School of Christian Studies affiliated with the Australian College of Theology

 

Bible Lands Tour to Jordan – Israel

(Australian College of Theology unit NT445/NT645 The Bible in Context for which FEE-HELP is available to cover the cost of travel and accommodation)

 

September 2012

Escorted by Bishop Paul & Mrs Anita Barnett

For information about Dr Paul Barnett click here

 

Draft Itinerary

Da y 1 :  Depart Sydney
Depart Sydney this evening on Emirates flight Amman via Dubai.

Day 2 :  Arrival Amman, proceed to Petra
Arrive into Amman this morning. Enjoy a brief orientation tour of Amman before proceeding to Petra.

Day 3 :  Petra
Enjoy a full day to explore “the rose – red city” of Petra which, from 300 BC was inhabited by Nabateans.  Take a horse ride through the dramatic “ciq” or canyon. See the Treasury, carved in the pink stone, and continue past the Roman theatre, the Corinthian Tomb and Palace Tomb to the Roman road. If time permits, climb up to the High Place or the Deir or Monastery.

Day 4 :  Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Arava border, Dead Sea
Drive to Wadi Rum, scene of Lawrence of Arabia’s triumph; meet some Bedouin and see the outstanding scenery.  Drive to the port of Aqaba on the Red Sea.  After lunch, we cross the border into Israel.  Drive up through the Negev desert to our hotel beside the Dead Sea for dinner and overnight.

Day 5:  Bethany, Jericho, Qumran, Dead Sea, Masada
Start the day with a swim at the hotel then visit to Masada the last stronghold of Jewish resistance to the Romans.  Continue to visit Ein Gedi with time to dip in the bitter waters of the Dead Sea.  Drive on to Qumran where the Essene enclave was and see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden.  Drive up through the Judean hills to Bethany, home of tha, y and Lazarus. See the wine-press.  Enjoy dinner and overnight in Jerusalem

Day 6:  Old City of Jerusalem
Enter the Old City. See the Pool of Bethesda where the angel ruffled the water, and St. Anne’s Church, traditional birthplace of Jesus’ mother. Visit the Convent of the Sisters of Zion, pass the Stations of the Cross to the Church of The Holy Sepulchre. Leave the Old City through the Bazaars. Drive to the Mount of Olives for a wonderful view of Jerusalem. See the Place of Ascension and the Pater Noster Church, and view the Palm Sunday road. At the foot of the hill see the Garden of Gethsemane with its ancient olive trees and the Church of All Nations.

Day 7 :  Jerusalem at Leisure
Enjoy a day at leisure to explore the Old City or relax and rest. Suggest voluntary visit to Garden Tomb and Christ Church, Jaffa Gate,

Day 8 :  New City of Jerusalem
Continue to the New City and, passing the Hebrew University and the Knesset, visit the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book and then to the 2nd Temple Model of Jerusalem.  Proceed to Yad Vashem to see the Museum of the Holocaust.  Return to our hotel for overnight.

Day 9: Mt Zion, Citadel, Bethlehem
Visit the Tomb of the Kings on Mount Zion visit the tomb of David, the Upper Room and the Church of the Dormition. Continue with visit to the Citadel, Jaffa gate and Museum at Entrance to Western Wall.  Drive south to the Nativity Church the birth place of Jesus Christ. Continue to the Shepherds’ Field and the Milk Grotto. Return to our hotel for overnight.

Day 10:  Nablus and Sebaste (West Bank)

Day 11:  City of David – Western Wall – Temple Mount – Jewish Quarter
Start the day with a visit to City of David Museum and Pool of Siloam – Enter the Dung Gate to visit the Western Wall, the Temple Area with the Al-Aksa mosque and the Dome of the Rock where Abraham was going to sacrifice his son. Enjoy time to visit the Jewish Quarter.  See the Cardo, the Burnt House and the Herodian Mansion. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 12:  Caesarea, Haifa, Muhraka, Megiddo, Tiberias.
Drive to Caesarea, once the capital of the Roman province, and see the theatre, Herod’s Palace and the harbour from which St. Paul was taken to Rome.  Continue to Haifa and from Mount Carmel have a wonderful view of the area.  Proceed to Mukhraka, the site of Elijah’s contest with the prophets of Baal.  Continue to Megiddo overlooking the Jezreel Valley and considered the Armageddon of the New Testament.   Drive to Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

Day 13:  Sepphoris, Cana, Nazareth, Bet Shean
Start with a visit to Sepphoris, home town of Anne, mother of Mary.  Visit Cana, scene of the first miracle and visit the Church of the Wedding. Then go to Nazareth and see the oldest Church of the Annunciation with Mary’s Well. Proceed to Bet Shean, biblical Scythopolis to visit the Roman theatre, paved road and the excavations. Return to Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

Day 14:  Tiberias at leisure
Free Day at leisure to relax and rest

Day 15:  Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Tabgha, Mt Beatitudes, Jordan River
Visit the 1st century “Jesus Boat” found at Kibbutz Nof Ginosar.  Take the boat from Tiberias to Capernaum; there you will see an ancient synagogue and St. Peter’s house which was later converted into a church. Also by the shore you will visit Tabgha site of the miracle of the Loaves and Fishes.  Continue to the Mount of Beatitudes where the Sermon on the Mount is remembered.  End the day with a splendid view of the Sea of Galilee from the Golan Heights beside Yarmuk River.  Return to your hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

Day 16:  Korazim, Golan Heights, Banias, Kursi, Amman
Head up the Golan Heights to the Springs of Banias, also known as Caesarea Philippi where Peter said “Thou are Christ”.  Continue to Tel Dan. Returning towards the Sea of Galilee we will visit Kursi and Korazim.  Transfer to Sheikh Hussein Bridge. Cross the border back into Jordan.  Overnight Amman.

Day 17: Baptismal Site, Mt Nebo, Madeba, Machaerus

Day 18: Jerash
Depart from Amman.

 

For registration of interest and information about the costs of the tour:

Contact SOCS Registrar, Aaron Rose on (02) 9936 6020 or email: socs@rmc.nsw.edu.au