You know the Jordan River. It’s the place of many (loads!) biblical miracles and stories.

Crossing the Jordan to get to the Promised Land.
The Jordan River dividing in two.
Getting healed in the Jordan.
Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan.

It’s an important place. Especially if you’re a church group, you’ll want to include the Jordan River in your Holy Land tour.

Imagine being baptised (or re-baptised) in the spot where Jesus was baptised. Where the heavens opened and a dove descended upon him.

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment, heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3:16-17

Of, if you’re a pastor, imagine baptising your church members in the Jordan. It’ll be an unforgettable bonding experience.

The traditional site of Jesus’ baptism is called Qasr al Yahud. Give it a quick Google and see how beautiful it is. Or give us a call and we’ll tell you stories of people who have visited.

When you walk up to the Jordan River, you’ll be taken aback by the simplicity and humbleness of the surroundings. To know that such a momentous and significant event took place in such an underwhelming, everyday spot will give you a new understanding and perspective on the biblical story.

Adding a visit to the Jordan River to your Holy Land tour will be amazing and unforgettable. Let’s talk about turning this dream idea into a reality. Give us a call today. 1-855-958-6877.

Best Times to Visit the Holy Land

Whether it’s for yourself OR your church group, when planning or booking your trip to the Holy Land, don’t underestimate this ONE key factor: The importance of timing your trip to Israel.

The goal of this Travel Guide is to focus you (or your group) and help you imagine your ideal Holy Land trip.

People often forget timing when planning their trip. Just like the rest of the world, different seasons bring various weather conditions, events, and holidays, affecting the atmosphere of the country and impacting the character of your trip.

Knowing the best time of year to visit Israel will help you select the ideal time for you (or your church group) to visit or tour the Holy Land. As an early part of your planning, be sure to pick the right month or season so you can properly organize your ideal Holy Land tour.

This Travel Guide breaks down the most (and least) desirable times to travel to the Holy Land by season and presents tour package ideas from DIY options to white glove service. Whether you’re a pastor or small group leader wanting to travel as a church group OR as a family or couple, we’ll help you save money and get more value from your trip.

For a complete guide on when to visit Israel, you can also check out this Travel Guide:
The Best Times to Tour Israel

Best Times of the Year to Tour the Holy Land

Table of Contents:

1. Best Time for Sightseeing & Pilgrimage of the Holy Land
   a. Spring (March to May)
   b. Autumn (September to November)
2. Less Popular Time for Sightseeing & Pilgrimage of the Holy Land
3. The Least Desirable Season for Traveling to the Holy Land
4. Fitness & Safety Considerations

Best Time for Sightseeing & Pilgrimage

Spring (March-May) and Autumn (September-November)

The temperatures tend to be mild, pleasant, and mostly dry during these times of the year. Of course, that also means that these are peak tourist seasons so prices may be higher.

Religious holidays, such as Easter, Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, attract large numbers of pilgrims to Israel during this time. Mild temperatures also make these seasons optimal time to try hiking and biking in Israel.

It’s also the perfect time to explore Israel’s neighboring countries with a mini-tour of Jordan and Egypt. If you want to add such extras, call us, and we’ll help you build them into your trip. 1-855-958-6877.

To learn more about calculating how much to plan on spending for a Holy Land trip, read our article titled: How Much Does a Trip to the Holy Land Cost?

Spring (March to May)

Springtime in Israel is one of the most beautiful times of the year. Many people incorporate the holidays of Passover and Shavuot into a Holy Land pilgrimage. Passover is the Jewish holiday commemorating the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. And Shavuot, also called the Feast of Weeks, is celebrated seven weeks after Passover commemorating the first fruits of the harvest and the giving of the Torah.

While it can be an unforgettable experience, we do not recommend traveling to the Holy Land during these holidays. In general, the rates are much higher, and many hotels require a minimum 5-night stay, which will impact your overall tour schedule and destination plan. Additionally, many businesses and tourist stops can be shut down due to the national holidays.

Other than during these important holidays, hotel and flight prices are comparatively moderate. Call us today to discuss which time of year fits your schedule and plan the best. 1-855-958-6877.

Autumn (September - November)

Just like Spring, there are religious holidays in Autumn to be aware of as well. If you’re so inclined, you can also incorporate these holidays into a Holy Land pilgrimage.

Rosh Hashana celebrates (rather than dreads) the day of judgment. Similarly, Yom Kippur celebrates the Day of Atonement.

Sukkot, Shemini Alzeret, and Simchat Torah celebrate and reflect on the importance and thankfulness of God and the Torah.

If you travel to Israel during these holidays, your hotel and flights may be more expensive, but if you can avoid the dates, the prices during Autumn can be quite moderate. As with the Spring holidays, we do not recommend traveling to the Holy Land during these holidays unless it’s an absolute must.

Less Popular Time for Sightseeing & Pilgrimage

As with much of the world, the winter months (December to February) tend to be less popular and appealing to people. For some groups and individuals, this can be a good time to travel as the weather is cooler, and there is less risk of rain. Of course, there’s always the allure of Christmas in Bethlehem, but that trip can become quite expensive. Worthwhile if it’s a priority and important to you and your faith, but otherwise, Bethelem and the area are best enjoyed in other seasons.

The winter also has colder temperatures and higher rainfall. The benefit is that this time of year (winter) can offer lower prices for travelers on a budget.

Summer Is a Less Desirable Season for Traveling to the Holy Land

It might seem to go against common sense that summer is the least desirable season for a trip to the Holy Land. Summer is often thought of as vacation time, after all. But, during this time of year, temperatures are the hottest, and the weather is often very dry.

Because of the popularity, hotels, and airfare become expensive. More than that, the tourist crowds can become massive. That’s why we highly recommend traveling to Israel in the other seasons of the year.

Even if you don’t mind the weather and crowd sizes, the cost might be the deciding factor.

Fitness & Safety Considerations

Sometimes people forget, so let’s be very clear. Pilgrimage groups can involve a lot of walking or hiking and sometimes traverse over difficult terrain. If your goal is to do a lot of hiking during your time in Israel, which most pilgrimage trips include, then we have a few recommendations:

If you’re not already in good physical condition, add some exercise to your daily routine. Start going for daily walks and be active for the months leading up to your trip
Pack appropriately. If your pilgrimage will include a fair amount of walking, make sure you bring the right outfits with you. Less formalwear and more casual clothing.
Get the proper insurance. Of course, with added exercise comes added risk, so plan ahead by getting extra insurance on your flights and hotels.

One further recommendation: We advise wearing new (hiking) shoes before your departure. There’s little worse than breaking them in (or discovering you don’t like them) during your trip. Break them in a week or two before you leave.

Create a Tailored Holy Land Experience with Tradition Tours

If you’re planning (or hoping to plan) a trip to Israel in the near future, our top recommendation is to let us help you plan and curate your trip. With over 25 years of experience creating memorable experiences to the Holy Land, we know the destinations and deals to recommend or avoid.

To see some of our most popular destinations and packages, read our Travel Guide of the Best Holy Land tours.

Whether you’re traveling on your own or planning a group trip with your church, Tradition Tours operates a full-service travel boutique. We’re proud to offer you concierge services to make your trip to the Holy Land unforgettable.

Call us today @ 1-855-958-6877.

Planning a trip to the Holy Land can be overwhelming. Let us help guide you through the journey. Call now.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” – Ephesians 6:10

On his third missionary journey, Paul lived in Ephesus. It’s likely where he wrote 1 Corinthians and perhaps other letters in the Bible. His companion during the 2.5 years in Ephesus was his protege, Timothy.

On the western shores of modern-day Turkey, Ephesus was an important port city then and is an amazing place to visit today.

When you’re there, you’ll discover ancient archeological sites. You’ll see where Paul lived and served and grew the Early Church.

You’ll visit the Library of Celsus, one of the most beautiful structures in all of ancient Ephesus. While the library is from before the time of books, it once held over 12,000 scrolls, the third largest ancient library in the world.

The Great Theatre of Ephesus will be another highlight. With ancient pillars and statues, and carvings, the Theatre was three stories tall and could host 25,000 people. It’s quite the marvel!

When you call us, ask us about the other sites to add to your time in Ephesus.

You’ll be amazed and awed when you walk in the footsteps of St. Paul!

You won’t regret adding this ancient biblical city to your tour.

“I’ve never been as IN AWE as I was when I saw the actual place where Jesus was buried and rose again. It was inspiring and unimaginably awesome!” – Geoff

Have you heard of the Garden Tomb?

Catholics traditionally believe that the burial and resurrection of Jesus took place where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built.

It’s in Old City Jerusalem, and we’ll visit it on your tour of the Holy Land. But the most likely place, if you ask Evangelicals, is called the Garden Tomb.

A bit of a history lesson:

Golgotha, as you might already know, means “place of the skull,” and that’s one of the main hints that history gives us about where Jesus was crucified. It stumped scholars for years – what did the hint of skulls mean?

Then, in the 18060’s, archeologists discovered Skull Hill.

Today, it’s a bus stop. And behind the transit station is a rockface shaped like a skull. Skull Hill.

Archeologists kept looking. And near Skull Hill, they found an ancient tomb in a garden. At the entrance to the tomb is a groove where a stone would have acted as a door. A round stone that could have been rolled away.

More proof that they’d found the place of the burial and resurrection.

The area inside the tomb where the body of Jesus would have lay was marked by an ancient red crest, a stylized cross. Showing that even the Early Church marked the Garden Tomb as the place where Jesus was buried and resurrected.

Imagine stepping into the tomb that couldn’t hold Jesus and reading the story from Matthew 25 of His resurrection. Powerful!

Whether you’re coming to the Holy Land with your church, family, or by yourself, the Garden Tomb is an absolute MUST-SEE!

It’s like nothing else you will ever experience. I’ve seen people with tears in their eyes. I’ve seen pastors open their bible and start reading the resurrection story to their group. For Catholics, the same things happen at the Holy Sepulchre. But if you ask me, the Garden Tomb seems more likely.

That’s how I know the Garden Tomb will highlight your trip to the Holy Land. You’ll look back on the experience years and decades later.

Call today, and let’s discuss planning your trip to the Holy Land.

Don’t let the opportunity pass you by. The Garden Tomb awaits. Is it calling your name?