Holy Land Tour FAQ

Yes. Millions of pilgrims travel to Jerusalem and Bethlehem safely every year, and the major Christian sites - the Church of the Nativity, the Holy Sepulchre, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Mount of Olives, the Jordan River baptism site, and the Sea of Galilee - have remained open and welcoming throughout. Our guides live in the Holy Land and check conditions on the ground every morning before pickup. If anything along your route ever looks unsafe, you will hear it from us before you book, not after.

A classic Holy Land tour covers the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Old City of Jerusalem (Holy Sepulchre, Via Dolorosa, Western Wall, Mount Zion), the Mount of Olives and Garden of Gethsemane, Shepherds' Field, the Jordan River baptism site, the Dead Sea, Jericho, and Galilee (Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Sea of Galilee). Shorter tours pick the highlights; multi-day pilgrimages cover everything from the Nativity to the Resurrection.

One day is enough for Bethlehem highlights or the Jerusalem Old City. Three days lets you do Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and the Jordan River with breathing room. Seven to ten days is the classic Christian pilgrimage covering Galilee, Nazareth, Cana, the Dead Sea, plus everything in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Most first-time pilgrims pick a 5 to 8 day itinerary, which gives time for prayer and reflection at each site rather than rushing.

March through May (spring) and September through November (autumn) are the most pleasant - mild weather, blooming hills, no extreme heat. December brings Christmas in Bethlehem, which is unforgettable. Easter in Jerusalem moves even seasoned pilgrims. Summer (June to August) is hot but the major sites are quieter and prices on tours and hotels often soften. Tours run year-round.

Every Elijah Tours quote includes your licensed Christian guide, a modern air-conditioned vehicle, hotel pickup from the city you select at checkout (Jerusalem, Bethlehem, or Tel Aviv), all driving and route planning, and entrance coordination at the major sites. Lunch, personal shopping, and gratuities are not included so you can choose where and what you eat. We send one clear flat quote with no hidden fees.

US, Canadian, UK, EU, Australian, and most Western passport holders do not need a tourist visa for Israel for visits under 90 days - just a passport valid for at least 6 months past your travel date. At Ben Gurion Airport (or any land border) you will be issued a blue paper entry slip instead of a passport stamp - keep it tucked inside your passport for the entire trip. Crossing into Bethlehem from Jerusalem is usually waved through with no check. On the way back, however, you will need both your passport and your blue entry slip - Israeli border police check them at Checkpoint 300 when you re-enter Jerusalem. Our driver does the driving; you just keep the documents handy. No separate Palestinian visa is required. Always check your own country's current entry rules before booking flights, as requirements can change.

Modest clothing is required at the Church of the Nativity, the Holy Sepulchre, and most active churches - shoulders and knees covered for both men and women. Wear comfortable walking shoes (cobblestones, hills, lots of standing). Bring a light scarf for women, a sun hat, sunscreen, and a refillable water bottle. Pack layers - Jerusalem evenings can be cool even in summer.

Yes - and here is how it works on each tour type.

Shared one-day tours: we stop at the Qasr al-Yahud Jordan River baptism site (the traditional location where John the Baptist baptized Jesus) for about 30 minutes. White robes, changing rooms, and full river access are provided on site. If you would like to step into the river for personal prayer or self-immersion in that window, you are welcome to do so without delaying the group.

Private tours: if you want longer at the river, a longer prayer service, or to be baptized by a clergy member, a private tour is the right choice. You set the pace and we work the rest of the day around it.

Multi-day pilgrimage tours: baptism and vow renewal are commonly built into the custom itinerary and led by the priest or pastor traveling with your group. Tell us in advance which day works best and we coordinate the timing with the site.

One important note: Elijah Tours does not provide a priest or pastor and does not perform the baptism service itself on shared or private tours. Bring your own clergy if you want a formal ceremony.

Most of the time, yes. Israeli-registered vehicles cannot enter Bethlehem and Palestinian-registered vehicles cannot enter Jerusalem, so when your tour crosses between the two we switch you between two licensed vehicles at the checkpoint. The handover takes a few minutes, your guide stays with you the whole time, and there is no extra cost - the second vehicle is built into the tour. This is standard practice across all licensed Holy Land tour operators.

A shared tour groups travelers from different bookings into one group led by a licensed Christian guide. Group size depends on the vehicle and the date - smaller tours run with 4 to 8 in a minivan, standard tours with 10 to 20 in a midsize coach, and full pilgrimage coaches can carry up to 55 tourists. You share the vehicle, the guide, and the cost - which is why shared tours are the most affordable way to see Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, or Galilee in a single day.

It depends on the tour and the season. Small minivan tours run with 4 to 8 tourists, standard tours with 10 to 20, and full coach tours can carry up to 55 tourists. Every group - regardless of size - is led by one licensed Christian guide who stays with the bus for the whole day. The vehicle size is fixed when you book, so you know what to expect before you arrive.

Shared tours pick up from major hotels in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Tel Aviv. We send the exact pickup point and time the day before your tour. If your hotel is outside the standard pickup zone, we offer a meeting point nearby - we tell you in advance, never on the day.

If a shared tour does not reach minimum numbers we offer you three options: switch to a different date at no charge, upgrade to a private tour at a discounted rate, or get a full refund. We notify you at least 48 hours before the tour date so you have time to plan.

On shared one-day tours, no - pickup and drop-off happen at the same location, because the route returns the whole group to where it started. If you need a one-way transfer (for example Jerusalem pickup, Tel Aviv drop-off), the public bus or train both run frequent direct routes between the two cities. On private tours we can build a one-way drop-off into the itinerary for an additional fee - just tell us at booking.

Private tour prices depend on group size, destinations, vehicle type, and duration. A typical private one-day tour for 2 to 4 people starts around 350 to 550 USD total (not per person). Larger groups and multi-day itineraries are quoted individually. Send your dates and group size on WhatsApp and we send a flat written quote within 24 hours.

A private tour is just you, your group, your guide, and your vehicle. You set the pace, choose the route, change plans on the day if you want, stay longer at the sites that move you, and skip the ones that do not. Shared tours follow a fixed schedule. Private tours are how families, couples, and church groups usually prefer to travel.

Yes - that is the point of a private tour. Tell us what matters most: family roots in a specific village, a particular gospel story you want to walk through, a Mass time you want to attend, a kosher or halal lunch stop. We build the day around what you tell us. Most clients send a rough wish list and we shape it into a workable itinerary.

For families, couples on a special trip, and groups of 4 or more, almost always yes. Private guides give you depth (they answer your specific questions), pace (you stop when you want), and access (better timing at busy sites like the Holy Sepulchre). For solo travelers on a budget, a shared tour is the smarter choice.

A Christian pilgrimage is a multi-day journey that walks you through the life of Jesus in the places it actually happened - the Nativity in Bethlehem, the baptism in the Jordan, the ministry in Galilee, the passion in Jerusalem, the empty tomb at the Holy Sepulchre. Most pilgrimages run 7 to 10 days and combine guided sightseeing with prayer, reflection, and worship at each site.

Yes. Our licensed Christian guides know the scriptures and explain what happened where, citing the gospel passages tied to each site. For church groups traveling with their own pastor, your pastor leads the devotionals and our guide provides the historical, geographical, and archaeological context. Both styles work well together.

Yes. We arrange Mass at the Church of the Nativity, the Garden Tomb, the Mount of Beatitudes, Cana (especially popular for vow renewals), and many other sites. Tell us your denomination and any specific service times you want and we coordinate with the church or chapel in advance.

We use 4-star Christian-friendly hotels in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and on the Sea of Galilee. Standard rooms include private bath, breakfast, and dinner. We can upgrade to 5-star or downgrade to 3-star to match your budget. Group leaders typically receive a free or discounted room.

Yes - church and pilgrimage groups are the heart of what we do. Groups of 8 to 50 pilgrims, often led by a pastor or trip organizer. We build custom 3-day, 5-day, 7-day, or 10-day itineraries covering Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Galilee, the Jordan River, Masada, and the Dead Sea. Send your dates and we get to work.

Minimum is 8 pilgrims for a custom group itinerary; below 8 a private family tour usually costs less. Maximum is 50 in a single coach. For groups larger than 50 we split into two coaches, each with its own licensed guide, traveling the same route.

On most group bookings of 20 or more, yes - one free seat for the pastor or organizer is industry standard and we honor it. Groups of 30 or more usually get a second free seat. Exact terms are written into your group quote so there are no surprises.

Group rates are already built into the quote. The price per pilgrim drops as group size grows. Send us your dates, group size, and itinerary wish list and we send a flat per-person quote that already includes the group savings. No back-and-forth haggling.

Two ways. (1) Pick a tour on this site, choose your date, and book online with a credit card. (2) For private tours, custom itineraries, and group pilgrimages, message us on WhatsApp with your dates and group size; we send a flat written quote within 24 hours and you confirm by paying a deposit.

Online bookings are paid in full at checkout. Custom private tours and group pilgrimages take a 25 percent deposit to lock the date; the balance is due 30 days before the tour. Last-minute bookings (less than 30 days out) are paid in full at booking. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and bank transfer.

Cancel 48 hours or more before your tour and you receive a full refund - no questions, no fees. Within 48 hours of the tour (including the day of the tour, no-shows, and leaving mid-tour), the booking is non-refundable. If something goes wrong on our end - a sudden site closure, vehicle breakdown, or guide illness - we either reroute you to an equivalent itinerary at no extra charge, or refund the affected portion of the day. Travel insurance is strongly recommended for last-minute cancellations beyond the 48-hour window.

If a site closes unexpectedly mid-tour - religious holiday, security incident, weather - we reroute to the nearest open biblical site at no extra cost, or refund the portion of the day affected. We do not strand you and we do not charge for sites you did not see.

Small luggage and day bags are fine - we keep them in the trunk during the tour at no extra cost. Large suitcases are a different story; coach trunks fill up quickly with a full group, so we cannot guarantee space for full-size luggage on shared tours. If you are checking out of one hotel and into another on the day of your tour, message us in advance so we can plan for the bags. We do not take responsibility for loss or damage to luggage left in the vehicle, so keep valuables with you.