walking where jesus walked

VANCOUVER / TORONTO

Day 1 ~ Tuesday
Departure from Vancouver flying to Tel Aviv on Air Canada departing at 7:00am, arriving in Toronto at 2:32. Connecting on Air Canada to Tel Aviv departing at 4:30pm

TEL AVIV / JAFFA

Day 2 ~ Wednesday
Arrive in Tel Aviv at 10:15am where we will be met by our tour guide and will be transferred to our hotel in Tel Aviv. Following our arrival time permitting we begin our tour in Jaffa, which affords us a breathtaking view of the city of Tel Aviv. At this picturesque port city of winding alleys, art galleries and crafts boutiques, King Solomon had the cedars of Lebanon rafted for the building of the First Temple in Jerusalem. You will view the spot of the House of Simon the Tanner.  Dinner and overnight in Tel Aviv at the Metropolitan Hotel

CAESAREA / MT. CARMEL / NAZARE

Day 3 ~ Thursday
We drive north along the Plain of Sharon, the Mediterranean and the old coastal road- the Via Maris which linked Egypt and Babylon as we journey towards Galilee. We stop at Caesarea the incredible fortress city built by King Herod the Great. Here, Pontius Pilate had his base; where Cornelius lived and was baptized (Acts 10); where Paul embarked to Tarsus (Acts 9:30) and where Philip preached (Acts 8:40). Visit the Roman Theatre, the Hippodrome, the Crusader City. We then travel north towards Haifa and ascend Mt. Carmel the site where the prophet Elijah fought the 400 false prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:30). We will stop for an incredible panoramic view of Haifa Visit the site on Mt. Carmel where this contest of Elijah took place. Drive to Nazareth and visit Nazareth Village, which depicts an authentic Galilee village from the time of Jesus. Visit Mount Precipice, the traditional site of the cliff that an angry mob attempted to throw Jesus off of after his bold proclamation in the Nazareth synagogue.   Continue to Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight at the Lake House Hotel, Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee

JESUS MINISTRY IN THE GALILEE

Day 4 ~ Friday
After breakfast, we visit the museum to see the remains of the first century boat from the time of Jesus discovered by fishermen. We then depart with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee to Kibbutz Ginossar where we meet our bus and travel to Capernaum, the centre of Jesus’ Galilean ministry and the site of many of his miracles. We will see the remains of Peter’s house and the synagogue site where Jesus taught and worshipped. Drive to Tabgha and visit the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes. Continue to the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus delivered what is perhaps the most famous sermon ever preached – “The Sermon On The Mount” (Matt.5). We will then proceed to the site of the city of Korazim where there are the remains of a First Century Synagogue where Jesus frequently ministered. Return to the east side of the Sea of Galilee stopping at Kursi to see the place where the demons entered the swine and entered the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight at the Lake House Hotel, Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee           

UPPER GALILEE / GOLAN HEIGHTS

Day 5 ~ Saturday
Drive to the Golan Heights and have a panoramic view of the corner of Israel, Syria and Jordan from Mt. Bental. Continue to the Banias, one of the sources of the Jordan River and the site of ancient “Caesarea Philippi”, the most northern limit of Jesus where Peter made the confession of faith in Christ. Continue to Tel Dan to see ruins from Abraham’s time. Drive to Korazim one of the three towns Jesus cursed because of their unbelief in Him as the Messiah and performed many miracles and taught here frequently.  It has one of the most preserved synagogues in Israel. Finish the day Yardanit to see the Jordan River modern day baptismal site. Dinner and overnight at Lake House Hotel, Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee.

MEGIDDO / BEIT SHEAN / JERUSAL

Day 6 ~ Sunday
We drive to Megiddo, one of King Solomon’s walled fortified cities (1 Kings 9:15; 10:26), with ruins of 20 levels of civilization. From here the Books of Daniel and Revelation will come alive as we read about the final Battle of Armageddon, while viewing the Plains of Jezreel. We continue southward to Beit Shean, where we will walk through the incredible excavations of the largest ongoing archaeological dig in the land of Israel with its Roman theatre, colonnaded Roman streets, mosaics and Roman bathhouses. It is also the city where the body of King Saul and his sons where nailed to the walls by the Philistines. We then drive through the lush Jordan Valley, where the desert now blooms with flowers and vegetation of every description (Isaiah 35:1-2). Ascend up the Judean Wilderness to the Golden City of Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at the Prima Kings Hotel, Jerusalem
 

OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM

Day 7 ~ Monday
We start the day at the top of the Mt. of Olives, for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. Tracing the footsteps of Jesus, we will stroll down the Palm Sunday Route on the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. Continue to Mt Zion to visit the traditional site of the Upper Room (Room of the Last Supper), King David’s Tomb and the Church of St. Peter’s in Gallicantu, built on top of the High Priest Caiphas’ house. We walk to the Zion Gate and enter the Old City of Jerusalem through this gate and walk through the Armenian Quarter to the Jewish Quarter. Walk along the Roman/Byzantine Street called the “Cardo” to the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest spot. We continue our walk along the Via Dolorosa to visit the Pools of Bethesda, St. Anne’s Church, Chapel of the Flagellation and Pilate’s Judgment Hall. We pass through the colourful bazaars, alleyways and market places and reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for a brief visit. Walk through the alleyways of the Old City and exit from the Jaffa Gate where our bus will be waiting for us. We finish the day with a visit to the Garden Tomb or Gordon’s Calvary for a communion service before returning to your hotel. Dinner and overnight at the Prima Kings Hotel, Jerusalem.

JERUSALEM / BETHLEHEM

Day 8 ~ Tuesday 
We start the day in the New city of Jerusalem by visiting Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the Holocaust commemorating the six million Jews who perished. Visit and walk through the newly opened Museum, visit the Children’s Memorial, walk along the Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles for those who risked their lives to save Jewish lives. Continue to the Israel Museum and visit the Shrine of the Book housing the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest manuscripts of the Bible ever found. Visit the model of Jerusalem from the Second Temple Period as it looked from the time of Jesus. Continue to the City of David and explore the excavations from the time of King David and see the Hezekiah’s Tunnel & The Pool of Siloam. Continue to the Davidson Center to visit the Southern Wall excavations.  Visit the Western Wall Tunnel excavations. We have a short drive to Bethlehem to visit the Church of Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus and the oldest church in the Holy Land. Dinner and overnight at the Prima Kings Hotel, Jerusalem
 

QUMRAN / MASADA / DEAD SEA

Day 9 ~ Wednesday
Today is a fun day. We depart Jerusalem and descend to the lowest point on earth the Dead Sea, 1300 ft. below sea level. Drive to Qumran for a visit where a young shepherd boy discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 in the cave, which you will see. These scrolls are the oldest scriptures of the Bible ever found. Drive south along the shores of the Dead Sea to Masada. You will take a cable car to the summit of this magnificent fortress built by King Herod the Great and the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots. You will walk around this historic ruins you will see the palaces, bath houses, swimming pool, the oldest synagogue in the world on this mountain in the middle of the desert. After descending this mountain by cable car we continue north along the shores of the Dead Sea for a chance to enjoy the therapeutic “unsinkable” waters of the saltiest body of water in the world the Dead Sea.  Dinner and overnight at the Prima Kings Hotel, Jerusalem


 

JERUSALEM

Day 10 ~ Thursday
After breakfast, enjoy a day of leisure. Perhaps re-visit the Old City for shopping in the bazaars. Visit many of the Museums that Jerusalem has to offer that you did not see on the tour, shop in the largest indoor shopping mall in Israel or just relax at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the Prima Kings Hotel, Jerusalem

RETURN TO VANCOUVER

Day 11 ~ Friday
Depart Tel Aviv at 11:55am on Air Canada, arriving in Toronto at 5:05pm. Connect in Toronto departing at 7:00pm and arriving in Vancouver at 9:00pm