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 • Jerash • Jabbok River

After breakfast we will begin our exploration of the land God gave to “the children of Lot (the Moabites, and Ammonites) for a possession”. We will drive through Amman, the modern capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, for a city highlights and downtown area tour. 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 the expansive modern city of Amman. As time permits, we will explore the Archaeological Museum and buildings of the Citadel.

In the afternoon, we will travel through the land of Gilead (Jer. 8:22) to 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). Its Cardo displays a spectacular paved street, agora (marketplace), and oval plaza enclosed by 160 Ionic columns. As time allows, we will explore Hadrian’s Arch and a hippodrome, as well as magnificent theaters, temples, and churches.

Next, we will 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” (Genesis 32:30). We will review the significance of this event, where Jacob was embraced and given the new name, Israel. 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 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, six-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.

Following a brief time for shopping in Madaba, 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 Mount. Nebo’s sanctuary and see the fascinating archaeological finds of these early Christian churches, including mosaics and a baptismal font.

In the afternoon, we will travel south along the “King’s Highway,” as it was known in ancient times (Numbers 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 travel through biblical Edom. We will pass the Crusader Karak Castle and the lands of Bedouin homesteads on the way to our hotel in Wadi Musa near Petra.

Day 5: Monday, April 13 Petra • Wadi Rum • Aqaba

Early in the morning 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 there on foot or in a motorized e-cart). The Nabataean rulers that 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. As time permits, we will visit the Petra visitors’ center and museum.

In the afternoon we will journey to the lands associated with the story of Lawrence of Arabia—Wadi Rum. Here we will stop at a Bedouin camp for 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 we’ll have an opportunity to learn about the Bedouin way of life. We will spend the evening at our hotel in Aqaba, a Jordanian resort city on the Red Sea.

Day 6: Tuesday, April 14Aqaba • Red Sea • Israel • Jericho

This morning we will have time to enjoy the beach on the Red Sea. Those who wish to do so will have the option to snorkel among the beautiful coral reefs. In late morning we will begin our journey north. We will travel near the route of Moses and the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 21:22). In the early evening, 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 of Israel’s crossing 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.

We will then visit Jericho, known as the “City of Palms.” Jericho is nearly 850 feet below sea level and is touted as the oldest city on earth. 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). Centuries later, 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 take cable cars to the Greek Orthodox Monastery on the Mount of Temptation (Jebel Quarantana). This functioning monastery was built into the mountainside to remember the 40 days that the Savior fasted in the Judean Wilderness. We will then 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). 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).

In the late afternoon, we will drive 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). After an exciting day we will return to the Oasis Hotel in Jericho.

Masada • Qumran • Dead Sea

Our morning drive will take us south along the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the earth’s surface. 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. On our return we will pass the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, where David and his band of men sought refuge from King Saul (1 Sam 24).

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. In the evening, we will rest and relax in 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 the Nazareth Village, developed to show life as it existed at the time of Jesus. Here we will reflect on His early life and later peaching and rejection at the synagogue of His hometown (Luke 4). We will have a special treat of enjoying a traditional first-century lunch at Nazareth Village. 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 “an 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 our hotel at the Holiday Kibbutz at Ein Gev where we will stay for three nights.

Sea of Galilee • Mount of Beatitudes • Caesarea Philippi  

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). Our time on the Sea of Galilee will be followed by a visit to the boat museum, where an ancient fishing boat from New Testament times has been preserved. We will then 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).

We will have lunch on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and then 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, and of His “Bread of Life” sermon within its synagogue (John 6:24–71). If time permits, we will travel to Tabgha, where a mosaic commemorates Jesus’ feeding the five thousand with a few fishes and loaves, and St. Peter’s Primacy, remembering the Savior’s commission to Peter to feed His lambs.

Our next visit will be to Magdala, considered to be the hometown of Mary Magdalene, where 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 return to our hotel at Ein Gev to 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 will open our understandings to various elements of 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 and stop at Birket Ram for lunch. 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 visit 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 the end of the day, we will return to our hotel at Ein Gev.

Jezreel Valley • Megiddo • Mount Carmel • Caesarea

We will pass by the site of the New Testament village of Nain, where Christ raised the widow’s son from the dead. We will continue our drive through Jezreel Valley to Megiddo, one of the most strategic sites during the time of the Old Testament with its 25 levels of historical occupation by Canaanites, Egyptian Pharaohs, and Israelite kings. As time allows, we will explore some of the most insightful 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 Asherah. 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 Asherah. (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 bathhouses, 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, as well as his household, who were the first gentiles to become Christians (Acts 10). Caesarea is also the site of the prison in which the apostle Paul gave his stirring testimony of Christ before King Agrippa (Acts 26). Our hotel for the night will be near the Mediterranean Sea.

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

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 the Hannah came to pray for a child. Later, she brought her young son, Samuel, and “loaned” or 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, our next site for the day will be a visit Nebi Samuel, 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 Samuel 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. Our earlier 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. 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. On our return to Jerusalem, we will drive past the Herodion, a mount that served as a fortress for Herod the Great, the Great, and where many scholars believe he was buried. In the evening, we will return to the hotel. After this full day, we will return to our hotel for dinner and a good night’s rest.

Temple Mount • Via Dolorosa • Bethphage • Mount of Olives • Orson Hyde Memorial Gardens • Mount Zion 

We will begin our exploration of the Old City of Jerusalem early in morning to tour 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 Al 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. 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 the 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 Gardens 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, those that desire 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 attend sacrament meeting on the Mount of Olives at the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies with its auditorium’s spectacular view 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).

After dinner and final packing at our hotel, we will travel to the Ben-Gurion Airport for our scheduled flights home.

Return Flights Home

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