Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in the cost of the trip?
Some trips advertise a low basic price only to surprise participants later with a list of additional charges. This is not the philosophy behind our Israel trip. Our cost includes airfare, departure taxes, and all currently published fuel surcharges for flights from all gateway cities. It also includes hotel room charges (based on double occupancy), all breakfasts and dinners, ground transportation while on tour, group transfers between airports and hotels, guide, driver, admission to all sites, study guide, journal, and all tips. The published price does not include the cost to obtain a passport, the cost of transportation to the nearest gateway city, lunches, or other incidental travel expenses (drinks, snacks, souvenirs, etc.). While every effort is made to make the price as all-inclusive as possible, the cost is based on current schedules and tariff rates and, as a result, is subject to change.
Why are some trips cheaper?
To some, the price of the trip might seem high, especially if they have seen other trips that appear to cost less. However, there are many factors that influence the cost. Some groups travel in off-peak times when the days are shorter and the weather more inclement. Some spend less days in Israel on tour. Some don't include the tips or other added expenses in their published cost but then collect those amounts later.
Our price includes virtually everything except lunches, beverages (other than coffee, tea, and water) at meals, and personal expenses (obtaining a passport, snacks, souvenirs, etc.).
How many people will be on this tour?
We are planning on having several hundred participants on the trip. While that might initially sound large—and crowded!—the trip is really designed to be quite intimate. Most days will begin or end with the combined group joining together for a time of worship and teaching. But the buses will not remain together throughout the day. Participants will be assigned to a specific bus, and that bus will function as a one-bus tour for the remainder of the day.
Why such a large tour?
We believe we have designed the trip to provide unique advantages that are only available to a large tour. These include special check-in and dining privileges at all hotels as well as the use of a truck to transport luggage between hotels (making hotel departures and arrivals go more smoothly). During the tour we will sit under the teaching of Dr. Charles Dyer, Moody Bible Institute provost and dean of Education. At the same time, we have planned the trip in a way that provides a unique sense of intimacy. For most of the day participants will travel through Israel on a one-bus tour. In addition to a licensed Israeli guide, each bus will have a Moody Bible Institute professor traveling with the group, who will be sharing God's Word at key stops. You will have an opportunity to build life-long friendships with a small group of fellow pilgrims as you get to know key personnel from Moody.