Many of the pilgrims have questions about weather and what type of clothes to bring. This chart showing Jerusalem's average temperatures, rain and humidity should be helpful.

Galilee tends to be about 10 degrees warmer than Jerusalem because of the difference in sea level. Jerusalem is 3,000 feet above sea level, while Galilee is 800 feet below.

Remember as you are packing, because of the space limitations on the bus in Israel, pilgrims are limited to one suitcase and one carry-on.
 
We will be staying in only two different hotels during our pilgrimage, so you can settle in and only have to pack up and move once between Galilee and Jerusalem. It is always nice to be able to leave your larger suitcase in your room so you can unpack and "belong" for a while.

We will be staying at very nice places, but none of these are 5-star hotels. They are pilgrimage facilities, but they are clean, comfortable and well located. In Jerusalem some of us well be staying at the Ron Beach Hotel, and some at Nof Ginosar.  In Jerusalem everyone will be staying at the Notre Dame, which is directly across the street from the city walls. There are pictures of them on our website here if you haven't seen them already.

The best plan is to bring layers of clothes: a rain jacket to over a sweater to put over a shirt to put over a t-shirt. We will have a few early mornings which may be cooler and later you can shed the outer layers and leave them on the bus.

You will have the same bus during the day so you can always bring a small carry-on bag that can be left on the bus. That way you can leave or grab a hat, umbrella or cooler clothes from the bus during the day as needed.

We would suggest that you bring comfortable walking shoes. Do NOT bring new shoes. Make sure you break them in first. We will not do a huge amount of walking, but we could cover one to three miles throughout some days with lots of ups and downs, uneven ground and steps. Good comfortable shoes are important.

Janet and I pack light with fast-drying travel clothes, socks and underwear that can be washed in the sink at night. They are usually dry by morning. Our hotels also have laundry services that are usually returned to you in 24 hours for an extra charge.

Since we are limited to one suitcase per pilgrim, packing light is necessary. I have a suggested packing list provided on my website. If you haven't looked out our suggested packing list, it would be a good idea to do that now. You can find it by clicking here.

A good hat is also suggested to protect you from the sun and rain and to shade your eyes. As you know from my pictures, I wear Tilley hats. Sunglasses are also a good idea. Gloves might be nice if it gets cold, especially in the mornings and if you hands tend to get cold. A small compact travel umbrella is smart to have in case of rain.

If you plan to swim in the Sea of Galilee-or to "float" in the Dead Sea on the last day optional trip, bring a swimsuit. Towels will be provided. The Dead Sea is 10 times more salty than the Mediterranean Sea. We have been able to swim in the Dead Sea even in the winter since it is so low in sea level and tends to be warm there even if it's cold higher up in Jerusalem. Because of the rocks in the water, and the hot, hot, ground at the dead sea, a pair of water shoes is a very good idea. Flip flops and thongs are worthless as they get sucked off your feet in the mud.  Also, remember not to shave the day before the dead sea swimming excursion since the salty water can sting any irritated skin.