"In the Footsteps of Jesus." Ride your bike through the Biblical sites of the Galilee

March 14, 2009 - PRLog -- This seven day tour will take you to the well known sites of the Galilee, mentioned in the Old and New Testament. From Mt. Carmel to the sea of Galilee; from First Kings to the Gospel of John; from Elijah & Deborah to Jesus of Nazareth. Ride through the villages of the region, some of them places of pilgrimage for the past two thousand years.


Day 1
Haifa and Mt. Carmel. The story of Elijah. Approx. 35 Km.


Start your trip at the Stella Maris Monastery, above the cave of Elijah, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. From there, continue to the Bahai Center of Mt. Carmel before heading up the further up through Haifa. Continue climbing out of the City and through the woods of Mt. Carmel towards the Druze towns of Daliat El Carmel and Isfiya. From Isfiya, following the road to the peak of Mt. Carmel, arrive at the Carmelite Monastery, marking the place where Elijah challenged the false prophets of Ba’al (1st Kings:18). From there, decend back to Isfiya.
Overnight in Mt.Carmel Region.


Day 2
Mt. Carmel to Nazareth. The home of Jesus and Mary.
Approx. 40Km.


Follow Rd # 7212 down the steep slope of Mt.Carmel, towards Kfar Hasidim. From there, head to Kiryat Tivon (off road or on road). Follow Rd # 7513 through Bosmat Tivon to Bethlehem of The Galilee, founded by German Templers in the turn of the last century. Follow the side roads through the fields to Givat Ella, and on to Eilut. Then, start climbing through the village into Nazareth. Overnight in Nazareth. (We recommend another day in the city to explore the churches and markets.)



Day 3
From Nazareth to Mt. Tabor. The Land of Deborah the Prophet. Approx. 45 Km.


Start the day by visiting Cana (Kfar Kana) to the north of Nazareth which is the place where Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1), and is marked by the Wedding church and the Church of Nathanael .
Leave Kfar Kana, heading towards Ein Mahel and Mt. Dvorah. Go off road downhill toward the village of Daburia. From there, follow the road and climb around Mt. Tabor overlooking the Jezre’el (Yizrael) Valley and the Lower Galilee. At the top of the mountain, you will reach the Church of Transfiguration, a Catholic Church marking the place where Jesus Met Elijah and Moses (Luke 9:28). Then, turn down the hill towards Shibli and Kfar Tabor. Overnight in  Kfar Tabor.



Day 4
From Mt Tabor to the River Jordan. Approx. 45 Km.


From the Tabor region head south following Rd # 65 to Rd # 716/717. Follow the road in the Beit She’an valley through the agricultural communities of Ramat Tsvi and Moledet. Follow the road east to the crusader fort of Belvoir. Here, where the tribe of Issachar used to live, later become a stronghold for the Crusader armies in the Galilee and overlooks the ancient route along the Jordan. After visiting the site, decend towards the Jordan River. Overnight in Gesher, Yardena, Beit Yosef, Newe Or , or Ashdot Ya’akov.



Day 5
Along the Jordan, to the Roman Baths of Hamat Gader. Approx. 40 Km.


Follow the border road along the river heading north. Pass the first power station in Israel at Naharaim, and continue north to Ashdot Ya’akov. Follow the Road east along the Yarmukh River on the southern edge of the Golan Heights to Hamat Gader. Hamat Gader, first mentioned in the book of Joshua, are natural hot springs, built into baths from the time of the Romans.
After enjoying the hot water, turn back towards Tzemah on the southern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Head towards the Yardenit Baptizing Center on the river Jordan.
Overnight in the Dgania area.



Day 6
The Eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Kursi and Capernaum. Approx. 40 Km.


Follow the bike path northeast which will eventually take you all around the lake. Cycle north to Kursi, with the water on your left and the mountains of the Golan on your right. Visit the ancient church marking the Miracle of the Swine (Matt. 8:32), and head north.
Cross the river Jordan, pouring into the Sea of Galilee at Bethsaida where Jesus cured the blind (Matt 11:21). You will eventually reach Capernaum on the northern shore of the Lake. This historical location, mentioned several times in the Bible (Luke 4:31, Matt. 4:13, 8:5), is marked by several churches of different denominations commemorating the many events that took place here in the life of Jesus.
From there, head to one of the many optional lodging sites on the north shore of the lake.



Day7
The North Shore to Tiberias. Approx 30 Km.


Begin the day by climbing above the basin of the Sea of Galilee to Mt. Beatitudes, the traditional site of Jesus’ Sermon (Matt. 5:1-12). From there descend to Tabgha, where Jesus performed the act of Fish and Loaves (Mark 6:25), and visit the church of commemorating the Miracle. Continue south to Kibbutz Ginosar. There, in the Yigal Alon Museum, you can see the Galilee Boat, an original fishing craft from the time of Jesus.
Pass to the foot of Mt. Arbel to the City of Tiberias, and enjoy a stroll on the lakefront in the Roman Built Old City. Dine at one of the many restaurants, and delight in the market which is open all week.
Overnight in Tiberias.


(ISRAEL MINISTRY OF TOURISM)

Associated Websites:
 http://israeltravelcompany.com
 http://www.israeltravelcompanytours.com
 http://www.zeltours.com

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A small tour company specializing in custom designed ,family or small group travel experiences in Israel (min 4 - max 18 persons) ,with an off the beaten track emphasis and highlighting personalized bike and walking tours of Israel.