Luxury tour of the Holy Land of Israel
January 11th-20th 2012
$3700
Jan. 11th, Depart USA on nonstop overnight flight to the Holy Land.
Jan. 12th, Caesarea/Mount Carmel/Druze Village Early arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel
Aviv, Israel, to be met by your tour guide and escorted to a deluxe touring bus. Drive North to
Caesarea Maritima. Visit the Roman theatre, Herod’s Palace, the palace of the Roman Procurator
(Acts 23:23, 24, 33 and Acts 25:23), amphitheater, crusader’s city and harbor. Proceed to Mount
Carmel to visit Monastery of Muhraka, where Elijah challenged the Baal priests (1Kings 18:20-
40); from roof of this Monastery, wonderful view of Jezreel plain. On through Druze Villages to
Haifa for panoramic view of city and harbor. Proceed to Tiberius. Dinner and overnight - Royal
Plaza Hotel.
Jan. 13th, Galilee
After breakfast, boat ride on the Sea of Galilee to place where Jesus walked on water, (Matt
14:25-32) and calmed the wind and Sea. Boating excursion ends at sea-side museum housing
ancient fishing boat dating from time of Jesus. Drive up to Mount of Beatitudes. Admire the
view. Hear the “Sermon on the Mount” proclaimed. Continue to nearby Tabgha; setting for the
loaves and fishes miracle (Matt 14:19-21), Enjoy a “St. Peter’s fish“ lunch at Kibbutz Ein Gev
fish restaurant. Leave for Capernaum, where Jesus taught and lived. See the house of St. Peter
(Matt 8:14) and the synagogue where Jesus ministered (Matt 12:9-14). Drive thru Golan Heights
to Caesarea Philippi, head waters of Jordan River (Matt 16:13-20). Dinner and overnight - Royal
Plaza Hotel, Tiberius.
Jan. 14th, Nazareth /Beit Shearim / Zippori
After breakfast visit Cana - (John 2:1-11) – Marriage vows renewal. Drive to Nazareth to tour
Annunciation site, Basilica of the Annunciation (Lk1:26-38). Explore St. Joseph’s
grotto/workshop site. Visit Mary’s well for a drink of water. Onto Mount Tabor Church of
Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-10). Visit Beit Shearim to see Jewish Sanhedrin cemetery, then
archeological dig at Zippori to see gorgeous ancient mosaics. Dinner and overnight - Royal Plaza
Hotel, Tiberius.
Jan. 15th, Galilee/ Beit Shean
After breakfast, drive to southern shore of Sea of Galilee to Yardenit - Baptismal site for renewal
of Baptismal Vows. Depart to ancient Beit Shean, walk through the elaborate excavations dating
from the Roman and Byzantine periods. Then we head toward Jerusalem, stopping in Jericho,
where Jesus healed the sick (Mk 10:46-52, Luke 19:1-8) Read (Joshua 6:1-20). Take a cable car
to the Mount of Temptations and see where Jesus fasted and was tempted for 40 days.
Dinner and overnight- Dan Panorama Hotel,Jerusalem.
Jan. 16th, Jerusalem, the Old City
After breakfast, tour Bethany the home village of Martha, Mary, Lazarus. Visit the Church of
Raising of Lazarus (John 11:43, 44), the site of the Ascension (Luke 24:50, 51), Pool of Siloam
(John 9:1-7). En route to the Mount of Olives, visit Eleona Cave (Luke 11:1-4). From the Mount
of Olives we walk down the Palm Sunday Road taken (Mark 11: 1-10) by Jesus. Pause to pray at
chapel of Dominus Flevit (Matt 23:37-39, Luke 19:41-44). Continue on to Garden of
Gethsemane, the site of Jesus’ arrest. (Luke 22: 39-54) Stroll in the garden among ancient Olive
Trees. Later, visit the underground cave Church of the Dormitian of Blessed Virgin Mary.Pass
thru the Dung Gate as we enter the Ancient Walled City of Jerusalem. Visit Crusader Church of
St. Ann, famous for its glorious acoustics, and the pool of Bethesda (John 5: 2-15 Walk the Via
Dolorosa (The Way of the Cross). Visit Ecce Homo Convent excavation where Jesus was
mocked and crowned with thorns (John 19:1-5). Visit Jesus’ execution site (John 19:17-30)
enclosed within Church of the Holy Sepulcher (John 19:40-42) and then St. Peter in Gallicantu
Church (Luke 22:54-62). (Luke 22:7-14).Dinner and overnight at the Dan Panorama Hotel,
Jerusalem.
Jan. 17th, Jerusalem, the New City/Bethlehem Drive over to Ein Karem, home village of John
the Baptist. See the famous Marc Chagall Windows in Hadassah Hospital synagogue. Continue
on to Bethlehem to Church of the Nativity (Luke 2:1-7) and pray at Jesus’ birth place. Visit the
cave residence of St. Jerome.“Christmas Eve” Mass celebrated in Shepherd’s field cave chapel
(Luke 2:8-20). See the remains of King Herod’s fortress/tomb, the Herodium. Finally, visit
Caiaphas house (church of St. Peter Galicantus) where Jesus was held captive the night before he
was crucified. Dinner and overnight Dan Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem.
Jan. 18th, Masada/Dead Sea After breakfast, drive to Good Samaritan Inn (Luke 10:29-37) then
onto Fortress of Masada, Herod’s Dead Sea stronghold. Ascend to fortress entrance by cable car.
See the palace of Herod the Great, the Roman baths and pools. Finish the day floating in the
Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth! Return to Jerusalem in the late afternoon, stop at Qumran,
where Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Dinner and overnight at Dan Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem.
Jan. 19th, Jerusalem Take a leisurely day off to relax at the hotel or visit the Upper Room and
the Western wall with your guide in the morning. Enjoy a late checkout from hotel and then a
fantastic farewell dinner in Abu Gosh. Late evening transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport
for post midnight departure non-stop flight to USA.
Jan. 20th, Arrive home in the USA.
Includes:
Daily Mass.
Meeting and assistance on arrival and departure at Ben Gurion Airport.
Hotels in Tiberius and Jerusalem
Porterage at airport and hotels
Touring with air-conditioned vehicle starting and ending at Ben Gurion Airport
Transfers on arrival and departure
Sightseeing with English speaking guide through
Entrance fees as per indicated in your itinerary
Tips to driver, guide, hotel and restaurant staff.
Airport taxes, border taxes, visa fees.
1 small bottle of mineral water & snack upon arrival.
Meal arrangements:
7 nights + LCO' hotel accommodation at the above-mentioned hotels on double occupancy
basis (breakfast and dinner daily)
1 fish lunch.
Farewell Dinner at Abu Gosh restaurant.
Single room supplement $525
Travel insurance supplement $175