2026 LDS Holy Land Tour
An Unforgettable Holy Land Tour...
On the first trip I made to Israel, now more than a decade ago, I visited the building thought to be where the Palace of Caiphas, the High Priest, stood. This would have been the place where Jesus was first put on trial by the leaders of the Jews, and where he was held prisoner overnight before being taken to Pilate, the Roman Governor of Palestine, the next morning. After concluding the tour of the premises, I happened upon on old stone stairway reaching down into the valley below, which valley is named the Kidron Valley. On the other side of that valley is the Mount of Olives, where the Garden of Gethsemane is located, the place where Jesus was praying when he was arrested. It occurred to me as I stood there, that I might be looking at the stone steps upon which Jesus walked as he began his final few hours before the Crucifixion. It was a moment of realization, followed by an inner sense of gratitude to Jesus for the Atonement that he wrought for me. I have never forgotten that feeling.
LDS Holy Land TourS
This specialized Holy Land Tour package with your knowledgeable tour guide, Joseph Jarvis, will exceed your expectations.
Tour stops include the ruins of King Herod’s palace at Cesarea on the Mediterranean coast, Mount Carmel, the Jezreel Valley, Nazareth, Megiddo, Cesarea Phillippi and other sites around Mount Hermon, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan Valley including a site for the ministry of John the Baptist, the Dead Sea, Shiloh, BYU Jerusalem Center, the Mountain of Olives, the West Wall, Temple Mount, City of David,Orson Hyde Park, the Garden of Gethsemane, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Garden Tomb, and much more.
Our Israeli guide will highlight significant historical events and stories as we pass through the timeless country side of the Bible. Dr. Joe Jarvis will serve as the LDS guide and commentator.
Dates for the trip are as follows:
- October 17, 2026-departure by plane from the US;
- October 18, 2026- arrive at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, overnight on the Mediterranean coast;
- October 19-27, 2026- full days of touring;
- Late October 27 or early am October 28, 2026-depart Israel by plane;
- October 28, 2026-arrive in US.
Joe will also give you the history of each area, the biblical significance and information on what makes it so memorable.
Come feel the special spirit that is only here in the Holy Land.
Reserve your space on this exciting tour of the Holy Land and get ready for an unforgettable spiritual experience as you walk where the Savior walked.
Details to be finalized, itinerary subject to change
$4000/person double occupancy (airfare not included)
Reservations secured with a $1000/person deposit.
The remaining balance of $3000 per person will be due August 1, 2026
Single occupancy prices available, but are higher (please ask me if your situation requires)
2026 LDS Holy Land Tour Includes:
- Portage to hotels
- 9 hotel nights (4 star or better locations)
- Breakfast and dinner daily (lunch will be inexpensive and found along the way each day)
- Air-conditioned, comfortable bus & Israeli guide
- LDS teaching along the way with Dr. Jarvis
- Transfers to and from the Tel Aviv airport
- Luggage porterage at the airport and each hotel
- All entrance fees
- Water on the bus
- Tips for driver, guide, hotel staff
- No better service in the area... a truly one-of-a-kind experience!
(Not included: airfare, travel insurance, personal expenses). Please let Joe know if you need assistance making flight arrangements.
NOTE: The tour will be confirmed once a minimum of 20 travelers have committed.
Most MO JOE TRAVEL groups are made up of travelers who decide to join and then invite their friends and family to experience the journey with them. Travelers are encouraged to start reaching out to those in their circle who would enjoy traveling together or who have always dreamed of seeing Israel. There is room for more than 40 travelers on the bus…the more, the merrier.
To reserve a spot, mail a deposit check made out to Mo Joe Travel in the amount of $1000 per person. (Contact Joe for address)
This deposit is non-refundable (unless the tour is canceled by MO JOE TRAVEL for any reason, including not reaching the minimum number of travelers) and will be applied toward the total cost of the trip.
After the deposit is made to reserve your spot, the remaining balance of $3000 will be due on August 1, 2026, also payable by check to Mo Joe Travel.
SAMPLE ITINERARY BELOW:
Depart from the U.S.
Departure from the U.S.
Arrive in Israel
Arrival in Israel, enjoy a welcome dinner and good nights sleep in a hotel on the Mediterranean coast.
Bahai Gardens, Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Nazareth, Galilee
Check out of hotel and begin a full day of touring including stops at the German Colony cemetery containing LDS missionary graves, Bahai Gardens, Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Sepphoris, and Mt. Precipice overlooking Nazareth. Overnight in the Galilee.
Tabgha, Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Tel Dan, Caesarea Philippi, Valley of Tears
Full day of touring including Tabgha, Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Tel Dan, Caesarea Philippi, Mt. Hermon, Har Habtarim, and the Valley of Tears. Overnight in the Galilee.
Mt Arbel, Jezreel Valley, St Peter, Magdala
Full day of touring including Mt. Arbel, Jezreel Valley, Megiddo, Mt. Gilboa, Magdala, and the Jesus Boat. Overnight in the Galilee.
Dead Sea, Beit Shean, Qasr al-Yahud, Qumran, Shiloh
Check out of hotel enroute to the Dead Sea, stopping to visit Beit Shean, Qasr al-Yahud, Qumran, Shiloh, and time left at the end of the day to swim in the Dead Sea.
MasadA, Ein Gedi, BYU Jerusalem Center, Mt of Olives
Check out of hotel, visit Masada, Ein Gedi, enroute to Jerusalem. Upon arrival, tour the BYU Jerusalem Center, view the city from the Mt of Olives. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Orson Hyde Garden, Garden of Gethsemane, Caiphas House, Upper Room
Begin the day at Sacrament meeting at the BYU Jerusalem Center. Full day of touring including the Orson Hyde Garden, Garden of Gethsemane, Church of All Nations, Caiphas House, Upper Room, view Bethlehem from Shepherd’s Field.
City of David, Temple Mount, Western Wall, Rabbinical Tunnels, Hezekiah's Wall
Full day of touring, including Temple Mount, City of David, Western Wall, Rabbinical Tunnels, lunch at the Austrian Hospice, Hezekiah’s Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Church of the Holy Redeemer. Overnight in Jerusalem
Yad Vashem, Knesset, Israel Museum, Shrine of the Book, Herodian, Garden Tomb
Full day of touring including Yad Vashem, Knesset, Israel Museum, Shrine of the Book, Model of 1st C Jerusalem, Bible Lands Museum, Herodian, and Garden Tomb. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Jaffa, house of Simon the Tanner, Tel Aviv, Emmaus
Check out of hotel, then a full day of touring including Jaffa, house of Simon the Tanner, sites in Tel Aviv, including Independence Hall and the Carmel Market. On to Emmaus and the Elah Valley before enjoying a farewell dinner prior to getting to the airport for late evening departure.
Arrive Home in the U.S.
Arrive home in the US
A note about safety from Joe: many people ask if it is safe to travel to Israel. I have been at least a dozen times to Israel over the past 15 years and have always felt safe. I do not travel to Israel unless the BYU Jerusalem Center is open and housing BYU students.
What Customers Have to Say...
This is our family group at the Dome of the Rock just a few days ago. We had a wonderfully memorable trip with Joe. We stayed in top notch hotels, ate fun and plentiful food, and had great moments of discussion as he instructed us in important contextual background. The experiences visiting Tel Aviv, Haifa, Magdala, Caesarea Phillipi, Tel Dan, the Galilee, Capernum, the Valley of Tears, the Jordan Valley; the Dead Sea, Masada, Qumran, BYU Center, and Jerusalem were marvelous. We had visited Israel 9-10 years ago, but this was ever so much more informative and memorable in every way. My recommendation for a tour with Joe is enthusiastic and unqualified.
I recently spent an amazing 10 days traveling with Dr Joe in Israel. Every day was extraordinary. It’s unfair to exclude anything, but particular favorites were Shiloh,Tel Dan, Zefat, Masada and Magdala, and Jerusalem which deservedly receives disproportionate attention. Dr Joe’s insights at every location we’re interesting and moving, ranging from the archaeological to the anecdotal. I had done some homework (not nearly enough!) before our trip, mostly focused on Jerusalem through the Biblical period and up until the Crusades, so I was especially surprised to learn from Dr Joe about the population and demographic trends during the most recent 150 years, including the early Zionist movement and the incredibly complicated and controversial developments that still continue. I can’t wait to travel with Dr Joe again and hope to return someday to Israel!
