Spiritual Tour of Israel
October 26 thru November 5, 2023
with Peter Woodbury & Ana Maria Calderon
$3,499 (based on double occupancy)
Single supplement – $975
All inclusive of meals*, accomodation & transportation**
(*dinner upon arrival, breakfast upon departure & breakfast on the free day)
(**does not include international airfare or early arrival/late departure expenses)
Optional extension to Petra
November 5 to 7, 2023
$798 (based on double occupancy)
Single supplement – $249
I first visited Israel as a boy of about age 6. I have been back a few times and I am so excited to be leading my first tour to Israel with the expert assistance of Ana Maria Calderon, who many of you know from other tours. My visits as an adult have been extremely moving and powerful and brought me into a much closer walk with Him. I’m looking forward to us all having a powerful experience together in this Holy Land
As we prepare for the tour, I will be leading several Zoom sessions on topics realted to the tour, such as:
Jesus & the Essenes
The “Lost Years” of Jesus
The Past Lives of the Master
His Life as Christ from various metaphysical sources including Edgar Cayce
Plus meditation and prayer sessions.
ITINERARY
Day 1 – Thu, 26 Oct 2023
(D)
“Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Ps. 118:26)
Met by the tour representative and taken from Ben Gurion Airport to our hotel. There will be a set time to meet the transportation. Otherwise taxis are available to the hotel. The cost is about $70 US. The taxis accept UD dollars.
Welcome meeting after dinner.
Overnight at a local hotel in Netanya or surrounding area
Day 2 – Fri, 27 Oct 2023
(B,L,D)
Check out of our hotel
Visit the beautiful Bahai Garden.
Visit Muhraka – The Monastery of the Carmelite Nuns on Mount Carmel & have meditation & prayer time.
Enjoy lunch at a kibbutz & visit the kibbutz.
Overnight at a local hotel in Tiberias or surrounding area for 2 nights.
Day 3 Sat, 28 Oct 2023
(B,L,D)
We start our day at the Sea of Galilee!
Enjoy a boat trip on the Sea.
Visit to the Mt. of Beatitudes, the location of the Sermon on the Mount.
Continue to Tabgha to visit the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves
and Fishes and the nearby Chapel of the Primacy.
St Peter’s Fish Lunch
This is followed by a visit to the ruins of the ancient town of Capernaum
which in Jesus’ days was a flourishing border town, also known as “his own
city” (Matth. 4:13). We will see the ancient synagogue and the “House of
Peter”.
Return to our hotel.
Day 4 Sun, 29 Oct 2023
(B,L,D)
Check out of our hotel.
Visit Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus.
We to visit the Basilica of the Annunciation and the nearby church of St, Joseph with the traditional home of the holy family.
Visit Mary’s Well.
Next we drive through the beautiful land escape of lower Galilee, the home of many Jesus disciples.
Visit Mt. Precipice where the wrathful inhabitants of Nazareth wanted to cast Jesus down headlong.
(Luke 4:29)
Visit the wedding Cana Church
Lunch en route
Visit the Mount Tabor, which is believed to be the place of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, where Jesus began to radiate light and conversed with Moses and Elijah.
Overnight at our hotel in Jerusalem for 7 nights.
Day 5 Mon, 30 Oct 2023
(B,L,D)
Visit the Basilica of the Nativity where there will be the opportunity to kneel at the birthplace of Christ in the Grotto of the Nativity.
Visit the Fields of the Shepherds where the Angel of the Lord proclaimed the birth of the Messiah.
Lunch en route
Drive to Ein Kerem where John Baptist was born, Church of St. John the Baptist and Church of the Visitation.
Proceed to Ein Kerem hospital to visit the Chagall Window
Return to our hotel
Day 6 Tue, 31 Oct 2023
(B)
Free day to enjoy Jerusalem on your own.
Options will be given such as visiting Jerusalem, Bethlehem or enjoying the hotel and resting.
It is a chance to re-visit or explore sites that have special meaning to you.
Overnight at our hotel
Day 7 Wed, 01 Nov 2023
(B,L,D)
Visit the Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum.
The Garden Tomb
Lunch en route
Drive to Mt. Zion to visit the Upper Room and the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, which is built over the ruins of the Palace of Caiaphas, the High Priest before whom Jesus was brought for trial (Mark 14: 53-65).
return to our hotel
Day 8 Thu, 02 Nov 2023
(B,L,D)
Visit the Israel Museum, the home of The Dead Sea Scrolls.
Lunch en route
Take a tour of the Jerusalem Archaeological Park at the base of the Temple Mount.
Enter the old City of David and walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel to see recent excavations at Davidson center between the Dung Gate and Zion Gate before. |
Visit the Burnt House; excavated homes of first century priestly families, remains of Hezekiah’s Wall, the Cardo.
Visit Emmaus Nicopolis church in Abu Gosh
Return to our hotel
Day 9 Fri, 03 Nov 2023
(B,L,D)
Today we visit the Jordan River and you will have the option of being baptised!
Then drive to Masada, the fortress built by King Herod
We will ride up by cable car and visit the fortifications, palaces, the ramp and the luxurious bathhouse.
Lunch en route
On the way back enter the Qumran National Park, the famous Essene community center, where Jesus, Joseph, Mary and John the Baptist had lived.
Visit the Dead Sea and a chance to soak & float on the sea’s unique salty waters.
Visit the Herodion National Park
Return to our hotel.
Day 10 Sat, 04 Nov 2023
(B,L,D)
Visit the tomb of the Virgin Mary & the Church of Mary Magdalene
The drive to the top of the Mount of Olives from which Jesus ascended to heaven after his resurrection. Visit the holy shrines on the Mount and walk on down the “Palm Sunday Road” then visiting the Chapel of Dominus Flevit.
(Jesus wept) en route to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of all Nations where Christ prayed.
Lunch en route
Visit Temple Mount.
We shall enter within the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem and walk in the footsteps of our Lord as he bore the burden of our sins to the Cross at Golgotha.
Then visit the Pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed the man who had been crippled for 38 years (Joh. 5:1-9) \
The walk La Via Dolorosa following the 14 stations of the Cross from Pilate’s Judgment Hall to the empty tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Then visit the Western Wall (Wailing Wall).
Farewell dinner.
Return to our hotel
Day 11 Sun, 05 Nov 2023
(B)
Check out of hotel.
After breakfast you’ll be taken to Ben Gurion Airport for your flight
Optional Extension to Petra
Day 1 – Sun, 05 Nov 2023
(B,L,D)
Check out of hotel
Cross to Jordan through Allenby Border.
Drive to Petra.
On the way visit Mount Nebo.
Lunch en route
Overnight at a local hotel in Petra for one night
Day 2 – Mon, 06 Nov 2023
(B,L,D)
Half day- Petra visit.
After lunch drive back to cross to Israel through Allenby Border
Lunch en route
Overnight in Jerusalem
Day 3 – Tue, 07 Nov 2023
(B)
After breakfast you’ll be taken to Ben Gurion Airport for your flight.
__________________________________________
ISRAEL TOUR PRICE:
$3,499 (shared double room – you will be assigned a roommate if you are traveling alone)
(single supplement/private room upcharge $975)
Deposit of $500 required to reserve you place. ($250 is refundable up til June 1, 2023)
Additional $250 deposit required for Petra. ($125 is refunable up til June 1, 2023)
First payments due by June 1, 2023
(1/2 of balance due)
Final payments due August 1, 2023
(balance due)
PRICE INCLUDES:
* Transportations & transfers.
* Local tour guide with us the entire tour
* Entrance fees to the mentioned sites.
* All meals included (dinner on arrival day & breakfast on departure day & breakfast on free day)
* Tax & fees.
DOES NOT INCLUDE:
* International airline tickets.
* Travel & health insurance (highly recommended)
* Beverages other than water
* Personal expenses.
* Personal tipping.
PASSPORT INFORMATION:
- Passport must be valid for 6 months past November 8, 2023
PAYMENTS:
- $500 deposit due to reserve space. $250 refundable up to June 1, 2023.
- Additional $250 deposit required for the Petra extension. $125 refundable up to June 1, 2023)
- First payment due: June 1, 2023 (½ of balance)
- Final payment due: August 1, 2023 (remainder due)
- All payments made by August 1 are final. No refunds will be issued after these dates. 50% of the first deposit will be refundable prior to August 1.
- $500 deposit can be made by:
Venmo: @Peter-Woodbury-1
Zelle: ID – peterTFwoodbury@gmail,com
Check (send a picture of front of check payable to Peter Woodbury)
INTERNATIONAL PAYMENTS:
Wise: https://wise.com/share/peterw3151 - Full payment can be made by bank wire transfer.
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
- Travelers will arrange their own flights into & out of Tel Aviv – Ben Gurion Airport . Booking assistance is available.
- You will mosy likely need to depart the USA on October 25, 2023 in order to arrive in Tel Aviv on October 26. Then book your return for November 5, 2023. The airport is Tel Aviv – Ben Gurion Airport (TLV
- Let Peter know if you need assistance with your travel arrangements
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What is the WIFI situation in Israel?
You will have WIFI available at the airport, bus, hotel lobby and rooms.
Will the rooms have bathtubs?
We have requested bathtubs but with the water situation in Israel, most rooms may just have a shower.
Are there any safety concerns in Israel?
None at this time.
Does Israel have Uber?
No, they have a system like Uber called GETT. It also works with an app that you can download in the USor in Israel. Gett is also used in some parts of Europe.
Do you need a VISA to enter Israel?
US, Canada, Peru, Australia, most of Europe do not require visas. Here is a link to all the VISA requirements for other countries
https://visaguide.world/visa-free-countries/israeli-passport/
Is the food safe to eat? The water safe to drink?
Yes. But bottled water is recommended and will be avialable on the bus.
What is included with the meals?
Water and sometimes lemonaide. All other beverages are your responsability.
What is the money situation?
You should bring around $300 in cash to Israel, and some smaller bills. You can order shekels from your bank before you leave, but it is easier to exchange in Israel. Avoid changing too much money in the airport; exchange rates are higher there. However, you may want to change $100 to shekels for transportation to our hotel if you arrive early or late. The taxi to our hotel from the airport is about $80. There are also ATM machines at the airport and in the cities. They will give you money in shekels.
Can we use credit cards in Israel?
Yes, but you will need cash for the markets and for small items that you may pick up here and there.
Do you recommend travel insurance?
YES! Travel Guard or https://www.travelguard.com/
What is the weather like in late October & November is Israel?
Israel’s weather is near perfect in October & November, with balmy conditions all around. At this time of year, the daytime temperature fluctuates between 66°F/19°C and 79°F/26°C. Nights are still cooler at 55°F/13°C to 63°F/17°C. There is little to no rainfall.
Are there any attire requirements?
It is recommended that women wear a shall at some of the sites. You can bring one with you, buy one in Israel or one will be provided for you.
Men will need to wear a yarmulke at some of the Jewish sites. You can bring one or one will be provided.
Peter Woodbury 