Join Bishop Meghan Johnston Aelabouni, Pastor Gabi Aelabouni, and members of the Rocky Mountain Synod for an accompaniment pilgrimage to the Holy Land. This is not a typical bus tour that rushes from ancient site to ancient site to “run where Jesus walked.” Instead, we will slow down and experience the land with its people, encountering the Holy Land as a living place where faith is still practiced and carried forward today. This journey will give you the chance to meet the local Christian communities whose lives and witness are woven into the same landscape as the stories of Scripture. Together, we will visit biblical sites, learn about the work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and Lutheran World Federation, witness the steadfast faith of Palestinian Christians, and spend time in worship and reflection on your own living faith.
DETAILS:
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Trip departs on April 27, 2027, and returns on May 6, 2027
PRICING:
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$4,390.00 per person based on double occupancy
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Single room supplement - $790.00
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Optional post-tour extension to Jordan: May 6-10 - $1290.00
PAYMENT PLAN:
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$300.00 deposit per person with registration to secure space
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Balance due on or before January 27, 2027
REGISTRATION:
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Registering online? Click the "BOOK NOW" button and fill out the online form; you can pay by check or with a credit card (a nonrefundable 4% platform fee applies)
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Registering by mail? Please download and complete the registration form (both the personal information page and the terms and conditions page signed at the bottom) with a copy of your passport and a deposit of $300.00 per person made payable to Elias Tours and mailed to 4941 Chalden Ln NE, Marietta, GA 30066
FLIGHT SCHEDULE:
* Flight times, flight numbers, equipment, gates, and seats are subject to change. For the most current information check the airline website.
What is included in the tour
- Airfare from Denver, CO - Other cities available
- 8 nights in 4-star hotels (double occupancy)
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily
- Entrance fee to all sites
- All ground transportation in a private tour bus
What is NOT included in the tour
- Gratuities for guide and driver
- Personal expenses
- TRAVEL INSURANCE: For your convenience, we offer travel insurance through *Travelex Insurance Services. For questions, quotes, or to purchase travel insurance, visit Travelex Insurance or call (800) 228-9792 and use the code 26-0057 for Elias Tours.
Bishop Meghan Johnston Aelabouni of the Rocky Mountain Synod will be leading this accompaniment pilgrimage as it visits holy sites and builds relationships with the people in local Lutheran churches, the ministries of the Lutheran World Federation, and many others who will share their stories. Pastor Gabi Aelabouni, born and raised in Galilee, will serve as our tour guide as he leads us through the lens of his own faith experience as an indigenous Christian growing up in the Holy Land. In addition to traditional pilgrimage sites and partner ministries, we will visit many of the places and people that shaped Bishop Meghan’s and Pastor Gabi’s lives and ministries during their time serving in the Holy Land.
Day 1 – Tuesday, April 27, 2027 | Departure from the US
Your journey begins as you depart Denver on an overnight flight to the Holy Land. Settle in, enjoy meals served onboard, and rest as you travel toward the landscapes of scripture and the living history of the church.
Day 2 – Wednesday, April 28, 2027 | Arrival – Bethlehem: The Living Stones
Arrive in Tel Aviv and travel to Jerusalem with Bishop Meghan and Pastor Gabi. Share a first lunch together overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem before continuing to your hotel in Bethlehem. After settling in, we’ll gather for an opening devotion and orientation to our time together. Dinner with guests from the ELCJHL and overnight in Bethlehem.
Day 3 – Thursday, April 29, 2027 | Footsteps of Jesus
This morning, begin with a visit to the Church of the Nativity and Shepherds’ Fields in Bethlehem and Beit Sahour, remembering the promise of Jesus’ birth. From there, travel to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem where Jesus wept over the city. Visit Augusta Victoria Hospital and learn about the work of the Lutheran World Federation in health care and service to the local community. Walk the Palm Sunday road, stopping at Dominus Flevit and the Garden of Gethsemane with the Church of All Nations. Dinner and overnight in Bethlehem.
Day 4 – Friday, April 30, 2027 | Tent of Nations
This morning, visit the Tent of Nations, a powerful story of faith, resilience, and peacemaking on a family farm outside Bethlehem. Enjoy lunch and take part in a hands-on experience with the opportunity to plant trees as a sign of hope and rootedness in the land. [OR Environmental Educational Center and Anar]. Later, return to Bethlehem and visit the Walled Off Hotel and Museum. This evening, share dinner with local Christian families—an unforgettable opportunity for conversation, hospitality, and connection. Overnight in Bethlehem.
Day 5 – Saturday, May 1, 2027 | Jordan Valley – Jericho – Jordan River – Dead Sea – St. George Monastery
Leave Bethlehem and descend through the Judean wilderness into the Jordan Valley. See the Mount of Temptation near Jericho and continue to the Jordan River for a meaningful time of remembrance and renewal of baptismal promises. Enjoy the unforgettable experience of floating in the Dead Sea, then visit the beautiful St. George Monastery overlooking Wadi Qelt. Dinner and overnight in Bethlehem.
Day 6 – Sunday, May 2, 2027 | Jerusalem Old City
Travel to Jerusalem’s Old City for a day of history, faith, and reflection. Begin at St. Anne’s Church and the Pools of Bethesda, then walk the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Worship at the Redeemer Lutheran Church and meet with leaders of the ELCJHL. After lunch and free time, continue to the Western Wall and the Temple Mount area for views toward the Dome of the Rock. Dinner and overnight in Bethlehem.
Day 7 – Monday, May 3, 2027 | Jaffa - Caesaria Maritim –Tiberius
This morning, we say farewell to Bethlehem and Jerusalem and travel north, stopping by the old port city of Jaffa and the Roman fortress of Caesaria Maritim before reaching our final destination: the Sea of Galilee. We’ll settle into our hotel for dinner and evening reflection time.
Day 8 – Tuesday, May 4, 2027 | Cana – Mount Carmel – Nazareth
Travel to Cana of Galilee, where Jesus’ first miracle is remembered, then continue to Nazareth, visit the Basilica of the Annunciation and St. Joseph’s Church, and stop at Mary’s Well—places that invite reflection on the life of Jesus and the beginning of the Gospel story. On the way back, visit Mount Tabor then a stop in Pastor Gabi’s hometown of Eilaboun. Return to Tiberias for dinner and overnight.
Day 9 – Wednesday, May 5, 2027 | Sea of Galilee: Ministry of Jesus
Spend your final full day around the Sea of Galilee, at the heart of Jesus’ ministry. Visit Tabgha, the traditional site of the multiplication of the loaves and fish, and continue to the Mount of Beatitudes. Enjoy a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, followed by visits to Capernaum, St. Peter’s Primacy, and Magdala. Gather this evening for a final dinner together and reflect on the people, places, conversations, and experiences of the pilgrimage. Overnight in Tiberias.
Day 10 – Thursday, May 6, 2027 | Departure – Tel Aviv to the USA
Transfer from the Galilee to Tel Aviv Airport for your return flight home, carrying with you not only the sacred places you have visited, but also the stories, relationships, and encounters that have shaped this accompaniment pilgrimage.
