March 2-12, 2012
Hosted by Cedar Valley Church
Download brochure for Cedar Valley Church – Journey to the Land of the Bible
Price: $2850 per person*
Price of tour includes:
Round trip airfare from Minneapolis ● Full Israeli breakfast and dinner daily ● Full sightseeing program and all entrance fees on itinerary ● All transfers and porters at hotels ● Gratuities to driver, guide and hotel staff ● Deluxe air conditioned motor coach ● English speaking Licensed Israeli guide ● 8 days of sightseeing ● 8 nights, first class hotel accommodations, double occupancy ● Tour price is cash/check discount rate ●
Not included:
Charges for passport ● Bottled water or beverages ● Room service, items from room mini-fridge, or personal items ● Single Room ● Lunches ● Travel Insurance ● Tax and fuel surcharge ● Use of credit cards for tour payments*
Airline Taxes and Fuel Surcharge is not included in the tour price. The current rate is $500. The airline will not guarantee the tax and fuel surcharge and this fee may change. If the airlines impose an increase, the difference will be collected before departure.
Itinerary
Day 1, Mar 2, Fri—Depart Minneapolis at 11:10 a.m. on Continental #2470 for our overnight flight to Tel Aviv.
Day 2, Mar 3, Sat—We arrive in Tel Aviv in the afternoon where we will be meet our guide and transfer to Metropolitan Hotel in Tiberias. This evening you can enjoy a walk along the Mediterranean Sea.
Day 3, Mar 4, Sun—Beginning our day at Jaffa, we see one of the oldest cities in the world and the port where the prophet Jonah set sail for Tar Shish. After a short drive through Tel Aviv we travel to Caesarea Maritima. Among the magnificent array of archaeological finds you will see well-preserved aqueducts, theatre, and hippodrome. We will visit Mt. Carmel, where Elijah defeated the 450 prophets of Baal. We continue to Megiddo and see the remains from Solomon’s days and view the plains where the final Armageddon will be fought. We will drive to Nazareth and visit a replica village built on remains from 2,000 years ago. A winding path will take you through a working farm, ancient winepress and stone quarries. We will see ancient crafts such as carpentry and yarn weaving, homes and a Synagogue built to the scale of the ancient Synagogue of Nazareth. We continue to Tiberias, to Maagan Hotel on the shores of the Galilee.
Day 4, Mar 5, Mon—We start today sailing across the Sea of Galilee in a replica boat of 2,000 years. We visit the ancient “Jesus” boat discovered in 1986. Next we travel to Capernaum where we see the ancient synagogue where Jesus taught and the Apostle Peter’s home. At the Mount of Beatitudes, we visit the site of the Sermon on the Mount, and then visit Tabgah where Jesus fed 5,000. We then come to the first century city, Chorazin, a city that would not respond to the miracles of Jesus. We end the day with an opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River.
Day 5, Mar 6, Tues—Today we explore the northern part of Israel. We drive to Banias, one of the headwaters of the Jordan River and site of ancient Caesarea Philippi. Then, walking through the beautiful nature reserve of Tel Dan we will see the ancient altar of Jeroboam’s and ancient Canaanite mud gate. We drive on the Golan Heights to look into Syria and see remains from the Six Day War on Mt. Bental.
Day 6, Mar 7, Wed—We leave the Galilee area and drive down the Jordan Valley to explore the latest excavations at Beit Shean, revealing the remains of a Decapolis Capital, Israel’s largest excavation We will drive by Mt. Gilboa and visit the natural springs where Gideon brought ten thousand to be tested. We continue down the Jordan Valley, driving by Jericho and the Mount of Temptations, to the lowest spot on earth, the Dead Sea. We will visit Qumran, the ancient city of the Essenes and site of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery. Continue to the Dead Sea Leonardo Hotel for an evening of relaxation and to take advantage of the Spa facilities and to “float” in the therapeutic Dead Sea water.
Day 7, Mar 8, Thurs—Today we visit Massada. Ascending by cable car, we will tour the famous archaeological site where Jewish Zealots made their last stand against Rome in 73 CE. We stop an Ein Gedi to see the waterfalls where David hid from Saul. We drive to Jerusalem and enter the city of the Kings. We stop for a magnificent view of Jerusalem from Mt Scopus before continuing to the Leonardo hotel in Jerusalem.
Day 8, Mar 9, Fri—Today we begin at the Mt. of Olives where we will hear an explanation of the city, then walk down the Palm Sunday road to the Garden of Gethsemane. Then to Mt. Zion to visit the Church of St. Peter in Galacantu, Caiaphas’ House where Jesus was held before trial and then to the Upper Room. We will visit the new excavations of the City of David. Recent excavations on this site have revealed the very walls, wells, and passageways where ancient Jerusalem unfolded. We end today in Bethlehem, the birthplace of our Savior.
Day 9, Mar 10, Sat—This morning we enter the Old City of Jerusalem. Visiting the Temple Mount, we see the site of the Jewish Temple. We then see the Pools of Bethesda and enjoy a time of singing at the Church of St. Anne’s. We will follow the Via Dolorosa, through the Old Arab markets, Jewish Quarters, see the ancient Roman Cardo, and visit the remains from Nehemiah’s Wall. We will visit Antonia’s Fortress and see the original paving believed to be where Christ stood before Pilate. At the Herodian Mansion we will see the remains of homes that were destroyed in 70 AD. Next visit the Western Wall then walk through the Tunnel to see remarkable excavation of ancient Jerusalem.
Day 10, Mar 11, Sun—We again walk into the Old City and visit the Davidson Center to see a virtual tour of the Second Temple and explore the Southern Steps, the only entrance to the Temple during the time of Christ. We leave the Old City and visit areas of New Jerusalem. First we drive by the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, and walk through Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum. We then visit the Israel Museum and see the Holy Land Model, a miniature replica of Jerusalem during the time of Christ and also the Dead Sea Scrolls. We will end our time in Jerusalem at one of the sites believed to be the burial site of Jesus, the Garden Tomb. Here we take time for worship and communion. Enjoy a farewell dinner, as we say good-bye to Israel and transfer to the airport for our late night departure on Continental at 10:40 p.m.
Day 11, Mar 12, Mon—After transferring to fight #3098 to Minneapolis we arrive home with a life time of memories of our Journey through the Holy Land.
Flight schedules are subject to be changed by the airline.
Itinerary sequence can be changed at the
discretion of your local guides and leaders.
Download brochure for Cedal Valley Church – Journey to the Land of the Bible
