Tel Dan | Bental | Dan Nature Reserve | Caesarea Philippi | Northern Golan Heights
The beautiful northern mountains of Israel await you today.  A city gate from the time of Abraham can be seen at Tel Dan, along with an altar from the days of Israel’s divided kingdom.  You will also get to walk through an incredible nature reserve at Dan where you will see the beginnings of the Dan River which joins with other streams to form the Jordan River. The water is crystal clear and pure.  You will see a gorgeous waterfall as the headwaters of the Jordan River cascade into a beautiful mountain stream.  Your next stop will be the site of the Apostle Peter’s confession of Christ at Caesarea Philippi.  You will also see the second source of the Jordan River at Banias.  Israel’s incredible history from 1948 until the present will be explained like never before as you stand upon the heights of the extant volcano peak.  You can see the Golan Heights spanning from the Northern border to the Sea of Galilee and learn about the strategic importance this region has played and will continue to play to the nation of Israel.  After your day in the mountains you will retire to your hotel on the Sea of Galilee for a final evening.

This morning you leave the beautiful Sea of Galilee, following alongside the Gilboa mountain range. At Harrod’s springs you will see where Judge Gideon tested his men before the battle with the Midianites in the valley between Gilboa and Mt. Moreh. From there you will visit the last site before your journey down the Jordan Valley, Bet Shan. While not mentioned in the New Testament, it is an Old Testament city and the best preserved Roman city from that period in Israel today. You will have lunch, a break and then onward to Jerusalem. After passing by ancient Jericho the climb to Jerusalem begins while viewing scenery and traveling the same route the ancient pilgrims would have taken as they made their journey to Jerusalem for the great feasts of Israel. Today you finally arrive in the City of God, the City of David and the ancient and modern capital of Israel, Jerusalem. Your heart will leap with emotion as you stand on the overlooks of the Mount of Olives and see the breathtaking Mountain of Moriah. It is there where Abraham was to offer Isaac, Solomon built the first temple, and where Jesus walked, taught, died, rose again and will one day return in great glory! This is only the beginning. You check into your hotel, have dinner and enjoy your first night in your lovely hotel in Jerusalem.

Qumran | Masada | Ein Gedi | Dead Sea
You will spend an exciting morning descending to the Plains of Jericho; then on to the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth; and Qumran, the center of the Essenes. Qumran is home of the ancient caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. From there, we will continue south to the desert where ibex roam at Ein Gedi, David’s hideout from Saul. Then we go on to the mighty fortress Masada, the last stronghold and stand of the zealots against Rome, on the edge of the barren Negev Desert. Masada is a symbol of courage and perseverance for the Jewish people, where 960 Jewish defenders organized their last resistance to the roman conquerors and took their own lives rather than surrender into slavery. Those who wish to do so may swim (float) in the salty waters of the Dead Sea. You will then follow the ancient path the pilgrims followed ascending to Jerusalem and retire to your hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. 

Shepherd’s Fields               Gordon’s Calvary              Robinson’s Arch              Street Market
Garden of Gethsemane     Damascus Gate                 St. Stephen’s Gate           Arab Quarter
Rabbinical Tunnel             Tomb of Absalom             Dome of the Rock           Garden Tomb
Place of the Pavement      Tomb of Zechariah            Southern Steps               Kidron Valley
Holocaust Museum          House of Caiaphas            Western Wall                   Temple Mount
Valley of Gehenna            Palm Sunday Road            Israel Museum                Jewish Quarter
Pools of Bethesda             Mt. of Olives                       Roman Cardo                  Zion’s Gate
Mt. Zion                              Knesset                                Mt. Scopus                       Jaffa Gate

Ancient Shiloh, David’s City and much, much MORE!

We complete our tour of Israel on the last afternoon, at Calvary and the Garden Tomb.  After that awesome experience we share a sumptuous Farewell Dinner before departing for Tel Aviv for a late night departure to the USA.