Price of tour includes: Round trip airfare from Seattle on Lufthansa Airlines ● Full Israeli breakfast and dinner daily ● Full sightseeing program and entrance fees on itinerary ● All transfers and porterage at airport and hotels ● Tips to driver, guide and hotel staff ● Deluxe air conditioned motor coach ● Licensed Israeli English speaking guide ● 7 full days of sightseeing ● 8 nights hotel accommodations, first class hotels, double occupancy ● shipping of documents — Tour price is a cash/check discount rate*

Not included: Charges for passport (arrange for valid passport now, must be valid for at least 6 months after your return.) ● Bottled water or beverages ● Room service, items from room mini-fridge, or personal items ● Use of credit cards for tour payments (as a  convenience, credit card payments are accepted. 4% fee will apply, not retained by Madison International Travel)* ● Single Room (supplement available) ● Lunches ● Airline Taxes*

Airline taxes are not included in the tour price. The current airline taxes are $450 and will be shown on invoice after registration.  Should the airline impose a tax or fuel surcharge increase, the addition will be collected before departure.

Itinerary

January 12, Monday — Depart Seattle for our overnight flight to Tel Aviv on Lufthansa Airlines flight #491 at 1:35 p.m., in Frankfurt transfer to flight #686.*

January 13, Tuesday — Arrive in Tel Aviv at 3:00 p.m. You will be met by our representative and transfer to the Grand Beach Hotel for overnight.  After a delicious Israeli buffet dinner, enjoy a walk along the Mediterranean Sea.

January 14, Wednesday — After a good night’s rest we depart for a day of sightseeing beginning at Caesarea Maritima. Among the magnificent array of archaeological finds you will see a beautiful example of the Roman Amphitheater. We will visit Mt. Carmel, where Elijah held the triumphal contest with 450 prophets of Baal. We continue to Megiddo and see the site of 26 superimposed cities, the remains from Solomon’s days, and view the Plains of Jezreel where the final Armageddon will be fought. Next we see Nazareth the boyhood home of Jesus and drive by Cana, site of Jesus’ first miracle.  We continue to Kibbutz Nof Ginosar on the shores of the Galilee for dinner and overnight.

January 15, Thursday — We start today sailing across the Sea of Galilee. We visit the ancient “Jesus” boat and then travel to Capernaum where we see the ancient synagogue where Jesus taught, see the Apostle Peter’s home, and explore the archeological gardens.  We will walk on the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount, and then visit Tabgah where Jesus fed 5,000. We visit the ancient basalt stone city, Chorazin, one of the “cursed” cities that would not respond to the miracles of Jesus. We end the day at Yardenit where you have the opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River.

January 16, Friday — Leaving the Galilee area, we will drive down the Jordan Valley to the natural springs where Gideon brought ten thousand to be tested. We explore the latest excavations Beit Shean, revealing the remains of the country’s largest ruins of a Roman city. We continue down the Jordan Valley and drive by Mt. Gilboa, site of Saul’s death, Jericho and the Mt. of Temptations.  Next we enter the City of Jerusalem and stop at Mt. Scopus for an explanation and overview of our Journey through Jerusalem.  We arrive at the Grand Court Hotel where we will stay for the remainder of our tour.

January 17, Saturday — Today we visit the lowest spot on earth, the Dead Sea. We will stop at Qumran, site of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery. At Ein Gedi we will view waterfalls where David cut off Saul’s skirt.  We will take time at Ein Gedi for an optional lunch and where you will have the opportunity to "float" in the unique waters. Next we stop at Massada. Ascending by cable car, we will tour the famous archaeological site, where Jewish Zealots made their last stand against Rome in AD73. Time permitting, we return to Jerusalem via the Elah Valley, site of David and Goliath.

January 18, Sunday — Begin  today  on the Mt of Olives. We walk down the Palm Sunday road to the Garden of Gethsemane. We will visit King David’s tomb and the Upper Room. Next we will visit the new excavations of the City of David. Just outside the wall of the Old City, recent excavations have revealed the very walls, wells, and passageways of the ancient city, the original Jerusalem. We end our day at the Pools of Bethesda and visit the Church at St. Anne’s for a time of singing.

January 19, Monday — On today’s itinerary we tour the Old City. We visit the Western Wall for a personal time of reflection and prayer. We then walk through the Western Wall Tunnel to see remarkable underground excavation of ancient Jerusalem. Circumstances permitting, we will visit the Dome of the Rock. Walking through the Old City, we follow the Via Dolorosa, the Old Arab markets, Jewish Quarters, see the ancient Roman Cardo, and visit the remains from Nehemiah’s Wall. An extended lunch break will give you time for shopping in the Old City. In the afternoon we will travel back in time at the Burnt House where we will get a glimpse of a home during the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70 and the Herodian Mansions where we will see remains of homes burnt and destroyed during the destruction. We end today at the Temple Institute where we will see tools being made to exact Biblical specifications for the future Temple.

January 20, Tuesday — We again walk into the Old City and explore the southern steps of the Temple during the time of Christ. Here you will see excavated mikvah and areas where money changers and vendors traded their goods below the Temple. We then visit the sites of New Jerusalem. First we drive by the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament. Then walk through Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum. Next, visit the Israeli Museum, the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are on display and the Holy Land Model, a miniature replica of Jerusalem during the time of Christ. Circumstances permitting, we will visit Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus.  We end our time in Jerusalem at one of the sites believed to be the burial site of Jesus, the Garden Tomb, where we will have a time of worship and communion.  This evening we enjoy a lovely dinner and Biblical Garden Tour at Yad Hashmona. Here you will go back in time and see replica tools and gardens from Biblical times. Return to your hotel to prepare for your early morning departure.

January 21, Wednesday — We depart Israel on Lufthansa Airlines flight #691 at 5:30 a.m. and arrive in Seattle at 2:15 p.m.* with a lifetime of memories from your Journey to the Holy Land.