Join the Christian & Mackintosh Life Group for an experience unlike any other as we take you behind the scenes to explore the lands of the Bible in a way that will change your life forever. Walk in the footsteps of Jesus as you explore the places where He and the disciples walked, and experience sites familiar to you from scripture, like Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Sea of Galilee, and more.
The heart of this journey is to empower you to become the disciple God is calling you to be. By better understanding the world of the Bible, you will better understand the words of the Bible, transforming your ability to study it, do what it teaches, and share it with others.
Our expeditions, led by an experienced team of expertly trained guides, offer the finest travel experiences, providing you the peace of mind that everything down to the smallest detail has been taken care of so you can immerse yourself in the journey, encounter God, and be empowered to better understand the words of the Bible by exploring its world.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
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See Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus, the Church of the Annunciation, and visit the nature reserve of Dan and Dan Spring, one of the three tributaries of the Jordan River.
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Explore the ancient town of Capernaum where Jesus made his home around the lake and the ruins of the 4th-century synagogue.
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Visit Masada, the desert palace-fortress built by Herod the Great and see Qumran where the world-famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.
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See Bethlehem, Jesus' birthplace, the Church of Nativity and enjoy Shephelah, an area of rolling hills between Israel’s hill country and the Mediterranean coast.
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Spend your final days in Jerusalem exploring the City of David, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Jaffa Gates, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the majesty of the Temple Mount and the Western Wall where Jesus actually walked.
PRICING INFORMATION
Occupancy | Per Person |
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Double Shared Room | $3,890 |
Single Private Room | $4,814 |
*All trip prices are per person based on double shared room occupancy or single private room occupancy, unless otherwise noted, and do not include airfare. All prices are quoted in U.S. dollars. Also, please note that, should the group drop below the minimum required number of participants, prices may be subject to change.
What's Included:
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BE Instructor Marc Turnage
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BE Private Trip Concierge
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Local English-speaking guide
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SMILE Assistance upon airport arrival and departure
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7 overnight hotel stays (see more info below)
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Daily Israeli style breakfast and dinner at hotels
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All entrance fees and activities as per itinerary
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All tips (hotel staff, guides, driver, etc)
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Deluxe air-conditioned bus and driver
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2 bottles of water on the bus per person, per day
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Individual headsets for each participant
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BE devotional and educational materials
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Farewell dinner at Sataya on February 18th
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Late checkout at midnight on departure day
What's Not Included:
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Overseas Medical or Travel Insurance
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Airfare to/from Israel
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COVID-19 PCR/RAPID testing
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Meals not previously mentioned
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Expenses of a personal nature
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Anything not previously mentioned
TRIP INSTRUCTOR
Marc holds an MA in Ancient Judaism and the Origins of Christianity from Jerusalem University College. He is currently finishing his PhD in the Land of Israel Studies Department at Bar Ilan University located in Ramat Gan, Israel, under the supervision of Professor Esther Eshel. Marc has taught graduate and undergraduate students at several universities in the United States and abroad. Marc moved to Israel to study because he felt that the issues of spatial, historical, cultural, and spiritual settings played a vital role in how we read the Bible. While studying in Israel, he fell in love with the lands of the Bible. He has been guiding groups through Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy for over twenty years. Marc is a highly sought-after guide and teacher and routinely trains and lectures local tour guides about guiding Christian groups. He is passionate about leading biblical tours that deliver the very finest experience and helping people understand how to read the Bible. Marc has published widely for both academic and popular audiences. His most recent book, Windows Into the Bible, was named by Outreach Magazine one of its top 100 Christian living resources. Marc is a widely sought-after speaker, and a gifted teacher. He resides in Springfield, MO with his family.
Marc Turnage
Founder of Biblical Expeditions
TRIP ITINERARY
Day 1: June 21st, 2025
Depart USA. Get ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.
Day 2: June 22nd, 2025
Upon arrival to Ben Gurion Airport our representative will meet you in the arrival hall to assist you with your luggage. You will meet your guide and travel by bus to your hotel, the Vert Lagoon Netanya along the Mediterranean coast, where you will enjoy your first Israeli-style dinner and stay overnight.
Day 3: June 23rd, 2025
Our morning will begin at the port-city of Caesarea built by Herod the Great (MaF. 2). This was the second largest harbor in the Roman Empire during the first century. At Caesarea Peter visited the gentile centurion Cornelius (Acts 10) and he and his household became the first gentile followers of Jesus. The Apostle Paul remained under house arrest in Caesarea for two and a half years. Here he stood before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa II (Acts 23-25). From the harbor of Caesarea, Paul sailed to Rome leaving Israel for the last time. While at the site we will visit the ancient theater with its magnificent view overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. We will see Herod the Great’s palace that served as the residence of the Roman officials in the land like Pontius Pilate. We will remember Pilate’s governorship of Judaea by looking at a replica of a stone inscription mentioning Pilate dedicating a temple to the Roman Emperor Tiberius. Our visit will take us through the ancient stadium and harbor, and will end looking at the ancient aqueduct of Caesarea that supplied the city with its water. After departing Caesarea, we will travel to Mount Carmel where Elijah challenged the prophets of Ba’al (1 Kings 18). We will then journey through the Valley of Jezreel. Our day will conclude at Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus. We will visit the Church of the Annunciation, built over the traditional place where the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:26-37). The church is built on top of the ancient village of Nazareth, and we will visit a small museum that shows some of the finds and homes from the village. We will end our visit in Nazareth with an overlook of the Jezreel Valley from Mount Precipice. From this vantage point, we will see the settings for a number of biblical stories. We will conclude our day with dinner and our first overnight stay at the Ramot Resort Hotel on the Sea of Galilee.
Day 4: June 24th, 2025
Our journey today focuses on the ministry of Jesus around the Sea of Galilee. Our morning begins at Yardenit, which provides an opportunity for people to be baptized in the Jordan River. Next we travel to Almagor, which overlooks the Beitsaida Valley where the Jordan River flows into the Sea of Galilee, and where Jesus fed the 5,000 (Luke 9:10-17). Next, we journey to Chorazin, one of the three cities cursed by Jesus (MaF. 11:21; Luke 10:13). At this site we see the ancient homes and Jewish ritual immersion pools, as well as the magnificent basalt synagogue from the fifth century AD. Inside the synagogue is a replica of a Seat of Moses (MaF. 23:2). We travel next to the ancient town of Capernaum where Jesus made his home around the lake (MaF. 4:13). Here is where he healed the centurion’s servant (MaF. 8:5). During our visit we will see the modern church built over an ancient church which was built over a first century home, identified as the home of Peter. The magnificent limestone synagogue of the fourth century AD has been partly reconstructed and looms over the site. From Capernaum we travel to one of the most exciting and important ongoing archaeological excavations in Israel, Magdala. Here, we will visit one of the few excavated, first century synagogues in the land of Israel. Its date coincides with the time of Jesus' ministry in the area. We will also see wealthy homes from the village, as well as the first century harbor. We then journey to the small museum at Kibbutz Ginnosar that houses an ancient boat discovered in the 1980s in the Sea of Galilee. This boat dates to the first century and was a boat used by fisherman on the lake. Our day concludes with an evening boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. The ancient fishermen fished the lake at night. Riding on the waters of the lake in the evening offers a unique opportunity to connect with Jesus and his disciples on the lake. Afterward we will retire for dinner and our final overnight stay at the Ramon Resort Hotel on the Sea of Galilee.
Day 5: June 25th, 2025
Today we drive from the Sea of Galilee, the lowest fresh-water lake in the world, through the Jordan River Valley, to the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. Our first stop is Masada, the desert palace-fortress built by Herod the Great. During the First Jewish Revolt (AD 66-73) Jewish rebels lived on Masada until they were surrounded by the Tenth Roman Legion. According to the first century Jewish historian Josephus, the rebels chose to commit suicide instead of enduring slavery and death at the hands of the Romans. While visiting the site we will see the palaces of Herod the Great, his bath houses and store-rooms. We will also see buildings converted by the Jewish rebels for their use, like the synagogue. Evidence of the Roman siege can be seen in the siege ramp and Roman camps that surround Masada. We travel next to the site of Qumran. In caves around the site, the world-famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Qumran was the settlement of the community that produced many of the Dead Sea Scrolls. After visiting Qumran, participants have the unique experience of floating in the Dead Sea. Our day ends with an overlook of the Wadi Qilt, the ancient road between Jerusalem and Jericho. This was the setting for Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). On Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem he used this road as he came from Jericho to Jerusalem (Luke 19:1-11). We will conclude with dinner and our first overnight stay at the Ramada Jerusalem Hotel.
Day 6: June 26th, 2025
Our morning in Jerusalem begins with a visit to the Israel Museum. Here we will see a scale-model of Jerusalem on the eve of its destruction in AD 70. We will visit the Shrine of the Book, which houses some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, including some of the oldest copies of the Old Testament. Our tour of the museum concludes with a walkthrough the archeological wing to visit the two galleries dedicated to Israel in the Old and New Testament periods. We will see original artifacts found in sites we visited, as well as other artifacts that make the Bible come alive. Next, we journey to the City of David, the oldest part of Jerusalem, the city David conquered and made his capital. From David’s capital we travel to his hometown, Bethlehem. In Bethlehem we remember the birth of Jesus and visit the Church of Nativity, the oldest church in the Holy Land, built over the traditional site of Jesus’ birth. Our day will conclude with dinner and our second overnight stay at the Ramada Jerusalem Hotel.
Day 7: June 27th, 2025
Today our journey takes us through the Shephelah (Deut. 1:7), an area of rolling hills between Israel’s hill country and the Mediterranean coast. Our first stop is the ancient city of Lachish (2 Kings 18:14; Isa. 36:2; Jer. 34:7) which was the second most important city of the Kingdom of Judah. During the reign of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:14; Isa. 36:2) the king of Assyria laid siege to Lachish and destroyed the city. We will visit the recently restored gate of the city. Travelling north through the Shephelah we enter the Elah Valley, the site of the famous confrontation between David and Goliath (1 Sam. 17). Here we will open the biblical story and see the landscape recorded in the Bible come alive before our eyes. Our final stop of the day is at Nebi Samwil. Incorrectly identified as the tomb of the prophet Samuel, from this hill we will see the northern neighborhoods of Jerusalem. We will also look over the tribal territory of Benjamin where two-thirds of the Old Testament took place. Our vantage point offers us a view of the modern Arab village of el-Jib, biblical Gibeon (Josh. 10). While defending Gibeon against five Amorite kings, Joshua prayed for the sun to stand still. Our day will conclude with dinner and our final overnight stay at the Ramada Jerusalem Hotel.
Day 8: June 28th, 2025
Our morning begins with a beautiful view of the city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. We walk down the mountain following the modern path used by pilgrims on Palm Sunday visiting the church of Dominus Flevit, which remembers Jesus’ weeping over the city as he rode into it and the traditional location of the Garden of Gethsemane. We cross the Kidron Valley into the Old City and visit St. Anne’s Church built on top of the Pools of Bethesda (John 5) where Jesus healed the lame man. We will take the opportunity to sing in the beautiful Crusader church on the site. Our journey continues at Jaffa Gate where in the first century Herod’s palace stood. Here the story of Jesus began (MaF. 2) with the visit of the wisemen to Herod, and here his story ended because at Herod’s palace Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate (Mark 15:16). From Jaffa Gate we walk into the Jewish Quarter and visit the Herodian Quarter, a series of priestly homes from the first century. We then walk along the Byzantine Cardo and see the walls of Jerusalem from the eighth century BC and the first century BC. Passing the Gennath Gate we follow the historic route Jesus traveled from Pilate to his place of execution at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Our day ends along the southern wall of the Temple Mount. On the first century street we see the shops and markets around the Temple, a possible location for the money changers (Luke 19:45-48). We then proceed to the southern entrances of the Temple where we walk the steps ancient pilgrims took to ascend to the Temple. Our program ends stopping at the Western Wall, the most sacred site for Jews. After a farewell dinner at Satya, we depart Jerusalem for Ben Gurion Airport where you will return to your home country refreshed, challenged, and renewed in your faith.
Day 9: June 29th, 2025
Return to the USA.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Located high on the bluffs of Netanya’s southern shoreline, overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean Sea, Vert Lagoon Netanya is the ultimate blend of elegance, luxury and lifestyle. Vert Lagoon’s beautifully appointed guest rooms feature private sea view balconies, luxurious guest bathrooms, blackout curtains, free WiFi access, flatscreen TVs and other thoughtful touches designed to make you more comfortable during your stay. Onsite amenities include a beautiful infinity pool, an elaborate spa complex with a sauna, steam room and genuine Turkish bath, a state of the art fitness center, amazing restaurants, and so much more.
At the foot of the Golan with a wonderful view of the Sea of Galilee, the Ramot Resort Hotel offers a variety of luxurious and well-equipped guest rooms, surrounded by extensive meadows and breathtaking views. Some of the amenities offered include a heated outdoor swimming pool, spa, a variety of restaurants, activities and hiking trails, a synagogue, a fitness center, and free WiFi.
Located in the Western entrance to Jerusalem, the Ramada Jerusalem Hotel combines elegant hospitality with fine accommodation, featuring spacious lobbies, 360 deluxe guest rooms, restaurants, an outdoor pool surrounded by sundecks and lawn, an indoor heated pool, state of the art fitness center with daily fitness classes and access to personal training services, a tennis court, sauna, free WiFi and so much more.
THE FINE PRINT
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A deposit of $500 per person is due immediately upon booking. The balance is due 100 days before departure.
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Cancellations of confirmed bookings within 7 days of registration will receive a full refund minus a $175 (per person) administrative fee. Cancellations after 7 days of registration but more than 100 days before departure will be subject to loss of their $500 deposit. 50-99 days prior to departure will be subject to loss of 50% of trip price. 49 or fewer days prior to departure will be subject to loss of 100% of trip price.
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Land costs are quoted as a package and credits are not given for services not used.
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Trip pricing does not include airfare to/from the trips starting point unless otherwise noted in the trip itinerary/website.
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If booking group airfare the group must maintain a minimum of 10 flying passengers.
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Availability cannot be guaranteed until registration is complete. We exercise best efforts to book hotels per itinerary, however in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 100 days of tour date, we may be forced to offer substitutes.
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Please be aware that living standards and cultural norms at locations may differ from those in the USA.
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Travel Insurance is not required but highly recommended. Biblical Expeditions does not sell travel Insurance nor is the travel insurance offered by our hosting platform, WeTravel, connected to us in anyway.
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Overseas medical coverage is required, and we must have a copy of your policy prior to departure.
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Please see our full Terms & Conditions for more details.