On March 8-18, 2013 Redeemer Seminary will host a trip to Israel and Instanbul to visit a number of historical Christian sites including Jerusalem, Church of the Sepulchre, and the Temple Mount. We would love to have you join us on this exciting opportunity learn more about Christian history and culture.
Please visit http://redeemerisraeltrip.eventbrite.com/ to express your interest and sign-up for further information.
Leader: Steven Vanderhill, President of Redeemer Seminary
Open invitation to participate. Friends, students, and families are all welcome.
COSTS
$2695 per person double occupancy including flights from New York JFK airport. Lunches and guide/driver tips.
Options:
$500 supplement for single occupancy rooms.
$300 (approximate) supplement for flights departing/returning Dallas.
$200 reduction for March 17 return to USA with no Istanbul visits.
$100 reduction for students enrolled for academic credit.
ITINERARY
March 8 Day 01 Depart USA – Fly to Istanbul
12:55pm departure on Turkish Airlines flight 004.
If you arrange your own flights to and from JFK airport New York, allow 3 hours between flights for security, passport control, customs, and transfer between flights.
March 9 Day 02 Istanbul – Fly to Tel Aviv
9:30am departure on Turkish Airlines flight 794. Drive to Jerusalem hotel. Orientation to Jerusalem. Overnight in Jerusalem. (D)
March 10 Day 03 Jerusalem
Jerusalem tour: Worship service, Old City of Jerusalem, Tower of David museum admission, Southwest Corner of Temple archaeological park admission, Western Wall, Western Wall Tunnel admission. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B,D)
March 11 Day 04 Jerusalem
Temple Mount admission, Church of Holy Sepulchre, Church of the Redeemer Tower optional, Garden Tomb (if time, admission). Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B,D)
March 12 Day 05 Jerusalem
Mt. Olives, Gethsemane, Pool Siloam (if time), Bethlehem, Herodian (if time, admission) Bet Guvrin (if time, admission). Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B,D)
March 13 Day 06 Ein Gedi – Jerusalem
Early departure, Masada admission, brief Dead Sea swim (if time), Ein Gedi admission, Qumran admission, Jericho admission. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B,D)
March 14 Day 07 Jerusalem – Tiberias
Jordan Valley, Beth Shean admission, Harod Spring admission, Mt. Arbel admission. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias. (B,D)
March 15 Day 08 Tiberias
Caesarea Philippi admission, Mt. Beatitudes admission, Capernaum admission, Boat ride on Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias. (B,D)
March 16 Day 09 Tiberias – Tel Aviv – Fly to Istanbul
Nazareth, Megiddo admission, Caesarea Maritima admission. Dinner in Tel Aviv. Fly to Istanbul at 21:20. Overnight in Istanbul. (B)
March 17 Day 10 Istanbul tour or optional early return to USA
(optional flight to USA for any who do not stay for day tour of Istanbul) Visit Hippodrome Square, St Sophia Church admission, Topkapi Palace admission, and the Archaeological Museum admission.
Dinner and overnight in Istanbul. (B,D)
March 18 Day 11 Depart Istanbul – Fly to USA
7:25am Departure on Turkish Airlines flight 003 to JFK. Scheduled arrival at JFK is 12:25pm. If you arrange your own flights to and from JFK airport New York, allow 3 hours between flights for security, passport control, customs, and transfer between flights.
Site visit itinerary is subject to change based on group, travel and site conditions.
The price includes:
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- Roundtrip international flights between New York – Tel Aviv
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- 5 nights at 4 star Prima Royal in Jerusalem http://www.prima-hotels-israel.com/jerusalem-hotels/prima-royale-jerusalem-hotel
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- 2 nights at 4 star Prima Galil in Tiberias http://www.prima-hotels-israel.com/tiberias-hotels/prima-galil-tiberias-hotel
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- 1 night at 4 star hotel in Istanbul.
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- Daily Breakfast and 8 Dinners at the hotels (B,D)
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- Entrance fees to sites and attractions as per the above list
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- Licensed Tour Guide throughout touring days
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- Transportation in air-conditioned tourist coach during tour (except March 10-11 in Jerusalem)
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- Porters’ fees at hotels and at Tel Aviv airport
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- Tips to Hotel staff
Not included in the price:
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- Lunches and drinks
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- Tips to Tour Guide & Bus Driver (expected 7 USD per day/person)
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- Health or travel insurance
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- Any type of personal expenses
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- Any expenses not mentioned in the above “included” list
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- Turkish Visa Fee ($20 per person for US citizens) for those who take the Istanbul Extension
Physical and health condition of participants
Site visits to ancient city areas involve various amounts of walking on pavement, limestone, cobblestone, rock, gravel and sand. Participants should be able to walk unassisted for several city blocks at a time and are advised to prepare for daily outside walking prior to the trip. The greater your physical conditioning for walking, the greater will be your enjoyment of the walking tours. If you have any special health conditions, please consult your physician about the advisability of travel and walking tours.
RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS, PAYMENTS, AND REFUNDS
Please express your interest to Steven Vanderhill as soon as possible by visiting http://redeemerisraeltrip.eventbrite.com Or you may email svanderhill@redeemerseminary.org
November 30: Deposits of $100 are due.
December 30: Full payment of the balance is due.
December 30: Deadline for full refund of deposits and payments (less credit card transaction and foreign currency fees charged by your credit card company.)
Credit card payments will be processed as foreign currency transactions and your credit card company may charge foreign currency transaction fees. Please consult your credit card company about their fee structure. Credit card transaction and currency conversion fees are non-refundable.
Trip arrangements are made through Tutku Tours of Izmir Turkey. Please notify your credit card company to authorize foreign transactions from Tutku Tours of Izmir Turkey.
Also, notify your credit card and ATM bankcard companies that you will be traveling in Turkey and Israel March 8-18, 2012, and that they should notate your accounts for authorizations in those countries during that period.
ACADEMIC CREDIT AVAILABLE
Two semester hours of academic credit are available from Redeemer Seminary for enrolled students who complete the required reading and assignments. Spring semester tuition and scholarship rates are applicable.
Please visit http://redeemerisraeltrip.eventbrite.com/ to express your interest and sign-up for further information.
CONTACT
Steven Vanderhill, President of Redeemer Seminary
svanderhill@redeemerseminary.org
214-755-2028
