Short answer: pack light for a church Holy Land tour. Each traveler brings one suitcase and one carry-on bag, plus a purse or camera bag, because touring coaches have limited luggage space. Bring comfortable walking shoes, modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees for churches and holy sites, layers for cool mornings and evenings, a Bible and a journal, a hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle, your passport and any medicines in your carry-on, and some small local currency for tips and snacks. Mission Travel Faith Tours plans private Christian group tours for 10 to 500 travelers. Call 407-377-7912 to start planning.
Every church group asks us the same question a few weeks before they fly: what should we pack? The answer is simpler than most people expect. A Holy Land tour is a walking trip with early starts, coach rides between sites and many holy places to visit, so the best suitcase is a light one. This checklist is for churches, Christian schools, ministries, nonprofits and Bible study groups traveling with us from all over the world. Pastors and group leaders are welcome to print it and hand it out at the pre-trip meeting.
How much luggage can each traveler bring?
Because of the size of the baggage compartments on touring coaches, each traveler is limited to one suitcase and one carry-on bag, in addition to a purse, camera case or small video camera. The checked bag should not be more than 62 inches in total (length + width + height) or weigh more than 50 lbs. Carry-on bags should not weigh more than 20 lbs, should not be larger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches and must fit under the seat or in the overhead bin. Airlines can set tighter limits, so check your airline's rules too. Mark every bag clearly with your name inside and out. Full details are on our FAQ page.
Holy Land tour packing list for church groups
Documents and money
- Passport, with plenty of validity left beyond your return date, and a photocopy kept separately.
- Any entry authorization your country needs for Israel, Jordan or Egypt. Check the rules for your own passport well before you travel.
- Travel insurance details. We recommend every traveler has travel insurance.
- A credit card plus some small notes in local currency for tips, snacks and souvenirs. Currency can be exchanged at airports, banks and some hotels.
Clothing
- Modest clothing for holy sites. Many churches and holy places ask that shoulders and knees are covered. A light scarf or shawl is useful for women, and light trousers or long shorts for men.
- Comfortable walking shoes that are already broken in. You will walk on old stone streets, steps and uneven paths in Jerusalem, at Masada and around the Sea of Galilee.
- Layers: a light jacket or sweater for early mornings, evenings, air-conditioned coaches and hill country.
- Sandals or water shoes for the Dead Sea, a swimsuit, and clothes for a baptism in the Jordan River if your group plans one.
- A hat and sunglasses.
Carry-on and daypack
- Your Bible, a small notebook or journal and a pen. Many groups read the passage at each site before they walk it.
- All prescription medicines in their original packaging, enough for the trip plus a few extra days.
- A refillable water bottle, sunscreen and lip balm.
- A phone charger, a power adapter for the plugs used in the region and a small power bank.
- A change of clothes in case a checked bag is delayed.
What not to pack
- A second large suitcase. There is no room for it on the coach.
- Valuable jewelry and anything you would hate to lose.
- A full outfit for every day. Most groups pack for about a week and plan to wash a few items or wear them twice.
- Heavy books. A Bible app or one paperback Bible is enough.
Help your members prepare well
A packing list works best as part of a simple pre-trip meeting. Walk through the itinerary day by day, show photos of the main sites, explain how much walking each day includes and hand out this checklist. Encourage members to start walking more in the weeks before the trip and to break in their shoes. If anyone would rather skip a long walk or an excursion on the day, that is fine. Our guides will offer other options. Vegetarians and travelers with other dietary needs are also looked after.
Spiritual preparation matters just as much. Many pastors give the group a reading plan for the Gospels, or for Acts if they are adding Paul's journeys, so that each site connects with Scripture they have already read together. For more help, see how to plan a church Holy Land tour, our guide to pastor-led church group Holy Land tours and Jordan River baptism tours for church groups.
Traveling to more than one country?
Many churches combine Israel with Jordan, Egypt or Greece. The packing list stays the same, but check entry rules for every country on your route and allow a little more room for a warmer layer if you are traveling in winter. See Israel and Jordan church group tours with Petra, Holy Land and Greece tours for church groups and Holy Land tours for senior adult church groups.
Plan your church Holy Land tour
Every Mission Travel Faith Tours trip is a private tour built around your group, with an itinerary designed for you, private sightseeing, airport meet and greet, private transfers and 24/7 on-call support. Groups can be as small as 10 or as large as 500, the rate per person drops as the group grows, and for every 20 paid travelers one more travels free. Browse our Holy Land tours, read about private custom Christian group tours, or tell us about your trip on the pastor planning form. You can also contact us or call 407-377-7912.
