Israel and Turkey Journey

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:  FRIDAY U.S. DEPARTURE/SATURDAY ARRIVAL (EXTRA PRE-TOUR NIGHT)

Due to the length of this journey, we recommend arriving in Tel Aviv 1 day before the tour starts, with a Friday Departure from the US to arrive Saturday. This will allow you to rest and adjust to the time difference so you will be refreshed for the beginning of the tour. We have negotiated an amazing package that includes meet and assist at the Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, transfer from the Airport to your hotel , extra night at the Tel Aviv hotel including breakfast & dinner.

• Extra Saturday night stay in tour program hotel including VIP Airport Assist, hotel transfer, breakfast and dinner: $325 per person in double room ($580 per single room)

U.S. DEPARTURE

• Our journey begins today as we depart on our flight to the Holy Land!

• Meals: On Board flight
• Accommodation:  On Board Flight

ARRIVAL IN TEL AVIV/FREE TIME IN TEL AVIV / VISIT OLD JAFFA

• Enjoy a free time in Tel Aviv
• Enjoy a welcome dinner and orientation meeting where you will meet your guide and the rest of the travelers in your group.

• Meals: Buffet Dinner   
• Accommodation: Tel Aviv, Herods Hotel
• Arrival Transfer:  Complimentary for flights arriving between 2pm and 6pm on Sunday.  
• Activity Level: 1.1 to 1.5 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

EVENING ACTIVITY:

After the welcome dinner, we will meet our tour guide for an evening tour of Jaffa, the oldest port city in the world. Here you will see St. Peter’s Church and enjoy a view of the Tel Aviv Shoreline from Jaffa’s Hilltop.

TEL AVIV / COASTAL PLAINS / CAESAREA / MT. CARMEL / MEGIDDO / NAZARETH / SEA OF GALILEE / TIBERIAS

• Enjoy a relaxing drive along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
• Visit Caesarea Maritima, the center of early Christianity.
• Stop at Mount Carmel (Muhraka), where Elijah challenged the false prophets.
• See Tel Megiddo and the Valley of Armageddon, the site where the Battle of Armageddon will be fought according to Revelation 16:16.
• Take in a view of Nazareth from Mt. Precipice, where it is believed to have been the site of the rejection of Jesus.
• Visit Jesus’ boyhood town of Nazareth and the Church of the Annunciation, the traditional location of the angel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary.
• Drive by Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding feast.
• Our drive will end at our hotel on the Sea of Galilee in Tiberias.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Sea of Galilee, Leonardo Plaza Tiberias or Magdala Tiberias
• Activity Level: 2.5 to 3.2 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

SAIL ON THE SEA OF GALILEE / JESUS BOAT / GOLAN HEIGHTS / UPPER GALILEE / CAESAREA PHILIPPI / MOUNT OF BEATITUDES / TABGHA / CAPERNAUM

• Board a wooden boat and sail on the Sea of Galilee before visiting the “Ancient Jesus Boat” – the remains of a 2,000 year old fishing boat that would have been the type used by Jesus’ apostles.
• Visit the Banias Spring in ancient Caesarea Philippi.
• Visit Magdala, best known as the home of Mary Magdalene. Walk through the ruins of a first century Jewish town where a synagogue from the time of Christ’s ministry was found.
• Visit the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount of Matthew 5:8.
• Drive up to the beautiful Golan Heights.
• See Tagbha, where Jesus fed the 5,000 with only five loaves of bread and 2 fish. Here you will visit the Church of Multiplication and enjoy its remarkable 4th century Byzantine mosaic floor.
• End the day by visiting the 2,000 year old remains at Capernaum and stand in the synagogue remains, where Jesus ministered.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation:  Sea of Galilee, Leonardo Plaza Tiberias or Magdala Tiberias
• Activity Level: 3 to 3.4 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

• Visit the baptismal site of Yardenit. The site on the River Jordan, where it is believed that the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist took place. For those who would like to be baptized today, a white robe can be obtained for $15 per person.
• Enjoy travelling in the Beit She’an Valley and visit the archaeological site of Beit Shean, which is now protected as an Israeli National Park.
• Drive through the Jordanian Valley
• Relax and float in the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Dead Sea, Herods Hotel or Isrotel/Nevo Hotel
• Activity Level: 2.4 to 3 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

JORDAN RIVER BAPTISM:

Take the opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River (required donation of $15).

FREE AFTERNOON TO ENJOY THE DEAD SEA:

Optional mud, mineral and spa treatments at our 5 star Herods Hotel, Dead Sea.

• Climb by cable car to the mountaintop stronghold of Masada and explore the ancient sites while learning about the Jewish rebellion against the Romans.
• Enjoy a view of the oasis of Ein Gedi where David wrote many of his Psalms as he hid from Saul.
• Visit the ancient Essene Community of Qumran where the ancient biblical texts known as the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947.
• Ascend to Jerusalem – the holy city if Zion.
• Visit Bethlehem, to see the Church of the Nativity and Shepherd’s Field

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner 
• Accommodation: Jerusalem, Leonardo Plaza or Herbert Samuel
• Activity Level:  3 to 3.5 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

EVENING ACTIVITY:

Optional Sound and Light Spectacular on Jerusalem Old City wall.

NOTE:

* Please be advised that Bethlehem is administered by the Palestinian Authority and it is not part of the State of Israel, therefore a passport is required to enter Bethlehem. Due to an increase in tourists visiting the region, please expect long lines to visit the Grotto. If you wish not to visit Bethlehem and remain in Jerusalem during that time, please advise your tour guide at least 1 day in advance.

• Stand on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and reflect on the Lord’s ascension into heaven. Pass by Pater Noster Church and Dominus Flevit.
• Take the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane.
• Explore the Old City of Jerusalem via the Dung Gate.
• Visit The Davidson Center Museum and the Southern Temple Mount archaeological excavations.
• Visit the Western Wall also known as the Wailing Wall and surrounding Plaza in the Jewish quarter, including Robinson’s Arch.
• Visit the Tomb of King David and the Upper Room on Mt. Zion.
• End the day with a visit to St. Peter of Galicantu commemorating Christ’s prophesy that Peter would deny him three times before the cock crows. Galli-cantu means cockcrow in Latin.

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Jerusalem, Leonardo Plaza or Herbert Samuel
• Activity Level:  2.5 to 3 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

• Enter the Christian Quarter of the Old City via the Lion’s Gate and walk along the Via Dolorosa, also known as the Stations of the Cross, which is the route that Jesus walked from the prison to the crucifixion.
• Along the way you will visit:
  • The Judgment Hall of Pilate.
  • St. Anne’s Church and the Pool of Bethesda.
  • Take time for reflection at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, traditionally marked as the place of Golgotha – the site of the crucifixion.
• Walk through the historic Christian & Jewish quarters of the Old City. Take a break and shop at the bazaars.
• Celebrate the resurrection with prayer and communion at the Garden Tomb.
• Meet together to say goodbye at our conclusion meeting and farewell dinner!

• Meals: Buffet Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Jerusalem, Leonardo Plaza or Herbert Samuel
• Activity Level: 3 to 3.4 miles of walking – might involve uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, stairs, unpaved walkways

•  After breakfast check out of the Leonardo Plaza hotel and be ready with your luggage in the hotel lobby for your airport transfer from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion International Airport.
• You will fly from Tel Aviv to Istanbul, where you will begin to discover the many wonders and incredible sites that Turkey has to offer.
• Upon arrival in Istanbul, the only city in the world built on two continents, you will be transferred to your hotel.
• The rest of the day will be free to spend at leisure.

• Today we will experience a full-day Historical Istanbul tour.
• Begin your tour with a visit to Topkapi Palace (Imperial Residence of Ottoman Sultans, with displays of priceless world-class collections of artifacts, jewelry and rare porcelain).
• We will visit next the Blue Mosque (unique with its 6 minarets, and famous for its blue Iznik tiles).
• We will head to the Hippodrome Square where ancient chariot races were held.
• Next we will visit the St. Sophia Museum (built in 6th century, once was the largest Christian Church in the 
• We will then enjoy a visit to the world famous Grand Covered Bazaar – home to over 4,000 shops offering traditional crafts and goods

• Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Istanbul, Taksim Square Hotel 

BOSPHORUS

• Today we will enjoy a full-day Bosphorus and Asia shoreline tour.
• Begin your tour with a visit the Egyptian Spice Market where the air is filled with the aromas of spices, herbs, and teas. 
• We will then embark on a Bosphorus Boat Tour viewing the beauty of the European and Asian shorelines on either side.
• After lunch, we will visit the Palace of Beylerbeyi on the shore of the Bosphorus which is considered to be the most elegant of the late Ottoman places.

• Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Istanbul, Taksim Square Hotel 

• Transfer to Istanbul airport per your departure time. End of our services.