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How to prepare for Catholic trips to Israel

Published on April 12, 2019 by IBMT

How to prepare for Catholic trips to Israel

When you are making preparations for a Catholic tour to the Holyland, you need to be ready for new and unfamiliar customs that you will experience while you visit Israel. When you book your trip of a lifetime with us at IBMT Tours we will have all the information you need to make your holiday the best thing you have ever experienced. Our guides are local in origin and they are in tune with the rhythms of the community and will help you meet local customs. We have been sending travelers through Israel for Catholic tours to the Holyland for many years and we have had a great deal of success creating the ultimate vacation for those who book with our company. For Catholics on a religious pilgrimage, a trip to Israel is a once-in-a-lifetime vacation and extra emphasis is placed on the sacredness of the trip. Millions of people visit the Holy Land every year and it is home to three major religions of the world and there are some things to keep in mind when you visit.  

 

Catholic trips to Israel  

Before you can effectively pack your bags for the vacation you have been dreaming of, you need to understand the local environment you are traveling to. That means you may have to take some possessions you generally might not have if you were traveling to a different country.

 

•  In Israel, the climate is much different from North America for example. In North America – depending on where – you will experience the four seasons. Summer, winter, spring, and fall that provide a diverse set of temperatures. When you venture to the Holy Land for your religious pilgrimage, you need to know that Israel has two seasons. A long dry summer is what you can expect if you travel to Israel during the months of April through October. The temperatures might be warmer than you might expect when you come from North America, so take lots of light clothing if you travel through the country during those months. If you are visiting Israel during the winter months from November through March, pack an umbrella and a raincoat. Israel experiences heavy rainfall during those months, although the temperature is fairly mild – so, if you’re expecting snow you will be disappointed. 

catholic trips to israel
 
•  When you are packing for your trip to the Holy Land, choose your clothing with care, as it could be very important later when you are in the country. Lightweight clothing works best, as it can be layered if temperatures are slightly cooler than you are expecting. If you have conservative clothing that would work best when visiting religious sites – dress restrictions can be a thorny issue and you may be asked to cover your shoulders if you are a woman, you may be asked to have your skirt hem length at the knee. A lot of the sightseeing you do will be on foot, so pack comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen if you are traveling during the summer months. 
•  One thing all international travelers know is the need to have their passport with them when they travel. You won’t be able to access Israel without one – so don’t forget it as it could lead to heartbreak upon arrival to your destination if your entry is barred.
•    In Israel, you must be aware that their electrical grid is different than our in North America and your devices will need specific adapters to charge from the electrical current. You will need a 220-volt adapter and converter to charge your cell phone or iPad in Israel.
•  If you are taking prescription medication at the time you intend to visit Israel, make sure that the medicine is in the original containers. If it is not, you could be accused of smuggling drugs into the country and that could mean an arrest if you run afoul of customs and security agents at the airport.

catholic travel agency

 

 These are just a few tips to help you make your vacation a great one when you book with us at IBMT Tours, your Catholic travel agency. Our company has more than 30-years experience creating holiday experiences for the traveler to see the beauty and splendor that is Israel. Our profile in the country is one that stands out among others and we are the only agency to book your Catholic tour of the Holy Land with.
To make your vacations dreams reality contact our office at IMBT Tours for a personal consultation to start building your vacation today at 1.877.977.4268.  
 

TestimonialsTestimonials

We went on a church group to the Holyland with IBMT Tours and had a great trip, everything was planned for us perfectly. There was over 123 people in four different bus groups and things went smoothly, I thought it was going to be hectic with that many people in the group but IBMT did a wonderful job and made sure the buses did not go convoy, every bus had its own time table and itinerary for the day, our guide Dani was so knowledgeable and loving. We love you IBMT and we will recommend you guys. Thanks for everything you have done for us.

For years, it had been a deep desire of mine to lead a group of pilgrims to the Holy Land.  I’m not sure how it happened (perhaps the grace of God), but I ended up working with Israel Biblical Mission Tours (IBMT) and specifically Ornan Sharaby.   Because I had never led a group like this before, I needed guidance.  Ornan and his team were wonderfully helpful.  They answered all my questions, and never seemed irritated when I called or emailed with what some might have considered a “Silly question.”  Then, when it was close to departure time, I had some apprehensions.  Ornan assured me that he had taken care of everything.  On the day of our departure, we (a group of 27) had no issues whatsoever.  As predicted, everything was “Taken care of.”  The flight experience was good.

Upon our arrival in Israel, the bus and the guide were waiting for us, took us to our Hotel, and we slept well.  We departed on our experience the next morning. 

As we progressed day by day, my wife and I were extremely pleased (as was the entire group).  Every detail of our trip was laid out, and we were treated so very well by everyone.  We experienced no difficulties at all.  It was truly better than we had anticipated.  My compliments to IBMT, and to Ornan and his team.  I simply cannot imagine things going any better.  Our itinerary was wonderful, our bus, and driver were phenomenal, and our guide was friendly, fun, and extremely knowledgeable.  They all made sure that we had an incredible Holy Experience…and we DID!

Every single member of our trip was overwhelmed with the experience, and went out of their way to tell me that their Holy Land Pilgrimage exceeded their expectations. 

Finally, on our last day in Israel, our driver and our guide, expressed their appreciation to us, and made sure that we arrived at the airport on time, and then our guide took up to the right place and helped us get checked in. 

I therefore, with no trepidation whatsoever, very highly recommend IBMT and Mr. Ornan Sharaby when you plan your Holy Land experience.  You could not be in better hands.

Sincerely,
Pastor Stan Patterson
Church 213  Covington, Georgia

This was an incredible tour of Israel with IBMT Tours and I loved the additional trip to Petra as well. We had a very knowledgeable guide from Israel who gave us an extensive explanation of everything we saw in Israel. All of the hotels I stayed in were great with comfortable beds and wonderful buffet breakfasts!!

Dear Brother Ornan and Brother Thomas,

We, KBCUSA had a wonderful time with IBMT Holy Land Tour in November 2014. It was really great joy for our group, the members of Karen Baptist Churches USA. You have fulfilled our great expectation to visit the Holy Land. We all appreciate for your well arrangement for excellent hotels, Tours and the tour guide and the drivers as well. Especially we appreciate for your kind arrangement from Canada even we were on the Tour in Israel and the warmly and kind assists of Mr. Thomas Portmann who taking care of us as his family. We really enjoy the trip with IBMT. And this year, we will be going to Israel with your Tour again. I would like to invite you to visit and present about the upcoming tour at our KBCUSA annual meeting which will be held in Buffalo in July 23-15, 2015. We expect about 500 people at the conference. 

Thanks and God bless you.

My trip to the Holy Land Israel

It is a dream trip is a desired journey, but God is the one who knows when your turn is and when is your time. Since I was at a young age I always wanted to know the world. I thought where Jesus was born, my love for God and my faith; it grew and grew inside of me and with it to know the steps of Jesus. I dreamed about knowing of what I have always heard where Jesus was born, where the Angel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary and to know where Jesus was born and suffered so much on his way with the cross. Well my dream came true and even more because I received a wonderful grace of the Lord that I know that everyone that visit those distant and blessed lands of the lord receive with open arms and those who seeks him receive his blessing if you come with open heart. It happened I went in the search of my heart to have an encounter with the Lord and I found it, I meet where he walked, where he suffer, where he celebrated his last dinner even where he was born and was happy healing the poor and those who knew of him.

One day my daughter Paloma tells me Mom go to Holy Land, go to Israel she said because she knows that in my heart I knew that I had this thirst the one that it will not heal with any water only with the water that only the Lord knows how to take away. I stared at her and I said to her ok Paloma I want to go, she stood up like guided by the Holy Spirit and immediately started to make arrangements. I still did not understand that God used her so that I can go in search of him, that he had plans for me.

She like the Sheppard contacted Mr. Ornan at Holyland Tours and it was the best decision since we wanted to find the right person to do a religious tour, but I turn up short because it was not only a religious tour with the content discipline and knowledge of the history that our tour guide made this experience masterly

I know that everything was prepared by this gentleman, the attention, the good service offered by Mr. Ornan, and after arriving to my first destination Tel Aviv I was to be reunited with my group and to begin our crossing it was something wonderful a trip that I will never forget and without being afraid of being wrong with my age 47 years old it was the best trip I ever had.

1. The places we visit like Caesaria, Haifa Acre, Tiberías. Capernaum, Banias, Nazareth, Beit Shean, Jerusalém and Massada. These where places that where impregnated in my heart and specially the Old City where I had the divine experience with the lord, where I felt that God touched my heart where I felt that I was not there by accident that I was in this place because God had a plan for me.

I invite everyone that have not yet been to visit these holy places and the land of God to go, to give yourself this wonderful gift because this will change your life and heart, we know how we arrive but we do not know how we will leave. It is so that I assure you that if you arrive with your hearts open and are willing to let god fill you with love you will receive his blessing not only for yourself but for your family as well, give yourself this gift and let god heal you and blessed your heart and give yourself the opportunity to Walk in the Footsteps of Jesus

Dear Thomas:

It was my intention to write to you upon returning from Israel, to tell you how awesome and wonderful the tour turned out to be.

Thomas, I am still in awe of the modernity and beauty of Israel , even though I know that my level of enjoyment and excitement there could have been much less were my cousin and I not fortunate enough to have the intelligence, knowledgeable and dedicated tour guide that Doron Kaufman was / is. I took a total of 1,750 photos; I will be making a photobook from them.

About our guide Doron — He was always pleasant (smiling) and caring, the best tour guide I have ever experienced. His impartation of what he knows about Israel is in its own ilk and he made every trip seem special.

It will interest you to know that I’ve been selling Israel to all my friends, work colleagues and family, telling all how safe I felt under the guidance of your representative and for them to be sure to book a trip there at some time via IBMT Tours’ Thomas Portman. I also encouraged each to ensure t that their tour guide be none other than Doron Kaufman.

So, until my next trip to Israel and with warmest wishes and kindest regards.

5/5
Call: 1.877.977.4268

IBMT Holyland Tours

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