About
We invite you to join us on a tour of the Holy Land with David Holsten, MAF President and CEO, and Pastor Matt Hannan from New Heights Church in Vancouver, WA. The Bible will come alive as you walk in the footsteps of Christ, while traveling with like-minded partners of MAF.
Dates: April 18-29, 2023
The trip will also include tour company President Tim Cowles and his wife, Jan. They have led biblically based tours for the past 34 years, and their passion for the Middle East and enthusiasm for the people who live there is contagious. You will share in the relationships they have made and benefit from their familiarity with the region and their knowledge of cross-cultural behaviors.
Tour is limited to 20 participants (not including hosts).
Itinerary
Day 1 - APRIL 18
Depart on an overnight flight with connections to Tel Aviv.
Day 2 - APRIL 19
Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, where you will be met, assisted, and transferred to our hotel for dinner and 2 nights stay. Experience the beautiful Mediterranean beach at sunset. Look to the south and see Joppa, from where Jonah sailed!
Day 3 - APRIL 20
Free day in Tel Aviv to rest, relax, overcome jet lag. Meet Covid requirements if in place (not at the moment). Beach and beach walkway are nearby. You may want to explore Joppa, Ben Gurion home, Rabin Square, etc. Dinner and overnight in Tel Aviv
Day 4 - APRIL 21
Depart Tel Aviv and travel north along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, the ancient Roman capital built by Herod. Here you will see the Roman Amphitheater, Aqueduct, and Herodian Port.
Continue northeast to the Valley of Armageddon and Megiddo to visit remarkable excavations, including the famous water tunnel and King Solomon's stables.
Next, travel to Mount Carmel and visit Muchraka (place of the fire) where Elijah met the prophets of Baal.
Continue northeast into Galilee and the seaside city of Tiberias for dinner and the first of three nights at our hotel.
Day 5 - APRIL 22
Wake to the sun rising over the Sea of Galilee! After breakfast, drive north to Tel Dan, a crystal-clear tributary of the Jordan River. See the area where King Ahab held court, and walk to where King Jeroboam set up the golden calf as recorded in 1 Kings 12:26-30. Moving on to hike down to the spectacular Banias Falls.
Travel to Caesarea Philippi where Peter answered Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Drive up the Golan Heights (biblical Bashan) to view east into Syria.
End the day's tour with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.
Return to our Tiberias hotel for dinner.
Day 6 - APRIL 23
This day is spent at the Sea of Galilee.
Start on the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount.
Continue to the small fishing village of Capernaum, where Jesus spent much of his ministry time. At Nof Ginosar, view the Jesus Boat, recovered from the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee.
End this day's tour at Yardenit, the baptismal center on the Jordan River, a safe place to be baptized with changing rooms and showers.
Return to our Tiberias hotel for dinner.
Day 7 - APRIL 24
Depart Tiberias and pass through Cana of Galilee to the city of Nazareth for a visit at Mary's Well. Tour Nazareth Village, an open-air museum that reconstructs village life in the time of Jesus.
Continue to Beit Shean and visit the Greek and Roman ruins.
From here, travel south along the Jordan River Valley past Jericho for dinner and an overnight stay at our hotel by the Dead Sea. If you'd like, enjoy an evening float in the Dead Sea.
DAY 8 - APRIL 25
Today we are in the wilderness!
First, travel to Masada and view the three-dimension museum theater, then ride the cable car to the top of the massive plateau to see Herod's fortress-palace, synagogue, bathhouses, and more.
Then hike to the Ein Gedi Falls, the rugged area where David hid from King Saul.
Finally, visit the Caves of Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.
At the end of the day, travel almost 5000 feet up to Jerusalem, the Holy City. Enjoy dinner and the first of four nights at our Jerusalem hotel.
Day 9 - APRIL 26
Begin the day with a drive to Bethlehem, visiting the Church of The Nativity and Shepherd's Fields.
Return to Jerusalem and the Shrine of The Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. Outside the building, view the Holyland Model of Jerusalem, a 1:50 scale model of the city during the Second Temple period.
Next, visit the fascinating City of David where you will climb and walk through ancient tunnels and waterways. See recent discoveries, explore the Gihon Spring and the Pool of Siloam, and enter a newly excavated tunnel on the Roman pavement stones from the time of Christ. This tunnel exits at the southwest corner of the Temple Mount.
Conclude the day with dinner and overnight Jerusalem.
OPTIONAL BIKE RIDE - Experience a Jerusalem few visitors get to see. Ride streets and park pathways after dark. A highlight is riding through quarters of the Old City and arriving at a Western Wall overlook. The ride lasts 3-4 hours and covers 5-6 miles with several long hills to ride up. It's important to be in good shape for this ride. Bike, helmet, lights, and water are provided. Cost is $60-75 per person depending on how many participate. Highly rated on Trip Advisor.
Day 10 - APRIL 27
This is a very special spiritual day in Jerusalem.
Begin the day with a ride to the top of the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of the land. From there, walk down to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations.
Continue to the Pool of Bethesda and the Church of St. Anne and walk the Via Dolorosa. Then circle the Old City on our bus to visit Mount Zion, where the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, King David's Tomb, and the traditional Upper Room of The Last Supper are located.
Visit the Garden Tomb and experience a meaningful time of Communion with our group.
Dinner and overnight Jerusalem hotel.
Day 11 - APRIL 28 - FREE DAY JERUSALEM
Walk the Old City Wall Tour, go back to shop where you needed more time, wander, prayer walk, etc. Dinner and overnight Jerusalem.
Day 12 - APRIL 29 - FLIGHT HOME
Transfer to airport for flight home. Arrive home same day.
(OPTIONAL ADD-ON) – TRIP TO PETRA, JORDAN, April 29 - May 5
Pricing & Registration
Price
$3,400 per person plus airfare (based on double-occupancy)
Price above includes: group transfers, entrance fees, first class hotels, guides, deluxe a/c vehicles, breakfast and dinner at hotels.
Price above does not include: (1) flights, (2) lunches, (3) travel insurance—based on tour cost and your age (call Vickie Hudson at 208-498-0695 for a quote), (4) personal items such as cleaning, room service, phone calls, bottled water, sodas, drinks at meals, (5) tips for guides, drivers, and hotel dining staff—an additional $140, which is added to your final invoice, (6) Individual transfers if needed, there is a charge for arrival and departure transfers if you arrive and depart at times that do not match main group arrival and departure transfers.
Optional extension to Petra, Jordan (April 29- May 5), approx. $1,700. You would fly out of Amman, Jordan at end of tour.
Registration
All trip participants must be in good physical and mental health, ambulatory, and fully able to participate in most trip activities. Anyone requiring assistance must be accompanied by an individual able and willing to provide the necessary support at all times.
To reserve your spot on the trip, please contact Vickie Hudson at 208-498-0695. A non-refundable deposit of $450 will be required (can be applied to a future trip if you are unable to make this trip).
Full payment of $3,400 per person is due by Feb 15, 2023. Please make check payable to MAF and send to:
Mission Aviation Fellowship
Attn: Vickie Hudson
PO Box 47
Nampa, ID 83653
Cancellations
Cancellations made before final payment Feb 15, 2023 will be eligible for refunds less the $450 deposit. Flights are usually non-refundable. Once final payment is made there are no refunds for any reason. BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE.
Luggage
Limit of one suitcase and one carry-on per person. Porterage service is included in the cost of the trip.
Itinerary Changes and Flexibility
MAF pledges to make every effort to carry out all trips as published. However, travel is often full of surprises requiring flexibility and adaptability, as witnessed by the COVID cancellation for two years.