Grand Tour of Israel
1 : Thursday
Departure from Canada or USA
USA Canada
2 : Friday
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Tel Aviv. (B)
Tel Aviv, Israel
3 : Saturday
Overnight Tel-Aviv. (B)
Tel Aviv, Israel
4 : Sunday - Diaspora Museum/Caesarea/Druze Villages
Depart Tel Aviv and drive to the Diaspora Museum for a visit. Proceed along the coastal plain to Caesarea, capital of Judea under the Romans. See the excavations of the Crusader city and the Roman port, aqueduct and the amphitheater that has been restored to its former glory as a concert venue. Continue via the Druze villages to Haifa. Overnight in Haifa. (B)
Caesarea, Israel
5 : Monday - Haifa/Safed/Golan Heights
The tour of Haifa will begin at the summit of Mount Carmel where you will take in a breathtaking panoramic view of the Haifa Bay and Western Galilee. Continue on to the golden domed Bahai Shrine to visit the exotic Persian Gardens. Proceed to Safed, the center of Jewish mysticism, where you will visit the ancient synagogues and the artists’ colony. Continue to the Golan Heights to see the former Syrian bunkers, Kuneitra and the new Israeli town of Katzrin. Overnight in Kibbutz. (B)
Haifa, Israel
6 : Tuesday - Sea of Galilee/Nazareth
Start the day with a visit of Tiberias. Drive to Capernaum to see the ruins of the synagogue and octagonal church of St. Peter and then proceed to Nazareth. Here you will visit the church of the Annunciation. Drive via Beit Shean to Beit Alpha to see the remains of the mosaic floor of an ancient synagogue depicting the zodiac. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)
Nazareth, Israel
7 : Wednesday - Jerusalem: The Old City
Visit the tomb of King David and the room of the Last Supper on Mt. Zion. Enter the walled city and walk through the newly restored Jewish Quarter. Visit the Roman Cardo, the Herodian Quarter and continue to the Western Wall. Walk along the Via Dolorosa to the church of the Holy Sepulchre, proceed to Mount Scopus and then to the Mount of Olives for a magnificent panoramic view of the Old City. Continue to Bethlehem*, stopping at Rachel’s Tomb and to visit the Church of the Nativity. Overnight in Jerusalem.(B)
* Visit subject to availability
Jerusalem, Israel
8 : Thursday - Jerusalem: The New City
Drive to the Hadassah Medical Center in Ein Kerem to see the Chagall stained glass windows. Proceed to Bayit Vegan to visit the miniature model of Jerusalem as it was during the Second Temple period. Continue to Yad Vashem, the memorial to the Holocaust and then to the Israel Museum. Visit the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed and see the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, and the Givat Ram Campus of the Hebrew University. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)
Jerusalem, Israel
9 : Friday - Qumran/Masada/Dead Sea
Drive through the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, almost 1300 feet (400 meters) below sea level. Stop at Qumeran to visit the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to Masada. Ascend by cable car and tour the ancient fortress where the Zealots made their last stand against the Romans before committing mass suicide in 73 AD. Descend by cable car, time and weather permitting, an opportunity will be provided to float on the Dead Sea. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)
Massada, Isreal
10 : Saturday - At Leisure
Overnight in Jerusalem.(B)
Jerusalem, Israel
11 : Sunday - The Negev Desert/Timna/Eilat
Travel south to the Negev desert, visit Israel’s Air Force Museum near Beer Sheva to view the planes and equipment and to hear the story of this brave fighting force. Continue south, visiting kibbutz Sde Boker, to see Ben Gurion’s hut and grave, overlooking the magnificent Zin valley. Stop at Mitzpeh Ramon to gaze into the Ramon Crater, an other worldly geological wonder. Proceed to Eilat for overnight. (B)
Negev Desert (area), Israel
Isreal
Eilat, Israel
12 : Monday - Free Day in Eilat or Day in Petra (Option
After assistance with VISA to the Jordanian Border, drive straight away to Petra through desert highways, your ultimate destination is the astonishing rose-red city of Petra which was built by the Nabateans (an early Arab Tribe). Petra was renowned for its massive architecture, pools, dams and water channels. The visit begins with the possibility of a short horseback-riding for about 700 m. until the entrance of the Siq, which is about 1.2 km long (walking distance). Petra is famous for its huge monuments such as The Treasury, Royal Tombs, The Court, Roman Theatre, roman Street, Qassier El-Bint (Palace of Pharaoh's daughter) and many other smaller monuments. The city is considered to be the second wonder of the world. After the visit, enjoy lunch in a nice restaurant. After lunch we drive back to the border. On the way, a short visit to Aqaba with the possibility to stop and take a walk around. Then transfer to the border around 18:00 PM, and then cross over to Eilat. (B)
Al Aqabah, Jordan
13 : Tuesday - Eilat/Mamshit/Tel Aviv
Visit the underwater observatory, one of the largest aquariums in the world, built into a coral reef. Drive to Mamshit for a camel riding experience and a visit to an authentic Bedouin tent; Learn about the Bedouin hospitality and enjoy a light lunch. Drive back to Tel-Aviv for overnight. (B)
Eilat, Israel
14 : Wednesday - Tel Aviv/Ben Gurion Airport
After breakfast, transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for departure.
Tel Aviv, Israel
