What to know before registering?
PASSPORTS
Passports must be valid with an expiration date of at least six months beyond the return home date of the tour. If you do not have a valid passport or need to renew your passport, enter “RENEWING” or “APPLIED FOR” when completing registration.
CANCELLATION POLICY
The $350 per person deposit is nonrefundable. Refunds for unused accommodations and services will be limited to the amount received from and/or credited by all carriers, sightseeing operators, and hotels. All funds, including the deposit, are non-transferable.
AIR
The Standard Tour includes round-trip, economy-class airfare from the international departure city listed in the itinerary. Group airfares are based on contracted rates and are highly restrictive. Seats will be assigned by the airline at check-in, and specific seat requests cannot be guaranteed. Upgrades such as Comfort, Premium, Business, or First-Class are not available with the standard tour. Participants who wish to upgrade or purchase a specific seat should choose the LAND ONLY option when registering. Participants are responsible for providing frequent flyer numbers, TSA PreCheck, and Global Entry information upon check-in. Group fares do not permit schedule deviations. Participants who wish to deviate from the group schedule should choose the LAND ONLY option.
LAND ONLY
Participants who wish to arrange their own air should choose the LAND ONLY option. $1200 will be deducted from the standard tour price when selecting this option. Participants arranging their own air should notify Mack Ministries of their travel schedule prior to the second payment date listed on the payment schedule.
GROUND / TRANSFERS
The group will be met by a Tour Group representative and transferred to the hotel/airport. Land Only participants are responsible for scheduling ground transfers.
HOTELS
Hotel prices are based on two people per room with a private bath and shower.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A limited number of single rooms are available at additional supplement prices. Mack Ministries and/or the group leader will make every attempt to pair single participants requesting a roommate. However, the single supplement fee will be charged for each person occupying a single room, whether by choice or circumstances.
MEALS
Breakfast and dinner are provided daily. Lunch is provided on days as noted in the itinerary.
SIGHTSEEING
Entrance fees to all places listed in the itinerary are included, as well as an expert English-speaking guide.
LUGGAGE
Space is limited on the tour buses. Participants are allowed one suitcase weighing 50 lbs. or less and will be transported in storage under the bus. Participants are allowed one backpack/daypack or personal bag to carry on the bus during the tour. These requirements will meet most airline carrier restrictions. See the carrier website for airline specific baggage restrictions. Medical devices are not included in these restrictions.
TIPS, SERVICE CHARGES, AND TAXES
Tips, service charges, and taxes ARE INCLUDED in the selling price. While we will be generous in the tips of our tour guide and bus driver, if you would like to make an additional contribution, please give that to your tour guide to handle appropriately.
NOT INCLUDED
Excess baggage fees, passport fees, visa fees, food or drink items not listed on the regular table menu for included meals, and items of a personal nature such as room service, laundry, etc. Any service not indicated in the itinerary and/or the above listed of included features.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
This tour requires a substantial amount of walking. Many of the sites are not accessible by wheelchair, and the uneven terrain is not feasible for rollators. Mack Ministries reserves the right to refuse individuals who may require special attention beyond what the tour guide and tour host can provide.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Travel Insurance is not included in the purchase price. Many of our past travelers have used AAA or Travelex for travel insurance. Please do your own homework to determine what might be best for you.
Air Travel to Israel May 14-24, 2024
- Most passengers will depart from Pittsburgh; some passengers will depart from Cleveland
The first passengers that sign up will be given preference to fly out of Pittsburgh unless they indicate a preference to go out of Cleveland. We have 27 seats available on the Pittsburgh flight.
- Passengers will be notified of their travel confirmation and departure city before 2/28/24
PITTSBURGH Departure
DL5597
5/14/24
PIT
11:45 AM
Boston
1:32 PM
DL242
5/14/24
Boston
4:30 PM
Tel Aviv
9:55 AM 5/15/24
DL243
5/24/24
Tel Aviv
12:10 PM
Boston
4:50 PM
DL5601
5/24/24
Boston
8:25 PM
PIT
10:23 PM
CLEVELAND Departure
DL3855
5/14/24
CLE
6:00 PM
JFK
7:49 PM
DL234
5/14/24
JFK
11:45 PM
Tel Aviv
5:40 PM 5/15/24
DL235
5/24/24
Tel Aviv
11:55 PM
JFK
5:00 AM 5/25/24
DL5601
5/24/24
JFK
8:15 AM
CLE
10:14 AM 5/25/24
Tentative Itinerary
Modest clothing for holy sites. Program and timings can change according to length of time at border, opening hours, availability, political situation and weather. Modest clothing means that knees & shoulders are covered – men and women.
Wednesday 15 / 05
DAY 1
Arrival at 09:55 am. Meet & assist at Ben Gurion Airport.
Transfer to Hertzelia Hotel for dinner overnight.
Thursday 16 / 05
DAY 2
After breakfast, drive to Caesarea National Park, once a City Harbour built by King Herod the Great. Drive to Mt. Carmel and then to Megiddo – Armageddon where the Last Battle will take place and then to Nazareth to view Mary’s well and Church of the Annunciation. Afternoon drive via Kfar Cana to Tiberius Hotel for dinner & overnight.
Friday 17 / 05
DAY 3
After breakfast, start the morning with a boat ride on The Sea of Galilee. Visit the Mt. of the Beatitudes to see the church. Drive to Nahal Hermon & enter Banias Nature reserve. Continue to the Syrian border and enjoy a jeep tour. Steak dinner at “Marinado” Restaurant. Return to Tiberius Hotel for overnight.
Saturday 18 / 05
DAY 4
After breakfast, visit Kursi National Park & then to Chorazin, ancient village. Continue to Capernaum. Enjoy a St. Peter’s fish lunch. After noon travel via the Jordan Valley to the Baptism Site; Qasr Al- Yehud & to Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Travel to Jerusalem Hotel for dinner & overnight.
Sunday 19 / 05
DAY 5
After breakfast, enter the Old City of Jerusalem. Visit the City of David & the Hezekiah’s tunnels. Then make the southern steps of Ramparts walk. Drive to Bethlehem & see Shepherd’s Field & Church of the Nativity. Visit the Herodium before returning to Jerusalem Hotel for dinner & overnight.
Monday 20 / 05
DAY 6
After breakfast, enter the Western Walls Tunnels. Then to Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial
On to the Israel Museum to see the Model of the 2nd Temple and the Shrine of the Book home to the Dead Sea Scrolls. Drive to the open local market Machane Yehuda for a Chef-tasting tour (Dairy). Afternoon time of leisure.
Dinner & overnight at Jerusalem Hotel
Tuesday 21 / 05
DAY 7
After breakfast, drive through the powerful landscape of the Judean Desert, down to the Dead Sea. Continue to Mt. Masada the fortress that King Herod the Great, built. (Cable car included). Drive to Ein Gedi nature reserve for a hike before time for a swim – or float in the Dead Sea. Visit Jericho City & Mt. of Temptation (cable car is not included) and travel to Jerusalem Hotel for dinner & overnight.
Wednesday 22 / 05
DAY 8
After breakfast, start at the Mt. of Olives to enjoy the spectacular panoramic view over the Old City & Temple Mount. We walk down the Palm Sunday Road to the Church of the Gethsemane. Enter the old city & walk the Via Dolorosa, which Jesus walked bowed under the weight of the Cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Afternoon visit at the Garden Tomb. Return to hotel in Jerusalem for dinner & overnight.
Thursday 23 / 05
DAY 9
After breakfast, enjoy free time. Noontime travel to Tel Aviv. Tour around Old Jaffa, See the house of Simon the Tanner. Visit the Ottoman train station – and area around. Return to hotel in Jerusalem for dinner & overnight
Friday 24 / 05
DAY 10
After breakfast, check out of hotel & travel to Ben Gurion Airport for departure from Israel
This is a very tentative itinerary that will likely change somewhat.
I’m sharing so that you have an idea of the sites that we will see while in Israel.
Hotels
Hertzliya: Daniel Hotel or similar
Tiberius: Kinar Hotel or similar
Jerusalem: Ramada Hotel or similar
What other travelers have said about this trip
I am forever changed because of this trip. I’ll never read my Bible the same way. I watch the news with a different perspective. It’s like seeing the world through a brand new lens. And I cannot wait to go back!
LaDonna T.
A wonderful and amazing trip with sweet memories to last a lifetime
Rebecca G.
If you can go on this trip, GO ON THIS TRIP! It was incredibly enriching to my life. You will not regret it!
Amelia P.
Oh my goodness this was our first trip out of the country and what a wonderful sweet time it was. I will never forget this trip. Our tour guide was AWESOME! One of my favorite parts was at The Garden Tomb hearing all the many people from around the world singing in their different languages and really feeling the presence of Christ there and knowing that this is what one body for Christ is.
Also, there was PLENTY of yummy foods to eat, even for a picky eater like me! Oh my word, the desserts were DELICIOUS and beautiful to look at too."
Beth W.
Trip is cancelled due to war in the region.