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The Holy Land

The Holy Land and Jordan

This fully comprehensive 15 days pilgrimage encapsulates the full Holy Land experience, not just Israel & Palestine, but also Jordan. Often the forgotten part of the Holy Land, but holds stories just as evocative as those in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and the Galilee, but with astonishing landscapes to match.

Come with us on a pilgrimage with a difference - suitable for those who have never been to Israel and Palestine before, but also offering something extra for those who have. As well as visiting the well-known sites associated with the ministry of Jesus in Galilee, Bethlehem and Jerusalem, we shall also visit the Kingdom of Jordan. Here we will see a number of ancient Christian sites, renew our baptismal vows at the actual place of Jesus’ baptism, and stand on Mount Nebo, looking out over the Promised Land, as Moses did. We will also visit Petra, a stunning site and, at the time of Jesus, once a magnificent city of commerce.

This is a pilgrimage – our aim is to read and reflect on the events recorded in the Scriptures in the places where they happened, and so grow in our discipleship as followers of Jesus. We will meet with local Christians, the ‘living stones’, and seek to understand what it means to live as a follower of Jesus amid the complex realities of life in Israel, Palestine and Jordan today.

We pray that you will come back deepened in faith, having walked in the footsteps of Jesus.

 

Itinerary

  1. Travel to The Holy Land (D)

    Meet your Group Leader at Heathrow Airport and fly to Tel Aviv. On arrival you will be met by our expert local guide and transferred to Jerusalem (approx. 90-minute drive) where you will check-in to your hotel by the Old City walls for a six-night stay.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel and a warm welcome from your Tour Leader.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  2. Jerusalem – The Mount of Olives (B, L, D)

    Morning: a moving start to your pilgrimage. The Mount of Olives has many biblical and historical connections as well as being a sacred burial place. It leads to a panoramic view of Jerusalem as well as the Tomb of the Prophets, the Catholic Church of Dominus Flevit, and the Pater Noster Church. At the base we visit the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus frequently went with his disciples to pray and on the night before his crucifixion was arrested

    Afternoon: after an included lunch visit Ein Karem, a beautiful tranquil village and neighbourhood in the west of Jerusalem believed to be the place where Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, miraculously became pregnant and gave birth. During her pregnancy, Elizabeth was visited by a family relative – Mary, who was also pregnant, with Jesus and for this reason the village well is now called Mary’s Well.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  3. Jerusalem – The Old City (B, L, D)

    Morning: visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, the traditional site of the High Priest's House, and the Upper Room. We enter the Old City and walk from the Zion Gate through the Jewish Quarter to the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, this iconic wall is the last remaining wall of the courtyard which surrounded the Second Temple towards where Jews around the world face to pray. We continue to the pool at Bethesda, identified as the scene of one of Jesus’ miracles, the healing of the paralysed man who had waited for 38 years for someone to help him into the pool “when the water is stirred” — an event believed to have curative powers

    Afternoon: after an included lunch, we stroll the Via Dolorosa “the sorrowful way” in which Jesus travelled on the day of his crucifixion from the judgement seat of Pilate to Mount Calvary and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre ending the day in the Garden Tomb. Your guide will give a fascinating insight and pause at the fourteen stations of the cross and describe the incidents that took place at each one.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  4. Jerusalem - Bethlehem (B, L, D)

    Morning: journey to the Shepherds Fields and join together in worship at the site where an angel of the Lord came and said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy’. A thoroughly moving experience.

    Afternoon: lunch will be at the Bethlehem Rehabilitation Centre for disabled children where we observe their great work and through the McCabe Educational trust our pilgrims have generously donated to for many years. After, we visit the Basilica of the Nativity in Manger Square, the oldest complete church in the Christian world, which was built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century. It replaced the original church of Constantine the Great, built over the cave venerated as Christ’s birthplace, and dedicated in AD 339.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  5. Masada & the Dead Sea (B, L, D)

    Morning: drive to Masada (Hebrew for fortress) that sits atop an isolated rock-cliff overlooking the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea and ascend in the cable car. Masada has become one of the Jewish people's greatest symbols as the place where the last Jewish stronghold against Roman invasion stood. After, continue to the Dead Sea with the chance to bathe in its briny waters.

    Afternoon: included lunch by the Dead Sea and then drive to Qumran, located on the north-western shore of the Dead Sea in the Judean Desert, known as the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. After continue to view Wadi Qelt, a beautiful oasis of waterfalls and towering rocks, located deep inside the Jordan Valley. The route passes one of the oldest synagogues in the world, and St. George’s Monastery, one of the oldest continuously active Greek Orthodox monasteries.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  6. Abu Ghosh & Nablus (B, L, D)

    Morning: drive west of Jerusalem to the village of Abu Ghosh, a possible site of Emmaus mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, to visit the Crusader church and Benedictine St. Mary of the Resurrection Abbey. After, continue north through The West Bank (via Ramallah) to Nablus and visit the site of Sebastiya, identified by many as the burial site of John the Baptist.

    Afternoon: included lunch in a local restaurant followed by a visit to the Greek Orthodox church above Jacob's Well before returning to Jerusalem.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  7. The Jordan Valley to the Galilee (B, L, D)

    Morning: optional morning pre-breakfast visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Then the chance to worship joining together with a local congregation, usually in St George’s Cathedral, with the opportunity to chat with the local congregation. We then bid farewell to Jerusalem to drive to Jericho.

    Afternoon: lunch in a local restaurant followed by an orientation tour of Jericho and view of the Mount of Temptation. After we continue to the Jordan River Baptismal site where Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist. After, continue to your hotel on the shore of the Sea of Galilee for a four-night stay.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  8. Nazareth & Sepphoris (B, L, D)

    Morning: journey the ruined city of Sepphoris, the largest town in Galilee at the time of Jesus and believed to be the birthplace of the Blessed virgin Mary and the village where Saints Anna and Joachim are said to have resided.

    Afternoon: continue to Nazareth for a simple, but tasty lunch in a local village cooked in the style of the time of Jesus. We walk from Mary's Well to visit the Basilica of the Annunciation where Mary the mother of Jesus was first visited by the Angel Gabriel. It is Nazareth where Jesus spent most of his life, and the surrounding region of Galilee where he spent most of the few short years of his ministry. Later we visit Cana where the miracle of the turning of water to wine is said to have taken place.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  9. Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes & Sea of Galilee cruise (B, L, D)

    Morning: depart and say farewell to Jerusalem and en route visit Capernaum where Jesus lived after being driven from Nazareth and also the home of the disciples Peter, Andrew and Matthew and where several healings took place. We visit the Mensa Christi Church dedicated to Jesus and his disciples down a winding street in the neighbourhood.

    Afternoon: lakeside worship at Tabgha the site of the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes where Jesus fed the 5,000. After, continue for lunch in a local restaurant on the Mount of Beatitudes, where the Sermon on the Mount was delivered, followed by a relaxing cruise across the Sea of Galilee on a traditional wooden boat. A great time to contemplate the path you have followed these last days. After, Check-in to your hotel by the shores of Lake Galilee for a four night-stay.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  10. Northern Galilee (B, L, D)

    Morning: from Tiberias head to Northern Galilee through the Hula Valley to Banias (biblical Caesarea Philippi). Located at the foot of Mt Herman where the Banias River is one of the main tributaries of the Jordan River. The ancient city was mentioned in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, as the place where Jesus confirmed Peter's assumption that Jesus was the Messiah. We take a stroll through the nature reserve.

    Afternoon: lunch in a local restaurant followed by the scenic drive over the Golan Heights to Tiberius and a chance to swim and relax in the hotel.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  11. Cross into Jordan and Jerash (B, L, D)

    Morning: depart Tiberius to drive across the Sheikh Hussein Bridge and cross into the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Once across we head to Jerash. The city's golden age came under Roman rule and the site is now generally acknowledged to be one of the best-preserved Roman provincial towns in the world and one of the Decapolis cities once named Gerasa. We explore the ruins of the site including the oval forum, the colonnaded street and the theatre.

    Afternoon: continue to Amman the capital of Jordan and check into your hotel for an overnight stay.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  12. Mt Nebo & Madaba (B, L, D)

    Morning: depart Amman and dive to Mt Nebo known for being the site where Moses overlooked the Holy Land but did not enter it and where a church and a monastery were built to honor him. The book of Numbers (33:47) mentions that when the children of Israel moved from Almon Diblathaim they camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo, and that the children of Reuben rebuilt the city (Numbers 32:38). We also visit the Baptismal site and take the opportunity for communion.

    Afternoon: lunch in Madaba, noted in the Bible for the notable conquest by King Sihon of Heshbon. Though very few evidence of the city’s regal past remains, there are still some churches and pathways with remnants of the Byzantine era. The mosaics that adorn these ancient buildings provided Madaba with the name ‘City of Mosaics’. You will visit the 6th century mosaic map located within St George's Church. After continue to Petra for a two-night stay.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  13. Iconic Petra building

    Petra (B, L, D)

    Morning: the city of Petra, capital of the Nabataean Arabs also known as the rose-red city, a name it gets from the wonderful colour of the rock from which many of the city’s structures were carved. At the time of Jesus Petra was a city of enormous wealth controlling much of the trade that passed through the region. Enter through the narrow Siq and the stand before the Treasury with the sun highlighting how it is hewn out of the red sandstone. Enjoy a full guided tour of many of the breath-taking monuments and buildings as well as the Royal Tombs.

    Afternoon: lunch within Petra followed by free time to explore Petra at your leisure.

    Evening: dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  14. Wadi Rum (B, L, D)

    Morning: head to Wadi Rum or 'Valley of the Moon' to explore this amazing desert landscape in jeeps. Made famous in the film Lawrence of Arabia, which followed the story of TE Lawrence during the Second World War, you will see the rock formations know as The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. In recent years, Wadi Rum has become a popular filming location for movies looking for lunar, moon-like, landscapes. Notable recent movies filmed here include ‘The Martian’, and scenes from ‘Star Wars: Rogue One’. Today only a handful of Bedouin tribes live in the area, mostly in the Rum Village, which is the only population center for the area and where you will have lunch.

    Afternoon: continue to the Dead Sea for an overnight stay.

    Evening: farewell dinner in the hotel.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

  15. Homeward bound (B)

    Early departure for the Amman Queen Alia International Airport to check-in for your return flight to the UK and bid farewell to your Local Guide, Tour Leader and fellow pilgrims.

    Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

Essential Information

Included excursions

  • The Mount of Olives
  • Ein Karem - home of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist
  • Old Jerusalem, Jewish Quarter and Western Wall
  • Guided stroll of Via Dolorosa "the sorrowful way"
  • The Shepherds Fields with worship
  • Bethlehem - Basilica of the Nativity
  • Jordan River Baptismal site
  • Nazareth and Basilica of the Annunciation
  • Tabgha - site of the feeding of the 5,000
  • Mount of Beatitudes - site of the Sermon on the Mount
  • Sea of Galilee cruise
  • Jordan: Roman city of Jerash
  • Jordan: Mt Nebo and Madaba
  • Jordan: Petra
  • Jordan: Wadi Rum Jeep exploration

Optional excursions

None! All the above excursions and below extras are included.

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 & Jordan

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.

Your journey

Direct flights to Tel Aviv from Heathrow and returning from Amman with British Airways.

We can make separate arrangements should you wish to fly from an airport different to Heathrow where available. 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 at a supplement. Please enquire when booking.

Outbound journey

Flight departs Heathrow: 08:00           arrives Tel Aviv: 15:00

Inbound journey

Flight departs Amman: 08:30             arrives Heathrow: 12:05

Length of flights: approximately five hours

Entry requirements

Passports should be valid for at least six months after the time of travel and a visa is issued free of charge to UK passport holders on entering both Israel and Jordan. There are currently no further requirements for entering the Palestinian territories. Non-British passport holders should consult the McCabe office as they may be required to apply in advance for a visa. No inoculations are essential, but we advise travellers to consult their GP regarding personal requirements.

This information can change so for the most up to date information please check with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth office website.

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

Your hotels 

14 nights based in a double or twin room. Our partner hotels in Jerusalem, the Golden Walls and in Tiberias, the Ron Beach 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. In Jordan you will stay in hotels such as the Regency hotel in Amman, Petra Guesthouse and Holiday Inn Dead Sea.

Golden Walls Hotel, Jerusalem Ron Beach Hotel, Tiberias

 

Practical information

Single supplements and 'twin to share' rooms

Where possible we try to keep single supplements to a minimum. We charge the basic price and accommodate your member with a person of the same sex from your group who has requested shared accommodation. If we do not find someone to share with them, they will be accommodated in a single room at only 50% of the usual single room supplement. 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

Passports should be valid for at least six months after the time of travel and a visa is issued free of charge to UK passport holders on entering Israel. There are currently no further requirements for entering the Palestinian territories or Jordan. Non-British passport holders should consult the McCabe office as they may be required to apply in advance for a visa. No inoculations are essential, but we advise travellers to consult their GP regarding personal requirements.

All non-Jordanian travellers, whether vaccinated or not, should complete the Travel To Jordan Declaration Form on the Gateway2Jordan platform and follow all guidance provided by the Government of Jordan.

For the latest and most up to date travel advice including entry requirements please consult the Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office travel advice website.

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 and Jordan have 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 peak season is 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. Winters are milder so the lower seasons of November, December, January and February will still be much warmer that the UK. Hotel and flight prices at these times are better and offer a greater value for money tour for your group.

Israel is hot in the summer months with average temperatures across country over 30C.

Clothing

Israel and Jordan are more liberal than their 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 and Jordan.

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 and manage two to three flights of stairs. 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 priorities. That’s why we have specifically chosen Holiday Extras as our *preferred travel insurance provider to ensure that you are protected before and whilst you are travelling. Holiday Extras offer McCabe Travel guests favourable rates for single trip, multi-trip and annual policies.

For more information or to obtain a quote click below for their website

https://www.holidayextras.com/travel-insurance

Or call them on 0800 083 3551 to speak to a friendly advisor.

Please quote AG628 upon calling to receive the best rates

The McCabe Educational Trust

The McCabe Educational Trust is an independent registered charity with the aim of helping inspiring people we meet on some of our pilgrimages. As ‘the haves’ encounter the ‘have nots’ the Trust has become a practical tool for one to help the other.

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

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Dates

Our Programme Tour Leader Tour Dates Availability
Pilgrimage to Jordan, Israel & Palestine Holy Land and Jordan Departing From Heathrow Prices from £4045 pp The Revd John Butt 06/05/2024 for 15 days Download brochure Book now Make an enquiry

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