A 10-Day Holy Land Pilgrimage for Christian Families

Imagine looking across the Sea of Galilee with your children, knowing they will never read the Gospel stories about these waters in quite the same way again. Later in the journey, you will stand together above Jerusalem, walk through its ancient streets, and follow the story of Jesus from Gethsemane to the Resurrection.

This 10-day pilgrimage is built around the places that matter most to Christian travelers: Nazareth, the Galilee, the Jordan River, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. It can be led by your pastor, with time planned in advance for Bible study, prayer and worship at meaningful points along the route. And because families are traveling together, the journey also includes moments children can experience with their hands, feet and sense of adventure.

A pilgrim group on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem

Day 1: Arrive in Israel and Explore Jaffa

Your pilgrimage begins in Jaffa, the ancient port called Joppa in the Book of Acts. Walk through its stone lanes and look out toward the Mediterranean as you discover the stories of Tabitha and Peter's vision (Acts 9–10). It is a fitting place to begin: on this coast, the story of the early church opened toward a wider world.

The first day is deliberately gentle, with time to settle in after your flight before the journey north.

Day 2: Caesarea, Mount Carmel and Megiddo

At Caesarea Maritima, walk through the remains of the Roman city where Peter met Cornelius and where Paul later defended his faith before Roman rulers. The theater, harbor and ancient streets give shape to a story that can feel distant when read at home.

Continue to Mount Carmel, overlooking the landscape associated with Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). Then visit Megiddo, a city whose layers of history reveal how often this land stood at the meeting point of kingdoms and empires. The day ends in the Nazareth area, where the Gospel portion of the journey begins.

Day 3: Nazareth, Cana, Gideon's Spring and the Jordan River

In Nazareth, explore the town where Jesus grew up. At Nazareth Village, step into a reconstruction of first-century life and discover the farming, crafts and daily routines of the world he knew. For children, it is a chance to see and touch the setting behind familiar Gospel stories.

Travel on to Cana, traditionally associated with the wedding in John 2. At Gideon's Spring, hear the account of Gideon and the warriors chosen before the battle against the Midianites (Judges 7). End the day at Yardenit on the Jordan River, where those who wish may take part in a baptismal service. For a congregation traveling together, it can be one of the most personal moments of the pilgrimage.

Pilgrims in white robes being baptized at Yardenit on the Jordan River

Day 4: Walk in the Galilee and Sail on Its Waters

Today follows the ministry of Jesus around the Sea of Galilee. Visit Capernaum, where he taught and healed, and the Mount of Beatitudes, traditionally associated with the Sermon on the Mount. Then board a boat and sail across the lake. From the water, the shores of Galilee become more than the backdrop to a story: they become a landscape your family has shared.

In the afternoon, enjoy a kayaking or rafting trip in the Jordan River region. It brings everyone together for a joyful adventure after the morning's pilgrimage, and gives children a Galilee memory entirely their own.

Day 5: Qumran, Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea

Leave the green hills of Galilee and travel south toward the Judean Desert. At Qumran, learn about the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and what these ancient manuscripts reveal about the world of biblical texts.

Then continue to Ein Gedi. Springs break through the dry landscape here, among the cliffs and caves that call to mind the account of David and Saul (1 Samuel 24). After a walk through the reserve, pause at the Dead Sea to float together before ascending to Jerusalem. The change in landscape is striking; so is the feeling of approaching the city where the final days of the pilgrimage will unfold.

Day 6: Biblical Landscapes, Lachish and an Archaeological Dig

Begin at Neot Kedumim, where olive trees, vineyards and ancient agricultural practices help bring biblical images to life. Learn how people made olive oil and wine, and how the work of the land shaped the stories and parables heard throughout Scripture. Hands-on activities can give children a chance to join in, rather than simply watch.

Continue to the Valley of Elah, where the account of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) meets the landscape. At Tel Lachish, explore one of the major cities of ancient Judah and learn about its siege and capture by the Assyrian army. The remains of the siege ramp make this chapter of history visible on the ground.

Finish with Dig for a Day in the Beit Guvrin area. As the family takes part in a real archaeological experience, children can discover what it feels like to search, uncover and ask questions like archaeologists. It is a full day, but one that connects the stories of the land with the work of understanding its past.

A family working an ancient water wheel at Neot Kedumim

Day 7: Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus and the Story of Bethlehem

Begin on the Mount of Olives, with Jerusalem spread before you. From this viewpoint, the Old City and its surrounding valleys come into focus. Over the next days, you will leave the viewpoint behind and walk into the city itself.

First, visit the Israel Museum. See the model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple period to picture the city Jesus knew, then visit the Shrine of the Book, home to the Dead Sea Scrolls you learned about at Qumran.

In the afternoon, travel to Bethlehem. Visit the Church of the Nativity, then continue to the Milk Grotto and the Shepherds' Fields. Here, the journey turns to the beginning of Jesus' earthly life: a child born in Bethlehem and news brought first to shepherds. Return to Jerusalem in the evening.

Day 8: Walk Through Ancient Jerusalem

Enter the City of David and explore the beginnings of Jerusalem. Discover why water was so vital to the ancient city, then walk through Hezekiah's Tunnel for a remarkable journey beneath it. A dry alternative can be planned for anyone who prefers it. For children, the passage through the tunnel can make ancient history feel wonderfully immediate.

Continue toward the Pool of Siloam, connected with the healing account in John 9, and visit the Southern Steps, once part of the approach to the Temple. The streets and stones of Jerusalem now have a scale and texture no photograph can convey.

Day 9: Gethsemane and the Heart of the Pilgrimage

At Gethsemane, the journey slows. This is where the Gospels place Jesus' prayer before his arrest, and where the final events of his life begin to unfold. From here, continue into the Old City, following selected places associated with his suffering and crucifixion.

The day leads to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, revered by generations of Christians as the place of Jesus' crucifixion and burial. After days of crossing the country and learning its stories, this is a time to pause, pray and take in the meaning of being here together. The journey that began beside the sea has reached its deepest moment in Jerusalem.

Day 10: The Garden Tomb and the Journey Home

Gather at the Garden Tomb for a final time of worship and reflection on the Resurrection. Many Protestant groups value its peaceful setting as a place to pray, sing and share Communion before leaving the Holy Land.

Then, depending on your flight time, enjoy a little more of Jerusalem before the airport transfer. Your family returns home with more than photographs: you have stood together in the landscapes of Scripture, shared moments of faith, and given your children places and experiences they can carry into the years ahead.

Bring Your Church Family to the Holy Land

Bein Harim can shape this pilgrimage around your congregation, your pastor's plans, the ages of the children and the pace that suits your group. From time for worship at meaningful sites to the activities that make the journey memorable for younger travelers, we will help you turn this 10-day route into a pilgrimage your whole church family can share.