2025 ISRAEL IN FOCUS EVERLASTING LOVE TOUR
PLUS OPTIONAL HIGHLIGHTS OF PAUL EXTENSION TOUR
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QUESTIONS
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Conditions in Israel are improving to the extent that we believe it will be a good time to resume tours. Of course there are never full guarantees with any travel.
As it stands in Israel now, flights are currently operating in and out of Israel with tourists entering the country every day. Based on the latest information from the National Emergency Portal of Israel, citizens and tourists are free to travel throughout the country without restrictions except for a very small area on the Northern border.
Throughout the past 16 months The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry has safely conducted several solidarity trips to Israel. and now regular scheduled Study tours will also resume from the US and Canada in October and November.
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Flights to/from Tel Aviv are available for our tour and we are currently working on the best group fare for our needs.
If you are intending to travel on the tour, REGISTER NOW and Olive Tree Travel will assist you with the flights.
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Israel, like some other destinations are now making single occupied hotel rooms quite expensive. If you are a solo traveller with limited means, then you may wish to have a room buddy.
When you register for the tour, please indicate that you require a room buddy and Olive Tree Travel will seek to pair you with another person of the same gender.
Our Personal Invitation
When you take a tour to Israel with The Friends of Israel, you’re not just taking another holiday or ticking off a bucket list destination. Israel is a sacred land filled with historic places, stories of destiny and deeply established cultures that go far back into ancient times. Israel is the Land of the Bible, where God placed His Name and where His Son entered the world to redeem sinners, and of course where He will return at the end of the age. Israel is the land of promise and God’s chosen nation, right from the moment you step off the plane there is a deep realisation that the ground you are stepping out on is significant.
Since 1977, The Friends of Israel has been taking pilgrims to Israel to fulfil dreams, deepen their Bible knowledge and we hope their faith. Visiting over 40 significant biblical sites that stretch the length and breadth of the country, we will capture the essence of the land, the people and the history as well as prophecy the Bible reveals to us.
It is our hope you will join us for a potentially life-changing experience in 2025. As we embark on our Everlasting Love Tour you will come to bear witness to Gods faithful, eternal love for the nation of Israel. October 7 2023 will forever be etched into our minds when Israel was attacked by her enemies from Gaza and over 1200 innocent souls were murdered including women and babies. It will be our privilege to return to the land and bring comfort and compassion to a nation still reeling form the suffering inflicted since that day.
We invite you to Join us in October.
— Simon, Les and Colin
IMAGE MAY NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT THE ACTUAL JOURNEY ROUTE
ITINERARY SNAPSHOT*
22nd October - 9th November 2025*
Day 1: Wednesday 22nd October - DEPART AUSTRALIA
Depending on your flight schedule, you will depart your Australian ports bound for Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel.
Day 2: Thursday 23rd October - ARRIVAL IN ISRAEL
Upon arrival you will be transferred to our Tel Aviv Hotel (if you are on the nominated group flight) otherwise you will have made your own way to the hotel in Tel Aviv.
Day 3: Friday 24th October - TEL AVIV
Our first day in Israel begins with an orientation of Israels modern history before we drive south to the ancient Port of Joppa of Jonah fame. Here we will learn about the Apostle Peters visit to the home of Simon the Tanner. After lunch at a local bakery we drive to a special Fuel Station near the scene where David killed Goliath. As the Sun sets over the Mediterranean we return to Tel Aviv and our hotel for dinner.
Day 4: Saturday 25th October - GALILEE
After breakfast and checking out of our hotel, we board our bus for the 45 min journey North along the Coast to Caesarea Maritime, the city and harbour built by Herod the Great. After lunch we continue North to Mount Carmel where Elijah slew the Prophets of Baal, then on to Tel Megiddo, the site of ancient battles and biblical prophecy. Our day concludes in the region of Galilee.
Day 5: Sunday 26th October - GALILEE
Our Lords Day begins with a time of worship on Lake Kinneret before visiting more sites where Jesus walked & lived around the Lake. We will spend time in Capernaum, Magdala and places Jesus healed people and taught His followers. We end our day soaking in the view overlooking Galilee.
Day 6: Monday 27th October - GALILEE
As the sun rises over the Sea of Galilee we will be on the bus early after breakfast to journey north to Golan in the shadows of Mt Hermon. We will see how pagan worship permeated the northern tribes of Israel at Tel Dan and its influence during Jesus' time at Caesarea Phillipi. We return to our Tiberias Hotel in time for dinner and rest before our early checkout in the morning.
Day 7: Tuesday 28th October - DEAD SEA-JORDAN
Today we complete our Galilee experience with a special tour of a village in Nazareth and learn of the times of Jesus. We then visit Beit Shean, a leading Roman city of the Decapolis before we cross over into the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and finally our Dead Sea Hotel.
Day 8: Wednesday 29th October - PETRA
We will journey today to the ancient Nabatean City of Petra stopping first at Mt Nebo where Moses surveyed the Promised Land before his death. Arriving at Petra we will tour by foot to an ancient world, then later there is the offering of a special night tour to the famous Treasury.
Day 9: Thursday 30th October - EILAT
Departing after breakfast we continue South on the Kings Highway past Wadi Rum to the Yitshak Rabin border & Red Sea resort City of Eilat. We will meet our Israeli tour Guide and continue the day learning of the wilderness wanderings of Israel visiting a replica Tabernacle at Timna. Our day concludes at U Splash Resort in Eilat.
Day 10: Friday 31st October - BEERSHEVA
Our wilderness wanderings see us drive northward through the Negev stopping at the spectacular Mitzpe Ramon Crater. We move on to the ancient city of Avdat and then Sde Boker to learn the connection with an Israel Prime Minister. We complete our day in BeerSheva.
Day 11: Saturday 1st November - DEAD SEA
We get to biblical Tel Sheva early today and learn more about Israels rich history as well as the role our own ANZACS played in more recent history. In the afternoon we will meet the Director of Operation Life Shield and visit sites of the October 7 attacks. Our day will end at our Dead Sea Hotel for dinner.
Day 12: Sunday 2nd November - DEAD SEA
Today we visit one of Israels most popular tourist sites, Herod’s summer palace at Masada. After lunch we will stop at En Gedi where David hid from King Saul in a cave and where we may see some Israeli fauna. Arriving back at our hotel early we will have a true Dead Sea experience.
Day 13: Monday 3rd November - JERUSALEM
After checking out of our hotel we drive to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We then continue to Israels biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria including Shiloh where Israel first worshipped in the land. We then make our highly anticipated journey up to Jerusalem where we will spend our final days of the tour soaking in the incredible history of the eternal city.
Day 14: Tuesday 4th November - JERUSALEM
Awaking on the first of our 5 days in the City of our Great King we begin in the City of David. Here we will explore tunnels and ancient remains of the old city and visit the pool of Siloam. After lunch we visit the Israel Museum complete with a scaled model of the city of Jerusalem.
Day 15: Wednesday 5th November - JERUSALEM
Our day begins on a sombre note with a visit to Yad Vashem, the national Holocaust Museum. After lunch we take a short drive to Bethlehem where we visit the Church of Nativity and Shepherds Fields, which is a perfect place for reflecting on the birth of Jesus.
Day 16: Thursday 6th November - JERUSALEM
As the sun rises over Jerusalem, we will be spending today mostly on foot around the old city. Starting with a visit to the Temple Mount before descending back to the Jewish quarter where we visit the Temple Institute and other interesting sites. After lunch we tour the Western Wall tunnel complex and the archeological ruins from the Temple destruction by the Romans in AD70.
Day 17: Friday 7th November - JERUSALEM
Our final day of the tour will focus on the death, burial, resurrection and return of our Lord. We walk the Via Dolorosa, visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, break bread at the Garden Tomb, reflect at Gethsemene and ascend the Mount of Olives. Returning to our hotel we will observe the arrival of Shabbat and enjoy our final hotel dinner of the tour.
Day 18: Saturday 8th November - DEPARTURE DAY
We end our time in Israel on a leisurely note, buying souvenirs or a casual stroll in the old city. If joining the optional Greece Extension or if you have a flight at a similar time, we board the bus and make our way to the airport for our departure flight.
CONTINUE SCROLLING TO SEE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF PAUL TOUR
ITINERARY
8th - 14th November 2025
Day 1: Saturday 8th November - Athens
Welcome to Athens! Upon arrival this evening, you will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel in Athens. Dinner and overnight in Athens. (D)
Day 2: Sunday 9th November - Athens
This morning, visit the famous Acropolis to see the Propylae, the Erectheum and the Parthenon. From there we will get a clear view of the city of Athens, as well as the Ancient Agora (ancient marketplace where the Apostle Paul spoke to the ancient Athenians). Ascending the hill, we will pass through the Mars Hill, where Paul preached to the ancient Athenians. Our visit is not complete without a tour of the New Acropolis Museum, which houses the findings of the Acropolis of Athens. Then we continue with a bus tour of the city where we will see the House of Parliament, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Hadrian's Arch and the Panathenaic Stadium.
Afternoon at leisure to explore the city further. Dinner and overnight in Athens. (B,D)
Day 3: Monday 10th November - Cruise, Mykonos
After breakfast we will be transferred to the port of Lavrio where we will board our cruise. Take a stroll along the narrow-cobbled streets, past chic boutiques, white-washed churches and elegant cafes. Shuttle buses operate continuously between the port and Mykonos town.
Overnight on board. (B, L, D)
Day 4: Tuesday 11th November - Cruise, Kusadasi, Patmos
This morning, we arrive in Kusadasi where we join an excursion to Ancient Ephesus (KUS-02).
Morning visit to Ephesus in Kusadasi. At Ancient Ephesus we find Immortal relics of the Hellenistic, Roman and Early Christian era. At the archaeological site we will be given a guided tour among the Agora, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the marble-paved main Street of Kouretes, the Baths of Scholastica, Trajan’s Fountain, the Public Latrines, the Residences of the Patricians, the Prytaneum, the Temple of Hadrian…The Great Theatre, built in the 4th century B.C., could accommodate 24,000 spectators and it is famous even nowadays for its acoustics. The finds from the excavations, which have yet brought to light only 13% of ancient Ephesus, reside in the Archaeological Museum of Ephesus, in the city of Selcuk. During the excursion we will have a chance to do some shopping and see the carpet waving demonstration.
In the afternoon, visit St. John monastery and Cave of Apocalypse in Patmos (PAT-01).
The picturesque alleyways wind upwards, towards the Monastery of St. John the Evangelist, founded in 1088 by St. Christodoulos. The visit will open the doors for us to the Monastery’s yard, the place where the monks take their meals and the old bakery. Of exquisite beauty is the tour of the Byzantine Church of St. John, which is adorned with a wood-carved icon screen, important frescoes from several periods, with both mosaic and other icons. Our next stop is the small museum which hosts religious treasures of inestimable value, like manuscripts, medieval textiles and sacerdotal vestments. Walking down the stairs, the religious energy that we will experience is soul touching. Behind the chapel of St. Anne lies the entrance to the Grotto of the Apocalypse. We will see the cross engraved by St. John the Evangelist, according to tradition, the triple fissure in the wall of the cave, from where St. John heard God dictating to him the Apocalypse and the spot where he lay down to sleep.
Overnight on board. (B,L,D)
Day 5: Wednesday 12th November - Cruise, Rhodes
Upon arrival in Rhodos, we join the excursion to Acropolis of Lindos and the Citadel of the Knights (RHO 01)
Arrive at Rhodes this morning. We travel first to Lindos. It is here where the Apostle Paul first set foot on the island in the year 52 AD. Lindos is about 55km from Rhodes Town and high above the village sits the impressive Acropolis with the Doric Temple of Athena, built in 300 BC. Captains’ mansions constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries are dotted here and there and in the heart of Lindos is the Church of the Virgin Mary with lovely frescoes from the 15th Century. Back in Rhodes is where we are really immersed in the history of the island in the Knights’ Quarter. We stroll through Gate d’Amboise to walk along the Street of the Knights and see where they lived, separated according to Order, their crests still visible today. We will also see (outside) the imposing Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, a medieval castle also known as the Kastello. It’s one of the few examples of Gothic architecture in Greece. The Byzantine citadel was built in the 7th Century, the palace itself in the fourteenth. Where the palace sits today could well have been the spot where the Colossus once stood, according to recent studies. Return to the ship and sail off into the sunset for another night at Sea. (BLD)
Day 6: Thursday 13th November Cruise, Santorini
This morning, we arrive in Santorini where we join the excursion to Oia (SAN-01)
If you are a first time visitor to Santorini she will take your breath away.
And even if you are a regular visitor, with her soaring landscapes and whitewashed houses she will still do that every time. She is regularly described as one of the most beautiful places on the planet. There are plenty of magic moments on our excursion.
One of the greatest spectacles is Oia village perched on the rim of the Caldera, the remains of a volcanic eruption. Santorini is a ring of rock around the sea. Think of it as the rim of an old volcano.
First we head to Megalochori, one of the most authentic and unspoiled villages on the island, retaining its distinctive architecture, character and charm.
Our trip continues eastwards through a number of traditional communities like Firostefani and Imerovigli until we arrive at Oia. On our journey we will have had the lace-like caldera to our west, the little islands of Thirasia, Palea and Nea Kameni and an incredible, unsurpassable panoramic view.
There is plenty of time in Oia to explore, stroll the marble-paved alleys, visit the adorable shops and capture the moments on camera. Admire the traditional buildings carved into the rocks and the unusual captain’s manors, the settlement. Depart Santorini this evening, sailing overnight to Athens. (B,L,D)
Day 7: Friday 14th November - Ancient Corinth, depart Athens
Following your disembarkation in the morning, we drive to the Corinth Canal, which separates Peloponnese from the Greek mainland and connects the two Seas, the Ionian and the Aegean. Continue to Ancient Corinth, one of the most important trading cities of ancient Greece dating back to the 6th century B.C. Here under the shadow of the towering Acropolis, St. Paul preached and lived for two years. The vigorous and mostly Gentile Church he founded here in 50 AD caused him much grief and prompted him to write at least four letters. Visit the ruins of the ancient city where Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla. See the remains of first century shops, the agora where Paul's trial by Gallio took place, the Fountain of Peirene, Temple of Apollo and the Bema.
Transfer to the airport and check-in for your flight back to Australia. Please check your respective itinerary & E ticket for your flight information. (B)
