October 19th – October 27th, 2026
$7,200 (plus air)
Optional 4-night Jordan extension: +$2,700
Sign up
The Holy Land pilgrimage is $7,200 per person. If you’d like to continue with me into Jordan for four additional nights, you can add the Jordan extension for $2,700.
Click the button to sign up.
If you have any questions: mtn@thecatholictraveler.com
The Holy Land pilgrimage is 8 nights, with accommodations in five-star hotels in Tel Aviv and the Galilee and four nights at Notre Dame in Jerusalem.
If you add the four-night Jordan extension, we’ll continue together to Petra, spend a night in a luxurious bubble tent in the Wadi Rum, and finish with two nights at a five-star resort on the Dead Sea.
In addition to daily breakfast, we’ll have meals together throughout the pilgrimage. While a few are simple lunches, most are feasts in excellent restaurants – some of these restaurants rarely see tourists and are packed with locals, so you know the dining will be great. All dinners include unlimited wine. We also have a wine tasting and a cooking demo.
All tips are included for our guides, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff.
Of course we have daily Mass with our own priest and will be accompanied by my favorite local guides.
Is this pilgrimage for you?
You need to be flexible.
This pilgrimage is not for grumpy people or those unable to be joyfully flexible. The Holy Land is just reopening and we will be one of the first groups back.
So if you are easy-going and excited to travel, even with some uncertainties mixed in, this could be the trip for you!
You should be in good physical shape.
We will do a lot of walking, much of it outside, and much of it on uneven ground. We can walk up to several miles per day. Please do consider this before signing up.
Itinerary
October 19th: Arrive in Tel Aviv. Most flights will arrive TLV late in the day, so our only activities this evening are Mass and dinner. Overnight in Tel Aviv. Most people like to arrive a day earlier to enjoy the beach. I can help extend your stay, just let me know.
Sunset over the Mediterranean Sea
October 20th: Today we will be in… Nazareth! We will visit the Basilica of the Annunciation – and plan to arrive in time for the Angelus at noon and then celebrate Mass here. We will visit the site of Jesus’ first miracle in Cana and have an opportunity for marriage vow renewals. Lunch and dinner included. Overnight on the Sea of Galilee.
Here, the Word was made flesh
October 21st: This morning we will visit Caesarea Philippi. We will travel to the Golan Heights for a panoramic view of the Road to Damascus. Overnight on the Sea of Galilee. This evening we will have a wine tasting before our dinner. Lunch and dinner included.
You are Peter, and on this rock…
October 22nd: This morning we sail across the Sea of Galilee. We will visit Capernaum and the church built over Peter’s mother-in-law’s home. Next we will visit the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount. From here we will go to Tabgha where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes. We’ll take a short hike down a trail Jesus walked and visit the town of Magdala. Lunch and dinner included. Overnight on the Sea of Galilee.
The trail Jesus walked to Nazareth
October 23rd: This morning we head up to Jerusalem. On our way, we will visit Mount Tabor and the Basilica of Transfiguration. In Jerusalem we will visit Mount Zion, including the Upper Room and the spot where Peter denied Jesus three times. We have lunch overlooking this Holy City. Lunch and dinner included.
Sunrise over Mount Zion
October 24th: Today we visit Ein Karem and the Church of the Visitation. Here we will also see where Saint John the Baptist was born. Next we head into Bethlehem. We will visit Shepherd’s Field, and celebrate Mass at the Church of the Nativity. Lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Christ was born, right here.
October 25th: Today we will visit the Mount of Olives. We will walk Palm Sunday Road to Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem, then continue into the Garden of Gethsemane. We will visit the Church of Agony, the Grotto of Gethsemane, and the empty tomb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We have a cooking demo this afternoon. Lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Jerusalem.
The Garden of Gethsemane
October 26th: We will begin with an early morning walk along the Via Dolorosa, ending with Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We will visit the Church of Saint Anne and the Pools of Bethesda. Then it’s over to Ecce Homo and Judgment Hall, where Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate. We will visit the Western Wall. Dinner included. Overnight in Jerusalem.
The spot of the Crucifixion
October 27th: Those joining us only for the Holy Land pilgrimage depart from Tel Aviv today. Those continuing with me to Jordan will cross the border this morning.
Optional Jordan Extension
If eight nights in the Holy Land isn’t enough, you can continue with me for four more nights in Jordan for an additional $2,700 per person.
We’ll cross into Jordan on October 27th and visit Mount Nebo, Madaba, Petra, the Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, and the Baptismal Site of Jesus before departing from Amman on October 31st.
October 27th: This morning we cross into Jordan. Once across the border, we’ll head to Madaba to see the oldest map of the Holy Land, which is a mosaic on a church floor. While in Madaba we’ll dine at the excellent Haret Jdodna restaurant. Then we visit Mount Nebo to see where Moses saw the Promised Land and then died. We’ll celebrate Mass here and then head south to Petra. We are staying just outside the entrance to this ancient city. Lunch and dinner included.
The view of the Promised Land from Mount Nebo.
October 28th: This will be a best day ever! We will visit Petra. We will walk the Siq, an amazing gorge that leads to the famous Treasury. Once here, you’ll have time on your own to hike and explore. This afternoon we will head deep, deep, deep into the Wadi Rum. Our coach can only go so far, so we will hop into 4x4s to get a tour of the sand dunes and watch an otherworldly sunset. Next, we will settle into our luxurious desert camp. Dinner included.
The amazing views of Petra.
October 29th: This morning we will have Mass in the Wadi Rum desert, not far from where some believe the Three Magi lived. We’ll leave the desert and head north to our five-star Dead Sea resort. You’ll have plenty of time to relax and enjoy the resort amenities and float in the Dead Sea. Lunch and dinner included.
Sunset over the Dead Sea
October 30th: This morning we’ll visit Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the actual site where Jesus was baptized. Saint John Paul II called this spot the heart of the Holy Land. We will have a big farewell lunch together and you’ll have the rest of the day free to relax at our Dead Sea Resort. Dinner included.
The spot where Christ was Baptized.
October 31st: Your flights home from Amman (airport code AMM).
Price
Holy Land: $7,200 per person – ground only.
The Holy Land pilgrimage is 8 nights, October 19th – October 27th, 2026.
Optional Jordan Extension: +$2,700 per person.
The Jordan extension adds 4 nights, October 27th – October 31st, 2026.
If you join me for both the Holy Land pilgrimage and Jordan extension, the total price is $9,900 per person, ground only.
All prices are per person, based on double occupancy, meaning two people to a room.
Your $1,000 deposit secures your space.
Final payment is due October 5th. Final payment is nonrefundable.
Traveling solo?
I match singles with other traveling singles (of the same sex, of course) and that always works out great.
A single room for the Holy Land pilgrimage is an additional $1,800.
If you also add the Jordan extension, the Jordan single supplement is an additional $800.
So a single room for the complete Holy Land + Jordan trip is an additional $2,600.
Single rooms are extremely limited. So, first come, first served. If I do not have another single to match you with, you are responsible for paying the applicable single supplement.
Included in the Holy Land price
Accommodations for 8 nights
We are staying one night in Tel Aviv.
We are staying three nights on the Sea of Galilee.
We are staying four nights in Jerusalem.
Breakfast daily plus our included group meals
Wine is included in our group lunches and dinners.
Wine tasting
Cooking demo
All group ground transportation
We’ll be traveling in a private motor coach.
Full time service of a local tour guide
We’ll be accompanied by excellent local guides throughout the Holy Land.
Full time service of a tour director
I’ll be with you at all times.
No hidden costs
If we do it as a group, it’s included in the price! You are responsible only for things you do on your own, souvenirs you wish to buy, and Mass donations directly to the churches.
Guaranteed price
Unlike most pilgrimage companies, once I receive your deposit, your tour price will not go up.
All tips for group meals, guides, and drivers
Would you believe that many tour companies require you to tip as you go? Not only does that add to the advertised sticker price of a tour, it’s also a huge hassle to you. No need to worry about that here. Tips are already included.
Entry fees and tours
All entry fees for our included group activities.
Your time
We have a lot planned, but time on your own is important. We take our time in churches to give you the opportunity for prayer and reflection. We also include free time for you to explore, shop, relax, even get tattoos on your own.
Included in the Jordan Extension
The additional $2,700 includes everything we do together during our four nights in Jordan.
Accommodations for 4 nights
We are staying one night in Petra.
We are staying one night in the Wadi Rum desert.
We are staying two nights at our Dead Sea resort.
Breakfast daily plus our included group meals
All group ground transportation in Jordan
Full time service of our local Jordanian guide
All tips for group meals, guides, drivers, and hotel staff
All entry fees and included group activities
This includes our visits to Madaba, Mount Nebo, Petra, the Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, and Bethany Beyond the Jordan.
Arrival & Departure
Airfare is not included in the pilgrimage price, so be sure to book your flights according to the arrival and departure information below.
Arrival
For the Holy Land pilgrimage, you should arrive in Tel Aviv (TLV) no later than October 19th. Most flights from the US will depart late on the 18th and arrive on the 19th.
Some people like to arrive a day early to get over jet lag and enjoy the sea. If you need extra nights at the hotel, you can book those directly with the hotel. Our only planned activity on October 19th is dinner.
Departure
If you are joining only the Holy Land pilgrimage, you will depart from Tel Aviv (TLV) on October 27th.
If you are adding the Jordan extension, do not book a flight home from Tel Aviv. You’ll continue with us into Jordan on October 27th and fly home from Amman (AMM) on October 31st.
Many airlines are offering free changes should anything happen to the trip. Most of these airlines are not offering refunds, but rather a credit.
If you need to cancel your trip for any reason, or if the situation in the Holy Land changes and we need to cancel or postpone the trip, it’s your responsibility to work with your airline to cancel, reschedule, or request refunds.
If you have any questions or concerns about booking your flight, email me.
Cancellations
I want to be as flexible as possible, so I am offering full refunds if you want to cancel for any reason before October 5th. After that time, I’ll do all I can to get you back as much as I can, but I will have made all payments to the vendors, and they are not required to give me refunds. This is why it is very important for you to have trip insurance with a “cancel for any reason” plan.
If for any reason I need to cancel or postpone the trip, you’ll receive 100% back.
In all cases, you are responsible for working with the airline to get credit or refunds for changed or cancelled flights.
Trip insurance is a wise investment in case something comes up while you are traveling. If you think there is any chance you may need to cancel, I recommend you purchase travel insurance. A “Cancel for Any Reason” plan will let you, well, cancel for ‘most’ any reason. Most plans should allow for at least a 75% refund should you need to cancel at any time before departure. I have a friend who specializes in trip insurance, you can contact him directly, but you are under no obligation to use him and I don’t get any sort of kickbacks, so shop around and find what is best for you.
Going back to the Holy Land soon will have its perks…
We will be one of the first pilgrimage groups in the country and should have the place to ourselves. I don’t know if you’ve been to the Holy Land before, but in normal times, the wait for the Star of the Nativity can be up to three hours and people are allowed, not an exaggeration, about five seconds to venerate the spot where Christ was born. This is what it looked like when I took the first post-pandemic group back in March of 2022 and it was similar when I was there in April of 2025. We were the only ones there and stayed for a couple of hours.
The same goes for the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. People will wait hours to venerate the Tomb of Resurrection and the place of the Crucifixion. Again, for only a few seconds. This is what it looked like when they reopened after the pandemic:
Since we were literally the only ones there, other than workers, we had as much time as we wanted at each place.
All the other places we visit should also be empty. Typically when you pull up to any of the places around the Sea of Galilee, there will be 50–100 tour buses. It’s still beautiful and a blessing to visit anytime, but having the place all to ourselves is truly life-changing.
While the news in the Holy Land looks good and hopeful as of this writing, it’s always possible things could change.
With that uncertainty, though the Holy Land ALWAYS has uncertainty, this trip isn’t for everyone. I was there with a group during the war, and there were literally no issues for us in the places we visit.
It’s not expected at all, but if the war starts back up while we are there, some airlines could stop flying in and out of Tel Aviv. During the war, it was mostly US-based airlines who stopped. Most European airlines continued flying (Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, etc.), as did El Al, which has nonstop flights to several US cities. Flights from Amman were generally unaffected by the war in Israel.
Trip insurance is strongly recommended. I always suggest you shop around and get what is best for you. I do know someone in the trip insurance business, so I list him as someone you can contact. I don’t get kickbacks or any benefits for referring you. But as you shop around, you can also see what he can offer. His name is Michael and here’s his email: michael@rebullock.net.
Once I receive your final payment and pay for all the services in the Holy Land, it will be very difficult to get any of that back should you need to cancel. That said, I had a group of 30 people organized for June, the day after the US bombed Iran, and I refunded everyone 100%. I do all I can to always refund 100%.
As some of you know, when I cancelled 2023 and 2024’s pilgrimages, I had already paid everything and it took a while to get the money back. And I was only able to eventually get it all back because I’ve worked with these places for so many years. Hotels do not typically give refunds for last-minute cancellations. That said, my vendors there have assured me that cancellations due to unrest will be refunded. However, I cannot guarantee that will happen, so it’s best to have your own trip insurance in case that doesn’t actually happen.
So if none of this scares you away, and you are ready to go…