Itinerary

Day 1:  Jerusalem  

Pick up at 07:15 from hotels in Tel Aviv, or 08:30 from hotels in Jerusalem. Start the tour with a pick-up from your hotel.  Drive to the Old City in Jerusalem, and stop at the Mount of Olives, for a view of the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of all Nations. Enter the Old City from the Zion gate, and walk through the Armenian Quarter to the Byzantine Cardo.  Go on through the Jewish Quarter to see the Western Wall.  Continue along the Via Dolorosa to follow the Stations of the Cross, with the other pilgrims, to arrive at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.  Stroll through the Old City markets and continue on to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum.  

Day 2:  Caesarea, Acre, Haifa 

After breakfast at your hotel.  A driver will be waiting for you at 07:15.  Drive along the Mediterranean Sea, we will pass Natanya and Hertzelia, and stop at Caesarea.  This is a Roman city that was dedicated to Caesarea, and built by Herod.  Tour the famous Roman theater that is still in use today and beside it the Hippodrome.  Tour the remains of the Roman temple, and depart for Haifa.  In Haifa view the Baha'i gardens and its shrine.  Drive north to Rosh Hanikra, and take a cable ride down to the grottoes.  Next, we will visit Acre, and tour the Crusader city, the largest in Israel.  Tour the Turkish prison where they used to hang Jews that were opposed to British policy. 

Day 3: Nazareth and Sea of Galilee

In the morning at 07:15, a driver will be waiting to take you through the Armageddon plain, where you will have a view of Megiddo.  On the way to Nazareth stop at the Mount of Precipitation.  Stop for a tour of the Church of Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph which resides beside it.  On the way pass Cana and arrive at the Sea of Galilee.  Tour the Benedictine Church, at the foot of Mount Beatitude, in Capernaum.  When passing Tiberias, you can see the mountains of the Golan Heights.  When we stop at Yardenit, you may have time to be baptized.  On the return trip, we will pass Mount Tabor.  

Day 4:  Masada and the Dead Sea

07:15 am, pick-up time from your hotel. Start the day by driving south through the Judean desert, and pass the Inn of the Good Samaritan, on the way to the Dead Sea.  On the way to Masada, we will stop at a few places along the way.  When arriving at Masada, take a cable car to the top, all the while your guide will explain what you are seeing.  Arriving at the top, start to tour the palaces that were built by Herod, the bathhouse, the synagogue, Roman barracks, and more.  As we are traveling back, pass Ein Gedi, and the Qumran caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.  Arriving at the Dead Sea, you can enjoy a swim in the therapeutic waters.  The water is 35% salt so you are not required to know how to swim.  

Day 5: Where Jesus Walked

Start out the day from your hotel in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.  Drive to the Old City of Jerusalem, the first stop of the day will be at the Mount of Olives to tour the Church of the Ascension.  It is believed that Jesus rose to heaven from the rock in the middle of the rotunda.  At Pater Noster, Jesus preached the Lord's prayer, which is a Crusader cloister.  Take a small break to see the amazing view of Jerusalem.  Walking down from the Mount of Olives, we will stop at Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept as he foresaw the destruction of Jerusalem.  We will continue on to tour the Church of All Nations which is in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Cross the Kidron Valley and enter the Old City by the Lions Gate.  Arrive at the Church of St. Anne, listen to the acoustics in the Crusader Church, and see the pools of Bethesda.  Tour the convent of the Sisters of Zion, and view a water cistern from the Second Temple.  As you are walking see the engravings on the ancient street.  Talk about a walk through the Praetorium where Pontius Pilate lived.  Here we will end the tour.  There will be a transfer back to your hotel.  

Entrance fee not included - pay at the entrance  

Overnight Tel-Aviv.

Day 6: Jericho and Bethlehem

Start the tour from your hotel in Tel Aviv, where you will be collected by our professional driver at 07:15 a.m. or from Jerusalem at 08:30 a.m   Drive down towards the Dead Sea passing the Inn of the Good Samaritan.  We will stop for a brief time at the sea level marker, and continue to Jericho.  Above Jericho, you will be able to see Mt. Temptation where Jesus fasted for 40 nights.  

Travel to Bethlehem the birthplace of Jesus.  Take a walk across Manger Square to the Church of Nativity.  See the beautiful original mosaic floor from the 4th century under the one that was constructed in the 6th century.  Tour the Crusader Church, which is dedicated to St. Catherine, and go down the grotto where the Hebrew bible was translated into Latin by St. Jerome.  In Bethlehem, we will pass the milk grotto and go to Shepherd's Fields.  From here we will start the journey back.

Arrive back at about 18:00 p.m.

Transfer to the airport, where you will have a flight to Eilat, and overnight in Eilat.

Day 7:  Petra 

Pick up at 08:15 am, from your hotel.

A driver will take you to the Arava border and help you with border proceedings.  Start the drive to Petra, about 2 hours.  Arrive in Petra and start the tour with your guide.  Walkthrough the Siq, which is a pathway, to arrive at the Treasury.  Continue to tour Petra to see the amazing facades carved out of sandstone, the temples, and much more. Stop for lunch at about 15:30.  After lunch start the drive back to Eilat, and to the airport for your flight back to Tel Aviv.

There is an option to add more hotel nights, and transfers to and from the airport on arrival and departure.

Inclusions:

• Transportation with A/C
• Guides / Assistance
• Beach Access
• Driver
• Hotel pickup and drop off
• Licensed Guide
• Entrance Fees
• Internal Flights
• Breakfast
• Hotel 3 star
• Internal flight transfer
• Some lunches
• Group tour

Exclusions:

• Extra stay pre/post tour
• Visa charges For Jordan 75$
• Insurance
• Tips and Gratuities
• Any optional tours
• Any airport arrival/departure tax
• Dinner
• International flights
• Personal Insurance
• Health insurance
• Single supplement
• Border tax 65$
• Some lunches