In the Footsteps of Jesus 1st to 14th October 2018 Hosted by Rev d Michael Armstrong via Olive Tree Travel Tour Cost: $6870.00 per person (includes flights, accommodation, most meals, ticket and fuel taxes and transfers) BASED ON TWIN SHARE ACCOMMODATION Featuring: Joppa, Caesarea, Mt Carmel, Meggido, Galilee, Nazareth, Mount of the Precipice, Cana, Mt Arbel, Capernaum, St Peter s Primacy & Tabgha, The Mount of Beatitudes, Mt Tabor, Jordan River, Acco, Magdala, Jericho, Tiberius, Beit Shean, The Dead Sea, Masada, Ein Gedi, Qumran, Bethlehem, Jerusalem.
Greetings friends, Once again I am organising a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for October 2018. This pilgrimage is an extended tour to allow more time in our day to really engage with each place, taking time also to pray and reflect. Importantly, there is also time built in to rest and relax. The pilgrimage has been created with the experience of several previous trips to Israel/Palestine. Each day begins with Morning Prayer, and we seek to depart as early as possible in order to take advantage of being the first to many sites. We usually conclude by late afternoon, allowing us to relax before our evening meal. We conclude each day with prayer and a chance to debrief. The more adventurous might then accompany me into some evening options, such as walks into nearby towns and cities. The tour requires 15 people to ensure that we are able to get the best deal. Included is a local guide who will provide a wealth of knowledge of both ancient and modern history. I will also provide commentary, insights and theological reflection along the way. We travel on a private luxury air conditioned buses. The price reflects a high level of value for money. One of my own lessons in terms of this trip is to reduce the number of places we stay. Israel/Palestine is small in terms of Australia, and so taking an extra ten minutes to travel is often better than moving rom hotel to hotel. In all we will stay in four hotels, with long stays in the Galilee and Jerusalem. In Jerusalem we will stay very close to St George's Cathedral (Anglican) and will join them for worship when available. We are also only a short walk to the old city, and the tram stops close by to access other parts of the city. There will offcourse be opportunities to do some shopping and pick up souvenirs. However, this is not a focus of the pilgrimage taking time to pray, hearing God s Word and listening for God s voice in sacred places where Jesus walked is at the heart of our journey. I hope and pray you might consider joining me next year in Jerusalem (as is recalled at Passover). Feel free to send an email to enquire, or catch up by phone or in person to ask any questions. Shalom! The Rev'd Michael Armstrong Senior Minister, Anglican Parish of Hunters Hill revmichael@aphh.com.au
Day 1: Monday 1st October 2018 Departure from Sydney to TEL AVIV, ISRAEL. (Meals in Flight) Day 2: Tuesday 2 nd October Morning arrival to TEL AVIV, ISRAEL. To enable us to best program our body clock to the new time zone we will begin a refreshing seaside visit to the ancient Port of Joppa, home of Simon the Tanner, and where Jonah embarked on his eventful voyage. We will have lunch at the Mediterranean Port of CEASAREA, site of Herod s Palace, home of Cornelius and where Paul was brought to trial before an afternoon check-in to your hotel by the Mediterranean Sea. Overnight Tel Aviv (Meals in Flight, D) Day 3: Wednesday 3 rd October Today our journey takes us to Nazareth. We visit the Church of Annunciation that covers the boyhood home of Jesus, including museum and the caves beneath. We visit the recreated Nazareth Village experiencing lifestyle as it was during the time of Jesus and share in a traditional lunch. In the Church of St Joseph we admire the beautiful stained glass window depicting the marriage of Mary and Joseph. Take in the view from the Mount of the Precipice before our stop at Cana where Jesus performed His first recorded miracle and take an opportunity to enjoy a glass of the local wine! We finish our day at Mt Arbel overlooking Lake Galilee. Overnight Sea of Galilee. (B,D) Day 4: Thursday 4 th October We visit CAPERNAUM. We will visit ST PETER S PRIMACY CHURCH and TABGHA before taking time to reflect upon the Sermon on the Mount at the MOUNT OF BEATITUDES. We ascend to Mt Tabor in the afternoon (Church of the Transfiguration) before we visit the JORDAN RIVER baptismal site and those who wish will have the chance to renew their baptismal vows, or be baptised. Overnight Galilee. (B,D) Mt Arbel
Day 5: Friday 5 th October We start early to spend our morning in the ancient port and Crusader City of ACCO. This UNESCO site offers fully preserved underground ruins of a once flourishing Crusader City, ramparts and a colourful market. We depart after lunch back to Haifa to enjoy the early morning views over the beautiful cascading gardens overlooking the bay before ascending MOUNT CARMEL, where Elijah called down fire from Heaven to defeat the prophets of Baal. Our last stop for the day is Tel Megiddo with its 26 layers of civilisation revealing thousands of years of settlement due to the strategic location. Overnight Galilee. (B,D) Day 6: Saturday 6 th October We visit the JESUS BOAT, found by Lake Galilee, before taking a ride on a historical fishing boat across the lake. On the boat we will take some time to pray and celebrate Holy Communion. We visit MAGDALA, a newly excavated site and considered to be the home of Mary Magdalene. We will share a St Peter's Fish lunch together. After lunch we will take a drive around the lake before returning to our hotel to enjoy an afternoon of relaxation, or visit the nearby town of Tiberius. Overnight Galilee. (B,L,D) Day 7: Sunday 7 th October Travelling south through the Jordan Valley, we begin our day with a tour of BEIT SHEAN. We then travel on to Jericho, where we will travel by cable car up to the Monastery which commemorates Jesus Temptation in the Wilderness. We will also visit the Sycamore Tree before we continue south to the lowest point on earth to our resort hotel by the Dead Sea. In the evening we can enjoy a 'float' in the medicinal mineral rich waters. Overnight Dead Sea (B,D) Day 8: Monday 8 th October This morning we ascend by cable car to the fortress of MASADA for magnificent views of the DEAD SEA and across to Jordan. From the Dead Sea we travel to David s place of refuge from Saul, EIN GEDI. Take your swimmers to have a paddle in the waters before we travel to QUMRAN, where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Climbing up through the Mountains of Israel we stop briefly at the Inn of the Good Samaritan before we enter the City of the Great King. Overnight Jerusalem. (B,D)
Day 9: Tuesday 9 th October We begin our day with a pilgrimage to BETHLEHEM. We take some time in visiting MANGER SQUARE and the CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY. We visit the Shepherd s Fields, en route passing by Rachael's Tomb. In the afternoon we will visit the CARDO, the heart of Jerusalem, the UPPER ROOM and the TOMB OF DAVID. Overnight Jerusalem. (B,D) Day 10: Wednesday 10 th October We begin our morning at the MT OF OLIVES and walk down the road to DOMINUS FLAVIS CHURCH and then to the GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE and CHURCH OF ALL NATIONS. Entering into the OLD CITY through ST STEPHEN'S GATE we visit the POOL OF BETHESDA, and continue to the ECCE HOMO CONVENT to view the LLITHOSTRATOS, the Pavement and to visit the PRAETORIUM, site of the public trial and condemnation of Jesus. Passing along the VIA DOLOROSA we arrive at the HOLY SEPULCHRE CHURCH. We will climb the Tower of the Lutheran Church for a spectacular view of the city. That night we will enjoy the wonderful light show at the Tower of David. Overnight Jerusalem. (B,D) Day 11: Thursday 11 th October We head to the City of David and prepare to walk through Hezekiah s Tunnel to the Pool of Siloam and then back up to the Western Wall. After we have some lunch (and dry out a little) we will then visit the WESTERN WALL, and later we ascend the TEMPLE MOUNT to the Dome of the Rock (security permitting) the site where Abraham offered up Isaac. We visit the HULDA STEPS believed to be the very steps taken by Jesus up to the Temple Mount. Overnight Jerusalem. (B,D)
Day 12: Friday 12 th October We visit the Israel Museum with its first century model of Jerusalem, and take in some of the many amazing artefacts throughout the morning. In the afternoon we will visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, before returning to our hotel to prepare for a 'Shabbat of a Lifetime'. Overnight Jerusalem. (B,D) Day 13: Saturday 13 th October We visit the Church of St PETER in GALLICANTU, believed to be the home of Caiaphas and where Peter denied Christ and Jesus was tried before the Sanhedrin. We take some time for some shopping in the city before ending with a visit to the GARDEN TOMB, where we will take time to pray with the empty tomb in the background. The serenity of this place makes it a spiritual oasis within this bustling city. We end our day with a celebratory dinner in a nearby restaurant which specialises in traditional Israeli and Arab foods. Overnight Jerusalem. (B,D) Day 14: Sunday 14 th October We celebrate Holy Communion together at St George s Cathedral in the morning before a free day for last minute shopping in the city. We depart in the afternoon to Tel Aviv International Airport to return home (or some may choose to stay on, or go and visit other parts of the world).
TOUR PACKAGE PRICE ISRAEL AUD $6870 Per Person Twin Share. Single Room Supplement Additional AUD $1630 *Please note if you are not travelling with a companion and a suitable same gender roommate is not available you will need to pay the single room supplement. *Price is subject to a minimum of 15 full paying adults, currency fluctuation, and increases in Airline Ticket/Departure Taxes - conditions apply. PRICE INCLUDES: Return economy airfares Australia/ Tel Aviv/Australia & Airline Ticket/ Departure Taxes; Accommodation 3-4 star hotels with meals (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner as indicated (BLD); Tipping & Gratuities; Transportation - bus and driver for touring and group transfers to and from airport; Guide - English speaking licensed, Entrances fees - Historical sites, Museums, Parks etc. PRICE EXCLUDES: Travel Insurance - Mandatory, if you are not choosing the option offered by Olive Tree Travel a copy of your policy is required (Quotes available); Drinks with meals; Individual activities on free days; Individual Airport Transfers apart from the group; Single room supplement cost on application; Wheelchairs. What to do Next 1. Obtain a booking form from Trish Cortizo 0421638453/1300 550 830 or trish@olivetreetravel.com.au 2. To secure your place a deposit of $400 is required as soon as possible 3. Final balance will be due by 20 August, 2018