Holy Land Pilgrimage: Couple for Christ and Catholic Holy Land Tours
By : Israel Travel Centre
Depart : 22 Oct 2017
End: 02 Nov 2017
- Day 1: Depart Australia -Sydney to Bangkok with Thai Airways
- Connect with El Al Israel Airlines flight, it is 11 hrs flight from BKK to Tel Aviv
- Day 2: Land in Israel, on arrival to Tel Aviv, will be met by local representative, then proceed to Hotel, rest of the day on leisure
- Day 3: Depart Tel Aviv to Caesarea where St Peter baptised the first Gentile Cornelius and where St Paul was imprisoned. Continue to Muhraqa, Carmelite Monastery of St Elijah set his altar, then proceed to Mt Carmel the chapel of Stella Maris to celebrate Mass. We arrive in Tiberas for dinner and the evening free. Breakfast & Dinner. Overnight at the Leonardo Tiberias.
- Day 4: This morning we begin with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, then visit Capernaum, followed by visit to Tabgha. Then ascend by motor coach to the Mt of Beatitudes to gain a panoramic vista of the Sea of Galilee. Here we celebrate a mass. Continue to Jordan River to renew our baptismal vows thne return to Tiberas for the day. Breakfast & Dinner. Overnight at the Leonardo Tiberias.
- Day 5: Depart to Cana, site of Jesus first miracle at the wedding feast, then celebrate a mass, invite couples to renew their marriage vows. Continue to proceed to Mt Tabor the site of transfiguration. Continue to Nazareth, visit the Basilica of the Anunciation for mass at the Grotto, then continue to St Joseph’s workshop, Mary’s well, and just down the street the Chapel of Charles de Foucauld at the little Sisters of the Poor and the Convent of the Sisters of Nazareth. We arrive in Jerusalem for dinner and the rest of the evening. Breakfast & Dinner Overnight at the Leonardo Jerusalem.
- Day 6: Jerusalem, day of leisure, Breakfast & Dinner , Overnight at Leonardo Jerusalem.
- Day 7: After Breakfast, visit the Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount, stop by the Western Wall. Ride to Mt Scopus and to Mt of Olives, where we gain a panoramic view of the city of Jerusalem. Then visit the ascension Mosque, Pater Noster, Dominus Flavit, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem and continue to the Church of all Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane. After lunch (own lunch) continue to the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu where Peter denied Jesus, the House of Calaphas, the Church of the Domition of Our Lady, and the Upper Room , commemorating the Last Supper. Breakfast & Dinner. Overnight at Leonardo Jerusalem.
- Day 8: Depart Jerusalem for Bethlehem visiting Shepherds’ Field the Church of the Nativity, St Jerome’s Chapel, and St Catherine’s Church. Returning, we stop in Ein Karem where we visit the Church of St John the Baptist and the Church of Visitation. Visit to AbuGosh where we will celebrate Mass. Breakfast & Dinner. Overnight at Leonardo Jerusalem.
- Day 9 : Spend the morning in Jerusalem for a special tour to the 14 Stations of the Cross and the Via Dolorosa and visit the Church of The Holy Sepulcher. The guide will explain the different opinions and versions on the route that Jesus was led and the actual place of crucifixion and burial. We will enter through Dung Gate, we will visit the Church of St. Anne, marking the place of birth of the Blessed Mother, and we visit the nearby Pools of Bethesda. We visit the Ecce Homo Arch and Lithostrotos. End the day is the area of Golgotha (Place of the Scull) and the Garden Tomb for communion service and visit. Breakfast & Dinner. Overnight at Leonardo Jerusalem.
- Day 10: We depart early this morning for Masada. On our way, we visit Jericho to view the Mt. of Temptations from a distance and to see the traditional Zaccheus site. This city was the site of Joshua’s first dramatic conquest. From a distance, we view the Mt. of Temptation, now home to a Greek Orthodox Monastery. We will stop by the new baptismal site at Qasr El Yehud . We will also visit Qumran (site of the discovery of Dead Sea Scrolls), the waterfalls of Ein Gedi. Arriving in Masada, we ascend by cable car to view the site, and then continue to our Hotel in the Dead Sea for the evening. Special Sabbath Dinner. Overnight at Leonardo Privilege Dead Sea.
- Day 11: This morning we enjoy a swim in the Dead Sea and also enjoy a famous Mud Bath. Then we continue to Beersheba and visit the ANZAC park dedicated to the Australian Soldiers then proceed to Abraham’s Well, Ashkelon to Jerusalem where we will celebrate Mass in a private room at the hotel and then farewell dinner in the main dining room in a separate section. Overnight at Leonardo Jerusalem.
- Day 12: Departure: In the morning check out of the hotel then enter the old city to walk along the Via Dolorosa. Return to the hotel to drop off 16 pax who stay on and in the late afternoon drive to the Valley of Elah, have a city tour of Tel Aviv and then farewell dinner in Jaffa transfer you to Ben Gurion Airport for your departure flight. Depart Tel Aviv at approx 11:05 pm, arrive back to Sydney at 7:10 AM
Price quote: Land tours from US$1,795.00 per person based on Twin share, 4 star accommodation, meet & greet, return transfers, English speaking tour director, tour in air conditioned vehicle, farewell dinner at Jaffa, buffet breakfast, set menu dinner at hotels except for farewell dinner at Jaffa. Excluded: Visa fees, border taxes, tips to the guide, hotel staff, driver. Airfares to be quoted plus to land tours. Travel Insurance not included.
