A CHRISTIAN PILGRIMAGE TOUR IN THE HOLY LAND
with the Venerable David Garnett and the Revd Clive Thrower
21-31 October 2010
In the Middle East, the reality on the ground is often far removed from what we see and read in the news. Places of pilgrimage are open and welcoming visitors. We have planned our programme for late October when the weather is ideal for touring. We will have the opportunity to worship with the local Christian community in Jerusalem on the Sunday morning and on our journey through the Holy Land to seek them out and to offer our support and encouragement.
Visits will include Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea and Qumran, as well as allowing free time for relaxation and private exploration. We will walk along the Via Dolorosa, sail on the Sea of Galilee, float on the Dead Sea and ascend the Mount of Masada by cable car. The Holy Land is unique in offering so many highlights and contrasts in such a compact area. Each day of our pilgrimage will be very different from the previous one.
We will travel with optimism and enthusiasm as we participate in a new era of Holy Land pilgrimage and re-discover the joy and enrichment of being a pilgrim.
TOUR INFORMATION
The cost of this tour is £ 1,540 sharing a twin-bedded room with private facilities. We stay in two family owned and managed hotels. In Jerusalem, the three star Golden Walls Hotel overlooks the Old City walls and is walking distance of the Holy Sepulchre. In Tiberias, we stay at the four star Ron Beach Hotel in a wonderful situation right on the lakeside. The tour is on a full-board basis with buffet breakfast, lunch and table d'hote evening meal included daily. Touring is in air-conditioned coaches and we will be accompanied by a local guide who will share leadership responsibilities and look after the formalities of hotel check-ins etc. All entrance fees are included. Flights are with El Al between Luton Airport and Tel Aviv, returning to Heathrow. We have included an amount (of £45) per person for a group gratuity fund which we will disburse locally to those who help us on our journey. All airport and security charges are included and a complimentary visa is issued on arrival in Israel.
We have included most expenses in the tour cost but some items are listed separ.ately. The travel insurance premium is £49. Everybody travelling should be insured but some may have annual or another suitable insurance. Single rooms are available at a supplementary cost of £275. Please, however, see our note "Travelling Alone" overleaf. Any special requests should be noted on the booking form. A deposit is payable now with the balance payable 8 weeks prior to departure.
TO MAKE A RESERVATION
To reserve your place on this tour please complete a booking form and send it with a deposit of £100 plus the insurance premium of £49, to the tour leader. Please make cheques payable to 'McCabe Pilgrimages'. A booking form may be downloaded from the McCabe web site.
The Revd Clive Thrower, Longstone House, 5 Vemon Green, Bakewell, DE45 1DT Tel: (01629) 814863, Mobile 07802 495346, or e-mail: clive@thrower.org.uk
or from The Venerable David Garnett, The Vicarage, Edensor, Derbyshire DE45 1PH Tel: (01246) 582130 or e-mail: davidcgarnett@yahoo.co.uk
DAILY PROGRAMME
Thursday 21 October - JOURNEY TO THE HOLY LAND
We meet at Luton Airport (there may be the option to travel by coach from the Bakewell area). El Al flight LY214 departs at 1220 hours aniving at 1815. Transfer on anival to our hotel in Tiberias. Four night stay at the Ron Beach Hotel by the Sea of Galilee with visits to places associated with Jesus' early life and ministry.
Friday 22 October - NAZARETH
We ascend Mount Tabor in taxis to visit the Basilica of the Transfiguration and enjoy magnificent views over the plain of Armageddon. We continue to Nazareth where we visit Nazareth village (a reconstruction of 1st Century Galilean life) and have lunch at St. Margaret's Guest House. We visit St Gabriel's Church (Mary's Well), the Synagogue Church and the Basilica of the Annunciation. We return to Tiberias stopping en route to visit Cana, scene of Jesus first miracle.
Saturday 23 October - THE NORTHERN GALILEE
We drive north to the ancient site of Dan and then Banias (biblical Caesarea Philippi) where we have a short walk through the reserve and for meditation and reflection. We then have lunch at a Lebanese restaurant. We return south over the Golan Heights back to the Sea ofGalilee.
Sunday 24 October - THE LAKESIDE MINISTRY
Today we visit the sites associated with Jesus' life around the Sea of Galilee. We drive to the north of the lake and visit the ruins of Capernaum, Jesus' Galilean base. We continue to Mensa Christi (where Jesus appeared to his disciples after His resurrection) and celebrate Holy Communion on the shores of the lake at Tabgha beside the Church of the Loaves and Fishes. Lunch is at the Convent of the Beatitudes. We visit the church and garden which commemorate the Sermon on the Mount. After lunch, we walk down to the lake (optional) and sail back from Kibbutz Nof Ginnosar across the Sea of Galilee to the hotel, returning by mid-afternoon to allow time to relax and swim.
Monday 25 October - THE JORDAN VALLEY & JERICHO We leave Tiberias, viewing the Jordan river as we travel south. We then continue down the Jordan Valley to Jericho where we have lunch in the al-Rawdah Restaurant and take a cable-car up to the Mount of Temptation. We then approach Jerusalem from the east. We stop on top of the Mount of Olives to enjoy our first panoramic views of the Old City. As we look across the Kidron Valley we see the Golden Gate, the Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Six night stay at the Golden Walls Hotel close to the Old City and the Biblical sites we will be visiting.
Tuesday 26 October - AN INTRODUCTION TO JERUSALEM
We return to the Mount of Olives where we visit the Pater Noster Church, Dominus Flevit Chapel, and the Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane. We then enter the Old City and visit the Church of St Anne and the Pools of Bethesda. We lunch at the Ecce Homo Convent above the Lithostrotos and in the afternoon follow the Via Dolorosa through the lanes of the Old City to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We end our day at the Garden Tomb.
Wednesday 27 October - BETHLEHEM We cross into Palestinian territory to visit Bethlehem. Here we begin at the site of Herodion. We then call at the Fields of the Shepherds (Holy Communion) and have time to shop in the olive wood co-operative. We lunch at the Bethlehem Arab Rehabilitation Centre (BASR) in Beit Jala and hear about their work. In the afternoon we enter Manger Square and visit the Basilica and Grotto of the Nativity and St Jerome's Caves.
Thursday 28 October - JEWISH QUARTER, TEMPLE MOUNT & MOUNT ZION
We enter the Old City through Zion Gate and walk down through the Jewish Quarter to the Western Wall (where we also see the Bar-Mitzvah ceremonies) and ascend the Temple Mount to view the El Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. We finish our morning by the Pool of Bethesda and the Church of St Anne's. After lunch at the Ecce Homo convent we drive to Mount Zion and call at the Dormition Abbey and Upper Room. We also visit the nearby Church of St Peter in Gallicantu (possible site of the High Priest's house).
Friday 29 October - WEST JERUSALEM & MEET THE PEOPLE We drive to Ein Karem, birthplace ofSt John the Baptist, where we visit the Church of St John the Baptist. We continue to the Israel Museum where we view a model of ancient Jerusalem and see the Dead Sea Scrolls (which are housed within the Shrine of the Book). We have lunch at the Jerusalem Hotel. In the afternoon we drive to Bethany where we call at the church and the tomb of Lazarus. We also visit the nearby childrens' homes of Jeel al-Amal and Lazarus, both supported by the McCabe Educational Trust. We end our afternoon at the Western (Wailing) Wall, the holiest site for Jews, as the Sabbath begins.
Saturday 30 October - MASADA AND THE DEAD SEA
A full-day excursion to Masada and the Dead Sea. We drive into the Judean wilderness to Herod's desert fortress of Masada, which we ascend by cable car. We have an opportunity to float in the therapeutic waters of the Dead Sea before lunch in the Lot Hotel. On our return journey to Jerusalem we call at Qumran (where the Dead Sea seroUs were discovered). The final part of our journey is to Wadi Qelt, for a spectacular view of St George's desert monastery.
Sunday 31 October - HOMEWARD BOUND Some may wish to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the early morning to witness the variety of liturgy. We then have opportunity to join with the local congregation at St George's Cathedral We leave Jerusalem and drive to Jaffa for lunch. We end our pilgrimage at the Roman capital of Caesarea, where we briefly visit the restored amphitheatre and aqueduct. We continue to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv for our homeward flight El Al LY317 which departs at 1635 arriving back at Heathrow airport at 2005 hours.
OUR PILGRIMAGE
We are planning this programme with the expectation that we will be able to visit all of the places included in our itinerary. If it becomes inadvisable to visit any particular place we will amend our programme accordingly. There are countless other sites we could include in our itinerary given more time and the Holy Land is a country where many alternative places to visit are equally as interesting as those we include. If the British Foreign Office advised against travel to the region we would cancel or postpone our visit and all monies paid would be refundable on request.
TRAVELLING ALONE
Many of our passengers travel alone and object to expensive single room supplements. McCabe Pilgrimages will accept individual bookings on a 'guaranteed share' basis. We charge the basic price and accommodate you with a person of the same sex also requesting shared accommodation. If we do not find someone to share with you, you will be accommodated in a single room at only 50% of the usual single room supplement. For single travellers who do require single accommodation this should be requested when booking and, if available, the normal supplement will be payable.
PASSPORTS, VISAS AND HEALTH
Please ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months after the time of this pilgrimage. If you need a new passport apply early as there can be considerable backlogs at the passport offices. A visa is issued free of charge on entering Israel and there are currently no further requirements for entering' the Palestinian territories. If you are holding a non-British passport, or require further advice, please consult the McCabe office. No inoculations are required. We, however, do advise you to consult your doctor regarding your own personal requirements.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
McCabe will arrange comprehensive travel insurance cover for each passenger unless otherwise indicated on the booking form. We have negotiated the premium (see 'Tour Information' section inside for rate) which as well as offering full medical and baggage cover also gives cover against loss of deposits. Cover is arranged by Preferential Insurance Services Ltd and is underwritten by Optimum Underwriting Limited as underwriting agents for Groupama Insurance Company Limited - each aforementioned organisation is authorised and regulated by The Financial Services Authority (FSA). The policy wording sets out full details of cover and will be sent to you with your confirmation invoice. This document also acts as your insurance certificate so that your booking reference number is also your insurance policy number.
A special feature of the McCabe insurance is that there is no age limit. Please, however, note it is a requirement that all insured persons must adhere to the Medical Health Requirements section on page 5 of the Policy wording document (which we will send you with your confirmation invoice). If you answer yes to any of the questions asked within this section you must contact the HELPLINE 0871 527 1282. This is a confidential service that will decide whether or not this insurance is appropriate for you. If they decline to offer cover, or if you are unhappy with any aspect of the cover, you can return the policy within 14 days of issue and receive a full refund. In cases of difficulty, we have specialist insurers we can introduce you to.
McCabe Travel Ltd is an appointed representative of Preferential Insurance Services Ltd which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) as are both Optimum Underwriting Ltd and Groupama Insurance Company Ltd.
AITO QUALITY STATEMENT
McCabe Pilgrimages is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. The Association represents Britain's leading independent tour operators and encourages high standards of quality and service. McCabe abides by the Association's Code of Conduct and adheres to the AlTO Quality Charter which can be viewed on www.aito.co.uk. Visit the website to find out more about the Association or call 020 8744 9280.
This pilgrimage is ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. The McCabe ATOL number is 2920.
TOUR COMPANY
McCabe Pilgrimages
11 Hillgate Place,
Balham Hill,
London
SW12 9ER
Telephone 020 8675 6828
Fax 020 8673 1204
e-mail: alistair@mccabe-travel.co.uk