Hillvue Heights Tour 2022 with Dr. Steve Ayers!

Today you will leave the United States on a trans-continental flight to Tel Aviv, Israel.  Your flight departs late in the afternoon and arrives in Israel in the morning of the next day.

You begin the day by driving up the coast to the ancient port of Caesarea Maritima. You will see the ancient capital of the Romans in Palestine with the great theatre, hippodrome and harbor. The events of Acts 12 took place here; the Apostle Paul’s imprisonment, his bringing the gospel to the house of Cornelias, and the occasion of Herod being struck by worms in the theatre. A short distance away you will see the incredible aqueducts built by Herod the Great and a later period Crusader fortress nearby. After a short drive along the coast, you begin the climb up the Carmel Mountains to the heights of Mt. Carmel where Elijah slew the prophets of Baal. The view of the Valley of Armageddon will take your breath away as you recall the prophecies of Revelation and the end-time events that will take place in that vast plain. You will descend into the valley and visit Megiddo, Solomon’s ancient chariot city where you will view “Ahab’s Water Tunnel” the hidden water source of the Israelites during the days of the divided kingdom. You cross the entire valley and begin your climb through the lower Galilean Mountains to the childhood home of Jesus, Nazareth. Leaving Nazareth you drive through the place of the villages of His day such as Cana, where He turned the water into wine. Finally, you arrive at your beautiful hotel on the shore of the Sea of Galilee where you will have dinner and spend the first of three nights.

You will wake to a breath-taking sunrise on the Sea of Galilee.  After breakfast enjoy a boat ride and time of worship on the Sea of Galilee as you sail to Nof Ginnosar in a replica of an ancient boat. The authentic 2,000-year-old boat of antiquity dates to the time of Christ. You will follow the steps of Jesus through the Galilee region as you visit the Mt. of Beatitudes and ancient Capernaum, Tabgha and the ancient fisherman's landing called the "Primacy of Peter". You will enjoy lunch by the Sea of Galilee where you will have an opportunity to eat "St. Peter's fish," tilapia, caught fresh out of the waters of the Galilee and then finish the day with the opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River.  After this wonderful day, you can once again relax at your hotel on the Sea of Galilee.  After dinner you may enjoy looking out over this beautiful lake and reflect on what you are already experiencing; walking where Jesus walked.

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 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 will have an early check-out from your hotel and 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 begin to descend toward the Plains of Jericho as you head to Qumran , the center of the Essenes. Qumran is home of the ancient caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. From there, you will continue south to your beautiful hotel , the David Dead Sea Spa and Resort, where you may float in the waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth, if you desire.

Today you will 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. From there, you will continue northward in the desert where ibex roam at Ein Gedi, David’s hideout from Saul. Time permitting, you will stop at Wadi Qelt to overlook the barren Judean wilderness and the Valley of the Shadow of Death. 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 the first of four nights in your lovely hotel in Jerusalem.

These final days are spent in and around the environs of the capital of ancient and modern-day Israel - Jerusalem!  Once you arrive in Jerusalem, before disembarking each afternoon you will hear the next day’s itinerary. However, listed below you will find just some of the places you will see and experience together during these days:

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

You will complete your tour of Israel on the last afternoon, at Calvary and the Garden Tomb.  After that awesome experience you will share a sumptuous farewell dinner before departing for the airport for a late night flight back to the USA

You will arrive early morning in the US with memories that will last a lifetime and with plans to return and bring others back to experience God's Holy Land - Israel! Blessed traveling from all of us at TLC Holyland Tours!