Holy Land Field Study & Tour with Dr Trevan Hatch, Sept 14-Sept 26, 2024 (with Jordan Extension, Sept 26-30)
$ 3,650 (subject to change slightly) Price Excluding Airfare
- Price Including Airfare: No. Listed price does NOT include flight or Jordan Extension
- Availability: 19
- Number of Days: 13
- Arrival Date: 2024-09-14
- Departure Date: 2024-09-26
About Tour
Day 1 Sat Sept 28 Depart USA
Depart USA – Please make sure to book flights to arrive in Tel Aviv during the day on Sunday May 5th to make your own way to the hotel in Tel Aviv before touring in the later afternoon and evening.
Day 2 Sun Sept 29 Arrive Ben Gurion Airport / Tel Aviv
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport and make your way to Hotel in Tel Aviv. Depending on time of arrival there will be a short tour of Jaffa with a focus on the Maine Friendship House. Rest of the day time to relax or enjoy the beach.
Day 3 Mon Sept 30 North Coast and Lower Galilee
After breakfast, we travel to Northwest Israel. Our first stop will be Caesarea Maritima, (9-11) one of the most impressive ancient manmade port cities on the Mediterranean. This is where Peter and Paul interacted with leading political figures of their time. After some time for lunch, we make our way to Nazareth area where Jesus lived as a child and youth for a stop at Nazareth Ridge, Mount Precipice. End the day at the lookout point on Mount Arbel. Here we will soak in the unforgettable view of the entire lake and point out the sites associated with the ministry of Jesus. Dinner and overnight in the Galilee
Day 4 Tue Oct 1 Golan Heights
After breakfast, we travel to the Upper Galilee to visit Tel Dan and then Caesarea Philippi at the Banias National Park Nature Reserve. We will travel past Mount Hermon for a view before we have a stop for lunch.
We continue through the Golan Heights to visit the reconstructed Talmudic Biblical village of Katzrin and a visit to the Olea Essence Olive Oil store. Return to Hotel in the Galilee for dinner and overnight.
Day 5 Wed Oct 2 Galilee
Today we shift our attention to the Galilee and Jesus’ ministry. We will spend most of this day talking about Jesus’ Galilean ministry while walking in his footsteps. We begin our day We will then visit Magdala, the hometown of Mary Magdalene where ruins of a first century synagogue were recently discovered. We will visit the Beit Yigal Museum at Kibbutz Ginosar. For lunch we will have time to enjoy a “Saint Peter’s” fish lunch. We will visit Capernaum, Jesus hometown after leaving Nazareth. We will visit a little-known church nearby—the Greek Orthodox Church of the Twelve Apostles—where we will discuss more of Jesus’ activities in the immediate region. We end the day at the Yardenit Baptism site. Dinner and overnight in the Galilee.
Day 6 Thu Oct 3 Jerusalem
Today we depart to the City of Jerusalem. We travel along the Jordan Valley for our first stop at Qumran (10:00), the location of the Dead Sea Scroll community. Our next stop will be at Jericho for time for shopping and lunch at Jimmy’s (11:30). We will continue to the breathtaking view of Jericho and the Jordan Valley from Mitzpe Yericho Dead Sea Balcony, (13:30). We will then ascend up to Jerusalem for a visit and time of worship at the Garden Omb. (15:00). Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem
Day 7 Fri Oct 4 City of David, Rampart Walk (SW side), Shabbat Meal
We will explore the outskirts of the city. We will first visit Mount Zion and the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu (08:30) where tradition says that Jesus was tried and where Peter denied Jesus. We will then walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel and then recall Jesus’ healing of the blind man at the Pool of Siloam walking along the Pilgrimage road of the City of David. (9:30). After a lunch break, we will walk on the ramparts of the SW Old City Walls overseeing the Hinnom Valley, an important but dreadful place in the history of ancient Israel and the birthplace of Christian “Hell” imagery. Or take part in the Temple Mount Sifting Project. This evening we will enjoy a Shabbat Meal with Jewish Families in their homes. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 8 Sat Oct 5 BYU Jerusalem Center & Service
Today we will begin our Sabbath with worship at the BYU Jerusalem Center. (900-1200). In the afternoon we will join a service in Jerusalem (TBA). Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem
Day 9 Sun Oct 6 Old City
This morning (breakfast boxes) we start the day with a special 6:30am stroll down the Kidron Valley, with the Temple Mount up the hill on our right side and the Mount of Olives on our left. This has been a very special activity for many who have toured with Sacred Space Tours. We will then visit some of the most holy sites for Christians, the Church of Holy Sepulchre (0730), The Dome of the Rock Lookout (8:30) and Western Wall Lookout (09:00), the holiest site for Jews, The Western Wall (09:30) and one of the third holiest sites for Muslims (Haram Al-Sharif, or the “Dome of the Rock”) on Temple Mount (10:30). After eating lunch in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City (12:00), we will visit the Davidson Center, where we will see excavations of the southern portion of the Temple Mount. Then we return to the hotel or enjoy some time for shopping. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 10 Mon Oct 7 Mount of Olives and Shopping
Very few groups spend an entire day on the Mount of Olives. This has been a very powerful day for previous tourists. On one of the holiest places on earth for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, we will discuss the traditions and prophecies of the final judgment and resurrection occurring here. And of course, we will trace Jesus’ last footstep as we recount and discuss his most substantive and meaningful acts and pronouncements during the last week of his life. We will visit Beit Phage, the Mount of Olives lookout, and Dominus Flevit. We continue to the Church of All Nations, the traditional site of Gethsemane for Roman Catholics. After visiting Mary’s Tomb and Grotto, the traditional site for Gethsemane for Eastern Orthodox Christians, we will have time for Lunch at Orson Hyde Park. We end the day with a special Interfaith Dialogue Session or podcast/YouTube episode. Time permitting: more shopping. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 11 Tue Oct 8 Bethlehem, Haas Promenade, Israel Museum
After breakfast this morning we will spend time in Bethlehem (8-12), where we will eat at a fabulous Palestinian restaurant (Grotto). Sing in a small grotto, discuss Jesus’ birth story while overlooking the landscape of the “Shepherd’s Field,” and conclude at the oldest church in the Holy Land, the Church of the Nativity (including Saint Jerome’s room and the Chapel of the Holy Innocents – (private area). We will then return to Jerusalem with a stop at Haas Promenade via Highway 60 and Keren HaYesod St. We end the day with a visit to the Israel Museum (1-5) on Government Hill, where the Scroll of the Book, (Dead Sea Scrolls displayed) and Model of First Century Jerusalem is located. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem
Day 12 Wed Oct 9 Shephelah (Judean Foothills)
This day has been a gem for previous tourists with Dr. Hatch. These sites give us a chance to discuss the Old Testament. We will visit Beth Shemesh (key location in the Sampson story), Azekah and the Valley of Elah where David fought Goliath, Tel Lachish (one of the most important and well-fortified cities in Judah at the time of Lehi), and Arad where an Israelite temple was located. We will see the landscape of the Judean foothills (the Shephelah) and the southern desert (Negev). This is a unique day where we will visit sites that tourists rarely visit. We will end the day swimming in the Dead Sea, the lowest area in the world with its unique salt, mineral water. Dinner and overnight by the Dead Sea.
Day 13 Thu Oct 10 Masada – Departure / Jordan Extension
This morning we will visit the ancient fortress of Masada and have some time for lunch, (8-12).
Those departing today will be transferred to the airport or to hotel in Tel Aviv (Those requiring hotels that night please contact us for bookings.
Jordan Extension
Day 13 Thu Oct 10 Aqaba Jordan
After the tour of Masada we will travel south to the Arava border crossing to enter the Kingdom Of Jordan (time permitting visit a Camel Ranch in Dimona, Israel on the way). After border crossing formalities transfer to Hotel in Aqaba to enjoy the Red Sea Beach. Dinner and overnight in Aqaba / Marina Plaza hotel or similar
Day 14 Fri Oct 11 Wadi Rum and Bedouin Lunch
After breakfast transfer to Wadi Rum for a 4×4 – 2 hour excursion in the desert scenery of Lawrence of Arabia.
Then continue through the Jordanian landscape of the Edom Mountains to the Famous site of Petra for dinner and overnight / Elitte Hotel or similar
Day 15 Sat Oct 12 Petra
Today we explore the Red Rose Nabatean World Heritage site of Petra. We then travel to Madaba for dinner and overnight / Grand Madaba hotel or similar
Day 16 Sun Oct 13 Madaba Map, Mount Nebo, Rabbah Ammon
Today we visit Madaba to see the site of the famous mosaic map of Jerusalem and Mount Nebo, where Moses viewed the Promised Land from the East of the Jordan. Travel to Amman, the capital of Jordan for dinner and overnight / Bristol Hotel or similar
Day 17 Mon Oct 14 Jerash and Umm Qais (Ancient Gedara) – Departure
This morning enjoy a panoramic tour of Amman and travel to the renovated ancient Roman site of Jerash. Last site we visit in Jordan will be ancient Gedara before we cross back into Israel at Sheikh Hussein border in the North.
Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your flight back home or hotel in Tel Aviv (if hotel needed in Tel Aviv please contact us to book according to your departure flights) – Late night or early morning May 22 if booking your flights back home this day.
** Itinerary subject to change
Tour Includes
- Custom-made itinerary to meet the groups’ needs
- Airline departure taxes
- Hotel accommodation & service charges in first class hotel in Israel
- Breakfast and dinners daily
- English-speaking local guide certified by the Ministry of Tourism
- Sightseeing by deluxe air-conditioned bus with WIFI as per itinerary
- Admission fees to sights mentioned on the itinerary
- Tips to guides, drivers and hotel staff
- Audio Headsets
Not Included
- Single room supplement if required (In case we cannot find a roommate for a single traveler they will have to pay the Single supplement. We will know if we have a roommate or not approximately 2 weeks prior to departure).
- Optional Credit Card payment (additional 4% )
- Optional Travel Insurance
- Lunches and drinks with meals
Hotels or similar:
- Tel Aviv – Grand Beach
- Dead Sea – David Dead Sea
- Galilee – Magdala Hotel
- Jerusalem – Leonardo Jerusalem
Deposit payment & Cancellation Policy
- The Deposit of $500 USD is fully non-refundable (The deposit will be applied to final payment)
If you have to cancel:
Cancellation penalties applicable thereafter:
- 25 % of total tour cost 45–89 Days prior to tour date
- 50 % of total tour cost 31–44 Days prior to tour date
- 100% of total tour cost less than 30 days prior to tour date
- Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure
If the Sacred Space Tours or our partner agency in Israel cancels the tour:
- The deposit will be refunded less $100 administration fee
- Any unused portion of the tour is not refundable.
Payment Options
- Personal cheque
- Credit Cards – We accept both Master Card and Visa, however we do add a 4% processing fee to each transaction.
- Bank Wire – Email us at support@sacredspacetours.com for wire information.
Gratuities
- The tour pricing covers the group guide, local guide, bellboys, hotel dining room staff, and the driver. The tips are based on standard in Israel.
Travel insurance for USA Residents
- We do offer the Non-Medical Travel Insurance through our provider, Reliable Life, for nonresidents of Canada.
- We will need a credit card to process the transaction. Reliable Life Travel Insurance Company is a Canadian company therefore they recommend that you protect the money you paid for the tour in Canadian funds to ensure you have enough coverage if a claim is required.
- We recommend that you purchase travel insurance to protect the money you paid for your tour.
- Non-Medical insurance: includes all of the above except the medical insurance.
- The Insurance for your trip is good for 16 days and protects your money if you have to cancel due to medical reasons before the trip starts. We highly recommend you to purchase the All Inclusive Worldwide Plan.
Documents
- A valid passport for at least six months after returning home is required by all and USA citizens. A visa is a stamp in your passport that permits you to enter a country. It is the passenger’s responsibility to verify and obtain a visa if needed according to citizenship. A Visa for Israel is not required for USA citizens. If you are not a USA passport holder please check the Israeli consulate in your country for visa requirements. Also, check what visa requirements are necessary to enter back into the US. If you hold a permanent resident card bring it with you.
Dr Trevan Hatch
Dr. Trevan G. Hatch is the Anthropology, Bible & Ancient Near East, Middle East, and Religious Studies specialist at the Lee Library at Brigham Young University (currently an associate rank faculty). He is also a transfer professor in the Departments of Ancient Scripture and Middle East Studies. He earned a B.A. in History at Brigham Young University; an M.A. in Jewish Studies (emphasis in Bible and Jewish origins) at Baltimore Hebrew University and Towson University; a Master of Library & Information Science at the University of Kentucky; a PhD in the social sciences at Louisiana State University with a research emphasis in religion and Judaism; and is currently finishing a doctorate in Jewish Studies (emphasis in Bible and Early Judaism) at the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago. He was an Israel Studies research fellow at Brandeis University and also studied at two universities in Israel: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of the Holy Land.