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HOLYLAND PILGRIMAGE
Jordan – Israel - Egypt
March 18 to 29, 2023  

As Christians, we reach out to God in praise and in gratitude as well as to seek refuge in pain and turmoil. 2020 has truly been a tough year for all. But now more than ever, we need God’s voice to help us navigate our way in the midst of great uncertainties.

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DAY 1, MAR 18:  MANILA TO AMMAN (D)  

Depart Manila for a flight to Amman.   After Immigration formalities at Queen Alia Airport, meet and greet with the guide, board your air-conditioned bus, and transfer to the hotel for check-in, dinner, and overnight.

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DAY 2, MAR 19:  PETRA - AMMAN (B, L, D) 

After breakfast, proceed to your full-day tour to PETRA, and visit SIQ and THE TREASURY.  This Nabataean caravan city, inhabited since prehistoric times, is an important junction for trade between Arabia, Egypt, and Syria-Phoenicia. Transfer back to Amman.

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DAY 3, MAR 20: MT.  NEBO - BORDER CROSSING TO ISRAEL– JERICHO – DEAD SEA – TIBERIAS (B, L, D)

Breakfast inside the hotel and check-out.  Then continue to MT.  NEBO, where Moses viewed the Promised Land before he died.  Mass will be held at Mt. Nebo.   After the Mass, we will cross the border to Israel and drive to JERICHO, the oldest town on earth.  Near the center of the city, we will see the centuries-old SYCAMORE TREE recalls the incident in which the tax collector Zacchaeus, too short to see over the crowd, climbed a sycamore's branches to see Jesus.  Then, proceed to view the MT.  OF TEMPTATION.   It is the place believed to be where the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, as recorded in Matthew (4:1-11) and Luke (4:1-13), and only briefly in Mark (1:12-13), and the devil tempted Him three (3) times.   Later in the afternoon, you will have a chance to float at the lowest point on Earth, THE DEAD SEA, located about 25km east of Jerusalem, along the border between Israel and Jordan. 

 

OPTIONAL: If time permits, Qasr El Yahud - the western section of the traditional site of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist on the Jordan River (Matthew 3:13-17).

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DAY 4, MAR 21: YARDENIT – TABGHA – CAPERNAUM – MT. TABOR – SEA OF GALILEE (B, L, D)

Breakfast at the hotel.  Proceed to YARDENIT for renewal of water baptism.  Yardenit offers modern comforts to pilgrims and tourists in the biblical setting of the Holy Land, as well as a serene and spiritual setting for those wishing to be baptized in the Jordan River.  Then proceed to the CHURCH OF THE MULTIPLICATION is located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in the Tabgha area.  The Church stands where Jesus performed the loaves and fish miracle.  This was also the location of Jesus' fourth appearance after his resurrection.  Then on to the CHURCH OF THE PRIMACY OF ST PETER, where Jesus appeared to the disciples for the third time after His resurrection.  The rock embedded in the church floor is thought to be the location where Jesus prepared breakfast.  MENSA CHRISTI was the name given to it by medieval pilgrims (the table of Christ).    Pilgrims honor the occasion at the CHURCH OF THE BEATITUDES, built on the mount's slope.  The Mount of Beatitudes considered the location of Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount," is one of the most serene places in the Holy Land.
 
Drive to Mt. Tabor and ascend by taxi to the CHURCH OF TRANSFIGURATION.  It is traditionally thought to be the location of Jesus' Transfiguration, an event described in the Gospels in which Jesus is transfigured and speaks with Moses and Elijah.  Mount Tabor's elevation allows the view from the Franciscan hospice's balcony of the JEZREEL PLAIN, bounded by the Carmel range and the Samarian mountains.  

Late afternoon, continue for a boat ride at the SEA OF GALILEE. You will take this special cruise to discover more about the spiritual and historical significance of this well-known lake. Cruising on the Sea of Galilee will allow you to reminisce Jesus' miracles. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
 

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DAY 5, MAR 22: CANA – NAZARETH – HAIFA – CEASARIA – BETHLEHEM (B, L, D)

Check-out from the hotel after breakfast.   Morning drive to Cana for a visit to the CHURCH OF THE FIRST MIRACLE, also known as the Marriage Church; here, couples can renew their marriage vows.  The town of Cana is the site of Jesus' first two public miracles in Galilee, the transformation of water into wine, and the remote healing of an official's son 32 kilometers away in Capernaum.  Then on to Nazareth to see THE CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION, also known as the Basilica of the Annunciation.  It was built on the site where, according to tradition, the angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced that she would conceive and bear the Son of God, Jesus - an event known as the Annunciation.  The next stop is M.T.  PRECIPICE.  With views of the Jezreel Valley, Mount Tabor, the Sea of Galilee, and the Golan Heights, it is a mountain in Nazareth just 2 kilometers from the modern city center.  According to the New Testament, Jesus was talking to the worshipers of the synagogue in Nazareth.  In doing so, he implicitly declares himself as the Messiah.  This sermon infuriates the listeners, who drag him to a cliff on Mount Precipice to throw him over, but he walks through the crowd and leaves: "he passed through the midst of them and went away."
 
OPTIONAL: if time permits, visit the Synagogue Church, a tiny Christian church in the center of Nazareth, is typically considered to be the site of the village synagogue that stood in the time of Jesus. An embedded sign that reads "Synagogue" in both Arabic and English is located over the doorway.
 
Transfer to Haifa and visit MOUNT CARMEL.  On Mount Carmel's southern summit, the prophet Elijah engaged in one of the most dramatic battles in the Old Testament between Yahweh, the God of the Israelites, and a pagan god.  Then, make a photo stop at the BAHA'I SHRINE in Haifa, a strikingly colored tourist destination thanks to its golden dome, marble walls, granite pillars, and well-kept gardens that cascade down a slope of Mount Carmel.  Proceed to AQUEDUCT OF CAESAREA, a fantastic reserve with a wonderful water aqueduct at its heart.  A modest museum describes its construction and development since the Byzantine era.  Caesarea received water via the aqueduct from the Ein Tzabarin springs.  Proceed to Bethlehem for dinner and overnight. 

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DAY 6, MAR 23: BETHLEHEM – JERUSALEM – MT.  OF OLIVES – MT.  ZION (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we visit Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, and the CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY, where we find the Grotto of Nativity, the Altar of Christ's Birth, and Manger's Square.  In the sixth century, the emperor Justinian built today's basilica, the oldest complete Church in the Christian world.  It took the place of the old Church that Constantine the Great had constructed over the birthplace of Christ cave and was dedicated in AD 339.  The grotto was widened to accommodate visitors when the original Church of the Nativity was constructed and added the silver manger.  Then onto SHEPHERDS' FIELD, a site called Siyar el-Ghanam is located on the north ridge of Beit Sahur (Place for Keeping Sheep).  It is believed that this is where the shepherds paid homage to Jesus and the shepherds celebrated the birth of the Messiah.
 
Then, proceed to Jerusalem's Mount of Olives.  It is a significant landmark located near Jerusalem's Old City.  This is a reference to the ridge east of the Old City.   First to visit is the DOME OF THE ASCENSION, the shrine commemorating the location where Jesus is said to have ascended to heaven.  The plain and unadorned Dome of the Ascension stands in a walled compound east of the main road that runs along the top of Jerusalem's Mount of Olives.  The site is just north of the Church of Pater Noster, which was built over a cave used by the early Christians as a more secluded place to commemorate the Ascension.  Christians remember Christ's teaching of the Lord's Prayer to his disciples at the CHURCH OF PATER NOSTER.   Translations of the Lord's Prayer in 140 languages are inscribed on colorful ceramic plaques on the walls surrounding the Church and its vaulted cloister.   The CHURCH OF DOMINUS FLEVIT, located halfway down the western slope of the Mount of Olives, commemorates the Gospel occurrence in which Jesus grieved over the impending destruction of Jerusalem.
 
Then walk along PALM SUNDAY ROAD.  It is the biblical path that Jesus took as he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  It begins on the Mount of Olives and passes through several holy sites, including the Garden of Gethsemane.  In the New Testament, THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE is mentioned as where Jesus went with his disciples to pray the night before He was crucified.  It is believed to be where the disciples slept while Jesus prayed in this natural grotto.  Beside the garden is THE CHURCH OF ALL NATIONS, built on the rock where Jesus is said to have prayed in agony before being betrayed and arrested by Judas Iscariot.  This place is believed to be where Jesus "threw himself on the ground" (Matthew 26:39), and in his anguish, "his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground" (Luke 22:44).
 
Proceed to the Old City of Mount Zion, the highest point in ancient Jerusalem.  Its name was a metaphorical emblem for the entire city and the Promised Land in Old Testament times.  On Mount Zion, many significant occasions in the early Christian Church are believed to have occurred.   Walk through the city to see THE LAST SUPPER ROOM.  The Holy Spirit's descent onto the disciples and the Last Supper between Jesus and his disciples are thought to have occurred on the Cenacle's site.  The Cenacle is located on the upper floor of a two-story building near the Church of the Dormition in Jerusalem's Old City, south of the Zion Gate.  The Jewish shrine known as THE TOMB OF KING DAVID is located right beneath it.  The Tomb of King David — the celebrated Old Testament warrior king of Israel who is traditionally credited with writing many of the Psalms — is one of the holiest sites for Jews.  Near the Cenacle is THE CHURCH OF THE DORMITION, where the Virgin Mary passed away, or as the name says, "fell asleep."
 
Then, transfer to the eastern slope of Mount Zion, to THE CHURCH OF ST. PETER IN GALLICANTU.  All four Gospels record Peter's denial of Christ (most succinctly in Matthew 26:69-75).  Three of the Gospels also mention his remorseful tears.  The courtyard of the high priest Caiaphas was the setting for Peter's denial of Christ.  A dungeon beneath the Church is thought to be the cell where Jesus was detained for the night following his arrest.  Return to Bethlehem for dinner and overnight.

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DAY 7. MAR 24: JERUSALEM OLD CITY – VIA DOLOROSA – CALVARY – YAD VASHEM (B, L, D):

Every day, hundreds of Christians walk through Jerusalem's Old City.  Stopping at the 14 Stations of the Cross to identify with Jesus' suffering on the way to crucifixion.  After an early breakfast, head to Jerusalem's Old City, starting at S.T. STEPHEN'S GATE (the Lion's Gate), and making stops at S.T. ANNE'S CHURCH – which is thought to be the Virgin Mary's birthplace and THE POOL OF BETHESDA.   Reflect while following the WAY OF THE CROSS (VIA DOLOROSA) ending at the Church of The Holy Sepulcher.  Along the way, you will pass  through THE CHAPEL OF THE FLAGELLATION.  It depicts Pilate washing his hands, Jesus being scourged, and Barabbas celebrating his release.  

THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE in Jerusalem's Old City commemorates what Christians believe to be the site of the most significant event in human history: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Ascend a steep flight of stairs that curves to the right of the Holy Sepulchre's entrance.  This is known as ascending THE "HILL" OF CALVARY (from Latin) or Golgotha (from Aramaic), both of which mean "place of the skull." The floor where the stairs open is at the same elevation as the rocky outcrop where Christ was crucified.   THE STONE OF ANOINTING, a slab of reddish stone flanked by candlesticks and topped by a row of eight lamps, is located to the left of the entryway of the Church.  A stone Edicule (or "small home") in the center of the Church has rows of enormous candles flanking its door.  The fourteenth Station of THE CROSS IS THE TOMB OF CHRIST.
 
Afterward, walk into THE JEWISH QUARTER, next to the Western Wall.  This neighborhood has more up-to-date shopping centers.  Museums and public spaces display archaeological artifacts.  THE WESTERN WALL (some call it "The Wailing Wall") in Jerusalem's Old City is the holiest site for Jews.  It is revered as the only piece of the Temple still standing.  It was a portion of the retaining wall Herod the Great built in 20 B.C. to sustain the enormous plaza on which he rebuilt the Temple.
 
In the afternoon, a special visit to YAD VASHEM - THE WORLD HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE CENTER. It is located in Jerusalem on the Mount of Remembrance. The Children's Memorial, the Hall of Remembrance, the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations, the Hall of Names, the Synagogue, and the Valley of the Communities are a few of the monuments and memorials on the Yad Vashem grounds. Additionally, there are galleries, monuments, research institutes, educational facilities, and museums.  Return to Bethlehem for dinner and overnight.

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DAY 8, MAR 25: BETHLEHEM – BORDER CROSSING – ST CATHERINE (B,L,D)

Check-out from the hotel.  Drive to Taba Border to cross to Egypt.  Meet your guide and driver after passport formalities.  Visit SAINT CATHERINE MONASTERY, believed to be where God appeared to Moses in THE BURNING BUSH, beneath the Mount of the Decalogue.  The monastery was constructed in Justinian I's direction and sheltered what is said to be the "Burning Bush" Moses saw.  Transfer to your hotel in Sinai for check-in, dinner, and overnight.
 
OPTIONAL: Climb the MOSES MOUNTAIN (Mt. Sinai) and catch the sunrise.  Here is where God spoke to Moses.

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DAY 9, MAR 26: S.T. CATHERINE – CAIRO (B,L,D)

Check out at the hotel, then drive through the Sinai Peninsula along a breathtaking view of the Red Sea toward Cairo.   Along the way, the group will pass by ELIM and MARAH, both in Shur's wilderness (Exodus 15:22-26). 
 
Elim is believed to be where "twelve wells of water and seventy date palms" and where the Israelites "camped there beside the waters" is mentioned in Exodus 15:27 and Numbers 33:9.
 
Marah (bitter waters) or the Moses' Spring (Ayun Musa) is located near the Gulf of Suez.  They arrived at Marah springs on the third day, but the water was bitter, and they cursed Moses for bringing them out of Egypt.  Moses cried out to God, and He spoke to him, showing him a tree and instructing him to cut its branch and place it in the water.  The water became sweet to drink.
 
Continuing on to THE SUEZ CANAL is a wonderful sight to behold as it joins the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea before arriving in Cairo.   Proceed to the hotel for check-in, dinner & overnight.

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DAY 10, MAR 27: FULL DAY CAIRO (B,L,D)

After breakfast at the hotel, photoshop at THE GREAT PYRAMIDS and SPHINX OF GIZA, ancient Egypt's wonders, continuing on to Old Cairo, including the CHURCH OF ABU SARGA, Egypt's oldest Church, dating back to the 5th century A.D.  The Church is famous for the cellar of the Holy Family, where they stayed for three weeks during their journey in Egypt.  The Suspended Church, or Al-Moallaqa, is another name for THE HANGING CHURCH.  The Hanging Church got its name because it was built on the Roman Fortress's southern gate.  Initially, THE BEN EZRA SYNAGOGUE was a church.  However, it had to be sold to cover the annual taxes levied by the government on the Church in 882 A.D.  The synagogue is named after Abraham Ben Ezra, who paid 20,000 dinars to purchase the Church.
 
In the afternoon, set sail on this 2-hour evening cruise along THE NILE RIVER, tuck into a delicious buffet dinner on board, and be entertained by live music, belly dancing, and a traditional Tanura show. 

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DAY 11, MAR 28: CAIRO – AIRPORT (B,L,D)

Hotel check-out after breakfast.  Then, visit the EGYPTIAN MUSEUM, and discover the world's largest collection of Egyptian antiquities.  The Predynastic to the Graeco-Roman eras are represented in the museum's displays (c. 5500 BC-AD 364).  Then, proceed to the PAPYRUS MUSEUM.  Since ancient times, Egypt has been producing papyrus paper from the stalks of the Cyperus papyrus plant.  The museum and shop are dedicated to paper, where you can learn about it and see how it's made.   Before dinner and airport transfer, the group will attend the last Mass of the pilgrimage.    Then transfer to the airport to catch a flight back to Manila.

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DAY 12, MAR 29: DEPART CAIRO - ARRIVAL MANILA

Enjoy airline amenities and have a relaxing flight back home. Home, Sweet Home.

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​INCLUSIONS (ALL-IN, NO HIDDEN CHARGES):

 

  • International Airfare via Oman Air

  • Airline Fees, Taxes & 30kg check-in baggage

  • Amman/Israel/Egypt Meet and assist at the airport/borders on arrival and departure

  • 10 night's hotel accommodation – 4* & 5* hotels ONLY

  • All hotel fees and taxes

  • MEALS: 

    • 11 Breakfast

    • 11 Dinner at the hotel, incl. farewell dinner at a local resto

    • 10 Lunches at a local restaurant, including packed lunch in Muscat

  • Services of an English-speaking Licensed Tour Guide

  • Jordan Visa fees and taxes

  • Egypt Visa fees and taxes

  • ALL Border fees and taxes

  • Priest / Chaplain / Spiritual Guide

  • Filipino Tour Escort

  • All entrance fees on all sights as indicated in the itinerary

  • Tipping to Guide and Driver

  • Pick up/drop off transfer service at the airport and border

  • Transportation during tours

  • Sightseeing as per itinerary, including entrance fees

  • Modern A/C bus with WIFI in Jordan & Israel bus

  • Whisper technology in Israel

  • 1 Bottle of Mineral Water

  • Hats, maps, pilgrim certificates, and souvenirs in Jerusalem

  • Group Travel Insurance–up to 70 y.o.  NOTE: SURCHARGE: applies for 71+ y.o.

  • Pre-Departure Briefing – 2 weeks before departure

 

EXCLUSIONS:

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  • Any extra meals and drinks (such as soda, juice, coffee, etc.) during meals

  • DONATIONS for the use of all Church / Chapel facilities

  • PERSONAL Camel rides and other similar activities not included in the tour package

  • Israel Visa for restricted national

  • Other ITEMS / SERVICES not mentioned in the inclusions

 

PACKAGE RATE is a minimum of 25 pax per group
Less than 25 pax per group:
20 to 24 pax: 4,288/pax
15 to 19 pax: 4,588/pax

TERMS of PAYMENT:   Note: Lack of payment will cancel the booking.

$ 500 – NON-Refundable deposit per person upon confirmation of the reservation.

100% – balance or full payment is required two months before the departure date from Manila

 

CANCELLATION FEES:

  • 50% cancellation fee is to be charged on or 90 days before arrival

  • 75% cancellation fee is to be charged on or 60 days before arrival

  • 100% cancellation fee is to be charged 45 days before arrival, including no show

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION:

  • Unexpected circumstances may cause changes to the events outlined in the itinerary

  • RATES: Rates are per person in a double room in the specified currency.  Rates are guaranteed; however, the tour operator reserves the right to update the rates periodically in case of major currency fluctuations, change in government tax policy, or imposed new fees.

  • THERE IS NO REFUND FOR ANY UNUSED SERVICES

  • For the pax who cannot pass immigration in the Int’l Airport OR miss the flight, the tour fare is non-refundable

 

FOR VISA REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Filled-up REGISTRATION FORM - printed

  2. 2x2 photo - white background LATEST - attach to Registration Form

  3. Copy of Colored bio-page passport including signature page - E-MAIL ONLY

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PAYMENT PROCESS:

(1)  Payment shall be made in either bank deposit or cash payment.

    > Deposit payment through:

       - BDO US Dollar Account #: 1062 5027 0794

       - Account Name: GAZELLE TRAVEL AND TOURS

       - Branch: St. Joseph - Ort.  Ave.  Extension  


(2) E-MAIL copy of deposit slip (with the name of payor) together with bio-page passport copy & 2x2 colored photo (a scanned copy is acceptable). 

E-mail Address: travelbookings@1gazelle.com

 

(3) Once payment is confirmed, we will provide an Acknowledgement Receipt.


(4) Once full payment is made, we will release tour and hotel vouchers and airline tickets two weeks before departure.


(5) Pre-departure briefing will be two (2) weeks before the departure.

 

 

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