Discover the most sacred places and monuments of Israeli culture. With this ten-day tour you will get to visit some of the country’s most interesting sites, such as Old and New city of Jerusalem, centre of Jewish mysticism Kabbalah or Golan Heights. You will get to the lowest point of the earth – Dead Sea and fly across the country to cross the Jordan border to visit Petra, the extraordinary Rose City carved in the stone. Accompany Moses up the Mountain Sinai and visit the Chapel of the Burning Bush and Monastery of St. Catherine. Take a walk back in time and explore the roots of religious tradition of one of the most professed religions in the world. 

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS 

Jerusalem: One of the holiest places in the world, the religious centre for three religions: Judaism, Islam and Christianity, and both Israel and Palestine have claimed Jerusalem as a capital city. 

Nazareth: Located in Israel’s Galilee region, not only has over a dozen important Christian sites, but as Israel’s largest Arab city, has some fascinating cultural sites and experiences to discover. 

Haifa: Haifa is Israel’s third largest city, beautifully set on the slopes of Mount Carmel facing the Mediterranean Sea, often nicknamed ‘Israel’s San Francisco’.

Petra: The “Rose City”, due to the colour of the stone, is a historical and archaeological city in southern Jordan. Its emblematic buildings are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage since 1985.

St. Catherine Monastery: Holy monastery believed to enshrine the burning bush from which God first revealed himself to Moses. 

What’s included?

TOUR GUIDE: 

• Operated with local English-speaking licensed guide on shared basis 

ACCOMMODATION: 

• 9 nights’ accommodation

MEALS: 

• 9 Breakfasts
• 1 Lunch on Day 9

TRANSPORT:

• Air-conditioned shared transportation throughout the tour
• Return flights between Tel Aviv and Eilat on Day 7 and 9

ENTRANCE FEES AND ACTIVITIES:

• All entrance fees and activities mentioned in the itinerary: sightseeing of Masada archaeological site and Dead Sea (Day 2); Shrine of the Book, Yad Vashem memorial, Ein Karem village and Bethlehem visit (Day 3); sightseeing of Old Jerusalem (Day 4); Beit Shean, Nazareth and Safed visit (Day 5); sightseeing of Golan Heights and wine tasting tour (Day 6); Haifa and Caesarea tour (Day 7); sightseeing of Petra and city tour of Aqaba (Day 8); guided tour to St. Catherine Monastery and Chapel of burning bush (Day 9)

OTHER:

• Meet and Greet at Ben Gurion International Airport on day 1 

Exclusions

• Expenditures of a personal nature, drinks and meals or items not stated explicitly in the programme
• Lunches and dinners throughout the tour 
• Gratuities for driver and guide
• Any alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, mineral water, etc
• Travel Insurance or any loss or extra cost arising due to unforeseen circumstances such as flight delays, accidents, etc
• Entry Visa to Jordan (if required for restricted nationalities)
• Border taxes & Visa for Israel/Jordan border crossing (to be paid on the day of the tour)
• Border taxes for Israel/Egypt border crossing (to be paid on the day of the tour)
• Optional tours and activities
• International flights

Please note

• The optional excursion on Day 6 is subject to weather conditions
• Hotel early check-in, late check-out, connecting or adjoining rooms, smoking rooms & non-smoking rooms are subject to availability and are not guaranteed
• The Validity of the passport should be 06 months from the date of departure
• Please note that local conditions prevalent at the time of travel may result in modifications to the tour contents without prior notice

What do I need to bring?

Comfortable and light clothing is best suited to travel in the warm months and warm clothing in the colder months in Israel. Visitors should not wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts or skimpy clothing when visiting temples, religious or official buildings. Shoes should be removed before entering a temple or private house. Sun protection, sunglasses, a hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay.  

Accommodation options

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

Day 1 Tel Aviv:

• Standard Hotel Category = Hotel Seanet or similar 3*
• Superior Hotel Category = Crown Plaza or similar 4*

Day 2-4 Jerusalem:

• Standard Hotel Category = Hotel Gold or similar 3*
• Superior Hotel Category = Crown Plaza Deluxe or similar 4*

Day 5-6 Galilee:

• Standard & Superior Hotel Category = Kibbutz Hotel or similar 3*

Day 7-8 Eilat:

• Standard Hotel Category = Hotel Adi or similar 3*
• Superior Hotel Category = Hotel Dan Panorama or similar 4*

Day 9 Tel Aviv:

• Standard Hotel Category = Hotel Seanet or similar 3*
• Superior Hotel Category = Crown Plaza or similar 4*

Cancellation policy

Once ordered, this tour cannot be cancelled or refund or amended at any circumstances.

Day 1 :  ARRIVAL TEL AVIV

Upon arriving at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, meet your tour representative, who will be waiting for you after passport control holding a sign with your name on it. Our representative will guide you to pick up your luggage and then escort you through customs to meet your driver, who will transfer you to your hotel in Tel Aviv. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, relax in the hotel and freshen up after your flight or head out into the vibrant city of Tel Aviv to wander on its historic streets, colourful back alleys and most famous landmarks.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 2 :  TEL AVIV – BEER SHEBA – MASADA – DEAD SEA – JERUSALEM (315 km – 4.5 hrs)

After breakfast at the hotel, meet your tour guide at around 8 am and set off from Tel Aviv, driving south, passing by the cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon to Beersheba, for a short visit to the capital of the Negev Desert. Continue via Arad to Masada, Israel´s foremost archaeological park. Ascend via cable-car for a thorough visit that gives insight to the rituals, politics and culture of the people who inhabited this desert fortress, which was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations, Herod’s palaces, the synagogue, bathhouse and cisterns, and enjoy the breath-taking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea. Descend to the lowest place on earth – the Dead Sea, to experience the mineral-rich black mud and to float in its salty waters. Passing by the oasis of Ein Gedi, proceed through the Judean Desert to Jerusalem for check in at about 6 pm.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 3 :  JERUSALEM: EIN KAREM AND BETHLEHEM

Start the day with breakfast at the hotel, after which you will meet your guide at 8 am and visit the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book, which contains the famous Dead Sea scrolls, then a visit to the beautifully renovated model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem, dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Then visit Yad Vashem, the official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953, located at the foot of Mt. Hertzl. Enjoy Ein Karem, a picturesque village in the southwestern outskirts of Jerusalem. This small village has great significance in Christian traditions, since this is where according to tradition John the Baptist was born. Then travel to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, commemorated at the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square. Return to your hotel in Jerusalem at about 6 pm.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 4 :  JERUSALEM: OLD CITY AND MOUNT ZION

Today after breakfast at the hotel you will be picked up at around 8 am. We will enter the Old City of Jerusalem, where you will see the Western Wall and the actual site of the Second Temple, the Temple Mount. Walk along the Way of the Cross, the Via Dolorosa, to Calvary and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, housing both the traditional site of Crucifixion and the Tomb of the Resurrection. To the southwest, just outside the Old City, is Mount Zion, with the traditional tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper. From atop the Mount of Olives, enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of Jerusalem, a holy city for the world’s three Abrahamic religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Visit the Garden of Gethsemane, where Judas betrayed Jesus. In the heart of a neighbourhood in downtown Jerusalem, visit Mahane Yehuda to experience the flavours, aromas, colours and the traders’ interaction with the crowds, at the largest open market in Israel. Get back to the hotel in the evening at around 6 pm.

Overnight in Jerusalem

Day 5 :  JERUSALEM – BEIT SHEAN – NAZARETH – SAFED – GALILEE (270 km – 4 hrs)

Start the day with an energising breakfast before leaving Jerusalem at about 8 am and driving north passing by Jericho, the oldest city in the world. Travel through the Jordan Valley and the new settlements to Beit She’an, and visit the excavations of this beautifully preserved Roman city. On to Nazareth, to visit the Church of the Annunciation and Christian holy sites. Proceed then to Safed, city of the Kabbalah and centre of Jewish mysticism, to visit the beautiful streets of the artists’ colony. We will arrive in Galilee at about 6 pm for check in.

Overnight in Galilee

Day 6 :  GALILEE: GOLAN HEIGHTS & AROUND THE SEA OF GALILEE

In the morning, after breakfast at around 8 am drive up to the Golan Heights, passing through the Druze villages. Visit a former Syrian fortification on the heights. Pass by Banias, the source of the Jordan River, and then enjoy an Israeli wine country experience, with vineyards surrounded by breath-taking views. Become acquainted with a collection of fine and rare wines during the tour and enjoy a wine tasting while learning about the wine production process. After, descend to the shores of the Sea of Galilee and proceed to Capernaum, to visit the ruins of an ancient synagogue and Peter’s house and the Mount of Beatitudes, where the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ is said to have taken place. Continue to Tiberias for a short tour of the old centre of Jewish learning. Here you have the option to climb aboard a sailing boat and soar on the calm waters of the Sea of Galilee, to experience the tranquillity and beautiful scenery that hasn’t changed much in 2,000 years (subject to weather conditions and fee). Return to Galilee at around 6 pm.           

Overnight in Galilee

Day 7 :  ACRE – HAIFA – CAESAREA – TEL AVIV – EILAT (125km – 2 hrs; flight 45min)

After breakfast, be ready for a pick up at 8 am. Drive through the hills of the Galilee, westwards to Acre for a visit of the old Crusader stronghold and mediaeval fortifications. Continue to Haifa, ascending Mount Carmel for a panoramic view of the city, and visit the Baha’i Shrine, the Persian Garden and the Haifa bay. Proceed along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea to visit the Roman Theatre and the Crusader fortress known as the ‘masterpiece of Herod the Great’. Continue to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv for a short flight to Ramon Airport in Eilat and transfer to the Red Sea resort in Eilat.

Overnight in Eilat

Day 8 :  EILAT – PETRA – EILAT (280 km – 4.15 hrs)

After breakfast, leave Eilat at about 8 am, cross Israeli border into Jordan at the Arava border. Drive to Petra through the scenic Jordanian desert, passing by the Wadi Rum area. Enter the Rose City of Petra through the Siq, a narrow passage through the mountains that has inspired people for centuries. Up to the Treasury which suddenly appears at the end of the gorge, leaving visitors breath taken by its’ size, colour and beauty. Continue into the heart of this ancient city carved into the mountains, passing hundreds of tombs and monuments and a spectacular Amphitheatre, which once held 3,000 spectators. Exit the city and stop for a sit-down lunch in Wadi Musa – the new town of Petra, followed by a visit to Moses Spring before leaving. Drive to Aqaba for a short city tour, before returning to the Arava border and back to your hotel.

Overnight in Eilat

Day 9 :  EILAT – ST. CATHERINE MONASTERY – EILAT – TEL AVIV (200km – 3.15hrs; by flight 45min)

After breakfast, at around 8 am prepare for your departure and cross into the Sinai Desert just south of Eilat at Taba and pass by Pharaoh’s Island before driving through some of the most amazing desert scenery, Bedouin tents and villages. Moses traveled for 40 years with the Children of Israel through this astounding desert, receiving the Ten Commandments on the way. Nearly 2000 years later, a monastery was built around the Chapel of the Burning Bush at the foot of Mount Sinai and today still houses the art and icons which were protected from Islamic fury by a letter from the prophet Mohammed. Arrive at the Monastery of Santa Katarina where you will see the monastery, the Burning Bush Chapel and the Well of Jethro at the foot of Mount Sinai. Begin the trip back to Eilat stopping on the beach at Nuweiba for lunch (included). Cross the border back into Eilat and drive to Ramon Airport in Eilat for the return flight to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in Tel Aviv for check in.

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Day 10 :  DEPARTURE TEL AVIV

After breakfast, prepare for your departure and transfer to Ben Gurion Airport in time for your onward or return flight.