This experience is something we have been dreaming about for a while now. A guided tour of Israel is more than a simple vacation. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. We wanted to provide our church family the chance to “walk where Jesus walked” and experience Scripture’s context and culture like never before. We have crafted a custom trip to Isreal exclusively designed for the Cross Church family. We want YOU and your family to join us (ages ten and up).
Unlike other Israel trips, this is an extended ten-night stay in the Holy Lands at an incredible price. On our private tour, we will worship on the Sea of Galilee, visit the Lord’s tomb, float on the Dead Sea, and so much more! This adventure through the Holy Land will be a spiritual awakening. Join your Cross Church family in the summer of 2022 as we explore Israel together.
To have a more relational and personal journey, we are limiting space. Due to the limited space and physical nature of this trip, we are taking applications. If you are interested in joining us on this trip, please click the button below and fill out the form.
Our team will review all applications and follow up with you within 7-10 business days from submission. If your application is accepted, we will send you a link to pay your deposit ($500/person). Your deposit secures your spot for this Israel trip.
*Price Subject To Change without notice due to market availability or market conditions. Deposit Secures Price at current rate at time of deposit.
**Price Subject To Change without notice due to market availability or market conditions. Deposit Secures ground price at current rate at time of deposit. If you desire to purchase your own flight, please understand that you will be responsible to pay for your own transportation from the airport to the hotel (60 min drive) and back to the airport upon trip completion.
***Deposits accepted after 6/1/21 incurs a $100 late fee. Price Subject To Change without notice due to market availability or market conditions. Deposit Secures Price at current rate at time of deposit.
Deposit is non refundable unless the trip is cancelled.
This is a limited spaced trip. We expect to fill to capacity quickly. We apologize in advance if we run out of space on this trip. It is more important to us that we have a quality trip instead of a mass capacity trip.
– Meet and assist by Immanuel Tours representative upon arrival/departure (If you purchase total trip/airfare package)
– Sightseeing as per itinerary (order of visits subject to change)
– Government licensed, Israeli tour guide only for our Cross Church group. He is a biblically trained tour guide coming with us for our entire trip.
– Luxury air conditioned coach throughout the tours.
– Entrance fees according to the itinerary including: National Park Ticket: unlimited entriesto National Parks, Mt. Carmel, Nazareth Village, Mt. of Beatitudes, Tabgha, Capernahum, Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee incl. St. Peter’s Fish lunch, Jesus Boat, Magdala, Cable Car Massada, Mt. Olives, St. Peter in Gallicantu, Pools of Bethesda, Fortress of Antonio, Yad Vashem, City of David, Davidson Center, Israel museum, Yad Vashem, Garden Tomb, Etc.
– Ten (10)Nights hotel accommodation at high quality hotels.
– Meal arrangements: Half Board (breakfast & dinner at hotels) starting with dinner on day of arrival and ending with breakfast on the day of departure.
– One Lunch included – St. Peter’s Fish Lunch by the Sea of Galilee;
– Whisper phones
– Immanuel Tours welcome kit: map, hat, backpack, Pilgrim certificate
– A trip with Cross Church friends and family that you will not forget. Tour schedule has been specifically designed for Cross Church to see the best and cut out the rest.
Rates do not include:
– Medical coverage and air travel insurance. Travel flight insurance can be purchased at the time of your deposit for an additional cost if desired. See deposit deadline information. As a standard business practice, some form of personal medical coverage is required by the tour company for each participant. Many insurance companies already provide this feature on your current policy. We hope to provide additional information/direction for participants if medical coverage is needed in the near future.
– Passport expenses (Picture of the updated passport due for all travelers at time of deposit to secure your flight.)
One aspect that makes our trip unique is the desire to take teenagers and mature younger family members to Israel. We think this can be memorable experience for your entire family. However, Due to the physical and mature nature of the Cross trip, we are asking all children be of ten years of age or older by the date of departure. Children will obviously remain the responsibility of the parents throughout the tour.
– Deposit of $500/per person due by – 6/1/21. (After 6/1/21, the deposit increases to 600/per person to include $100 late registration) Your deposit on 6/1/21 locks in your plane ticket. If you decide to not attend the trip on a later date, you would forfeit your deposit.
A picture of your updated passport is due for all travelers at this time.
If you wish to purchase flight insurance for your trip where you can cancel your airfare for any reason without loss, that insurance would need to be purchased in full on this date. You will receive a link to make your payment with clear directions and options if you wish to take advantage of these options.
As you might suspect, no one can guess the future (except the Lord), so we are uncertain about how covid could affect individuals going on this trip. Since this trip is approximately sixteen months away, we feel comfortable believing that travel should be back to more pre-covid norms by the time we make our departure.
Purchasing the optional travel insurance is an excellent way to protect yourself if you were to get COVID-19 or for any other reason were unexpectantly not allowed to travel. The Cross Church team highly encourages making this optional purchase when possible. The chance to purchase travel insurance will be provided to you while you pay your deposit.
If the trip is cancelled due to another worldwide COVID-19 pandemic where the US government shuts down air travel: State department level 4 “Do not travel” will be available for waived change fees for travel impacted by coronavirus, including any flights purchased before April 17, 2020, departing March 2020 through March 2021 and all tickets purchased March 1, 2020 through March 30, 2021. If your travel is eligible for a waiver, you can move your travel dates and even select a new destination. Your unused ticket will be applied toward your new flight, and in some instances a fare difference will apply. If the new fare is lower, you will receive an eCredit for the difference. If the new fare is higher, the difference will be collected.
Information for Travelers Returning to the United States from the US State Department:
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect countries differently. Challenges to any international travel at this time may include mandatory COVID-19 testing requirements, quarantines, travel restrictions, and closed borders. Foreign governments may implement restrictions with little notice, even in destinations that were previously low risk. If you choose to travel internationally, your trip may be severely disrupted, and it may be difficult to arrange travel back to the United States.
If you are planning to travel overseas or if you are currently overseas and planning to return to the U.S., you should contact your airline for specific information about testing requirements for travelers. Because airlines may adopt and modify their own specific policies to implement CDC’s new rule, you should contact the carrier for your U.S.-bound flight and not rely on information from other carriers or information or experience from previous trips.
The Department of State advises all U.S. citizens to read the country-specific Travel Advisories and U.S. Embassy COVID pages for updates on the impact of COVID-19 worldwide.
Effective January 26, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will require all air passengers entering the United States (including U.S. citizens and Legal Permanent Residents) to present a negative COVID-19 test, taken within three calendar days of departure or proof of recovery from the virus within the last 90 days. Airlines must confirm the negative test result or proof of recovery for all passengers two years of age and over prior to boarding. Airlines must deny boarding of passengers who do not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery.
*Schedules/destinations are subject to change to maximize our tour opportunities for the best possible experience. The locations below give you an understanding of what we currently have planned.
Arrival in Ben Gurion Airport at __TBD__. Meet, assist and transfer by special motor coach to our hotel in Tel Aviv stopping on our way for a short visit to Old Jaffa (New Testament Joppa). Dinner and overnight at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel, Netanya.
We begin our day driving northwards to the ruins of the ancient city of Caesarea Maritima which was built by King Herod and later became the seat of government of the Roman governors including Pontius Pilate who sat in judgment on Jesus Christ and sentenced him to be crucified. Visit the extensive excavations of the site including the harbor, the Crusader City, the theatre, the hippodrome and the Roman aqueduct. We continue and drive by Mt. Carmel, where the Prophet Elijah challenged the Priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:17-40). Our next stop is at Megiddo, the Armageddon of the Book of Revelation. Christian tradition has it that the final great battle of the world will be fought here. Next we continue to Nazareth, a town in the hill country of Galilee where Jesus grew to manhood. We will visit Nazareth Village, built on ancient agricultural land that boasts the area’s last remaining first- century wine press. The original farm has been restored with its ancient wine press, terraces, irrigation system and stone quarry, and exact replicas of first-century houses, a synagogue, a watchtower, mikvey and olive press have been carefully constructed using the original building methods.We continue and drive through Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first miracle at the wedding feast (John 2:1-11). We arrive at the Nof Ginosar Hotel by the Sea of Galilee in the late afternoon and check in for dinner and overnight.
The Sea of Galilee is rich in memories of the three years of Jesus’ Ministry around its shores. We begin this day with an early morning boat ride [8:00 AM] across the Sea of Galilee from Ein Gev to Nof Ginosar. Here we will visit to the so-called “Jesus Boat” a fishing boat of the kind used by the disciples of Jesus. Next we will visit Magdala, the birthplace of Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2). We continue to Capernaum, where Jesus lived after he left Nazareth and did many signs and wonders. We visit the ancient synagogue and the nearby House of Peter. We will enjoy a St. Peter’s Fish lunch before we continue the drive around the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Then Korazim (or Corozaim), which was a small Jewish town, which Jesus used to visit and to preach to its inhabitants, who refused to listen (Mat. 11,21). Before ending this day we shall stop at the baptismal site at Yardenit by the River Jordan. Member of the Cross Church family will have the opportunity to be baptized. Dinner and overnight.
This morning we will drive up to the Golan Heights passing by Katzerin “the town of the Golan” which was established in 1974 and continue on to Mt. Bental from where there is an observation point over the whole region and onto the ghost town of Kuneitra. Next we stop at the Banias, the location of Caesarea Philippi where the Apostle Peter made his great confession of faith in Jesus as the Christ, before continuing to Tel Dan, which was the north most town in biblical Israel (hence the saying “from Dan to Beersheba”). Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
This morning we drive southwards through the Jordan Valley and along the slopes of the Gilboa Mountains, on the slopes of which, Saul, first king of Israel, and his son Jonathan, were killed in a battle with the Philistines about 1010 B.C. and arrive at the Spring of Ein Harod. At the waters of Ein Harod, Gideon collected his people to fight the Midianites, about 1050 B.C. as described in the book of Judges (Judges 7,7). Next we visit the excavations of the ancient Israelite city of Beit She’an. In New Testament times it became one of the 10 cities of the Decapolis. After the visit to this extensive site, we continue and drive along the Jordan Valley to our hotel by the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on the face of the Earth. Check into the Leonardo Plaza Hotel. You might choose to enjoy a float in the mineral rich waters of the Dead Sea or the SPA facilities in the hotel before dinner. Dinner and overnight.
This morning we check out of the hotel and start the days tour with a visit to the Mountain fortress of Masada, the site of the last Jewish resistance against the Romans in 73 AD. Ascent and descend by cable car. This is followed by a visit to Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were written over 2000 years ago. After Qumran, we start our ascent towards Jerusalem, the Capital of Israel and the center of the Biblical World. Before we check in to our hotel, we will stop at a panoramic view point for a magnificent view over Jerusalem – old & new. Dinner and overnight at the HOTEL PRIMA KINGS (or similar quality hotel) Jerusalem.
After an earlybreakfast we will start the day with a visit to the Temple Mount, a holy site within the Old City for Jewish, Christian and Muslim people. All visitors are able to tour the compound and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, with the exception of the Dome of the Rock. From here we will walk to the Western (Wailing) Wall the most holy shrine for the Jewish people. We then walk via Robinson’s Arch to the Garden of Ophel where archaeological excavations have revealed many remains of the Herodian period which include the steps known as the Hulda Steps leading up to the Temple Court. Then visit the excavations at the City of David In the afternoon we shall visit Mt. Zion for a visit to the Upper Room, The Tomb of King David and the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
We begin this day after breakfast, driving to the top of the Mount of Olives, for a majestic view over all of ancient and modern Jerusalem, the center of the biblical world. We walk down the “Palm Sunday Road”, via the Chapel of Dominus Flevit where Jesus wept over Jerusalem to the Garden of Gethsemane where he prayed on the night of his betrayal (Lk. 22:40-46). We now enter within the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, walking from the Pools of Bethesda and along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Our next visit will be to the Garden Tomb and Gordon’s Golgotha. Returning to our hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
We start this day with a visit to the Israel Museum where we shall see the Model of Ancient Jerusalem which gives an excellent view of Jerusalem of Jesus’ days and the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. We shall continue with a visit to the Yad Vashem – The World Holocaust Remembrance Center for the victims of the Holocaust. Then we shall drive to the Valley of Ayalon, known in history as one of the major battlefields of the Near East. It was here that Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still whilst he battled against the Kings of the Amorites (Joshua 10:12). Then we drive on to Beit Shemesh and stop at the Valley of Elah where David defeated Goliath, the Philistine giant, in a single combat. Return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
Today is a free day in Jerusalem. Breakfast and dinner will be served at the hotel. The rest of the day is free for last minute shopping or other private activities. You may wish to visit the Mahane Yehuda open market or walk along the Old City streets and shops. Breakfast and dinner at the Hotel Prima Kings Jerusalem. Evening: special Farewell Meeting after dinner.
Departure back to the states – Early morning check out of the Hotel Prima Kings. We drive to Ben Gurion Airport for our homebound flight# _TBD_ departing at __TBD__ AM.
(If there is a required hotel change, the new hotel will be of comparable quality)
We understand there are unique questions that may not have been addressed. PLEASE make sure you have closely read the provided material and Q & A sections, then if you still have a question, we would love to help. Ask those questions here and we will do our best to answer you in a timely manner.
