DAY 2  

We begin the day watching birds in a coastal fishpond. We may also hope to see wild tulips. We then drive along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea Maritima (Acts 10) to view the Herodian, Byzantine and Crusader city. We drive past Megiddo, through the Jezreel Plain to Nazareth, visiting part of the ancient village. We end the day at the Arbel cliff, which changes its dress of flowers many times in the season, while offering a panorama of the Lake of Galilee and the main sites of Jesus' ministry. We then drive to the lake shore for three nights at the holiday village of Kibbutz Ma'agan.

DAY 3  

We drive to the Christian holy places: Capernaum (Mt 4:13), the city of Jesus; Tabgha (Mt. 15:32 and Jn. 21) with the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, which has beautiful Byzantine bird mosaics; an easy ascent through carpets of flowers takes us to the Mt. of Beatitudes (Mt 5-7). We then drive to the Gamla Nature Reserve to view a battleground in the Jewish revolt against Rome (67 AD), while Griffon Vultures sail only a few feet above our heads. On the way back to Ma'agan we stop on the Golan Heights for a glorious panorama of the Sea of Galilee and the Galilean mountains beyond.  

DAY 4    

We drive north to the Hula Nature Reserve to walk through its wide stretches of papyrus and meet pelicans, marbled teal and a wide spectrum of other birds. We shall almost certainly be able to approach nutria, see water buffalo and perhaps wild boars, as well as catfish in the lake. Further north at Caesarea Philippi (Banias) (Mt. 16:13), we follow one of the Jordan springs through colorful meadows filled with cyclamen and many other flowers. Time permitting, we may also visit the Tell Dan Nature Reserve to walk through this natural paradise and to visit the high place built when the Israelite kingdom split (1 Kgs. 12).  On the way back to Ma'agan we stop to see the last of the winter's concentration of cranes in the northern Hula Valley.

DAY 6    

Returning to the Mt. of Olives, we view the Old City in the morning light. We walk down the traditional Palm Sunday Road (Mt. 21:7-9) to Gethsemane. Crossing the Kidron Valley, we enter the Old City through the Lions' (Stephen's) Gate. We visit the Pools of Bethesda (Jn. 5:2) and the Early Gothic St. Anne's Church, whose astounding acoustics bid us raise our voices in song. Next, we walk the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Mt. 27:33 and 57). In the afternoon we drive to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity (Lk.2) and the nearby Shepherds Fields. In the evening (having made arrangements two weeks in advance) we may visit with families.    

DAY 7    

Today we come to the Western Wall (once called the "Wailing Wall") and ascend the Temple Mount (1 Kings 6; Mt. 21:12-16)  to visit the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third most important holy site. On Mt. Zion we visit the Dormition Abbey and the Room of the Last Supper (Mt. 26:20-29). The rest of the day is free. You may wish to visit the Israel Museum (entrance fee), the Holocaust Memorial Yad va Shem, or stroll at leisure through the bazaars of the Old City.

DAY 8    

Today we drive through the Great Rift Valley as far as the Gulf of Eilat. On the way we visit the ancient desert monastery of Qumran, presumed source of the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the oasis of Nahal David at Ein Gedi we walk through sub-tropical vegetation up to a waterfall and observe remarkable avifauna as well as ibex and hyrax (the coneys of Proverbs 30:26 and Psalm 104:18). (The resident leopard is never seen during visiting hours.) Next we visit the Herodian stronghold Masada, site of the rebels' last stand against Rome nearly 2000 years ago. We then drive to En Boqeq to float on the Dead Sea 1,300 feet (!) below sea-level. We continue south through the Arava to Eilat. Passing the Hai Bar acclimatization park, we may get a glimpse of the animals. We stay three nights at an Eilat hotel.