THE BOOK, the museum housing the famous Dead Sea Scrolls. After lunch Dr. Price gives us a tour of the ARCHAEOLOGICAL WING of the museum, focusing on the archaeological evidence for the Bible. Return to the to the Dan Jerusalem hotel for dinner and overnight. Optional evening walking excursion (via Jerusalem Light Rail or taxi) to see the JERUSALEM FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS where artists have created light sculptures on the walls of the Old City!

DAY 4 –Thursday, June 7^th – JERUSALEM- Today we enter the TEMPLE MOUNT, where Dr. Price will give us a tour of the ancient and modern sites related to the Temples. Next, we go underground to see the newly revealed WESTERN WALL TUNNEL, a 1,000 foot extension of the Western Wall and open street where Jesus walked. Next we have time above ground at the WESTERN WALL where you can say a prayer or place a written prayer in the crevices of the wall. After lunch in the JEWISH QUARTER we experience the TEMPLE INSTITUTE where preparations are being made for a future Temple. Next we go to the BURNT HOUSE, the house of priests destroyed in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Our last stop is the BROAD WALL, which played a part in King Hezekiah’s defense against the Assyrians, followed by an opportunity to shop at a local souvenir shop. Return to the Dan Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. Optional excursion to an antiquity shop in the Old City (via taxi).

DAY 5 – Friday, June 8^th – COASTAL PLAIN/GALILEE – Start the day following the Mediterranean Sea to arrive at CAESAREA, the resort of Roman officials such as Pontius Pilate and prison of the Apostle Paul. Our next stop is MEGIDDO, the ancient chariot city of Solomon whose name is synonymous with Armageddon. From there we drive to NAZARETH, Jesus’ childhood home to experience the Nazareth village, a re-creation of Jewish culture in the time of Jesus. Overnight at the Caesar Premier hotel situated beside the sea.

DAY 6 – Saturday, June 9^th – GALILEE – We begin the morning setting sail on the SEA OF GALILEE to enjoy our devotions on a replica of a first-century fishing boat. Next, we see an actual fishing boat from the time of Jesus, called the JESUS BOAT on display at Kibbutz Nof Ginosar. Then we visit to the MOUNT OF BEATITUDES, the site of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount followed by TABGHA (Peter’s Primacy), to walk on the shore where Jesus met the disciples after His resurrection and a visit to CAPERNAUM to see the synagogue where Jesus preached and the house of Simon Peter. Following lunch we visit the site of ancient MAGDALA to see the recent discovery of a first-century fishing village and synagogue. We conclude our day at YARDENIT the visit the Christian baptismal site with the opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River (please contact Dr. Price about this opportunity in advance). Dinner and overnight at the Caesar Premier. Optional evening excursion at leisure along the promenade and shops at the Marina (located just outside the hotel).

DAY 7 – Sunday, June 10^th – GOLAN HEIGHTS – We journey today to the GOLAN HEIGHTS to see the archaeological site of TEL DAN with the high place of Jeroboam and a gate from Abraham’s time. Next, we visit CAESAREA PHILIPPI, to tour both the Temple of Pan and the Palace of Herod Philip. Following lunch in a DRUZE VILLAGE we return to the Galilee to KURSI, the site where Jesus encountered the demoniac named Legion and BETHSAIDA, the old Testament site of Geshur and possibly the fishing village of several of Jesus’ disciples. Special evening dinner at the DECK’S RESTAURANT situated on the Sea of Galilee. Overnight at the Caesar Premier hotel.

 DAY 8 – Monday, June 11th – JORDAN VALLEY/JUDEAN DESERT- We start the day at the south end of the Galilee area at BETH-SHEAN, one of the largest archaeological sites in Israel with Egyptian, Philistine, and Roman remains. We then drive to JERICHO where the walls collapsed for the army of Israel under Joshua. We then proceed to EIN BOQEK at the southern end of the DEAD SEA to check-in to the beautiful David Dead Sea Hotel and to enjoy an afternoon floating in the Dead, swimming in the Olympic size pool, trying the indoor salt pool or spa facilities (extra charge). Dinner and evening at leisure.

DAY 9 – Tuesday, June 12^th – JUDEAN DESERT- Begin the morning at MASADA, site of the Jew’s final stand against the Romans in AD 73, ascending by cable cars to see the remains of Herod’s palatial fortress. Next we go to EIN-GEDI where David hid from Saul and composed some of the Psalms to enjoy this nature preserve and optional climb to NAHAL DAVID (waterfall). Next we drive to QUMRAN for lunch and to tour the site of the Community that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls and for the extra-hardy, a climb to one of the SCROLL CAVEs excavated by Dr. Price. Check-in to the Dan Jerusalem hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 10 – Wednesday, June 13^th – JERUSALEM -. We begin the day at the TEMPLE MOUNT SIFTING PROJECT to search for artifacts from soil removed from under the Temple Mount. After lunch we go to DAVID’s CITY to see the recently excavated remains of the FORTRESS OF ZION and WARREN’S SHAFT and SPRING TOWER from the Jebusite and Canaanite periods, and to walk through HEZEKIAH’S WATER TUNNEL or a dry tunnel from the Bronze Age to emerge at the POOL OF SILOAM where you will be walking on the same stones that Jesus walked on. We then walk through an ancient ESCAPE TUNNEL to end up in the EXCAVATIONS AT THE WESTERN and SOUTHERN WALLS of the Temple Mount. We return to the Dan Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. 

DAY 11 – Thursday, June 14^th BETHLEHEM – Christmas comes early this year as this morning you enter BETHLEHEM. Climb the HERODIAN, the mountain-fortress of Herod the Great where the infamous king’s tomb was just excavated several years ago. Next we have a shopping opportunity for exclusive souvenirs at an olive wood store. to the SHEPHERD’S FIELD (YMCA) to sing Christmas carols inside a shepherd’s cave with manger outside! Next we enter the CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY, the traditional birthplace of Jesus and site of JEROME’s CAVE where he translated the Latin Vulgate. Next, we return to Jerusalem to end our day at YAD VASHEM, Israel’s national museum of the Holocaust, to understand how this terrible history has affected the Jewish People and the Nation of Israel. Dinner and overnight at the Dan Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. Final optional opportunity to visit an antiquities shop in the Old City.

DAY 12 – Friday, June 15^th – JERUSALEM – Begin today at to the GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE for private prayer in the place where Jesus prayed “not my will but Thine be done.” Next to CAIAPHAS’ HOUSE the site of Jesus’ trial and to the POOL OF BETHESDA and Saint Anne’s Church, where Jesus performed a miracle of healing. Then we walk the VIA DOLOROSA, the way Jesus’ carried the cross, visiting the CHURCH OF THE FLAGELLATION, the site of Jesus’ Roman trial. Following lunch, we conclude our path down the Via Dolorosa at the CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE, the traditional site of the crucifixion and tomb of Jesus. We climax our reflection on the sufferings of the Savior at the GARDEN TOMB with a guided tour and COMMUNION SERVICE under the olive trees. Next we enjoy a FAREWELL DINNER at an exclusive Israeli restaurant and drive to BEN-GURION airport for the security check-in and flight to the United States. Jordan Extension group returns to Dan Jerusalem to overnight.

DAY 13 – Saturday, June 16^th -Arrive at Newark and make connections for your flight home with wonderful memories of the Holy Land.

Jordan Extension

Day 13 – Saturday, June 16th- Morning crossover to Amman, Jordan through Allenby border crossing and first stop will be the Jordan Antiquities Museum which houses the Dead Sea Copper Scrolls, we then proceed to Mt. Nebo, where Moses viewed the Promised Land,  We then proceed south to Machaerus, the ruins of Herod’s winter palace where Josepheus recorded that John the Baptist met his end. After that, time permitting we stop at Bab edh-Dhra, a possible site of Sodom which has a thick ash layer with brimstone and pottery fragments and then proceed to overnight at the beautiful Petra Movenpick hotel a short walk from the  carved red rock city of Petra.

Day 14– Sunday, June 17th– We begin a full day of touring the mysterious red rock city of Petra (made notable in films in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) which is one of the seven wonders of the world.  We enter through the narrow towering passage called the “Siq” which opens on the awe inspiring Treasury carved into the face of a cliff.  We then tour over a mile of the carved red rock city ending at the High Place plateau with its 925 steps to gain access to a fantastic view of the city.  We return at the end of the day to the Petra Movenpick to overnight.

Day 15– Monday–June 18th– We cross the border to Israel and enter Eilat and proceed to  the Red Sea Marine Observatory to see the sea life in the undersea part of the observatory. Time permitting we may have time for those who would like to, to have an optional snorkeling experience in the Red Sea before heading for the airport to fly up to Tel Aviv. After flying up to Tel Aviv we will have a farewell dinner before checking in for our late night  flight to return to Newark.

Day 16–Tuesday–June 19th – Arrive Newark at 4:20 am and connect to domestic flights with wonderful memories of your fantastic Middle East experience in Israel and Jordan!