Step into the Story Holy Land Pilgrimage February 13 – 25, 2026
$5,675.00
*Per person: all-inclusive double occupancy
Single Supplement: add $1,274
Optional Excursion: to Petra, Jordan offered (***$625.00 per person cost not included in main trip cost; see Petra excursion details below)
*All-inclusive price includes:
Airfare: Round trip airfare/taxes/surcharges, and fees included on Delta Air Lines. Scheduled flights reserved but times are subject to change before departure. (Government taxes are subject to change)
STEP INTO THE STORY Holy Land Pilgrimage Feb 13-25, 2026
Why Join Us?
Join Pastor Rick Statham for the trip of a lifetime and travel to The Holy Land of Israel February 13-25, 2026. The journey will give you a deeper understanding of both the Christian and Jewish faiths and transform how you read and apply the Scripture to your life. Pastor Rick has been the Senior Pastor of Salem Church for thirty years. He first made the pilgrimage to Israel in 2013 and would say it was one of the high-water marks of his life. “Going to Israel was like stepping into the pages of Biblical History and took my understanding of the faith from ‘black and white [tv] to the finest high def [tv] possible,” states Pastor Rick. It will do the same for you! Journey with Pastor Rick and “Step into The Story” and you’ll never be the same after journey through the places where Bible stories were lived.
To register for this tour, please click here
Day By Day Itinerary
*Subject to change | **If time allows | ***Optional excursion at additional cost
Day 1 – Friday, February 13. Depart the USA for The Holy Land of Israel
We will meet in the parking lot of Salem Baptist Church, McDonough at 4:30 am to load the bus and depart no later than 5:15 am for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. *Meet and departure times subject to change. Please watch for email from Irene O’Reilly at Uniglobe with updates day before and day of departure.
Day 2- Saturday, February 14. Arrive in the Holy Land – Joppa / Caesarea Maritime / Mt. Carmel
We will arrive early morning at Ben Gurion Airport, near the modern city of Tel Aviv, Israel’s largest city. We will be met and assisted through customs by an Immanuel Tours representative. We will be met by our guide and driver and will begin our tour by driving to the ancient seaport of Joppa. Then onto Caesarea Maritime and continue onto the heights of Mt. Carmel where Elijah fought the prophets of Baal, where we will see the spectacular view of the Jezreel Valley upon which the future battle of Armageddon will take place.
Transfer to the Hadera Resort Hotel for check-in, dinner & overnight.
Overnight: Hadera
Day 3
Sunday, February 15. Tel Megiddo / Jezreel Valley / Nazareth/ Nazareth Overlook/Cana**
Check out of the hotel and ride through the Manasseh Pass to Tel Megiddo. Then ride through the Jezreel Valley to Nazereth and then up the hills of the lower Galilee to the overlook of Nazareth, the boyhood home of the Lord Jesus. We will stop in Cana if time allows. Then travel into the lower Galilee and spend our first night at the lovely and quite unique, U Boutique Kinneret on the peaceful shore of the Sea of Galilee – dinner & overnight.
Overnight: Tiberias
Day 4
Monday, February 16. Sea of Galilee – Boat ride / Jesus Boat / Mt. Of Beatitudes / Primacy of Peter/ Capernaum / Magdala / Chorazin / Baptism
After breakfast, while sailing in a replica of an ancient boat, we will have a time of worship on the Sea of Galilee. We will dock at Nof Ginnosar and see a boat of antiquity dating to the time of Christ – the “Jesus Boat.” The rest of our touring day will be spent tracing the steps of Jesus through the Galilee region as we visit the Mt. of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Magdala, Chorazin, and the ancient fisherman’s landing called the “Primacy of Peter.” Near the end of the touring day, you will be offered the opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River. Dinner & overnight at the U Boutique Kinneret in Tiberias.
Overnight: Tiberias
Day 5 – Tuesday, February 17. Tel Dan – Nature Reserve / Mt. Bental / Caesarea Philippi / Herod Agrippa’s Palace**/ Golan Heights / Kursi/ Special Overlook of Sea of Galilee**
The beautiful northern mountains of Israel await you today. We will see a city gate from the time of Abraham at Tel Dan, along with an altar from the days of Israel’s divided kingdom. Walk through the incredible nature reserve at Dan and see the beginnings of the Dan River which join with other streams to form the famous Jordan River. Our next stop will be the site of the Apostle Peter’s Confession of Christ at Caesarea Philippi, where we will see the second source of the Jordan River at Banias. Israel’s incredible history from 1948 until the present will be explained like never before as we stand upon the heights of the extinct volcano peak – Mount Bental. We will see the Golan Heights spanning from the Northern border to the Sea of Galilee and learn about the strategic importance this region has played and will continue to play to the nation of Israel. On the way back to the Hotel we will go to the ancient area of Kursi where Jesus cast the Demons into the herd of swine and look out over the sea of Galilee from a lookout on the eastern side of the sea. Dinner & overnight at U Boutique Kinnerett in Tiberias.
Overnight: Tiberias
Day 6
Wednesday, February 18. Beit Shean / Jordan Valley / Qumran / Ein Gedi / Dead Sea
This morning we leave the beautiful Sea of Galilee and will drive to visit the excavations of Beit Shean, the capital city of the Decapolis that the Romans rebuilt in 63 A.D. and renamed Scythopolis. Afterwards, we will continue to Qumran – the center of the Essenes. From there we drive through the Jordan Valley, via Jericho and arrive at Ein Gedi which was David’s hideout from Saul. We will drive to the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on the earth, for late afternoon arrival to our hotel. Take time to enjoy the different SPA facilities*** of the hotel and you will have the opportunity to float in the Dead Sea. Dinner & overnight at the David Dead Sea Resort and Spa Hotel.
Overnight: Dead Sea
Day 7. Thursday, February 19. Masada / Tabernacle Model / Red Sea.
We will leave the hotel after breakfast and drive to the ancient fortress of Masada. This mighty fortress was the last stronghold and stand of the zealots against Rome, on the edge of the barren Negev Desert. Masada is a symbol of courage and perseverance for the Jewish people, where 960 Jewish defenders organized their last resistance to the Roman conquerors and took their own lives rather than surrender into slavery. From Masada we will journey south to visit the full-scale Tabernacle model located in the desert at Timnah, Israel. Following our visit of the Tabernacle Model we will continue our journey to the southernmost modern-day resort city of Eilat on the coast of the Red Sea! Dinner and overnight at Herod’s Palace Resort.
Overnight: Eilat
Day 8
Friday, February 20. Red Sea / Eilat – A Day of Rest and Relaxation / Petra, Jordan***
Today will be a day of rest along the Red Sea with a full day of free time to rest, shop and/or explore this resort town. At Sunset we will celebrate the coming of Shabbat (The Sabbath) with a wonderful and lavish dinner at Herod’s Palace Resort. Optional Excursion To Petra Jordan*** – Those who choose to purchase the day trip to Petra will leave early in the morning to pass through the Israel/Jordan border to meet the Jordanian Tour Guide and Driver for a day journey to Historic Petra. Those traveling to Jordan will return to Eilat for dinner. Those remaining at the hotel will be offered the opportunity for a boat ride on the Red Sea at a reasonable additional fee.
Overnight: Eilat
Day 9
Saturday, February 21. Tel Be’er Sheva / Elah Valley/ Bethlehem – Shepherd’s Fields / Church of Nativity / Jerusalem Promenade Overlook
After breakfast we check out from the hotel earlier than normal and start our journey to Jerusalem. Drive through the area of the Ramon Crater which is the world’s largest makhtesh. We will then journey to the area of ancient Avdat which is the site of a ruined Nabataean city in the Negev Desert in Southern Israel for a quick lunch stop. Avdat was the most important city on the Incense Route after leaving Petra, Jordan between the 1st BC and 7th century AD. Our journey will continue to Tel Be’er Sheva which is believed to be the ancient city of Beersheba where Abraham lived when God called him to take his son Isaac to Mt. Moriah (in Jerusalem) to offer him as a sacrifice. Like Abraham and Isaac, we will journey onward to the region of Jerusalem, traveling the same route the ancient pilgrims would have taken from the South as they made their journey to Jerusalem for the great feasts of Israel. Stop in the Elah Valley where the Shepherd boy David defeated the Philistine Giant Goliath. We will enter Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity, Manger Square, and the Shepherd’s Fields. As the sun begins to set, we shall arrive in the City of God, The City of David and the ancient and modern capital of Israel – Jerusalem! We will stop at The Jerusalem Promenade Overlook where we will have a beautiful view the City of Jerusalem, The Kidron Valley, and The Mt of Olives from the south. After this long but incredible day we will check in to the Dan Jerusalem Hotel for dinner and overnight.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 10
Sunday, February 22. Mount of Olives / Palm Sunday Road / Garden of Gethsemane / Old City / Pools of Bethesda / Eco Homo / Via Dolorosa / Jewish Quarter / Model City at Israel Museum
We will start the day atop the Mt. of Olives for an introduction to Jerusalem. From the Mount of Olives there is a magnificent view over all of ancient and modern Jerusalem – the center of the biblical world – including an outstanding and breath-taking view across the Kidron Valley to the Eastern Gate. We will walk down the “Palm Sunday Road” en-route to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations (Lk. 22:40-46). We will have a time of private worship in the Garden of Gethsemane. Next, enter within the old walled city of Jerusalem and walk along the Via Dolorosa. Along the way, we will visit the Pools of Bethesda and visit the “Stone Pavement” where Jesus was sentenced and flogged. We will then drive to the Israel Museum to view the Dead Sea Scrolls and the incredible model of the city of Jerusalem. Return to the Dan Jerusalem Hotel for dinner & overnight.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 11
Monday, February 23. Temple Mount/ Western Wall/ Rabbinical Tunnels / Davidson Center and Southern Steps / The City of David / Temple Institute / Caiaphas House / Tower of David Light Show
This morning we will rise and leave early to visit the most sacred place on earth, Mt. Moriah. Visit the Western Wall, the last standing remnant of the ancient Temple. We will also tour the incredible Rabbinical Tunnels. Visit the Davidson Center and see Robinson’s Arch and then worship on the ancient Southern Steps. If opened by authorities, we may visit the Temple Mount and view the centuries old “Dome of the Rock” built 688 – 691 A.D. Then visit the “City of David” archaeological site where we may go through a portion of Hezekiah’s Tunnel** which leads to the Pool of Siloam in the Kidron Valley where Jesus restored the sight of the man born blind. We will journey to Mt. Zion where we shall stop to visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu which is built over the Palace of Caiaphas, the High Priest, who imprisoned Jesus and interrogated him before his trial before the Roman Governor (Lk. 22:54). Only if time allows this year will we visit the nearby area of the “Upper Room” along with the Tomb of King David.** (**Only if time allows)
Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 12
Tuesday, February 24. Shiloh / Yad Vashem** / Gordon’s Calvary / Garden Tomb / Farewell Dinner
This morning we will journey to the Biblical Land of Samaria to visit Ancient Shiloh, where the Ark of the Covenant was located for more than 300 years. During our time in Shiloh, we will have a special time of worship and prayer as we pray for many couples (based on 1 Samuel 1) who are longing to have a child – biologically or through adoption. We will then return to Jerusalem to visit Yad Vashem if time allows**. This is Israel’s memorial to the 6 million Jews who were put to death by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime of Germany during the days of WWII. This is a moving experience that includes a visit to the children’s museum in memory of the 2 million children who were sent to their deaths at the hands of the Nazis. We will complete our pilgrimage at Calvary where Jesus was crucified for our sins, and the Garden Tomb where He was buried and raised. We will then share our final evening meal in the Holy Land.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 13
Wednesday, February 25. Depart Tel Aviv Airport for USA / Arrive USA / Return to Salem Baptist
Early Wednesday morning we depart hotel and head to the Tel Aviv airport. We will arrive in New York at JFK and proceed through Customs prior to boarding the flight to Atlanta. Upon arrival in Atlanta, we will be met by the Salem Baptist motor coach to return us to Salem Baptist, McDonough.
Day 14
Friday, February 20 $625.00*** price based on 10+ participants
Per person Petra excursion price includes the following***: • Transportation from the Herod’s Palace Hotel in Eilat, Israel to the Southern Israel/Jordan border to cross to Jordan and on the return to the hotel in Eilat by the end of the day
• Meet & assist by the Jordanian operator’s representative at the southern border upon arrival & departure
•Entrance fees to Petra site
• In Petra – Short horse ride if desired to entrance of Siq – does not include carriage ride. (Note: compulsory to pay even if not taken by the clients.)
• Porterage at the border
• Transportation by A/C coach all throughout the itinerary
• English speaking guide throughout the itinerary
• Lunch at Movenpick Hotel in Petra
• Tips to guide, driver, restaurant
• Visa fee
• Jordan & Israel Exit taxes
Price does not include the following:
• Carriages in Petra
• Beverages of any kind
• Tips for horse ride in Petra
• Donkey Caravan
• Any other services not mentioned above
Further information:
Transportation will be provided by Salem Baptist Church; 1724 Highway 155N, McDonough, Georgia to and from the airport on dates of travel. Arrive at Salem Baptist Church by 4:30 am for a departure to the airport promptly at 5:15 am on February 13. Return date is Wednesday, February 25 – arrive USA at JFK airport where customs will be handled, and transfer onto a flight to Hartsfield – Jackson International Airport Atlanta. The Salem motor coach will be waiting to return travelers to the church.
Meals:
(HB is half board and includes full Israeli morning breakfast and evening dinner buffets.) There is an extra charge for coffee, tea, and other beverages not included in the menu of the day. Farewell dinner included on Tuesday, Feb 24th.