Groeptoer Operateurs ~ Group Tour Operators

	ISRAEL in 2012! with John & Catrien Haupt Departure date: Saturday – February 18th, 2012
ITINERARY (B)-Breakfast   (L)-Lunch  (D)-Dinner  (*)-Meal on board of the aircraft

Day 1: Saturday, 18th February JOHANNESBURG - TEL AVIV
Meet at the EL AL check-in counter in the International Departures Hall of Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo Airport at 18:00 and get ready for a 22:05 take off for Tel Aviv with flight LY52. (B*) (D).

Day 2: Sunday, 19th February
TEL AVIV - CAESAREA - MOUNT CARMEL - HAIFA
Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel at 07:20. As soon as we exit, we will leave for Caesaria in our luxury bus. After viewing its magnificent sites we will head for Mount Carmel where Elijah called down fire from Heaven. Thereafter, we will travel on to Haifa where we will have some leisure time and overnight. (B) (D).

Day 3: Monday, 20th February
HAIFA - MEGIDDO - MOUNT TABOR - NAZARETH - CANA - TIBERIAS
Leave Haifa after breakfast and head for Megiddo and walk through its tunnel. Then we will proceed to Mount Tabor where Jesus was transfigured. Next we will visit the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, followed by Cana where we will stop briefly at the little church which supposedly marks the spot where Jesus turned water into wine. Overnight in Tiberias. (B) (D).

Day 4: Tuesday, 21st February

REGION OF THE GALILEE
Enjoy a boat trip across the Sea of Galilee from Tiberias to Capernaum where Peter lived. Here we will see the ruins of a synagogue dating back to the Byzantine period before heading for Tabgha and the Museum of the Ancient Boat. Sample St Peter’s fish at a waterside restaurant and then go on to the Mount of Beatitudes and the place where Jesus multiplied the fish and loaves. En route we will pass the ruins of Korazin, the city Jesus cursed. Stop at Yardenit baptismal site before returning to our hotel. After dinner, you will be free to enjoy the night life of Tiberias (especially its marina) and we will overnight there one last time. (B) (L) (D).

Day 5: Wednesday, 22rd February

YARDENIT - BETH SHEAN - JERICHO - QUMRAN - DEAD SEA
We will leave Tiberias after breakfast to view the ruins of Beth Shean. Thereafter, we will proceed to Jericho and will take the cable car up to the Mount of Temptation with its striking monastery. Our next stop will be Qumran where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in 1947. Finally, we will head for the Dead Sea where we will swim and overnight. (B) (D).

Day 6: Thursday, 23th February

MASADA - BETHANY - JERUSALEM
Before it gets too hot, we will take the cable car (or the snake path, for those who are fit) to the top of Masada and learn about its tragic history. We will then wind our way through the Judean Wilderness, stop briefly at the Tomb of Lazarus in Bethany, and then head for the Western (wailing) Wall in Jerusalem where we will undertake a tour of the tunnel that runs along it. After dinner, we will find a place where Israeli dancing takes place. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B) (D).

Day 7: Friday, 24th February

JERUSALEM
Visit the Mount of Olives and follow the route Jesus took when making His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We will then spend a little time in the Garden of Gethsemane before moving on to the Church of all Nations and the home of Caiaphas the High Priest, where Peter denied the Lord. Thereafter, we will visit David’s Tomb and the Upper Room. After lunch in a street cafe, we will visit the Temple Mount Institute and round off the day by walking through Hezekiah’s tunnel to the Pool of Siloam. Overnight in Jerusalem again. (B) (D).

Day 8: Saturday, 25th February

BETHLEHEM - JERUSALEM
Travel by bus to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ and visit the Church of Nativity as well as Rachel’s Tomb. Return to Jerusalem and while in the Old City, we will walk to the Pool of Bethesda, St. Annes church and, if time allows, perhaps even to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre via the Via Delorosa. We will finish the
day by walking through the Damascus Gate to the Garden Tomb where we will share communion together.
After dinner, we will visit a messianic congregation. Overnight one last time in Jerusalem. (B) (D).

Day 9: Sunday, 26th February

JERUSALEM - JAFFA - TEL AVIV
Visit the Knesset before going to the Israeli Museum and the Shrine of the Book. We will then head for Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. Thereafter, we will head for the coast where we will enjoy a guided tour through Jaffa by an ex-South African friend of ours. The rest of the afternoon is set aside for leisure or shopping. We will enjoy a farewell dinner together in Tel Aviv before heading for Ben Gurion airport at about 18:30 to catch our flight with El Al flight LY51 to Johannesburg AT 22:50. (B) (D).

Day 10: Monday, 27th Ferbruary

TEL AVIV - JOHANNESBURG
We touch down at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International airport at 08:00. (B*)

Tour Price: R22 873 per person. Rates are calculated at R8,00 = US$ 1,00 Airfare: R8 473 /

                 Land arrangements: R14 400 / US$1 800 Rates based on a minimum of 16 passengers travelling together

For more information,

contact John

 Tel: 082 825 9992 or 039 317 3052  

Fax: 039 312 0895 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.