The Tour Leader
Pastors and Groups Tour Leaders are invited to organize their own groups. Below you can find a “classic” itinerary most church group operates but we can tailor-make it according to your requirements:
If you are planning a Low Budget tour, you may consider departing during LOW seasons:
- January 19 – March 9, 2015
- June 1-18, 2015
- August 1-15, 2015
Try to avoid PEAK seasons, which are generally more expensive:
- June 19 – August 31, 2015
- March 10 – April 17, 2015
- September 5 – October 27, 2015
- During Christmas – December 2015
All other periods are REGULAR seasons.
Please contact us to discuss your requirements and incentives we give to tour leaders.
Israel – The Holy Land Tours
Example – “Classic” Itinerary
Tour Features Include:
- Return group economy flights on Elal Ex Johannesburg
- 3 nights in Galilee
- 1 night at Dead Sea
- 3 nights in Jerusalem
- Breakfast and dinner daily
- Boat ride on Sea of Galilee and fish Lunch
- Meeting and assistance at Ben Gurion Airport
- Touring with English speaking guide
- Air-conditioned bus
- Entrance fees
- Portage and entrance fees to all sites
1 Day 1 – Saturday
Flight To Tel Aviv : Departure To Israel
Depart tonight on Elal from Johannesburg to Israel.
2 Day 2 – Sunday
Galilee : Breakfast / Caeseria / Mt. Carmel
Arrive early in Tel Aviv. We stop for Breakfast at Kfar Haroe. Continue to Caesarea, once a proud Roman port city dating back to the time of Pontius Pilate. View the monumental Roman amphitheater built in the days of Christ. Continue to the Mukhraka on Mt. Carmel, overlooking the Izrael Valley and the Kishon. The Canaanite inhabitants worshipped Baal and his consort Ishtar who were adopted by the Israelites. Here Elijah the prophet challenged the priests of Baal to prove whose god was more powerful and when he won, the Israelites abandoned the Canaanite deities and the false prophets were slaughtered (1 Kings 18).
Dinner & Overnight – Natanya (B,D)
3 Day 3 – Monday
Sea Of Galilee : Golan HeightsS / Caserea Phillipi / Kibbutz / Ancient Boat Museum / Boat Ride / Tabgha / Peter’s Primacy / Capernaum / Mt. Beatitudes
We then ascend the Golan Heights above Kibbutz Gadot. Your guide will explain why the Golan Heights area is so vital to Israel’s security. Drive north through the Hula Valley to the sacred site of Caesarea Philippi at the base of Mt. Hermon and the sources of the Jordan River. Here that Simon acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah, to which Jesus replied: “You are Peter? and on this rock (Petra) I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it”. We travel down to Kibbutz for a tour to learn about this unique way of life and the settlements in modern Israel. Continue to Gennosar Museum to see an ancient boat from the times of Jesus found under the water. From here, enjoy a Boat Ride on the Sea of Galilee and hear how Jesus calmed the stormy sea and walked upon these waters. Enjoy traditional Fish Lunch. Visit Tabgha, where Jesus performed the miracle of the multiplication of the fish and loaves and fed 5000. Inside the church is the famous mosaic. We walk a short distance to nearby Peter’s Primacy. Here Jesus met again with the disciples for the “last breakfast” and restored Peter to himself after the disciple’s three denials by asking him three times if Peter loved Jesus. Continue to Capernaum that in old times used to be for a border village on the way to Damascus. The Gospel tells about Jesus leaving Nazareth to settle in Capernaum, which became “his own town” and centre of his activities. From its community of fishermen he chose many of his disciples (Peter, Andrew, James, John and Matthew). View the remains of a synagogue 2-3 centuries earlier than when Jesus taught, though most likely on the same site. Nearby are the remains of an octagonal structure, thought to be built on the remains of Peter’s house. Continue to Mt. Beatitudes. Above the mountain is the traditional spot where Jesus delivered the Sermon, he taught on many occasions and also performed many of the miracles. In the evening the bus will be available to enjoy time in Tiberias.
Dinner & overnight – Galilee (B,L,D)
4 Day 4 – Tuesday
Galilee : Breakfast / Caeseria / Mt. Carmel
Breakfast at hotel. We drive through to Cana, site of the first miracle where Jesus turned water to wine. We now travel to Nazareth where Jesus spent his childhood. Drive through the town and stop at Mount Precipice just outside Nazareth, where tradition hold that an angry mob attempted to throw Jesus off the cliff (Luke 4:16-30). We then drive to Megiddo (Armageddon), overlooking the fertile Izrael Valley. Megiddo played a prominent role in the history of the ancient Near East and one of the largest Canaanites cities, controlling the access from Egypt to Mesopotamia, which was the cause for the fiercest battles that took place here. The bible tells about Joshua defeating the Canaanite king of Megiddo, a city which King Solomon built and the site where kings Ahaziah and Joshia killed. For Christians, Armageddon is where forces of God will defeat the forces of Evil in the Final Battle at the End Day. In the evening the bus will be available to enjoy time in Tiberias.
Dinner & overnight – Galilee (B,D)
5 Day 5 – Wednesday
Dead Sea : Jericho / Qumran / Masada / Dead Sea
After breakfast we drive along the Jordan Valley and visit Jericho (time permitting) the oldest city Joshah concurred. Visit the Sycamore Tree, Elijah Spring and view Mt. of Temptation. Continue to Qumran (time permitting) where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. Ascend Masada by cable car. Our guide will take us on a fascinating tour of this mountain where 960 Jewish defenders organized the last resistance to the Roman conquerors. Descend Masada and enjoy a float in the salty waters of the Dead Sea. We now ascend Judea Hills and enter Jerusalem, the “eternal city” of God.
Dinner & overnight – Galilee (B,D)
6 Day 6 – Thursday
Jerusalem / Old City : Mt. Of Olives / Gethsemane / Dominus Flevit / Western Wall / Bethesda / Via Dolorosa / Ecce Homo / Holy Sepulcher / Oriental Bazar / Garden Tomb / Prayer Service / Upper Room
After breakfast drive up Mt. of Olives. Here overlooking the Temple, Jesus taught his disciples, prophesized the destruction of Jerusalem. From here the entire city of Jerusalem unfolds before us. Down the slopes we visit Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was taken captive. From here we enter the Old City. Your guide will tell to you about the battle of Jerusalem’s old city during the 1967 war. Visit the Western Wall the most sacred place for the Jews and view the Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock mosque. We continue to Pools of Bethesda, just north of the temple mount. The pools were probably designed at times Herod the Great for the Jewish inhabitants to purify themselves and here Jesus performed the miracle of healing infirm man. We next visit Gábbata (or Lithostratos). Here you can see a large cistern covered by a later pavement etched with meaningful symbols, including the “game of the King.” Here, many pause in prayer and to recall Jesus’ mocking by the Roman soldiers at the place John called the Gabbata, or “stone pavement” (John 19:13). We next visit the Garden Tomb, where some believe Jesus was buried (Holy Communion time will be booked). Our last visit is to the Upper Room of the Last Supper (time for prayer).
7 Day 7 – Friday
Jerusalem : Bethlehem* / Yad Vashem / Ein Karem
Visit Bethlehem *subject to security situation today. Visit the Yad Vashem Museum memorial for the 6 million Jews victims of the Holocaust. Visit the picturesque village of Ein Karem, birthplace of John the Baptist and where Virgin Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth. According to tradition she stopped to drink from the water stream on her way to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus.
Dinner & Overnight – Jerusalem (B,D)
8 Day 8 – Saturday
Jerusalem : Jerusalem / Free Day
Today is free at leisure.
Dinner & Overnight – Jerusalem (B,D)
9 Day 9 – Sunday
Flight Home : Hezekia Tunnel / Jaffa / Dinner / Flight Home
Check out of hotel by 11:00AM. Visit Hezekiah (Siloam) Tunnel dug underneath the Ophel, leading from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam and was designed as an aqueduct to provide Jerusalem with water during an impending siege by the Assyrians. According to an inscription, two teams excavated the tunnel, one starting at each end of the tunnel and then meeting in the middle. Continue Jaffa for a visit of the old port and enjoy last dinner.
Transfer to the airport for a flight home. (B,D)