Depart USA to Amman

We will take flights from our various home cities, make transfers, and arrive the following day at the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, where we will be taken to our comfortable hotel for dinner and rest from our travels. 

Recovery Day and Amman City Tour

Today we will recover from our international travels and enjoy a late start morning.  After breakfast, we will enjoy a half-day city tour of Amman.  This tour will see the old and new of this capital city of Jordan with a highlight visit to Jerash.  Tonight, we will enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel and get an opportunity to get to know each other and talk about the many highlights of the upcoming day

Amman, Mt Nebo & Madaba

Today we get to explore the City known in the Old and New Testament times as Philadelphia. Traveling south we visit the mosaic city of Madaba, where the oldest map of the Holy Land exists on the floor of St. George's Church. More mosaics can be seen in the Archaeological Park, which houses some masterpieces from Byzantine churches. We then journey to Mt. Nebo, the site where the Prophet Moses looked over the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea before sending the Children of Israel across without him. Here you view 4th and 6th century Byzantine churches with wonderful mosaics. 

Petra and Wadi Rum

The red-rose city of Petra is a unique destination. More than 2000 years ago the area was settled by the Nabataeans who carved magnificent buildings in the sandstone. We begin our adventure with an optional horse ride, then walk through the Siq, an immense crack in the stone, to see at the end of Petra's most impressive monument: the Treasury. You walk along the Street of Facades, and see the Royal Tombs, and Qasr al Bint. After lunch, we will drive 1.5 hours to the dramatic Wadi Rum, one of the most impressive desert landscapes in the world, and view the spectacular rock formations, canyons, and Nabatean rock inscriptions. This landscape is reminiscent of Lehi’s family’s journey through this area. We end our day at the beautiful vacation town of Eilat on the Red Sea. 

Aqaba - Timna Mines - Dead Sea

This morning you may choose to rise early and go for a swim in the Red Sea, walk along the beach walk or just sit and watch the sailboats in the harbor. We now journey North to Tel Aviv with many special stops along the way that most pilgrims don't get to see. The first is the Timna Mines and Park. These ancient mines were a source of silver and copper dating back to ancient times. There is some indication that Lehi and his sons may have been metalworkers and visited this site. Here we also visit a marvelous full-sized model Tabernacle based on the one revealed to Moses in the wilderness. While we arrive at the Dead Sea, you cannot miss the opportunity to enjoy a dip in the buoyant waters and bathe in the wonderful medicinal mud at Kalia Beach! Even Cleopatra sent her slaves to retrieve this magical mud in order to preserve her legendary beauty.  

Caesarea - Nazareth

Today we start the day from the desert floor, ascend by cable car to the spectacular cliff-top fortress of Masada, where a community of 960 Jews preferred death at their own hands to the indignity of surrender to the overwhelming Roman forces. Moving now north, as the Dead Sea basin has been a refuge to prophets, zealots, and outcasts throughout time, buried in the beige limestone bluffs, the ruins of Qumran still tell the story of the Essenes, a reclusive Jewish sect that buried the now famous Dead Sea Scrolls.  Our final stop today is the ancient tel of Bet She’an, where 6,000 years of civilization seem to unfold among the ruins. It is believed to be the very Bet She'an of the Old Testament where the former King of Israel, Saul, was fastened to the city wall without his head by the conquering Philistines. 

Nazareth - Megiddo - Mt Carmel - Caesarea

This morning we make our way to Nazareth and the historic re-creation Nazareth Village, a living presentation of the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth. As we travel the high rolling hills of the Jezreel Valley, not far away is Megiddo, the tragic site of ancient bloody battles where nations were won and lost. Upon these same tragic fields, the great and terrible last battle of Armageddon will be fought.  We continue to experience Mt Carmel where the prophet Elijah and the priests of Baal contested their faith.  We finally enter into Caesarea to see this ancient seaport and the remains of a city founded by Herod, the residence of Pontius Pilate, and a prison for Paul. Sit in the well-preserved amphitheater overlooking the blue sea and hear the story of Paul's conversion of the Centurion.  We return tonight to our hotel in Galilee.

Mt Arbel - Capernaum - Mt of Beatitudes - Sea of Galilee

This morning we start our day walking a traditional path at the base of Mt Arbel that Jesus and his disciples would have traveled between Nazareth and the Galilee known as the “Valley of the Doves”.  Here we will have a devotional before starting our day touring the Galilee area.  We begin in the village of Magdala seeing an active archeological site still being unearthed today.  Here we’ll see a Synagogue dating back to the Savior’s day, where a newly discovered stone portrays the symbols of the ancient temple. We continue to the shoreside and sail upon the Sea of Galilee to view the area of Jesus Christ's early ministry. As the wind carries your boat, note the halo of mountains that surrounds its shores.  A St. Peter’s fish lunch today is included and not only tastes fabulous but makes a great memory. The Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount is always a highlight to visitors. We will read the words of the greatest teacher of all time as He taught the greatest sermon of all time. Then to Capernaum, where Jesus lived and recruited his first followers among the fishermen. The well-preserved city will amaze you as you sit in the synagogue and imagine Jesus' teaching and performing miracles in this important place.  

Tel Dan - Caesarea Philippi - Golan Heights

We will visit Tel Dan National Park, which combines a lush nature reserve with a biblical archaeological experience. Beside a massive rock cliff, a place of great natural beauty, Banias is the site of ancient Caesarea Philippi, where Peter bore testimony of the Savior and Jesus said “Thou art Peter and upon this rock, I will build my church”. As we make our way back south towards the Sea of Galilee you will observe some of the rich farmlands that have made Israel one of the leading agriculture leaders in the world. We will visit Tabgha, the site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. There is a beautiful Byzantine mosaic on the floor commemorating this miracle that you will not want to miss. 
 

Sacrament Meeting at BYU Jerusalem Center - Israel Museum

Today is a very special day as we depart out of Galilee early to arrive in Jerusalem in time to enjoy Sacrament meeting at the BYU Jerusalem Center. After lunch we will discover the treasures of the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, the site chosen to house the Dead Sea Scrolls. This unique building is shaped like the ancient pottery in which the precious scrolls lay hidden for thousands of year. While we are there we will get to see the Holy Land Model, a unique scale model of Jerusalem at the time of Christ. The model visually explains the layout of the ancient city as well as the design and magnitude of the Second Temple. 

Dome of the Rock - Western Wall Tunnel - Temple Steps - Last Supper room

We will begin our day with a visit to the Temple Mount, one of the most sacred spots of three religions. This was the site of Solomon’s Temple then the massive Second Temple rebuilt by Herod. The Western Wall is the most important site in all of Jewish civilization because these rough massive stones are all that is left of the great Second Temple. Revered and honored, the Jews wait and hope for the day they will rebuild their third and final temple upon these sacred remnants. We will explore the tunnels beneath the Western Wall and then visit the archeological park located on the south side of the temple mount. The original steps located here were certainly walked on by the Savior himself many times. We will visit today Hezekiah’s “Broad Wall” of ancient Jerusalem that was near where Lehi and his family lived. We will also walk in the old quarter of Jerusalem to the site believed to be the Room of the Last Supper. Devoid of gilded statues or ornate chapels, the quiet simplicity and elegance of this room help one to focus on the words of Christ and the poignant last moments with his beloved disciples.

Mt of Olives - Gethsemane - Old City - Caiaphas' Palace

Today we will visit Mount of Olives with a panoramic view that is breathtaking. On the mount, we visit the Pater Nester Church and discuss the sacred information Jesus shared with his disciples after his resurrection.  We then will visit the Garden of Gethsemane and have time to contemplate the Holy sacrifice that was made here for and every one of us.  We will return to the old city now, entering the oldest quarter of Jerusalem, follow the winding alleys and crowded streets to the Pools of Bethesda and learn about their importance. We will discover the ancient city beneath the modern streets where the old paving stones are carved with Roman games at Antonia Fortress.  Our last stop will be at the House of Caiaphas, which owns the dark and sad dungeon that once imprisoned the Savior. To experience the cold dismal cells and feel the sorrow and grieving of such a place, brings understanding and gratitude to our hearts.

Garden Tomb - Bethlehem - Church of the Nativity

This morning begins by a limestone hill, which we revere as Golgotha, the site of the crucifixion. Just around that hill is an old cemetery with an ancient tomb that once held the Savior's mortal body and saw its glorious resurrection. There is a sign on the door of the tomb that says, “He is not here - for He is risen.” This will be an unforgettable experience as you contemplate the promise of the Resurrection.  Music, bells, and churches appropriately adorn the little town of Bethlehem for it was here that the Light of the World was given life. Pilgrimages, sacred holidays, and festivities occur all year long to celebrate the birth of Christ.  We will enjoy a fantastic lunch together in a traditional Bedouin tent restaurant before we visit the Church of the Nativity. Tradition holds that the small humble inn with just a stable for lodging was located where this church now stands. Near sunset, we will gather on the Shepherd Field where modern-day shepherds still tend their flocks on the fields overlooking Bethlehem just as they did over 2,000 years ago when the angel appeared bringing them glad tidings of great joy. We will sing the beloved Christmas hymns and listen to the wondrous story - a moment not to be forgotten. 

Flight Home with memories to last a lifetime.