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Day 1 - Saturday: Johannesburg – Tel Aviv
Meet your tourleader and other fellow pilgrims at Johannesburg International Airport. Check in for your flight to Tel Aviv, flying on Israel’s El Al airlines. Dinner will be served on board. (D)
Day 2 - Sunday: Arrival in Israel – Tel Aviv – Jaffa – Jerusalem - Mt. of Olives – Gethsemane Garden
Early morning arrival in Israel. Meet your guide and driver, and drive through the modern city of Tel Aviv, founded 100 years ago on the Mediterranean shore. Next we have a short tour of the ancient port city of Jaffa ("Joppa"), from where the prophet Jonah set sail, and where the "cedars of Lebanon", sent by the Phoenicians, arrived to be used in King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem nearly 3,000 years ago. We drive "up" to Jerusalem, the Holy City. Our first stop is on the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of the Old City. Then we visit the beautiful Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus hid and was captured by the Romans, with its 2,000 year old olive trees and the Church of the Agony (also called the Church of All Nations).
Dinner and overnight: Jerusalem. (D)
Day 3 - Monday: Jerusalem Old City – Western Wall – Southern Wall Stairs – Bethesda Pool – Church of St. Anne – Via Dolorosa and Church of the Holy Sepulchre – Garden Tomb
Breakfast in your hotel. We enter the Old City of Jerusalem, and visit the Western ("Wailing") Wall, remnant of the foundation of the Second Temple from the time of Jesus, and holiest site of Judaism. Tour the Southern Wall excavations and walk on the stairs where Jesus taught, that led into the Temple. We will visit Bethesda Pool, and the Church of St. Anne. Nearby we stop at the Convent of the Sisters of Zion, to see remains of the Antonia Fortress, where Jesus was kept in prison. Follow the Via Dolorosa ("Way of the Agonies") the path Jesus walked to the crucifixion, leading to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional site of Calvary and Burial of Jesus. Walk through the bazaar area (time free for shopping), and end the touring with a visit to the Garden Tomb, a beautiful site, and a place for peaceful meditation. A Communion Service can be arranged here.
Dinner and overnight: Jerusalem. (B,D)
Day 4 - Tuesday: Bethlehem – Judean Desert – Dead Sea with Swim – View to Qumran Caves – Jordan River Valley – Tiberias
Today we drive to Bethlehem, place of Jesus' Birth, and visit the Basilica of the Nativity. Then we drive east into the Judean Wilderness down to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth, some 400 metres below sea level, revered as a place of refuge and source of salt in ancient times. Today it has fascinating Biblical and archaeological significance, and is a popular desert resort area with mineral cures. We will stop here to enjoy a "swim" in the salty waters. Along the way, we will view the caves at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Then we drive north along the Jordan River Valley, following the border between Israel and the Kingdom of Jordan on our way to the Galilee, with a view to the modern city of Jericho and the Mount of Temptation from the road. Arrive at the Sea of Galilee and your hotel in Tiberias.
Dinner and overnight: Tiberias. (B,D)
Day 5 - Wednesday: Sea of Galilee Boat Ride – Capernaum – Tabgha - Mt. Beatitudes – Golan Heights – Baptismal Site
Enjoy a Boat Ride on the lovely Sea of Galilee, remembering the events which took place on this lake. We visit Capernaum, which was Jesus’ headquarters during His ministry in the Galilee, including the house of St. Peter and the synagogue where Jesus taught. Continue to Tabgha, which is the site of the miracle of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes, and near the place where we commemorate Jesus telling Peter that he would be the "Rock" on which the Church would be built. Drive onto Mount Beatitudes, where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. In the afternoon we drive up to the Golan Heights, Biblical Bashan, for a panoramic view of the entire Sea of Galilee area. Finally, visit the baptismal site on the Jordan River, where the river meets the Sea of Galilee. Baptismal service can be arranged.
Dinner and overnight: Tiberias. (B,D)
Day 6 - Thursday: Galilee – Nazareth – Megiddo/Armageddon - Caesarea Maritima
Drive through the western Galilee, via the village of Cana, where the wedding feast took place. Nearby we arrive in Nazareth, the town where Jesus grew up, and visit the Church of the Annunciation. Continue to Megiddo/Armageddon, where we walk through excavations of King Solomon’s main fortified chariot city, and discover why this tel (archaeological mound), which holds 5,000 years of accumulated cities, is viewed as the place for the “Cataclysm of the End of Days.” Walk through the ancient water tunnel cut into the mountain to protect the spring from the Assyrian invaders. Next we drive to the Mediterranean coast, and stop to tour in Caesarea Maritima, King Herod’s masterpiece city, built to impress the emperor in Rome as well as the local population. See the ancient Roman theatre, hippodrome for horse and chariot races, and the Crusader city as well. Drive to our hotel on the Mediterranean for the night.
Dinner and overnight: Mediterranean Coast. (B,D)
Day 7 - Friday: Tel Aviv - Johannesburg
Transfer to the airport, check in for your flight to Johannesburg. Arrival in Johannesburg mid-afternoon. (B)
Biblical Lands (departing Wednesdays):
This tour can also start with a Wednesday morning from Johannesburg (only possible for Johannesburg/Pretoria based passengers; as domestic flights from Durban/Cape Town/Port Elizabeth etc will not arrive in time for departure of El Al’s flight). For Wednesday departures, the itinerary will be as follows:
Day 1 - Wednesday: Johannesburg – Tel Aviv
Meet your tourleader and other fellow pilgrims at Johannesburg International Airport. Check in for your flight to Tel Aviv, flying on Israel’s El Al airlines. Lunch will be served on board. Evening arrival in Israel, transfer to Jerusalem.
Overnight: Jerusalem. (L)
Day 2 - Thursday:
Mt. Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Old City of Jerusalem, the Western ("Wailing") Wall, Bethesda Pool, Church of St. Anne, remains of the Antonia Fortress, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Garden Tomb
Dinner and overnight: Jerusalem. (B,D)
Day 3 - Friday:
Bethlehem, Basilica of the Nativity. Judean Wilderness Dead Sea. view the caves at Qumran Jordan River Valley, Sea of Galilee Tiberias.
Dinner and overnight: Tiberias. (B,D)
Day 4 - Saturday:
Boat Ride on the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Tabgha, Mount Beatitudes, Golan Heights, baptismal site on the Jordan River.
Dinner and overnight: Tiberias. (B,D)
Day 5 - Sunday:
Cana, Nazareth, the Church of the Annunciation. Megiddo/Armageddon, Caesarea Maritima,
Dinner and overnight: Mediterranean Coast. (B,D)
Day 6 - Monday:
Morning at leisure. Afternoon city tour of Tel Aviv and Jaffa. Evening transfer to the airport, check in for your flight to Johannesburg. (B)
Day 7 – Tuesday:
Mid-morning arrival in Johannesburg.
Please contact ITT for a quote.
Please note that all our Pilgrimage Packages have been created for groups of 20 or more passengers and as they do not operate with regular scheduled departures, cannot be booked by individual passengers unless they form part of a pre-arranged group.
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