Jordan & Israel Itinerary
Biblical Study Program
This trip prioritizes Biblical study on site, while offering many FUN and culturally engaging experiences to immerse yourself in the land of the Bible with all your senses. We’ll travel the “length and breadth” of the land from Amman to Aqaba and from Eilat to Dan. We welcome you to be part of this incredible journey with us!
PRE-TRIP STUDY COURSE
Your Biblical Study Trip begins before you even arrive in the land of the Bible with our all new Biblical Foundations Course. Access to this online course is included as part of your program fee, and will be available to you from January 2027. The course will include information, teaching, and reading recommendations specific to this Jordan & Israel program itinerary to help you prepare for this incredible journey. The course includes weekly lessons, 20-30 minutes long, with video teachings by Geoff Carroll and a recommended reading schedule to immerse you in the texts we will study together on site. The course also includes maps and illustrations to provide some basic introduction for the places, time-periods, and themes of our study so you can arrive ready to soak up all that this journey has to offer you - heart, soul, and strength.
MARCH 12: TRAVEL TIME!
Today your journey begins as you depart from your home airport en route to Israel! Plan to arrive at the airport for departure 2-3 hours before your flight to ensure plenty of time to check bags, go through security, refill your water bottle(!), and relax before boarding your flight. Tip: Staying hydrated will help you recover from jetlag much faster, and there’s never enough on board - bring a full bottle on the flight - you’re heading to an arid climate and we plan to stay hydrated and healthy! Drink water, rest, we’ll see you soon!
MARCH 13: WELCOME & ORIENTATION
The recommended group flight is scheduled to arrive in Amman, Jordan this evening. Geoff Carroll of Travel the Text will meet you at the airport. We will orient ourselves to the world of the Bible as we transfer to our nearby hotel in Amman (Opal Hotel), before enjoying a nice dinner together and some well earned rest!
MARCH 14: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE JORDAN
Today we begin our travels together heading south, stopping along the way at Mount Nebo, where Moses looked out over the Promised Land before his death, and Bethany beyond the Jordan, a large archaeological and religious site on the east bank of the Jordan River (and very possibly where Jesus was baptized, which we will study!). We will continue on to Petra Guesthouse Hotel, with its prime location right at the entrance to the ancient city of Petra! We will spend two nights here.
MARCH 15: PETRA: THE NABATEAN WONDER
Few places in the world inspire the imagination of archaeologists, artists, and travelers like the city of Petra, the Nabatean capital of the first century and a possible location where Paul spent time in Arabia (Galatians 1:17). We will spend a FULL day here to explore the rock formations, architecture, and raw beauty of this wilderness wonder. After some initial morning teaching and orientation at some of the most historical areas, you will be free to explore the many trails, camel rides, and bedouin tea and lunch experiences that await! Dinner and our final night at Petra Guesthouse.
MARCH 16: WADI RUM & THE RED SEA
Today we continue from Petra to another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the desert valley of Wadi Rum. Sometimes called the “Valley of the Moon” for its dramatic landscape, we will explore this region on a 2 hour jeep tour, perhaps even having some tea with the local bedouin. From there we shift perspectives and head to the Red Sea for a snorkeling excursion and an entirely different view of the world! Dinner and overnight at the Hyatt Regency Aqaba, Jordan.
MARCH 17: WAITING IN THE WILDERNESS
This morning we will cross into Israel, visiting Timna Valley Park, where we see more geological wonders, ancient copper mines, and ancient rock drawings. A highlight near Timna for our Biblical study is a full size replica of the Biblical Tabernacle, constructed to match Biblical descriptions. After our study and exploration we will continue north, stopping along the way at the gaping geological wonder of Maktesh Ramon, which served as the border between two Biblical wildernesses. We continue to Jericho Oasis for dinner and overnight.
Southern Steps to the Temple
MARCH 18: JERUSALEM - CITY OF DAVID
Today we will descend to the oldest part of Jerusalem, the City of David, where we will walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel and the Pool of Siloam. We will then ascend the first-century road to the Southern Steps Excavations, at the base of the Temple Mount. In the afternoon we will explore the Israel Museum, visiting the Jerusalem model, the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit, and the archaeological wing for our time period of study before returning to Jericho for dinner and overnight.
MARCH 19: JERUSALEM - TIME OF JESUS
Today we return to Jerusalem focusing especially on the time period of Jesus life and his death, burial, and resurrection. We begin our day early, ascending onto the Temple Mount and visiting the Pools of Bethesda. We will continue our journey by descending the Mount of Olives, stopping at Bethphage and the Church of All Nations/Gethsemane Church along the way. After lunch in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City we continue to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western Wall. To finish the day we have a chance to become archaeologists ourselves, participating at an active archaeological dig known as the Sifting Project before returning for dinner and overnight in Jericho.
MARCH 20: FINDING THE WAY IN THE WILDERNESS
After breakfast we begin our day visiting Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. We will visit the oldest church building in the land - the Church of the Nativity - built over the traditional site of Jesus’s birth. After this we will visit a local olive wood store owned by a Christian family from Bethlehem, were you can shop for a variety of treasures including olive wood nativities and carvings handmade in the area. Afterwards, we continue our travel into the Wilderness of Judea, visiting Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We end our day with a float in the Dead Sea, one of the most unique experiences on earth (at the lowest destination on earth!). Dinner and final night in Jericho.
MARCH 21: A KING IS BORN
There were two very important kings on earth in the first century, and today, we explore the impact of each of them as we travel north to the Galilee. En-route we see an active biblical-style sheep fold and the ancient city of Ephraim, where Jesus hid after raising Lazarus from the dead. We continue north to the incredible archaeological site of Beth Shan, a thriving Decapolis city that reveals how urban Romans lived, and the implications of cultural and societal expectations . We will stay the next three nights along the shores of the Sea of Galilee at Kibbutz Ein Gev.
MARCH 22: WALKING AS DISCIPLES
Jesus called many of His disciples around the Sea of Galilee, and we will wake up along its shore. We will travel around the northern shore, beginning with Capernaum, Jesus home-base for ministry. We will continue to a beautiful hilltop area offering a panoramic view of the region, Mt. Arbel (with optional hike!). After lunch, we continue to Migdal, or Magdala, where we will study in an excavated first-century synagogue that Jesus may have visited. We will close our day together with a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight in Galilee.
MARCH 23: THE NORTH - WHERE KINGDOMS COLLIDE
Today our focus is in the Upper Galilee. We will visit sites such as the fortified Jewish city of Gamla, destroyed during the Great Jewish Revolt. We continue our travel north to Dan, where beautiful springs and lush provisions turned people toward false gods. Our teaching continues at Caesarea Philippi, also known as the Gates of Hades. Dinner and final night in Galilee.
MARCH 24: TAKING ON THE NAME
Jesus preached that the Kingdom of Heaven was near, and sent His disciples into a world that wanted nothing to do with it. For our final day, we will study the Kingdom of Heaven, driving to the Mediterranean Sea, before making our way to the airport for your evening departure. Flight time permitting, we have many possible stops, including Mt. Carmel, where Elijah and the prophets of Baal held a contest by fire, and Caesarea Maritima, a major first-century Roman port city built by Herod. We will enjoy a final meal together before transferring to the airport for your late night departure flight back home. *Some may need to stay one extra night for better flight options the following day, which we can help arrange options for.
MARCH 25: RETURNING HOME
Now that you have literally walked where Jesus and so many people in the Bible have walked, it is time to take the Good News of the Kingdom of Heaven into your world, reminding everyone that Jesus continues to renew and reconcile all things to Himself.
*Specific itinerary subject to change; not all planned experiences are revealed above. A more precise itinerary will be confirmed closer to dates, when the group flight itinerary has been confirmed. Above all, we invite you to be fully present in the land and come to each experience as in its moment.