Trinity Lutheran Church
Pilgrimage to Israel
Effective this past Sun, Nov 2nd, our trip to Israel on May 16-26, 2024, has been
CANCELLED!
Refund and any potential rescheduling information will be distributed shortly.
Our prayers are with the people in Israel and with the surrounding nations:
May this conflict be brought to a peaceful resolution, and may the hope that Christians have in Christ Jesus be shared.
The following information is OLD:
Do steps 1 - 4
-BEFORE-
You register with IsramIsrael (step 5)
-BEFORE-
You register with IsramIsrael (step 5)
Important Steps
Decide if you want to go on this amazing opportunity by looking at the trip dates, cost, and itinerary.
Visit the Group page to meet your Tour Group.
Determine IF/WHEN you plan to purchase your Travel Insurance.
Contact the Tour Coordinators (Pastor Corey & Katie Shaffer) at Tours@UnderShepherd.org to express interest and get updates.
Register with IsramIsrael to show your intent, but you do NOT need to pay the full amount yet (unless you want to).
Pay the $300 deposit per person to reserve your spot ($275 is refundable up until 6 months before trip).
Get Your Passport. Your passport expiration must be at least 6 months past the trip return date to travel (expiring no earlier than November 26, 2024).
Deadline Dates
November 16, 2023
The deposit ($300) becomes non-refundable.
No more passengers can be added to the itinerary after this date.
February 16, 2024
The trip must be paid in full by this date.
March 2024 (TBD)
We will meet to discuss weather, clothing, what to bring, etc.
May 16, 2024 (Departure)
We will travel as a group to the Minneapolis airport (MSP) by bus, or you can meet us at the airport, or you can get your own flight to Tel Aviv (TLV).
(ISRAEL TOUR)
May 26, 2024 (Return)
We will travel back from the Minneapolis airport by bus.
Register with IsramIsrael
Did you get your travel insurance yet?
Anything you pay before getting travel insurance will not be covered.
If getting travel insurance from IsramIsrael, know that "the cost for this coverage is $279, which must be paid at the time of paying the initial deposit."
Click here to visit the Travel Insurance page for more information.
Ready to Register: Make sure you understand everything !?
The "land-only" portion of this trip does not include the cost of flights.
The initial deposit of $300 secures your spot on the trip and is refundable ($275) prior to November 16, 2023.
You are are only required to pay the $300 deposit to register, so you will need to change the amount (as it defaults to the full amount).
Your payment choices will be Credit Card or wire transfer.
The balance of the payment is due by February 16, 2024.
Don't Wait to Get Your Passport
^ Click the forward arrow (>) to advance to the next Passport Instructions slide.
Trip Costs Explained
The total land cost per person depends on the total number of people going because shared expenses, like the luxury tour bus and experienced tour guide, can be spread across the whole group.
For 15 to 19 people, the total land costs are "estimated" at $3,055.
For 20 to 24 people, the total land costs are "estimated" at $2,785.
For 25 to 29 people, the total land costs are "estimated" at $2,600.
For 30+ people, the total land costs are "estimated" at $2,475.
See the "Sign-up Report" (below). I am paying the most attention to the EXPECT numbers. These are people who have given me a firm commitment but are working on the details of the Travel Insurance (etc.) and have not paid the deposit yet, but they're Definitely Going! As you can see, most of them have already paid their deposit.
*NOTE* These estimates are for Double Occupancy rooms and do NOT include flights.
*NOTE* This report is based on notifying the Tour Coordinators, Pastor Corey & Katie Shaffer. It does not pull directly from the IsramIsrael registration.
The single supplement cost only applies to those individuals who do NOT have a roommate: +$1,115
The flight cost per person is finally available! Our group travel rates are locked-in at $1,785. You are permitted to make your own travel arrangements, but group travel has a lot of benefits and should be seriously considered.
Flight Information - Departure & Arrival
The first leg of our group travel departs from Minneapolis on Delta at 4:35pm on May 16th and arrives in Paris at 7:55am on May 17th. After our 1 hr 25 min layover, our second leg departs from Paris on Air France at 9:20am on May 17th and arrives in Tel Aviv at 2:40pm on May 17th. The bus will probably take us to our hotel around 4pm.
Our return travel will begin with a late night trip to the airport, around 8pm on May 25th, so we will not need a hotel that night. It is common for flights to leave very early. Our flight departs from Tel Aviv on KLM at 4:45am on May 26th and arrives in Amsterdam at 8:45am on May 26th. After our 1 hr 25 min layover (again), our second leg departs from Amsterdam on Delta at 10:10am on May 26th and arrives in Minneapolis at 12:10pm on May 26th. We will plan to get a bus to come home, and we will plan to stop for lunch on the way.
CLICK HERE for information about Booking Your OWN Flights
Please make sure you understand the risks of booking your own flights.
The trip insurance cost per person will be around $279 (if you elect to get the TripMate insurance through the tour provider). It is important to look into this further. Use the Travel Insurance tab and do your own research.
The food and gifts cost per person is recommended to be at least $250. You only need to pay for some travel meals (airport) and most lunches. If two meals a day is enough for you, all the hotels include breakfast and dinner.
The tip cost per person works out to $150 (although this will be confirmed as we get closer to the trip). Tipping is often a headache, and there is a tipping guide! To avoid forgetting to tip, under tipping someone, and over tipping others, I will be doing the tipping on behalf of the entire group when we are in Israel. Nobody should pressure you for a tip, but if they do, point them to me. I’ll be glad to give you the detailed list later. Please pay this amount to me (your Tour Coordinator) in advance, so I can be ready to tip on your behalf.
*NOTE* The LAND ONLY portion for this spreadsheet begins at the estimated cost for at least 20 people. We anticipate having 30+ people, but you can change that amount.
