GRAND
TOUR OF ISRAEL
13
DAYS/12 NIGHTS
TEL AVIV - CAESAREA - HAIFA
SEA
OF GALILEE - NAZARETH - JERUSALEM
QUMARAN
- MASSADA - NEGEV DESERT
ELIAT
OPTIONAL:
PETRA AND MAMSHIT
Itinerary
THURSDAY
Departure from Canada.
FRIDAY
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, where you
will be met by our representative and transferred
to your hotel. Overnight in Tel Aviv. (B)
SATURDAY
Overnight Tel-Aviv.
(B)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
FRIDAY - QUMRAN / MASSADA / 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 Massada. 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)
SATURDAY - AT LEISURE
Overnight in Jerusalem.(B)
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)
MONDAY - FREE DAY IN EILAT OR DAY IN PETRA
(OPTIONAL)
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)
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)
WEDNESDAY - TEL AVIV / BEN GURION AIRPORT
After breakfast, transfer to Ben Gurion
Airport for departure.
* Visit subject to availability
** The above program can be extended
and tailored to group requests.
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