Come and experience the wonders of this beautiful and complex land.

This trip invites you into a multitude of opportunities to explore the culture, the spirituality and the political story of this land and its people. You won’t read the Bible or the news in the same way again! 

Trip Highlights: Seeing many ancient sites connected the ministry of Jesus, visits with speakers from different faiths and backgrounds, floating on the Dead Sea, visiting the Mount of Beatitudes, a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, and so much more…

With so many special stops along the way, you don’t want to miss this trip of a lifetime!

April 11-15, 2027

Continue the journey with a tour extension to Jordan! Come and see the world-famous UNESCO site of Petra, as well as watch the sunset and the sunrise in the Wadi Rum, wander through the ancient ruins of Jerash and view the Promised Land of Moses from Mount Nebo.

Here at Sunlight Tours we hold safety as one of our highest priorities — both yours and ours. Due to the current turmoil in this area, we wish to ease any hesitation you might have about signing up. So, we have now added “no risk registration” to this trip offering. What does this mean? We will refund your deposit and any trip payments for this trip if either Sunlight Tours cancels the trip or if you decide to cancel your travel for safety reasons up until 90 days before the trip. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please contact us here.

Depart the US for overnight flight to Tel Aviv.

As a note: We can book your airfare for you or you are welcome to book your own. We would like to work with you on your arrival and departure times so that we can best arrange for transfers to and from the airport. All flights arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv (TLV) and either depart from Tel Aviv (TLV) or (with Jordan extension) from Queen Alia International Airport (Amman, AMM).

Welcome to Tel Aviv! From the airport we'll transfer together to our hotel. Once settled in, we'll have dinner at hotel followed by an evening gathering to meet our guide for the week. Overnight Accommodations at Herod's Hotel in Tel Aviv. (D)

After breakfast at the hotel, we begin our journey by driving to visit the Roman Aqueduct and Theatre at Caesarea, a center for the early Christians and where Cornelius became the first Gentile convert to the new covenant (Acts 10) by St. Peter and Paul was imprisoned before he was taken to Rome for trial (Acts 23). We will continue to Mt. Carmel to visit the place where Elijah fought the false prophets. We will then visit the Church in Cana where Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding (John 2). Overnight accommodations at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Tiberius (B, L, D).

We begin today with a visit to Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus and the disciples spent time in this pagan city. We then travel to the Mount of the Beatitudes where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). We will visit Tabgha, which is the traditional location for the calling of the disciples and the feeding of the 5000, and the location of the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes (Luke 9:10-17). We will visit Capernaum, where Jesus began preaching, and we will visit the synagogue that stands on the site where Jesus taught and we will reflect on his teaching and preaching of the gospels (Matthew 4:13, 23). Lunch today is the famous St. Peter’s fish along the Sea of Galilee. After lunch, we take a boat ride on this very body of water. Overnight accommodations at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Tiberius (B, L, D).

Today, after breakfast, we visit Nazareth, Jesus’ boyhood home (Matthew 2:23). We then make our way to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity, the traditional site of the birth of Jesus (Luke 2). It is also the oldest continuously functioning church in the world. Here, we view the cave where Jesus was born. We will also get the chance to shop for olive wood carvings. Overnight accommodations at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem (B, L, D).

We begin our day on the Mount of Olives where we will encounter a panoramic view for the introduction to the Old City. We will walk the Palm Sunday Trail to the Church of Dominus Flevit, where Jesus paused to weep over Jerusalem. We will continue to the Church of All Nations, built over the rock on which Jesus prayed the night before He was crucified, and end with time in the Garden of Gethsemane. After lunch, we continue to visit the Shepherds Field where the angels appeared on the first Christmas night, spreading good tidings of great joy for all the people. We will then visit Ein Karem to visit the house of John the Baptist. Overnight accommodations at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem (B, L, D).

Today’s route leads us to the former palatial fortress of Masada (UNESCO). Ascending the ancient walls of Masada by cable car, we visit Herod’s Palaces, the Roman Camp. And then we travel on to Qumran, that location is one of the most important archaeological finds of all time, the discovery of the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls. Spending time floating in the Dead Sea then travel to visit the city of Jericho. Overnight accommodations at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem (B, L, D).

After breakfast, we begin our journey at St. Stephen's Gate where St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was stoned to death. We continue to the Church of St. Anne, marking the place where the parents of the Blessed Mother lived. We visit the nearby Pools of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the paralytic. Then, follow the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross, walked by Jesus on the way to His crucifixion. Along the way we pass by the Ecce Homo Arch, the site where Pontius Pilate presented Jesus to the crowds. Next, we visit the Western Wall of the Temple. Overnight accommodations at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem (B, L, D).

Depart for the US

For those going home to the US, transfer to the airport (TLV) will be provided depending on flight schedules.

-OR-

Transfer to Jordan (Optional Extension)

For those going on the optional extension to Jordan, we will travel to the Allenby border crossing first thing in the morning.

We arrive at Allenby border and cross into Jordan. We then visit Madaba "The City of Mosaics" and the city of Christianity, including very impressive Greek Orthodox ruins, churches, and dozens of beautiful mosaics. Located in St. George Church, The Mosaic of the Ancient Map, showing the Middle East is an important artifact and beautiful to witness. After Madaba, we continue our journey to Mt. Nebo, where Moses overlooked the Holy Land. Here we will have the chance to look through Moses’ eyes. Afterwards, we visit one of the Jordanian handicraft shops, seeing the local artisans at word. We conclude our day settling into and having dinner at our hotel. Overnight accommodations in Petra (B, L, D).

Today we explore Petra! Petra is called the lost city in the middle of nowhere with its huge facades carved into the rocks that will take our breath away around each corner. It is a vast, unique city, carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabateans, an industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2000 years ago, turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. Petra has been featured in Hollywood blockbusters such as “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and “The Mummy Returns.” Beyond Al Khazneh you are surrounded on both sides by hundreds of Petra's curved and built structures, soaring temples, elaborate royal tombs, a curved Nabatean theater (seating 3,000 people), large and small houses, burial chambers, banquet halls, water channels and reservoirs, baths, monumental staircases, cultic installations, arched gates, public buildings and paved streets. Dinner and overnight accommodations in Wadi Rum. (B, L, D)

Optional Luxury Bubble Tent Upgrade ($85 double occupancy, $170 single occupancy)

After breakfast, we will explore Wadi Rum before heading to Amman. Wadi Rum is a unique site with an other-worldly desert landscape. A jeep ride lets you view the rock formations and the vast expanses of sand dunes that has been used as a filming location for many movies. It is also the site of some of the 40 years of the ancient Israelites wandering in the wilderness where God provided manna. Dinner and overnight accommodations in Amman (B, L, D).

After a late check out, we will depart the hotel for our tour to Jerash. Jerash is known as one of the most well preserved Old Roman cities with impressive colonnaded streets, vaulted terrace, and the ruins of two theaters. We’ll then share a meal together before heading to the airport (Amman, AMM) for our fights to the US. Flights depart very early in the morning with an arrival on April 15, 2027. (B, L, D)

*Registration Deadline TBD

*Note about activity levels: While we make every effort to accommodate mobility needs, please note that this tour includes walking tours on uneven surfaces and stairs, standing for extended periods of time, bus tours on uneven roads, travel by boat/cruise rides, etc. For more information or questions regarding activity levels and mobility, please contact us.

*We can book your airfare for you or you are welcome to book your own. We would like to work with you on your arrival and departure times so that we can best arrange for transfers to and from the airport. All flights arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv (TLV) and either depart from Tel Aviv (TLV) or (with Jordan extension) from Queen Alia International Airport (Amman, AMM).

*Travel insurance is highly recommended. As a way to help protect your trip experience, Sunlight Tours offers travel insurance options through our trusted travel partner, Yonder. Free quotes are available. Please contact us with any questions.

*A "no-risk" deposit required for this trip: $500 ($100 for Jordan Extension)

Pricing for 2027 is not currently released. When new pricing becomes available, payment schedule will be updated. If booking through Sunlight Tours, airfare payments (not included in trip price) are due upon airfare booking.

*Cash/Check/Credit Cards accepted.

Iyad

Sunlight Tours Trip Director

Meet the Team

Pastor Mark Johnson of American Lutheran Church (Prescott, AZ)