Thursday 30th March
We leave London on a direct morning flight to Tel Aviv, where we will be met on arrival for transfer to our hotel in Tiberias (by the Sea of Galilee).

Friday 31st March
We start the day exploring Galilee, passing Mount Tabor (a possible site of the Transfiguration).
We visit Cana (where Jesus turned water into wine), and continue to Nazareth - where we see a church built around Mary’s Well, and Jesus’ reputed childhood home (at the Church of the Annunciation). We visit Nazareth Village (depicting life in the time of Jesus), and the Mount of the Precipice (believed by some to be where Jesus was taken by the angry crowd after preaching at the Nazareth Synagogue) – from which we view the Jezreel Valley, the Biblical location for Armageddon.
In the evening, we have an (optional) introduction to the Arab / Israeli conflict from an Israeli perspective.

Saturday 1st April
Today, we visit sites in the Galilee associated with Jesus’ ministry: Migdal (the home of Mary Magdalene, with a synagogue from the time of Jesus); Kursi (a possible location for the Gadarene swine); Capernaum (Jesus’ home town, with its ancient synagogue and Peter’s house); and Tabgha (a possible site of the feeding of the 5000, and of a lakeside resurrection appearance of Jesus). We finish the day celebrating communion on the hillside of the Mount of Beatitudes (the setting for the Sermon on the Mount).

Sunday 2nd April – Palm Sunday
We visit the 2000 year old “Jesus Boat” at a nearby kibbutz, and then sail across the Sea of Galilee on a replica of this boat - pausing during this for our Sunday worship.
Leaving the Galilee, we travel south to Jericho where we see the ruins of the ancient city captured by Joshua, recall the temptation of Jesus, and reflect on Jesus’ encounters with Bartimaeus and Zacchaeus. We see the River Jordan, where Jesus was baptised (it may be possible for members of the group to be baptised here). We continue through the Wadi Kelt (possibly the inspiration for the “Valley of the Shadow of Death”) where we see St George’s Monastery across the valley; and on to our new hotel in Bethlehem.

Monday 3rd April
In the morning, we visit nearby Herodion (one of Herod’s many palaces, believed to have contained Herod’s tomb); the Shepherds’ Fields; and the Church of the Nativity.
After lunch, we have time to visit the shops in Manger Square, before driving to Bethany – where we see the tomb believed to be the place where Jesus raised Lazarus.

Tuesday 4th April
Today, we meet local Palestinian Christians – who will help us to understand the recent history of the region. We visit Bethlehem Bible College (where we will hear an Arab Christian Palestinian perspective on the conflict); an orphanage; and the Tent of Nations (a Christian-owned farm, surrounded by Israeli settlements).

Wednesday 5th April
We begin to explore the city of Jerusalem.
First, we view the Old City from the Mount of Olives, and see the Western Wall. We visit the Western Wall Tunnels, and see the nearby Jerusalem Archaeological Park (including remains from the time of the second Temple).
To conclude the day, we see David’s City; walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel (constructed in the 8th century BCE to ensure a safe water supply); and see the recently uncovered Pool of Siloam, and a recently discovered paved street from the Pool to the Temple.
We return to Bethlehem for the night.

Thursday 6th April – Maundy Thursday
At the start of the day we return to the Western Wall, where we will hope to witness a Bar Mitzvah; and we visit the Temple Mount. We then trace the Palm Sunday path down from the Mount of Olives into the city, pausing at the Dominus Flavit church (recalling Jesus weeping over Jerusalem). We see Gethsemane, where we will worship together, and have time for quiet reflection. We walk part of the “Last Path” (through the Kidron valley), and visit the church of St Peter in Gallicantu (reputedly where Peter denied Jesus, the site of Caiaphas’ House). We look across the Gehinnom valley, and reflect on the implications of this for Jesus’ teaching on judgement. Entering the old city again, we see a possible location of the Upper Room at St Mark’s Syrian Church, and visit the Burnt House - an ancient priestly house from the time of Jesus. Our new hotel is close to the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Our evening meal will be a shortened form of the Passover seder, to help us understand what was happening at the Last Supper.

Friday 7th April – Good Friday
Returning to the Old City, we first visit the Pool of Bethesda (where Jesus healed a crippled man). We then follow part of the Via Dolorosa (the approximate route Jesus took to his death on the cross). At the Monastery of the Flagellation, we explore the Terra Sancta Museum, housing archaeological remains discovered by Franciscans in the Holy Land. Continuing the Via Dolorosa, we see flagstones which may be from the Antonia Fortress (the Roman barracks, possibly the location where Jesus was tried); on these can be seen an engraving known as the King Game, which may relate to the mocking of Jesus. At the Church of the Holy Sepulchre we see the traditional site of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. We end the afternoon viewing Gordon’s Calvary, and with quiet reflection and worship at the Garden Tomb (possible alternative locations for Jesus’ death and resurrection).

Saturday 8th April
We take a “day out” to visit the desert area south- east of Jerusalem. We drive along the shore of the Dead Sea (the lowest place on the earth’s surface), and visit the ancient fortress of Masada (another of Herod’s fortresses, and a famed site of Jewish resistance); Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, possibly associated with John the Baptist; and Ein Gedi, scene of David’s pursuit by Saul. Finally, we have the opportunity to “swim” in the Dead Sea.

Sunday 9th April – Easter Sunday
We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at dawn at the Garden Tomb.
The afternoon is free time – perhaps to walk the city ramparts, wander in the “souk”, enjoy a coffee in the modern city of Jerusalem … or just chill!

Monday 10th April
Leaving our hotel, we visit the Israel Museum to see the “Shrine of the Book”; and Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Museum), just outside Jerusalem. We then travel on to Tel Aviv, and our flight home to London.

Itinerary subject to change.

Price £2345 per person

What the price includes

• Return flights from London Luton to Tel Aviv
• Accommodation in good hotels in twin bedded rooms with private facilities on half board basis
• Services of a fully qualified English speaking guide throughout
• Entrance fees, service charges, porterage and gratuities
• Tours and transfers in deluxe air-conditioned coaches
• Airport taxes
• ATOL Protection Contribution*

Not included in the price

• Items of a personal nature, drinks & lunches
• Travel from home to UK airport
• Single supplement £528 per person
• Any costs related to COVID19 testing (PCR and Serology testing etc), costs, if any have not yet been announced
• Travel insurance including COVID 19 cover Staysure

Please note that the cost of the tour may be subject to surcharges - please see the booking conditions. Currency exchange rates used £1 = US$1.3098 as published in the Financial Times on the 8th March 2022. APC (ATOL Protection Contribution) provides passenger protection via the ATTF (Air Travel Trust Fund). For further information visit www.caa.co.uk

* APC (ATOL Protection Contribution) provides passenger protection via the ATTF (Air Travel Trust Fund). For further information visit www.caa.co.uk

HOW TO BOOK

Either click 'Book' at the top of this page or download, complete and return the booking form to:

Worldwide Christian Travel 36 Coldharbour Road, Bristol, BS6 7NA UK

Tel: 0117 973 1840

Worldwide Christian Travel has been organising Christian holidays and tours, mainly to the Holy Land, for over 50 years. We cover all aspects of travel and are one of the most comprehensive Christian travel organisers in the country. Worldwide Christian Travel is a trading name of Hadler Tours Limited.

General Information

Fitness
People of all ages are welcome, but, whatever your age, we must insist on a reasonable level of fitness. A number of sites involve rough walking.

Your Protection
Hadler Tours Limited is a member of ABTA with membership numbers 93522 & V2096. ABTA and ABTA Members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. For further information about ABTA, the Code of Conduct and the arbitration scheme available to you or if you have a complaint, contact ABTA, 68-71 Newman Street London W1T 3AH Tel: 020 7637 2444 or visit www.abta.com.

All monies paid by you for the air holiday package shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 3078. For more information see our booking terms and conditions.

Passports, Visas and Vaccinations
Travellers are responsible for ensuring that they have a valid passport for travel to the relevant countries and that it is valid for at least 6 months after the date of travel. Latest entry requirements can be found here www.israelsafe.com. A visa is not required for British Passport holders visiting Israel and no inoculations are required for travel but you may wish to consult your own doctor for advice concerning this. If you have any queries regarding the above, we will be happy to help.

Travel Advice
For the latest travel advice please visit www.fco.gov.uk or call 0870 606 0290.

Further Information and Paying The Balance
Further information will be sent to you regarding any action that may be required approximately 12 weeks before departure. A final invoice will also be sent at this time and the balance for the tour must be paid at least 10 weeks before departure.

Travel Information
Full travel information, including details of meeting points, flight times, accommodation and travel information, will be sent to you approximately 2 weeks before departure. Normally, tickets are not issued but are handed to you at the airport or departure point by our representative who will be there to ensure that you depart without a hitch and to deal with any last minute difficulties.

Travel Insurance
It is compulsory to have travel insurance for your booking. Staysure have a range of policies available at very competitive prices. You can obtain a quote online by clicking here.

Gratuities
Our normal procedure is to deal with tips on a group basis and if these are included in the price the tour leader will distribute them to the guide, driver and hotels on your behalf. Individual tipping is not recommended unless the circumstances are exceptional.

Room Check In and Check Out Times
The standard international practice is to let rooms from midday to midday. However times do vary. Check-in times are usually between 2pm and 3pm, check-out times between 11am and 12 noon on the day of departure. Therefore, if you check-in immediately after a night flight this would normally count as one night’s accommodation. Similarly if your return flight is at night you will normally be required to vacate your room at 12 noon prior to leaving for the airport. Day rooms are subject to availability/cost and should be arranged locally with the accommodation management.

Page published July 2022