Included excursions

• The Mount of Olives
• Ein Karem - home of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist
• Old Jerusalem, Jewish Quarter and Western Wall
• Guided walk of Via Dolorosa "the sorrowful way"
• The Shepherds Fields with worship
• Bethlehem - Basilica of the Nativity
• Lazarus Tomb
• Jordan River Baptismal site
• Mount Tabor and the Church of the Transfiguration
• Nazareth and Basilica of the Annunciation
• Capernaum and the Mensa Christi Church
• Tabgha - site of the feeding of the 5,000
• Mount of Beatitudes - site of the Sermon on the Mount
• Sea of Galilee cruise
• Ancient Roman port of Caesarea

Included extras

• Hotel baggage porterage
• Local guide and drivers’ gratuities
• All restaurant and hotel gratuities
• Other small local gratuities
• Personal audio guiding system

Included meals & drinks

Meals: all meals are included. throughout your pilgrimage you will enjoy lunches in local restaurants and dinners, for the most part, will be in your hotels.

Drinks: juices and tea or coffee are available with all breakfasts. All other drinks will be at your own expense.

Our team in The Holy Land

This holiday includes a qualified local guide to bring the holy sites and ancient wonders to life. They will be staying with you and escorting you throughout. Each departure also includes a member of the clergy who will offer optional opportunities for worship and reflection for all during and after these moving visits.

Your journey

Direct flights to Tel Aviv are available from Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Manchester.

We can make separate arrangements should you wish to fly from an airport different to the dated departures selected UK airport. If your arrival or departure time is different to the main group, then a supplement for the additional transfer to Jerusalem will apply. UK regional flights to Heathrow as well as flight seat upgrades for additional comfort and ease through the airport can also be arranged on all El Al and British Airways flights from Heathrow.

Flights from Gatwick, Luton and Manchester are with easyJet and do not always operate daily so some departures may be nine or ten day itineraries to allow for this.

Flight times from the UK to Tel Aviv are approximately five hours and mostly daytime flights arriving in the late-afternoon or evening into Tel Aviv.

Your hotels 

Seven nights based in a double or twin room. Most pilgrimages are accommodated at our partner hotels in Jerusalem, the Golden Walls and in Tiberias, the Ron Beach. These properties have looked after McCabe groups with great care and attention for many years. They are in excellent locations, privately owned and managed, and offer good food and comfortable accommodation with private facilities.

Golden Walls Hotel, Jerusalem / Ron Beach Hotel, Tiberias

Travelling alone

For single travellers who do require single accommodation this should be requested when booking and, if available, the normal supplement will be payable.

Entry requirements

NEW Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)
Starting January 1, 2025, all visa-exempt travelers must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arriving in Israel. Without an ETA, entry will not be allowed. We will send instructions with your travel documentation. Further details can be found online at https://www.gov.il/en/service/group_entry_to_israel.

PASSPORTS, VISAS AND HEALTH
Please ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months beyond the end of this pilgrimage.  If you need a new passport apply early as there can be considerable backlogs at the passport offices.  Visas ARE NO LONGER issued on entering Israel. You will require an ETA (see above) or a visa. If you are holding a non-British passport, or require further advice, please consult the relevant embassy.  No inoculations are required but we advise you to consult your doctor regarding your own personal requirements.

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

Health & wellbeing

If you haven't had a booster in the last ten years it is recommended that you be vaccinated for Tetanus and Polio. Food and waterborne diseases are more common, so we recommend vaccinations for typhoid (valid 3 years) and Hepatitis A (validity varies). Vaccination, Covid-19 and health information can change so please contact your local health care provider for the most up to date information. We will send up to date information on entry requirements with your final paperwork approximately 14 days before departure.

Adequate insurance cover will be required for all hospital emergencies and doctors’ visits.

Climate

Israel has a warm, sunny and dry climate. The weather is often sunny and clear in Israel. It is one of the least cloudy and least rainy regions on Earth.

The most comfortable times to visit are Spring (March, April and May) when temperatures are on average in the low 20’s and Autumn (September, October and November) when temperatures are in the high 20’s in the center of the country. Temperatures are generally higher in the south of the country and the Galilee area.

Israel is hot in the summer with average temperatures in the center of the country over 30C and closer to 40C in the south and Galilee.

Clothing

Israel is more liberal than its neighbouring countries, but you should dress inconspicuously and avoid wearing clothes that could be regarded as provocative (e.g. very short skirts, skimpy shorts, strappy tops where shoulders are exposed and low plunging neck lines). Shorts and t-shirts are fine as long as they are not too short and skimpy. Swimwear around hotel pools is perfectly acceptable. For some church visits legs and arms are required to be covered but a headscarf is not necessary, and you will find next to no other restrictions elsewhere throughout your holiday in the Holy Land.

We recommend you take clothing for spring/summer weather and a couple of warmer items such as a fleece or sweater for the evenings when it may be a bit cooler. Sports shoes with fairly thick cushioned soles for uneven pavements are also recommended.

Mobility

There is a certain amount of walking (and stairs) involved on a daily basis on this pilgrimage so please make sure you pack comfy footwear for this so that you are prepared. Your Local Guide will keep you updated on a daily basis with what to expect the following day. If you are finding it difficult to keep up then please make sure you tell them so they can help you to find places to rest and relax and then you can re-join the group at a later stage.

Whilst this is not a trekking or adventure holiday there will be some walking required where you may be on your feet for up to 90 minutes at some ancient sites and must be able to walk up to a mile. The paving may not always be smooth and seating not always available.

Travel insurance

Ensuring that your holidays are appropriately protected is one of our main priories. That’s why we have partnered with Holiday Extras so you can get a travel insurance policy to protect you before and whilst you are travelling. Holiday Extras Cover Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and has been independently rated 5-stars by Defaqto. For more information or to obtain a quote, please click here, www.holidayextras.com. Or call them on 0800 083 3551 to speak to a friendly advisor. Please quote AG628 upon calling.

The McCabe Educational Trust

The McCabe Educational Trust is an independent registered charity with the aim of helping inspiring people we meet on pilgrimage.  On your pilgrimage you will meet some of these people.  McCabe Pilgrimages invite all travellers to become partners in this work. A £20 voluntary donation to the Trust’s work is added to every pilgrim’s invoice and all money raised in this way is given in full to the projects the Trust supports. This scheme is voluntary and confidential with nobody put under any pressure to participate

Full financial security

All money paid to McCabe is fully secure. Holidays including flights are covered by our ATOL license from the Civil Aviation Authority, and holidays without flights are protected by our membership of the ABTOT bonding scheme. If a pilgrimage is cancelled, for instance through lack of numbers or for political considerations, McCabe will promptly refund all monies paid.

AITO Quality Statement

McCabe Pilgrimages is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. The Association represents Britain’s leading independent tour operators and encourages high standards of quality and service. McCabe abides by the Association’s Code of Conduct and adheres to the AITO Quality Charter.

You can read McCabe reviews on the AITO website here