Every journey begins with a first step ...

Jerusalem Way Trip 2023
Together on the 7th stage: Holy Land

The Jerusalemweg leads east from Europe towards the sunrise – symbolically of life. The JERUSALEMWEG / JERUSALEM WAY connects more than 15 countries, the continents of Europe and Asia with the Holy Land and, with a distance of over 7.500 km, is the
longest path of peace and the longest pilgrimage path in the world! "From the end of the ancient world in Finisterre through the heart of Europe to the beginning in Jerusalem".

This is the last of the a total of seven stages on the international peace and culture trail! Step by step we are on the way to the most important place of pilgrimage in Christianity: Jerusalem – the intersection of religions!

As with all stages of the Jerusalem Way, the way is the goal! We experience the wonderful landscapes of the Holy Land in a balanced and at the same time fascinating combination on foot and by bus in the time when the desert blooms! Away from the usual tourist paths, we make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem on the unique route of the Jerusalem Way through Jordan, Palestine and Israel, rest in the shade of the olive trees,
hike through original landscapes, walk through Jewish and Arab villages and breathe in the diversity of cultures.

HISTORY

Day 1: Arrival to Amman
Sun. March 26, 2023: Flight from Vienna to Amman. Upon arrival, travel by bus to downtown Amman, ancient Philadelphia. There we explore the sights such as the Roman theater / citadel, the big blue King Abdullah Mosque and the Abu Darwish Mosque, one of the most famous sacred buildings in Jordan, which is also known as the “chessboard mosque”, and we see several churches of various Christian denominations. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Hisham in Amman.

Day 2: Amman - Jerash - Madaba
Mon. March 27, 2023: We drive to Jerash, do our introductory hike on the Jerusalemweg and then visit the excavations. Jerash was one of the important Decapolis cities at the turn of the century and, along with the excavations of Beit Shean, is the best preserved Roman city in the Middle East to date, with an incredibly impressive colonnaded street, temples and theaters. Then we drive
continue to Madaba, where we visit, among other things, the church with the mosaic. Incidentally, Madaba is the largest majority Christian city in Jordan. In the evening we might do a short hike along the Jerusalem Way in the direction of Mount Nebo. Dinner and overnight at St. John Hotel*** in Madaba.

Day 3: Madaba - Mount Nebo - Jordan Valley - Dead Sea
Tuesday, March 28, 2023: Today we reach Mount Nebo - according to Jewish-Christian tradition, the place where Moses died, who was allowed to take a first - and last - look at the Promised Land on the western side of the Jordan Rift. When the sky is clear, from this point you have a magnificent view over the Dead Sea, shimmering from the high salt content, across to Jericho on the other side of the valley and to the area of ​​Jerusalem, which is almost as high. The sacred mountain raised to the place of pilgrimage should be a highlight of any trip to the Holy Land. From here we hike a good 1.000 m along the Jerusalemweg down into the Jordan Valley to about minus 240 m above sea level. The Jordan Trench reaches more than 400 m below sea level in the Dead Sea region and thus marks the lowest point on earth! Finally, swimming in the Dead Sea is on the program. Dinner and overnight at Holiday Inn Dead Sea Hotel***** in Sowayma

Day 4: Dead Sea - Baptismal site of John the Baptist - Wadi Qelt I - Jericho

Wed. March 29, 2023: We visit the historic baptismal site of John the Baptist near Bethany. The place is traditionally associated with the crossing of the Israelites into the Promised Land, and the Rapture of the Prophet Elijah is also commemorated here. We then cross the border between Israel and Jordan at the King Hussein Bridge (Allenby) and reach Jericho. Jericho is said to be the lowest and "oldest walled city" in the world! In the afternoon we experience a very special moment! Our ascent to Jerusalem begins, we want to cover the entire distance to the Holy City on foot in the coming days! From day to day we immerse ourselves more and more in the special atmosphere of the Holy City. We start with the particularly beautiful hike through the lower Wadi Qelt, from the remains of Herod's Palace in front of today's Jericho into the impressive Wadi (dry riverbed). We reach the St. George's Monastery, impressively built into the rock face. After a short transfer we reach Jericho again (about 5 km). Dinner and overnight at Jericho Resort Village**** in Jericho. We spend 2 nights here, so there is no need to pack our bags / check out and in in the morning and there is time to enjoy the large pool under the palm trees in the evening, for example.

Day 5: Wadi Qelt II – Sea Level / Bedouin Camp
Thu. March 30, 2023: We continue our way in the Wadi Qelt, slowly approaching Jerusalem. From St. George's Monastery, you first walk along an aqueduct to the Qelt spring, where you can take a bath break in the spring's natural water basin. We leave the Wadi there, the path continues up through the Judean Desert and we finally reach a Bedouin camp of the Jahalin tribe. Short return transfer to Jericho with a stopover at an oasis. Dinner and overnight Jericho Resort Village****

Day 6: Judean desert / Judean mountains - Bethany - Jerusalem city limits
Friday, March 31, 2023: Where we ended the stage the day before, we seamlessly continue our way, meditative and imposing at the same time, the Jerusalemweg route leads up in the mountains of Judea and we finally reach the historic Al-Eizariya / Tomb of Lazarus, the biblical Bethany on the city limits of Jerusalem! After visiting the monastery, the bus will take us back to the Bedouin camp, where we will have a delicious Bedouin meal and listen to the stories of the nomadic people. So we spend the night before our arrival in the Holy City in community accommodation, deliberately "close to nature" in the Judean desert. What a special attunement to Jerusalem! Dinner and overnight in the Bedouin camp in the Judean desert.

Day 7: Mount of Olives - Via Dolorosa - Church of the Holy Sepulcher - Jerusalem
Sat. April 01st, 2023: Today the very last kilometers on the Jerusalemweg are ahead of us and about 7.500 km from the start in Finisterre are behind us! We continue the pilgrimage from the tomb of Lazarus in Al-Eizariya, immediately after crossing the checkpoint and reaching Bethphage, from where Jesus also went to Jerusalem with a donkey. We arrived on foot at the Mount of Olives and after a few steps the Holy City is at our feet! Slowly we descend to the Garden of Gethsemane and through the Lion's Gate into the Old City of Jerusalem. The Via Dolorosa leads us step by step to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Resurrection, the holiest place in all of Christianity! Afterwards you can explore the city on your own. Dinner and overnight at the Eldan Hotel**** in Jerusalem.

Day 8: Jerusalem - Western Wall - Temple Mount - Bethlehem - Jerusalem
Sunday, April 02nd, 2023: First thing in the morning, a short walk through the old town takes us to the Wailing Wall and Temple Mount: one of the holiest sites in Judaism, as well as for Muslims and Christians! The Temple Mount is the intersection between Jews, Muslims and Christians in the world! So we have reached the final destination of the Jerusalem Way! Then there is Mount Zion with its special sites: the Upper Room, Dormition Abbey - the place of the Dormition - and the tomb of King David. Then free time to explore the city on your own. Another big highlight awaits us in the late afternoon, we visit Bethlehem – the Church of the Nativity. Return to Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at the Eldan Hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 9: Nazareth - "Jesus Trail" - Pigeon Valley - Mount Arbel - Sea of ​​Galilee
Mon. April 03, 2023: Drive to Nazareth. Today we hike on sections of the "Jesus Trail". As an introduction we visit the modern Church of the Annunciation. It is an impressive reflection of the awakening movement of the Catholic Church after Vatican II and stands with a fourfold "M" for modern, multicultural, multinational and for the Blessed Mother. Countless depictions of Mary reflect the ideas of people from all over the world. Then a short walk through the old town of Nazareth up to the top hill of the city, where we have a great view of the city of Nazareth. The journey then takes us to Cana and we pass the "Hittin' horns", which put us back on the trail of the Crusades - as was already the case on the Jerusalemweg route in Turkey - here in this place the military took place Fall of the Catholic Crusader Empire. We experience the idyllic landscape of the lower Galilee and hike as a highlight through the Wadi Chamam ("pigeon valley") with Mount Arbel, from where there is a fantastic view of the Sea of ​​Galilee. At Migdal / Magdala, we finally reach the shore of the Sea of ​​Galilee, an important historical site where archaeologists have found a synagogue from the time of Jesus and where tradition has it that Mary Magdalene lived. Optionally there is the possibility to walk along the lake to our accommodation around sunset. Dinner and overnight stay in Kibbutz Ginnosar Village Hotel**** directly on the Sea of ​​Galilee.

Day 10: Migdal - Mount of Beatitudes - Tabgha - "Peter Fish Eating" - Capernaum - Boat trip on the Sea of ​​Galilee
Tue. April 04, 2023: In the morning we drive to the holy sites on the northwestern shore of the lake. From here it goes to the Mount of Beatitudes as a place of remembrance for the Jesus proclamation. The view of the lake is simply wonderful, peaceful and beautiful. An easy footpath takes us past banana plantations back down to the Sea of ​​Galilee. We visit Tabgha, the traditional place of the miraculous multiplication of bread and fish. Then we visit Capernaum, the "headquarters" of the young church around Jesus and this is where Peter lived - the language of Jesus comes alive directly through the finds on site. We end the impressive travel days with a boat trip on the Sea of ​​Galilee. Dinner and overnight at Kibbutz Ginnosar Village Hotel****.

Day 11: Sea of ​​Galilee - Haifa - Caesarea - Tel Aviv Airport
Wed. April 05, 2023: We drive west through the Northern Galilee towards Haifa and enjoy a special view over the Bay of Haifa, the port, the Templar Quarter and the Hanging Gardens of the Bahai from the top of Carmel Mountain. Continue on the coastal road for a lunch break in Caesarea, with the opportunity to cool off in the sea. Onward journey to the airport. Return flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna.

Additional option: Visit to the rock city of PETRA in Jordan (details and price on request)

About the Jerusalem pilgrim Johannes Aschauer (initiator of the Jerusalemweg): In 2010, Johannes set off on foot towards Jerusalem together with two other pilgrims. On this spectacular and unusual pilgrimage, they followed in the footsteps of the Crusades, walked the paths of the Apostle Paul and historical pilgrimage paths, and finally arrived in Bethlehem six months later on Christmas Eve and then in Jerusalem. As a result, the pilgrims initiated the beginning of this path to Jerusalem on December 21, 2012 in Finisterre with the message "From the end via the heart of Europe to the beginning" and thus founded the world's longest peace and culture path: The Jerusalem way!

For all those who want to share this unique experience, Johannes Aschauer, as initiator and tour guide, has laid out various stages on the Jerusalemweg. In the form of small groups, the route is partly hiked by oneself, while at the same time the luggage is transported with a long-distance coach and the remaining parts of the day's stage are covered. The easy day hikes with an average length of around 15 km and a maximum ascent of 400 meters in one piece provide for sufficient breaks.

Changes to the itinerary and errors Reserved!