A pilgrimage for your church

Explore the religious and holy sites of the Holy Land

Experience the culture and tradition of the Holy Land

Encounter local Christian families

Enjoy the diverse landscape of the Holy Land

Learn about local Christian missions in the Holy Land

We build Holy Land trips around your parish and your priest. This is not a fixed public departure. You bring the group. We handle the itinerary, licensed local Christian guides, and time with the community in Bethlehem.

The sample 10-day itinerary below shows the kind of trip we build, then we customize it for your church.

Contact us to plan a trip for your church. Email info@theholylands.org or call (314) 312-2033.

Pilgrimage preparation guide

"Sample Itinerary"

Day 1 – Arrival

• Arrive at Tel Aviv Airport; Overnight in Bethlehem.

Day 2 – Bethlehem

Day 2 in Bethlehem includes activities like:

• Visit the Grotto of the Nativity, the birthplace of Christ.

• Visit the Milk Grotto where tradition has it that Mary fed the child Jesus breast milk. 

• Bethlehem's Manger Square.

• The Shepherds’ Field.

• Orphanage run by the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.

Day 3 – Bethlehem

Day 3 Includes activities like:

• Meet with local Christian missions in Bethlehem such as Carmelite Monastery where Blessed Mariam of the Crucified Jesus is buried. 

• Cremisan Monastery and winery. 

• Lunch with local Christian families in Bethlehem.

• Visit local olive wood factory, the traditional handicrafts for most Christian families; chance to buy unique gifts and religious souvenirs.

Day 4 – Jerusalem

Day 4 Includes activities like:

• Visit to Mt. Zion, stop to see the Upper Room. 

• Tomb of King David and the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu which is built over the Palace of Caiaphas, the High Priest, who imprisoned Jesus and interrogated him before his trial before Pontius Pilate (Lk. 22:54).

• Visit the excavations of the City of David, revealing some of the most exciting archaeological finds of the ancient world.

• Drive to the top of the Mt. of Olives, from which Jesus ascended to heaven after his resurrection. 

• Visit the holy shrines, walk down the "Palm Sunday Road" visiting the Chapel of Dominus Flevit (Jesus wept) en-route to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations where Christ prayed on the night of his betrayal (Lk. 22:40-46).

Day 5 – Jerusalem

Day 5 Includes activities like:

• Visit the Temple Mount and reach the Western Wall, this 2,000-year-old wall was part of the outer supporting walls of the Temple Mount on which the Second Temple stood and was destroyed in 70 AD.

• Visit Al Aqsa Mosque.

• Walk Via Dolorosa or the Way of Sorrows where Jesus walked towards his crucifixion.

• Visit St. Anne’s Church (birthplace of the Blessed Mother).

• Visit Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the lame man on the Sabbath.

• Visit Ecce Homo Arch and visit the convent of the Sisters of Zion where Jesus was mocked and scourged.

• Visit Church of the Holy Sepulcher and visit Calvary and the Holy Tomb.

• Visit detailed model of First Century Jerusalem at the Israel Museum, which displays a wide selection of impressive modern and ancient exhibits. 

• Visit Ein Karem, home to the Church of John the Baptist and the Church of the Visitation.

Day 6 – Jericho

Day 6 includes activities like:

• Visit World's Oldest City, Jericho.

• Mysterious Judean Desert.

• Bethany, home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11), where Jesus stayed at the home of Simon the Leper (Matthew 26:6).

• Visit the Inn of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:34).

• Cable car ride to Quarantal, the Mount of Temptation (Matthew 4:1-11), see an active monastery carved into the cliffs.

• Dead Sea, an opportunity for a bath in mineral-rich waters before visiting the archaeological remains of the Qumran settlement, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were written over 2000 years ago. 

• Sea of Galilee, stay in Tiberias overnight.

Day 7 – Sea of Galilee – Jordan River

Day 7 Includes activities like:

• Visit the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes where Jesus fed 5,000 men.

•  Visit Peter’s House and see where Jesus stayed while he was preaching in the local synagogue.

• Celebrate Mass outside on top of the Mt. of the Beatitudes, overlooking the Sea of Galilee.

• Lunch near the Sea of Galilee, chance to try St. Peter’s fish.

• Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

• Visit Kursi, the area where the swine ran into the sea.

• Visit Jordan River to renew our Baptismal promise, chance to get some water from the Jordan River.

Day 8 – Banias - Cana of Galilee - Nazareth

Day 8 Includes activities like:

• Visit Banias, the site of Caesarea Philippi where the Apostle Peter made his great confession of faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God (Matt. 16:13-17).

• Visit Lower Galilee to Cana of Galilee, the scene of the wedding feast, where Jesus turned the water into wine (John. 2:1-11).

• Visit Nazareth, a town in the hill country of Galilee where Jesus grew to manhood (Matt. 2:23). 

• Visit the Basilica of the Annunciation. Visit Mt. Tabor, site of the Transfiguration.

Day 9 – Mt. Carmel- Caesarea Maritima- Jaffa

Day 9 Includes activities like:

• Stopping at Mt. Carmel.

• Visit the "Place of Sacrifice" where the Prophet Elijah had an encounter with the Priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:17-40).

• Visit to the ruins of Caesarea Maritima, which was the seat of government of the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate.

• Visit ancient Jaffa (New Testament Joppa) where the Apostle Peter had a vision, whilst sitting on the rooftop of the House of Simon the Tanner, and he received God's command to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles.

• Farewell dinner at Bedouin style restaurant with traditional dance group performance.

Day 10 – Departure

• Early morning flight from Tel Aviv airport back to the United States 

Rates:

• Price per person sharing double room is as follows:

Minimum group of 11, Maximum 55: $4,990

If there is a participant who wants to stay in a single room, extra surcharge will be $800 per person

Rates are subject to change at any time.

Rate Includes:

• Air Fare

• Accommodation in 4 Star Hotel in Bethlehem for 6 nights

• Accommodation in 4 Star Hotel in Tiberias for 3 nights

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily

• Transportation by air-conditioned motor coach includes airport pick up and transfer.

• English-licensed tour guides

• Sightseeing and admissions fees as per itinerary includes Jericho cable car, boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, and Israel Museum entrance

• Farewell dinner in Bethlehem with local folklore dance group

• Minimum Tips for Driver and Tour Guide

• Headphones for all participants

• All applicable taxes

Rates do not include:

• Travel & Health Insurance. We encourage our participants to purchase travel insurance in advance.

• Any other services unspecified in tour program

Payment:

Full payment is required 90 days prior to Arrival.

Passports and visas: each person must procure a passport valid for six months after your return. We are not responsible for applying for a visa if required.

Some cancellation and refund policies are out of our hands:

• Refund for hotel payment will follow the hotel’s cancellation policy

• Transportation cancellations will follow the transportation company policy

• Flight tickets cancellations will follow the airlines company policy

• In case you cancel the trip after commencement, refund will be limited to the amount that we would be able to recover from the hoteliers/ contractors we patronize. For unused hotel accommodation, chartered transportation & missed meals etc. we do not bear any responsibility to refund.

Notes:

• We arrange daily worship in different churches based on the group's request.

• The schedule includes a 6-night stay in Bethlehem and 3 nights in Tiberias, full board (3 meals a day).

• We can customize the tour based on the group’s or priest’s needs, we can add or remove locations, add more activities or sites.

• If you have groups with limited budgets, we can customize the tour to reflect that.