Holy Land Tours for Churches: 2027 Prices and Itineraries
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Plan a church Holy Land tour: 2027 itineraries from $3,298 with airfare, a 10-day plan with Scripture for each stop, real costs, and a 12-month timeline.
Get a free trip planA Holy Land tour for a church is a guided group trip, usually 8 to 11 days, through the Galilee, Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, with time to walk where Jesus walked and read Scripture where it happened. Scheduled 2027 departures start at $3,298 per person including airfare from New York. Through Go Give Travel, half of the verified net proceeds goes back to your church's ministry.
Holy Land tours at a glance
| Question | Typical answer for 2027 |
|---|---|
| Length | 8 to 11 days, including two travel days |
| 2027 price | From $3,298 per person, with airfare from New York |
| What's included | Flights from New York, 4-star hotels, breakfast and dinner most days, guide, entrance fees, transfers |
| Typical group | 30 to 35 people on one coach (coaches seat up to 45) |
| Walking | 2 to 4 miles a day, with stairs and uneven ground |
| Final payment | About 105 days before departure |
| Popular add-ons | Jordan and Petra, Egypt and Mount Sinai, extra days in Jerusalem |
Sources: ETS Tours Holy Land tours, ETS FAQ, and EO Tours for walking distances. Prices as listed November 2026.
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2027 Holy Land tour options for church groups
We plan church trips with ETS Tours, a Christian tour operator founded in 1974 by Methodist pastor Dr. Jim Ridgway. ETS says it has led more than 350,000 people on faith-based trips. These are its 2027 Holy Land tours, with the lowest published price for each:
| Tour | Days | From (per person) | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bible Land Discovery | 8 | $3,298 | A first trip on a tighter budget |
| 8-Day Holy Land Catholic Pilgrimage | 8 | $3,298 | Catholic parishes |
| Christmas in the Holy Land | 9 | $3,498 | Advent in Bethlehem (Nov 30, 2027) |
| Biblical Pathways | 9 | $3,698 | A balanced first trip |
| 10-Day Holy Land Catholic Pilgrimage | 10 | $3,698 | Catholic parishes |
| Holy Land Classic | 10 | $3,798 | Most churches |
| Journey Through the Bible | 11 | $3,898 | A longer first trip |
| Bible Land Exploration | 10 | $4,098 | A fuller 10-day itinerary |
| Women of the Bible | 10 | $4,398 | Women's ministries (Sept 6, 2027) |
| Holy Land and Jordan | 11 | $4,398 | Adding Petra and Mount Nebo |
Prices are from New York, include round-trip airfare, and vary by departure date. Taxes and fees apply. For example, the Holy Land Classic runs from $3,798 in early January to $4,598 in July.
A 10-day church itinerary, with Scripture for every stop
This is the Holy Land Classic itinerary with a reading for each site, so you can plan devotions and teaching before you leave. Read the passage aloud on site, then give the group a few quiet minutes.
| Day | Where you go | Read there |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overnight flight from the U.S. | |
| 2 | Arrive in Tel Aviv, dinner at the hotel | |
| 3 | Boat on the Sea of Galilee | Mark 4:35–41 |
| Capernaum | Mark 2:1–12 | |
| Mount of Beatitudes | Matthew 5:1–12 | |
| Tabgha and the Chapel of the Primacy of Peter | Mark 6:30–44, John 21:1–19 | |
| Magdala | Luke 8:1–3 | |
| Jordan River | Matthew 3:13–17 | |
| 4 | Cana | John 2:1–11 |
| Nazareth | Luke 4:16–30 | |
| Megiddo | Revelation 16:16 | |
| Caesarea | Acts 10:1–48 | |
| 5 | Bet She'an | 1 Samuel 31:8–13 |
| Jericho, with the Mount of Temptation in view | Joshua 6, Luke 19:1–10, Matthew 4:1–11 | |
| Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found | Isaiah 40:1–8 | |
| 6 | Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity | Luke 2:1–7 |
| Shepherds' Field | Luke 2:8–20 | |
| Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial | ||
| 7 | Mount of Olives and the Palm Sunday road | Luke 19:28–44 |
| Garden of Gethsemane | Matthew 26:36–46 | |
| House of Caiaphas | Matthew 26:57–75 | |
| Upper Room | Luke 22:7–20 | |
| City of David, Hezekiah's Tunnel, Pool of Siloam | 2 Kings 20:20, John 9:1–11 | |
| 8 | Free day, or Masada and the Dead Sea (optional, extra cost) | |
| 9 | Southern Steps and the Western Wall | Acts 2:1–41, Mark 13:1–2 |
| Pool of Bethesda and St. Anne's Church | John 5:1–15 | |
| Via Dolorosa | John 19:1–17 | |
| Church of the Holy Sepulchre | John 19:38–42 | |
| Communion at the Garden Tomb | Matthew 28:1–10, 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 | |
| 10 | Fly home, or begin a Jordan or Egypt extension |
Give the group a reading plan to start four weeks before departure, and assign a different person to read on site each day.
What a Holy Land tour really costs per person
The tour price covers most of the trip. Plan for these extras too. This example uses the Holy Land Classic on its lowest-priced 2027 date:
| Item | Example cost |
|---|---|
| Tour, with airfare from New York | $3,798 |
| Lunches, spending money, and tips for the guide and driver (ETS suggests at least $500) | $500 |
| Travel protection (ETS plan for a $3,501–$4,000 trip) | $399 |
| Total from New York | $4,697, plus taxes and fees added at booking |
Suggested tips are $8 a day for the guide and $5 a day for the driver, about $104 for the trip, and fit inside the $500. Add a connecting flight if your group doesn't leave from New York, and passport fees for anyone who needs one. Figures come from the ETS FAQ, the Holy Land Classic page, and the ETS travel protection plan.
What's included and what isn't
Included in ETS Holy Land tours: round-trip airfare from New York, fuel surcharges and some government taxes (other taxes and fees are added at booking), 4-star hotels, meals as listed (usually breakfast and dinner), a guide, entrance and program fees, airport transfers, hotel gratuities, a study guide, and audio headsets for groups of 20 or more.
Not included: most lunches, spending money, tips for the guide and driver, optional excursions such as Masada and the Dead Sea, and extra baggage fees.
How a church Holy Land trip works with Go Give Travel
- Tell us about your group. Use the trip plan form with your likely group size and season.
- Pick dates and an itinerary. We send options with all-in pricing per person and the host terms for your group size.
- Announce it. You get a trip page your members can register on, plus announcement copy for the bulletin, slides, and an info meeting.
- Members register online. Deposits and final payment follow the tour operator's schedule.
- Travel together. ETS handles flights, hotels, guides, and logistics in Israel. You lead the group spiritually.
- Your church receives its giveback. After costs, 50% of verified net proceeds goes to your church's ministry, paid after travel is completed. It comes from agency proceeds, so you never add a fee to your members' price. See how it works for churches.
A 12-month timeline for planning a church trip to Israel
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 12 to 18 months out | Choose a season and itinerary. Get approval from your elders or board. |
| 12 months out | Announce the trip from the pulpit and hold an information meeting. |
| 9 to 10 months out | Collect deposits. Ask everyone to check their passport now. |
| 6 months out | Confirm roommates and any extensions. Start a monthly pre-trip gathering. |
| About 105 days out | Final payment is due. Special requests are due at the same time. |
| About 30 days out | Flight details arrive. Share the packing list and reading plan. |
| 1 to 2 weeks out | Final meeting: walking expectations, modest dress for holy sites, and prayer for the trip. |
Passports usually need to be valid for at least six months past your travel dates. Check the current U.S. entry requirements for Israel before you announce the trip.
Is it safe to take a church group to the Holy Land?
Read the U.S. State Department travel advisory for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza before you commit, and again before final payment. Conditions change, and some groups have had trips rerouted or rescheduled during conflicts. Three things protect your group:
- Travel protection. ETS offers a plan through Trip Mate that includes a cancel fee waiver. Read what it covers before your members buy.
- An operator who can reroute. Ask how they've moved groups to other sites or dates when plans had to change.
- A clear decision point. Agree with your leadership on the date when you'll decide to go, postpone, or switch destinations.
Bethlehem is in the West Bank, and ETS itineraries include it. Check the advisory's current guidance for the West Bank too.
Planning for older members and different walking levels
Expect 2 to 4 miles of walking a day, much of it on stone streets, stairs, and slopes in Jerusalem's Old City. Tell your operator early about anyone who uses a cane or wheelchair, needs a ground-floor room, or can't manage Hezekiah's Tunnel, which is narrow and has knee-deep water. The free day on Day 8 gives people time to rest.
Combining Israel with Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, or Rome
Many churches turn a Holy Land tour into a longer trip through the Bible lands. The most common combinations:
- Israel and Jordan (11 to 14 days): add Petra, Mount Nebo, where Moses saw the Promised Land, and Bethany beyond the Jordan. ETS runs an 11-day Holy Land and Jordan tour from $4,398.
- Egypt, Jordan, and Israel (about 15 days): follow the Exodus route from Cairo to Mount Sinai before the Galilee and Jerusalem.
- Israel and Greece, or Israel and Turkey (12 to 14 days): pair the Gospels with Paul's journeys in Athens and Corinth, or Ephesus and the seven churches of Revelation. Ask us whether a combined tour or two separate trips fits your group better.
- Israel and Rome (about 13 days): end in Rome, where Paul spent his last years and, by early church tradition, Peter and Paul were martyred.
ETS publishes these add-ons for its Israel tour:
| Extension | Adds | From | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wonders of Petra and the Dead Sea | 4 days | $1,498 | Jerash, Petra, Madaba, Mount Nebo |
| Cairo and the Route of the Exodus | 5 days | $1,998 | Mount Sinai and St. Catherine's, Giza, Saqqara |
| Jerusalem Extended Stay | Extra nights | $698 | More time in the Old City |
Extension prices are per person, from the Holy Land Classic page, and need a minimum number of travelers. See our church trip guides for Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, and Italy, or Israel trips for churches for more on each site.
Catholic and Protestant Holy Land tours
Catholic parishes usually choose a pilgrimage itinerary. ETS runs 8- and 10-day Catholic pilgrimages from $3,298. Protestant churches often add communion at the Garden Tomb, a Jordan River baptism, and teaching time on the Southern Steps. Tell us your tradition and we'll suggest the right itinerary.
Raising money for scholarships so more members can go? See our list of 45 church fundraising ideas.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Holy Land tour cost?
- Scheduled 2027 church-group tours from ETS Tours start at $3,298 per person for 8 days and run to about $4,600 for 10 days in peak season, including round-trip airfare from New York, first-class hotels, most meals, guides, and entrance fees. Budget about $900 more per person for lunches, tips, spending money, and travel protection, plus taxes and fees added at booking.
- How many days do you need for a Holy Land tour?
- Eight to ten days covers the Galilee, Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, including the two overnight travel days. Add three to four days for Jordan and Petra, or five for Egypt and Mount Sinai.
- Is it safe to take a church group to Israel?
- Check the U.S. State Department's travel advisory for Israel before you commit and again before final payment, buy travel protection, and travel with an operator that monitors conditions and reroutes or rebooks when needed. Ask how the operator handled groups during past disruptions.
- What is the best time of year for a Holy Land tour?
- Spring (February to May) and fall (September to November) are the most comfortable for walking. Summer is hot, especially at the Dead Sea and Jericho, and winter brings cooler, rainier days in Jerusalem. ETS lists Holy Land Classic departures in most weeks from January to July and from late August through December.
- Do pastors travel free on a church Holy Land tour?
- Host terms depend on the operator and on how many people sign up. Ask us for the exact terms for your group size before you announce the trip.
- Can our church customize the itinerary?
- Ask us before you book. Church groups often want a Jordan River baptism, communion at the Garden Tomb, teaching time at specific sites, or an extension to Jordan or Egypt, and we'll tell you which itinerary and options fit.
Get a free Holy Land trip plan for your church
Tell us about your group. We'll reply by email with 2027 dates, an all-in price per person, and what the trip can give back to your ministry.
Go Give Travel plans Holy Land, Journeys of Paul, and Reformation group trips for churches. After costs, 50% of verified net proceeds goes to your church's ministry, paid after travel is completed. How it works for churches