The Jesus Trek

• Drive over the Via Maris, “the Way of the Sea” (Matthew 4:15)
• Visit historic Caesarea Maritima, the Roman Capital of Judea, where Peter followed God’s leading to visit Cornelius (Acts 10) and where he proclaimed the gospel to the Romans (Acts 24-26)
• “So King Ahab sent all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to unto the people.” (1 Kings 18:20-21) Visit Mount Carmel, where the Prophet Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal. A view over the valley of Jizreel.
• Visit to Nazareth Village, a hands-on experience that transports guests to life on a Jewish village in the Galilee two thousand years ago.
• Check-In
• Dinner and overnight in Nazareth

Jesus Trek Day 1 – 18 KM

(Nazareth to Beit Keshet Forest)

• Our jumping-off point is Mount Precipice, also known as Mount of Precipitation or Mount of the Leap of the Lord. This mountain was identified as the place where irate townspeople attempted to throw Jesus off the cliff, “but He walked right through the crowd and went on his way.” (Luke 4:29-30). The mountain provides a breathtaking panoramic vantage point of Nazareth, the home of Joseph and Mary; here the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her of her future pregnancy and Son (Luke 1:26-27); Nazareth is as well the childhood home of Jesus. The Jezreel Valley appears immediately below: a strikingly flat landscape with immense natural beauty and historic importance. It is named for an ancient city which stood here and means “God sows” perhaps alluding to the fertile land in the valley. The Bible recounts several battles that took place here, the most well-known being the Battle of Meggido. The Bible names the valley as the location where the “final battle” or Armageddon will take place. The Samaritan mountains appears further south, and the Carmel Ridge to the west. Mount Carmel is the place where the Prophet Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal. Mount Carmel has always been a symbol of beauty, and whilst it is not especially high, with a peak of just 550m above sea level, the change in scenery from the flat Coastal Plain makes it a striking landform (it can be seen from Mount Precipice). Today’s hike ends at the area of Mount Tabor – the mountains’ beauty inspired the Psalmist to exclaim enthusiastically: “You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name” (Psalms 89:12. Tabor is identified as the place of the “Transfiguration” of Jesus, where “after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone.” (Mark 9:2-9). Elijah and Moses appeared before them, who were talking with Jesus.
• Biblical style-open fire dinner and overnight at the Beit Keshet Outdoor Camping

Jesus Trek Day 2 – 16 KM

(Beit Keshet Forest to Kibbutz Lavi)

• Today’s section of the trail offers a lot of natural beauty. In spring, the hillsides of Galilee are a riot of color as wildflowers (the “lilies” of the field referred to in Matthew 6:28; Luke 12:27) burst into bloom: irises, anemones, rockrose, larkspur, thorny broom, narcissus and wild mustard (referred to by Jesus as a metaphor for faith: Matthew 13:31). And of course, the herald of spring, the wild almonds, are in blossom. (Curiously, the crocus [possibly the “rose of Sharon” mentioned in Song of Songs 2:1], which in most of the world is the first flower of spring, here blooms in November, after the first rains.) Fruit trees include the carob with its edible seed pods (Luke 15:16); the olive; and the fig (Mark 13:28). The trail passes the Mount Keshet Oak Tree Preserve. Covering some 6,000 acres, it protects one of the remaining stands of Mt. Tabor oak, a species that once covered vast areas of the north and coastal plain. The route crosses as well an ancient Roman road which might have been used by Jesus. During His lifetime it was a major thoroughfare running east to west.
• Dinner and overnight at a hotel in the Galilee

Jesus Trek Day 3 – 16 KM

(Kibbutz Lavi via the Valley of the Doves to Migdal)

• Today’s section of the trail passes expanses of cultivated crops and to wheat fields associated with the New Testament stories of the grain picked by Jesus and his disciples on the Sabbath (Mark 23:2). On the plateau to the northeast is the extinct volcano “Horns of Hattin”, where the Muslim forces of Salah-a-Din (Saladin) defeated the Crusader armies in 1187. Along the way, you’ll come across astounding views in nearly every direction: Mount Arbel with its dramatic cliffs to the east, the valley of Nahal Arbel below – extending eastward to the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The trail winds down steeply from the Horns of Hattin following the Nahal N’merim streambed, passing ancient olive groves, until it joins Nahal Arbel, which flows east towards the Sea of Galilee. The trail then follows the access road that leads toward the fields of the town of Migdal. A short side-trip leads to the site of ancient Migdal – the “Magdala” of the New Testament, and by tradition the home of Mary Magdalene. In 2009, archaeologists uncovered a unique first-century synagogue there.
• Dinner and overnight at a hotel in the Galilee.

Jesus Trek Day 4 – 15 KM
(From Migdal via Genesaret and Tabgha to Capernaum)

• A side trip to the “Jesus Boat” Museum at Kibbutz Ginosar is recommended. The first-century fishing craft exhibited here was discovered in the lakebed in 1986. The main trail then heads north eventually following the turn-off into the Tabgha Valley and the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes with its impressive ancient mosaics. This is the place where Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection. A path leads up through open fields to the Mount of the Beatitudes, an enchanting place that invites feelings of quiet and contemplation in the spirit of the great Sermon on the Mount: “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: Blessed are the poor in spirit…’” (Matthew 5-7). The trail then continues north along a paved promenade overlooking the shore. Many believe this to be the area where Jesus taught a crowd on the beach from aboard a boat (Luke 5:3) – “The Bay of Parables”. The trail leads to our final destination: Capernaum, Jesus’ “own city” according to the Gospel account (Matthew 9:1). This rich historical site, often mentioned in the New Testament and considered the “Jerusalem of the Galilee,” is the peak of the Jesus Trek experience. In Capernaum Jesus frequented the synagogue (John 6), went into people’s homes (Matthew 8:14-15), received supplicants from afar (Mark 2:1), and performed many of His miracles in that very vicinity. The land portion of the Jesus Trek ends here, but you we will continue by going out on the Sea of Galilee in a boat. The Sea of Galilee is Israel’s largest fresh water lake and also the site of many Biblical events. It was here that Jesus walked on water and calmed the storm. And on the shores of the Sea, He called his disciples unto Him.
• Dinner and overnight at a hotel in the Galilee.

• Drive through the Jordan Valley
• “Then Jesus came from Galilee down to the Jordan to be baptized” (Matthew 3:13). Visit to Qasr el Yahud/Betharaba, the traditional site where John the Baptist baptized and where Joshua entered the Promised Land with the Jewish people
• Swim and float in the Dead Sea, bathing yourself in the mineral rich water and mud
• Check-in
• Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem

• “And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city” (Ezekiel 11:23). Drive to the tip of the Mount of Olives, known as the site from where Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection. Panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem from Mount of Olives and descend the “Palm Sunday Road” to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed on the night of His betrayal
• Visit the scenes of Jesus’ prayer to His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane
• Walk the Via Dolorosa, the way that Jesus went before he was crucified, ending in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site where the crucifixion of Jesus on Golgotha is marked.
• Walk through the atmospheric Jewish Quarter and see the Western Wall, where people gather to pray.
• Visit the Garden Tomb (Gordon’s Calvary). This ancient cemetery is a moving site in which to recall the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. Spend time in these peaceful garden surroundings in prayer, song and fellowship.
• Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem

• Individual transfers to the airport
• Departures