Optional Jordan Pre Tour

April 9 - 14

Double Occupancy: $1,599 per person | Single Occupancy: $2,145

This tour requires 20 people minimum 

Days 1–2: Thursday and Friday, April 9-10 Transatlantic Flight • Amman, Jordan

We will take flights from our home cities and arrive in Jordan the following afternoon or evening at the Queen Alia International Airport near Amman. If time allows, we will explore parts of Amman before checking in to our hotel for dinner and a good night’s rest.

Day 3: Saturday, April 11 Amman • King Abdullah Mosque • Jabbok River • Jerash

After breakfast we will begin our exploration of the land God gave to “the children of Lot (the Moabites, and Ammonites) for a possession” (Gen. 19:38). We will drive through Amman, the modern capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in the downtown area. Our morning will include a visit to the King Abdullah Mosque, commonly known as the Blue Mosque for its magnificent blue dome. Here we will dress in culturally appropriate clothing provided for a visit to the mosque. Our Jordanian guide will teach us regarding Moslem worship and the highlights of this faith’s beliefs and practices. We will ascend to the ancient Amman Citadel for a panoramic view of this expansive modern city. As time permits, we will explore the buildings of the Citadel. In the time of the Savior, Amman was named Philadelphia and was one of the cities of the Decapolis mentioned in the New Testament. Later today, we will also see a second city of the Decapolis—Jerash, or Gerasa.

We will travel through the Land of Gilead (Jer. 8:22) and stop at the Jabbok River, where the patriarch Jacob wrestled with an angel upon returning to the Promised Land. Due to this experience, Jacob named this place “Peniel: for I have seen God face to face” (Gen. 32:30). We will review the significance of this event, where Jacob was embraced and given the new name, Israel.

After lunch, we will visit Jerash. This ancient city invites you to walk back in time 2,000 years and is one of the best preserved of the Greco–Roman cities of the Decapolis mentioned in the New Testament (Matt. 4:25). We will first pass through Hadrian’s Arch and visit the hippodrome outside the city walls. Entering the city, we will walk on the Cardo, which displays a spectacular paved street, the Agora (marketplace), and an oval plaza enclosed by 160 Ionic columns. As time permits, we will explore magnificent theaters, temples, and churches.

At the end of the day, we will return to our hotel in Amman for dinner.

Day 4: Sunday, April 12 Madaba • Mount Nebo • Wadi Musa

In the morning, we will ascend to Mount Nebo. From this mount, after 40 years in the wilderness, Moses and the children of Israel had their first view of the Promised Land (Deut. 34:1–4). This high point offers a marvelous view of the Dead Sea and the Jordan River, and surveys the borders of modern-day Israel. Early Fourth-century Christians built a sanctuary on Mount Nebo to honor Moses. Later, several churches, and eventually a Byzantine-era basilica and monastery were constructed over this site. We will visit Mt. Nebo’s sanctuary and see the fascinating archaeological finds of these early Christian churches, including mosaics and a baptismal font.

We will travel to the city of Madaba to further immerse ourselves in Jordanian culture and to discover some of Jordan’s early Christian heritage. We will visit the Byzantine–Christian era, sixth–century, St. George’s Church. The walls are covered with ancient Christian paintings, and mosaics on the floor reveal the heralded Madaba map—the oldest known map of the Holy Land. After time to shop and buy some treats, we will continue our journey.

In the afternoon, we will travel south near the “king’s way,” as it was known in ancient times (Num. 20:17). This route will take us through the heartland of the ancient plains of Moab (homeland of Ruth in the Old Testament and tribal inheritance of Reuben) and later through biblical Edom. We will pass the Crusader Castle of Shobak as we drive through Bedouin homelands. We will journey to the lands associated with the story of Lawrence of Arabia—Wadi Rum. Here we will have dinner and stay overnight. This evening, we will learn of the Bedouin knowledge of stars and constellations to guide them in their night travels.

Day 5: Monday, April 13 Wadi Rum • Petra

Early in the morning at Wadi Rum, we will have the interesting experience of taking a camel safari into the desert to see one of the most impressive desert landscapes in the world. This wilderness is untouched, with marvelous views and an opportunity to learn about the Bedouin way of life. (Parts of the Star Wars movies The Rise of Skywalker and Rogue One were filmed in Wadi Rum.)

Leaving Wadi Rum, we will journey to Petra, one of the wonders of the world. We will pass through the Siq, which is a sandstone gorge that leads to the main entrance to the city of Petra, capital of the ancient Nabataeans (you may choose to travel on foot or in a motorized ecart). The Nabataean rulers who lived here controlled the frankincense trade routes, becoming extremely wealthy. Our first view of the city will be the Treasury (as seen in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade). We will then be awed by the impressive architecture of ancient Petra, the “rose-red city half as old as time.” This unique city, built of sandstone, has beautiful temples, tombs, and a theater carved out of the cliffs which surround the hidden valley.

After an amazing day we will have dinner and rest in our hotel in Wadi Musa.

Day 6: Tuesday, April 14Dead Sea • Israel • Jericho

In the early morning we will descend to travel near the Dead Sea as we begin our journey north. In the early afternoon, we will say goodbye to Jordan and cross the Jordan River at the King Hussein Bridge to enter Israel. We will continue to the Oasis Hotel in Jericho, “the city of palm trees” (Deut. 34:3), where we will spend the next three nights. At the hotel, we will unite with our fellow travelers who will be beginning their tour of the Holy Land in Israel.

MAIN TOUR ITINERARY

Transatlantic Flight • Israel

We will take flights from our home cities and arrive in Israel the following afternoon or evening at the Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv.

Israel • Jericho

We will then travel to Jericho and a good night’s rest in the Oasis Hotel.

Israel: Bethabara • Jericho • Judean Wilderness 

This morning, we will journey to the Jordan River Valley and stop at Bethabara, which is important for several reasons. This is the site of 1.) the Lord parting the Jordan River for Joshua and the Children allowing Israel to cross into the Promised Land, 2.) the Prophet Elijah’s translation and ascent into heaven, 3.) John the Baptist’s wilderness ministry, and most importantly, 4.) the site of the Savior’s baptism.

Later in the morning we will visit the Monastery of Saint Gerasimos, one of the earliest of more than 70 monasteries in the Judean desert. Here we will learn about those early monks that wished to imitate the Savior going into the wilderness for forty days to be with God (Matt 4:1-11). Also, according to an old tradition, the monastery was built over a cave where Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus hid when fleeing to Egypt, when Herod ordered the massacre of children in Bethlehem.

We will then visit Jericho, known as the “City of Palms.” Jericho is nearly 850 feet below sea level. We will visit the archaeological dig of tel-Jericho, the ancient Old Testament city miraculously conquered by Joshua and the Children of Israel (Joshua 6). The Savior visited Jericho, where he healed the blind Bartimaeus and dined with the very short in stature publican, Zacchaeus (Luke 18-19).

After lunch we will ascend to the east side of the Mount of Olives to the Palestinian city of Bethany, where we will visit the traditional tomb of Lazarus and site of the home where he lived with his sisters, Mary and Martha (John 11). In the late afternoon, we will take a short journey to Wadi Qelt to see the Judean Wilderness, where the Savior spent 40 days with His Father, while fasting, and afterward was tempted of the devil (JST Matt. 4:1). This area is where the prophet Elijah lodged during much of the 3½-year drought he brought by sealing the heavens from rain (1 Kings 17). Here we will also observe the setting of the parable of the Good Samaritan on the wilderness road from Jerusalem to Jericho (Luke 10).

If time allows, we will visit Jimmy’s Bazaar in Jericho near our hotel. He specializes in LDS-themed olivewood pieces and nativities, along with other items that have been favorites with past tours. In the evening, we will rest and relax in our hotel in Jericho, with its hot tub and four pools, including a special “Dead Sea” pool that can give you an idea of what tomorrow’s experience will be like in the real Dead Sea.

Masada • Qumran • Dead Sea

Our morning drive will take us south along the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the earth’s surface.

We will pass the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, where David and his band of men sought refuge from King Saul (1 Sam. 24). At Masada, built by King Herod as a refuge for his family and followers, we will take a cable car to the top of the plateau and explore his palatial fortress. From high above the Dead Sea, we will have a view of the entire area. Masada is best known as the location of a Roman siege against Jewish Sicarii in AD 74.

As we drive north, we will stop at Qumran for a walk-through of the communal building foundations of the mystic Jewish sect of the Essenes. Here we will discuss the customs and importance of this unique society as well as their connections to the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Ending this eventful day, we will have the opportunity for one of the most unusual floating experiences of a lifetime at the Dead Sea. Its dense rejuvenating mineral waters suspend you on the surface. After an exciting day we will return to our hotel in Jericho.

Beit Shean • Nazareth • Mount Tabor (Mount of Transfiguration)

Our morning drive will take us north up the Jordan River Valley to Beit Shean National Park. Here we will visit the most complete ruins of a Roman city in all Israel. Beit Shean was one of the ten Roman cities of the Decapolis mentioned in the Savior’s mortal ministry (Matt. 4:25).

We will then travel to the city of Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus, where we will visit Nazareth Village, developed to show life as it existed at the time of Jesus. Here we will reflect on His early life and later preaching and rejection at the synagogue of His hometown (Luke 4). We will have a special treat of enjoying a traditional first– century lunch.

Next, we will visit the Church of the Annunciation, built over the traditional site of Mary’s home and the visit from the angel Gabriel (Luke 1). In the late afternoon we will travel to the base of “a high mountain apart” (Matt. 17:1) and take vans to the top of Mount Tabor, the traditional site of Christ’s transfiguration.

Concluding this wonderful day, we will travel to the shores of the Sea of Galilee to our hotel at the Holiday Resort at Kibbutz Ein Gev, where we will stay three nights.

Sea of Galilee • Capernaum • Magdala • Mount of Beatitudes

Our day will begin with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee where we can reflect on the Savior calming the storm with the simple words “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:35-41). Afterwards, we will take a short journey to Tabgha, where a mosaic commemorates Jesus feeding the five thousand with a few fishes and loaves (John 6:1–14).

We will continue to the site of ancient Capernaum. After His rejection in his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus made Capernaum His home. Capernaum was the site of many of His miracles and healings (Mark 1–5). Within its synagogue the Savior gave His “Bread of Life” sermon (John 6:24–71).

We will have lunch near the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and then our next visit will be to Magdala, considered to be the hometown of Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2). There are remains of an ancient synagogue and special chapels dedicated to the women of the New Testament Gospels. As time allows, we will visit the Valley of the Doves located beneath Mount Arbel, following the path that Jesus took from the Sea of Galilee to the area of Nazareth.

Concluding this wonderful day, we will ascend to the Mount of Beatitudes, the traditional site of the Sermon on the Mount, where we will have the opportunity to contemplate the Savior’s teachings concerning our discipleship (Matt 5–7).

At our hotel in Ein Gev we can rest and relax; you may even wish to swim in the Sea of Galilee.

Katzrin • Golan Heights • Caesarea Philippi 

Our morning drive will take us to the reconstructed Talmudic village of Katzrin, whose homes are furnished with replicas of period household goods and tools, farming implements, an ancient wine press, and functional olive press, which can open our understandings to the Savior’s parables, teachings, and ministry.

On the Golan Heights, we will stop at Mount Bental to view nearby Syria. We will travel through Druze villages as we learn about this mysterious group, stop at Birket Ram for lunch, and visit the Druze market in Ma’sada. We will continue to travel north to Banias, ancient Caesarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Hermon, where Peter declared his testimony that Jesus is the Christ and the Only Begotten Son of God (Matt. 16:13–20).

Returning to the Sea of Galilee, we will travel near Kursi, traditional site of the Savior healing a man possessed of evil spirits and casting the demons into a herd of swine (Luke 8:26–39). Depending on time, we will visit Hippos, another one of the cities of the Decapolis that sits above our lodgings at Ein Gev, offering an incredible view of the Sea of Galilee and its surroundings. At day’s end, we will return to our hotel.

Jezreel Valley • Megiddo • Mount Carmel • Caesarea

On our morning drive, we will pass by the site of the New Testament village of Nain, where out of compassion Christ raised a widow’s son from the dead (Luke 7:11–16).

We will continue our drive through the Jezreel Valley, which was the location of several battles in the Old Testament (Judges 4–7; 1 Kings 22). The tel at its western end gives its name to the great battle of the last days Armageddon (Rev. 16:14–16). Megiddo was one of the most strategic military sites during the time of the Old Testament (2 Kings 23:29–30) with its 25 levels of historical occupation by Canaanites, Egyptian pharaohs, and Israelite kings. As time allows, we will explore some of the most significant archaeological finds, including ancient gates to the city, stone mangers, a Canaanite temple and altar, a grain silo, and a massive cistern.

We will ascend Mount Carmel to Mukhraka, the Old Testament high place of false worship of the Canaanite gods, Baal and Ashereth. A monument and monastery commemorate that the Prophet Elijah manifested on this mount that the God of Israel is the only true God. Elijah called down fire from heaven in a contest that defeated 850 priests of Baal and 400 prophets of Ashereth. (1 Kings 18).

In the afternoon, we will travel along the Mediterranean Sea coast, stopping to investigate an ancient Herodian Aqueduct that carried water from Mount Carmel. We will take time for a visit to Caesarea Maritima, which Herod the Great had built to honor his friend Caesar Augustus. The city served as the capital of Roman Judea and included a manmade harbor on the Mediterranean Sea, as well as a theater, hippodrome, Roman bath- houses, temples, and government buildings. This city became an important location for the early New Testament church and saints. Here the apostle Peter taught and baptized a Roman centurion named Cornelius and his household, who were the first gentiles to become Christians (Acts 10). Caesarea is also the site of the prison and forum in which the apostle Paul gave his stirring testimony of Christ before King Agrippa (Acts 26). Our hotel for the night, the Hadera Resort, is near the Mediterranean Sea.

Shiloh • Beth Shemesh • Valley of Elah • Lachish • Jerusalem 

If conditions permit, we will visit Shiloh, which, for more than 350 years (during the time of the books of Joshua, Judges, and 1 Samuel), was the location of the Old Testament tabernacle. It was to the tabernacle in Shiloh that Hannah brought her young son, Samuel, and consecrated him to the Lord to serve with the high priest, Eli, in the tabernacle (1 Sam. 1). At Shiloh the boy prophet, Samuel, heard the voice of the Lord call to him with a message for Eli and his wicked sons (1 Sam. 3).

As time permits, we will visit to Nebi Samwil, traditional holy site of the tomb of the prophet Samuel. The building that houses the cenotaph honoring Samuel is unique in that it was a church built by Christian Crusaders, is a mosque for Muslims, and operates as a modern Jewish synagogue. The accessible rooftop of the building provides a fantastic view of the Benjamin Plateau to the north as well as Jerusalem to the south, locations of many events recorded in the Old and New Testaments.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Shephelah, or Judean foothills that separate the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, inhabited by the Philistines, from the higher mountain cities of the Israelites. This area was the setting for many of the events in the Old Testament. First, we will visit Bet Shemesh and the Sorek Valley, sites of many of the events in the life of Samson (Judges 13–16). Our next visit is Tel Azekah, the locale of the battle between the Israelite shepherd boy, David, and the Philistine Giant, Goliath in the Valley of Elah (1 Sam. 17).

We will continue south to Lachish, a name that may not be familiar to you. However, its importance in the kingdom of Judah is second only to Jerusalem’s. Our later visits to the Jerusalem sites connected to the prophet Isaiah and King Hezekiah will converge with massive archaeological finds and a new Visitors’ Center. Films, murals, and presentations tell the story of the powerful Assyrian King Sennacherib and his siege and destruction of Lachish (2 Chr. 32:9–11). Lastly, we will ascend to Jerusalem, where we stay at the Olive Tree Hotel for our remaining time in Jerusalem.

City of David • Pool of Siloam • Bethlehem

In the morning, we will visit the Old Testament City of David, which also includes what archaeologists believe is the foundation of King David’s palace and ruins from the time of the prophets Jeremiah and Lehi. We will then enter Hezekiah’s Tunnel (2 Chr. 32:30) and wade through this exciting third-of-a-mile historic marvel that provided water during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem in the time of King Hezekiah and Isaiah. (Those who wish to may choose to walk through the ancient dry tunnel.) At the end of this exciting experience, we will sit around the newly excavated Pool of Siloam and share the account of the Savior placing mud on the eyes of the man born blind and sending him to go to this pool to wash his eyes (John 9).

We will next visit the Davidson Archeological Center, where we will see the ancient temple stones thrown over the Temple Mount onto the Roman road below, and visit the ancient steps and gates that led to the temple. In the afternoon, we will travel to Bethlehem, where we will have a delicious traditional Palestinian meal provided (Makluba). After lunch we will visit the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square to see the traditional site of the grotto in which the Savior of the world was born into mortality (Luke 2:1–7).

Afterward, we will visit the Latin Shepherds’ Field to contemplate the angelic proclamation given to the shepherds that the Messiah had been born in the City of David (Luke 2:8–21).

On our return to Jerusalem, we will drive past the Herodion, a mount that served as a fortress for Herod the Great, and where many scholars believe he was buried. After this full day, we will return to our hotel for dinner and a good night’s rest.

Temple Mount • Via Dolorosa • Model City • Yad Vashem

We will begin our exploration of the Old City of Jerusalem early in morning at the Holy Mount, or Mount Moriah—known as the Temple Mount to the Jews—site of the temples of Solomon and Herod, and referred to as the Haram al Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary by the Moslems—location of the magnificent Dome of the Rock and the El Aqsa Mosque.

We next visit the Church of St. Anne, marking the traditional site of the home of Jesus’ maternal grandparents and where Mary was born. Nearby is the Pool of Bethesda, where on a Sabbath the Savior healed a lame man who had waited years for help into the pool’s healing waters (John 5). We will walk the traditional Via Dolorosa, commemorating the Savior’s path during the last hours of His life. We will begin near Antonia Fortress, where Jesus was sentenced to be crucified (John 18:28–19:16). According to interest and time, we will visit or point out the following on the Via Dolorosa: Church of Condemnation, Antonia Pavement, Sisters of Zion Convent, and Ecce Homo arch. For our last stop on the Via Dolorosa, we will visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with its many chapels venerating the Savior’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Nearby, we will have lunch in the Christian Quarter area of the Old City known as the Muristan.

In early afternoon, we will travel to the Israeli Museum to see the Model City, which is a scale model of Jerusalem at the time of the Savior, and visit the Shrine of the Book, which displays items from the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the mid-afternoon, we will travel to nearby Yad Vashem, a premier museum dedicated to the Jewish Holocaust.

Footsteps of Jesus 

In the morning, we will commemorate the Savior’s last week in mortality while walking in His footsteps. We begin with a visit to Bethphage, located on the back side of the Mount of Olives, where the Savior began his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem riding upon the foal of an ass (Matt. 21:1–11). We will then descend the Mount of Olives to Dominus Flevit, near where Christ wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41–44). We will then continue down the path to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. At the foot of the Mount of Olives we will visit the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden with its magnificent views of the Old City and the Kidron Valley.

In the late morning, we will visit the probable site of the Palace of Caiaphas the high priest, where the Savior was illegally tried after His arrest. The modern church of St. Peter in Gallicantu is the traditional site of Peter’s denial of knowing Jesus of Nazareth (Luke 22:54–71). This area of Mount Zion provides an excellent overlook of Aceldama and Hinnom Valley, symbolic of hell in Old Testament times (2 Chr. 28:1–3).

This afternoon we will be free to shop and visit optional sites. We have a list of suggestions to choose from according to your preferences. After dinner, you may wish to will visit the Western Wall as the Jewish people welcome Shabbat.

BYU Jerusalem Center • Gethsemane • Garden Tomb

We will begin our Sabbath Day arriving early to tour the grounds and then attending sacrament meeting on the Mount of Olives at the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies, enjoying its auditorium’s spectacular view of the Old City of Jerusalem.

After lunch, we will continue this day of special remembrance by entering a private garden on the Mount of Olives in the area of the Garden of Gethsemane. We will have the opportunity to humbly contemplate the sacred events that occurred on this hillside. Here, the Savior prayed as He atoned for the sins of all humankind, suffering immense pain and bleeding from every pore (Matt. 26:36–46; Luke 22:39–45).

We will conclude our afternoon at the Garden Tomb, with its peaceful setting. Here we will see Gordon’s Calvary, a proposed site for Golgotha and the Savior’s crucifixion. Nearby we will see a rock-hewn tomb in a garden where here, or somewhere nearby, the body of Christ was interred and from which He arose on that glorious resurrection morn (John 19:38–20:18).

Depending on flight schedules, after dinner we will either do final packing at our hotel and travel to the Ben Gurion Airport or have a good night’s rest and leave for the airport in the morning.

Return Flights Home

Returning home, we will take with us treasured memories of wonderful experiences in the Holy Land!