Days 1-2: Saturday and Sunday, October 16 and 17 U.S.A. • Transatlantic
Flight • Tel Aviv, Israel
We will take an afternoon flight from our various
U.S.A. homes and change planes at the Hartsfield International Airport in
Atlanta. We will arrive the following late afternoon at the Ben Gurion
Airport—which is near New Testament Lydda, where Peter healed Aeneas. If time
allows, we will visit Jaffa, where Peter received the important revelation about
taking the gospel to the Gentiles. We will check in to the Marina Hotel, where
we will have our group sacrament meeting before retiring for the night.
Day 3: Monday, October 18 Tel Aviv • Caesarea • Haifa
• Muhraka • Nazareth
We will drive through Tel Aviv, the largest Jewish
metropolitan area in the world, and then north along the coast of the
Mediterranean Sea to the Roman New Testament seaside capital, Caesarea. Here in
the ancient Roman theatre, we will study the biblical events that happened in
this place. We will then drive to Haifa (modern port of Israel and center of the
Baha'i faith), stop for a view, and recount some LDS Church history related to
this area. We will drive along the top of Mount Carmel to Muhraka, the
traditional site of Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal, to enjoy a
view of the Jezreel Valley and talk about the importance of this valley both
anciently and now. We will then drive to the lovely city of Nazareth, the
boyhood home of Jesus, where we will visit the Nazareth Village (developed to
show life as it existed at the time of Jesus) and briefly reflect on His early
life. We will drive through the Beit Netofa Valley and pass by the remains of
biblical Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine. We will check in to Nof
Ginosar Hotel on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee for two nights.
Day 4: Tuesday, October 19 Sea of Galilee • Capernaum • Mount of
Beatitudes • Tel Dan • Banias • Golan Heights
Our day will begin with an
exhilarating boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. Then we will visit Capernaum,
the center of Jesus' Galilean ministry, where He performed many miracles and
gave many teachings, including His “Bread of Life” sermon. We will pass St.
Peter's Primacy on our way to the Mount of Beatitudes, where the important
Sermon on the Mount will be discussed. We will pass Hazor on our way to Tel Dan,
the ancient northern limits of Israel (“from Dan to Beersheba”), to enjoy a
beautiful nature walk and to see this historic tel. We'll continue on to Banias
at the foot of Mount Hermon, which is ancient Caesarea Philippi, the site of
Peter's testimony of the Savior. This is where one of the sources of the Jordan
River emerges from the foothills of Mount Hermon. We will then drive up on the
Golan Heights—home of many Druze people as well as the scene of fierce fighting
between Israel and Syria in 1967 and again in 1973—to enjoy a view of Mount
Hermon near Har Bental. We will return to Nof Ginosar to enjoy dinner and an
evening on the lakeshore.
Day 5: Wednesday, October 20 Galilee • Mount Tabor • Beth Shean •
Jericho • Jerusalem
Today begins with our first stop at a Christian baptismal
site on the Jordan River; then we will drive to Mount Tabor, probable site of
the Savior's transfiguration. After visiting Nain (where Jesus brought the
widow's son back to life) at the foot of Mount Moreh, we will visit the
important strategic site of Beth Shean. At these impressive ruins we will
experience the splendor of Roman life and Hellenistic culture. We will
then continue south down the Jordan Valley and view the meandering Jordan River
and the Jordan Plateau to the east with its interesting biblical history.
We will stop at Old Testament Jericho and review some important scriptural
events that took place in this area before turning west toward Jerusalem. We
will next enjoy a brief stop in the historic Judean Wilderness, where we will
discuss the Savior's forty-day experience and temptations. As we enter
Jerusalem for the first time, we will behold a most fascinating city. We
will check in to the Olive Tree Hotel for our nights in Jerusalem.
Day 6: Thursday, October 21 Jerusalem
Our first full day in
Jerusalem will begin on the Mount of Olives, where we can view and discuss the
history of the Old City of Jerusalem. Then we will begin a walking tour of
the Old City through the Dung Gate to visit the Holy Mount and to see the
outside of the Dome of the Rock, built to honor Mohammed, Islam's founder. Later
we will stop at the Western Wall, where we will observe Jews as they participate
in morning prayers and bar mitzvahs at Judaism's holiest shrine. We will
visit the Ophel to examine how it looked at the time of the Savior. In the
afternoon we will visit the Jewish Quarter to see the Broad Wall and the
Cardo. There will also be time spent in the Christian Quarter as we visit
the major shrine of Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Leaving
the Old City through the Damascus Gate, we will make our first visit to Golgotha
and the Garden Tomb.
Day 7: Friday, October 22 Jerusalem
As
the morning begins, we visit the Yad Vashem Memorial, the Holocaust museum, in
West Jerusalem. We will drive by the Knesset (Israel's parliament) on our
way to visit the Israel Museum, including the famous Model City of Jerusalem and
the Shrine of the Book (Dead Sea Scrolls display). The afternoon will be free
for shopping. We will return to the Western Wall in the late afternoon to watch
the religious Jews welcome in the Sabbath. Following our experience at the
Western Wall, we will return to the hotel for dinner and an evening
lecture.
Day 8: Saturday, October 23 Jerusalem •
Bethlehem
We will begin our Sabbath by attending sacrament meeting at the BYU
Jerusalem Center with the Jerusalem Branch in the center's beautiful auditorium,
with its spectacular view of the Holy City. Following the meetings, we will
travel to nearby Bethlehem, site of the Savior's birth, and visit the Church of
the Nativity. We will then visit Shepherds' Field, overlooking Bethlehem, and
review the biblical events connected with this area in a special late afternoon
program before returning to the hotel for dinner.
Day 9: Sunday, October 24 Jerusalem • Dead Sea • Masada • Ein Gedi •
Qumran • Bethany
An early morning drive will take us through the wilderness
of Judea to the Jordan Valley and then south along the Dead Sea, the lowest
point on the earth's surface. Here we will take the cable car to the top of
Masada to see the ruins of the palace-fortress built by King Herod and to recall
the story of the Zealots' last stand against the Romans. Before leaving
this desert fortress, we will visit the museum at Masada's base. As we drive
north, we will stop for a quick float in the Dead Sea and lunch at Ein Gedi, one
of the areas where David hid from King Saul. Then we'll drive on to Qumran, home
of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and discuss their importance on the way home. We will
make a brief stop in Bethany and talk of events related to Jesus' raising
Lazarus from the dead. Following dinner at the hotel, we will have an evening
lecture.
Day 10: Monday, October 25 Jerusalem
Our day in Jerusalem will begin
as we enter the Old City through Lion's Gate and go to the site of the Pool of
Bethesda and the Church of St. Anne to discuss John 5. We will also visit the
Orson Hyde Memorial Garden, where we will discuss the symbolism of Gethsemane
and enjoy a view of Old Jerusalem. We will then proceed to the City of David to
see the Jerusalem of Nephi's time and walk through Hezekiah's Tunnel, a
hydrological wonder of Isaiah's time. We will also visit the true Pool of
Siloam mentioned in John 9. We will change out of our wet clothes, and the
remainder of the day will be free to walk the Old City walls, visit local
museums, and visit other places of interest.
Day 11: Tuesday, October 26 Jerusalem
Today we will walk from
the Mount of Olives down to Bethphage as we focus on the events of the last week
of the Savior's life, beginning with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We will
proceed down the west side of the Mount of Olives and stop at a view point to
discuss more of the Savior's final week. We will continue down the Mount of
Olives to Gethsemane on the way to Mount Zion and the location of the Upper
Room, a reminder of the Last Supper and the ordinance of the sacrament. At St.
Peter's in Gallicantu, the possible site of the palace of Caiaphas, we will
discuss Peter and the trials of Jesus. Our day will conclude at Golgotha, the
place of the Crucifixion, and the Garden Tomb—where we will consider the final
mortal events in Jesus' life and His Atonement. We will have our farewell
meeting following dinner.
Day 12: Wednesday, October 27 Jerusalem • Ben Gurion
Airport
Today will be a free day in Jerusalem for visiting the Garden Tomb to
ponder and consider our experiences in the Holy Land, shopping, and packing for
our departures. We will leave for the airport in the early evening for our
flight to the U.S.A.
Day 13: Thursday, October 28 Transatlantic Flight •
U.S.A.
Those not going on the Egypt option will fly all night and arrive in
Atlanta to change planes in the early morning. This will involve going
through customs. We will arrive home in midday.
Egypt Option/ Cost: $2100 per person based on double
occupancy
Day 13: Thursday, October 28 Israel • Cairo,
Egypt
We will leave early in the morning for the airport and our flight to
Egypt. Upon arrival, we will drive along one of the canals to the
pharaonic capital of Memphis to see the colossal statue of Ramses II, the
Alabaster sphinx, and the Lion Couches in the ruins of the Temple of Ptah. Then
we'll see the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the Mastaba of Ti (or
Ptah-Hotep). We next visit the Giza Pyramids and the 5,000-year-old Sphinx
and enjoy a camel ride near these ancient structures. In the evening, at
the Heliopolis Hotel, we will discuss “Our Heritage and Ancient Egypt.”
Day 14: Friday, October 29 Cairo • Luxor
We will take an
early morning flight to Luxor and then bus to the enormous Karnak Temple for a
walking tour of the largest religious complex in the world, followed by a stop
at the Temple of Luxor. After checking in to the Mercure Etap Hotel, we
will have some free time for shopping and carriage rides. We will enjoy an
evening felucca ride on the Nile if conditions permit.
Day 15: Saturday, October 30 Luxor • Cairo
This day will
begin by our crossing the Nile to the west bank Necropolis, passing the Colossi
of Memnon. Next we will enter the Valley of the Kings to see the tombs of
the New Kingdom pharaohs such as Tutankhamen, Seti I, and Ramses IV. We'll then
travel on to Queen Hatshepsut's Temple and Pit Tomb 33, believed by some to be
the place from which Joseph Smith's Abraham papyri came. In the late
afternoon we will return to Cairo and check back in to the Heliopolis Hotel for
two nights.
Day 16: Sunday, October 31 Cairo
Our tour will continue past the
City of the Dead as we drive to the Citadel Mohammed Ali (Alabaster) Mosque and
the Anwar Sadat Memorial. The remainder of the afternoon will include a
visit to the world-famous Egyptian Museum, where the discoveries from King Tut's
Tomb are on display, as well as many other interesting exhibits from the various
periods of ancient Egyptian history.
Day 17: Monday, November 1 Cairo • U.S.A.
Our bus
will leave the hotel in the morning for the airport for our daylong flight to
our homes in the U.S.A. We will arrive home late at night.
(itinerary is subject to
change)
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