Day
1
FRI I TEL AVIV
Arrive at Ben Gurion airport where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Tel Aviv.
Day
2
SAT I TEL AVIV
Full day at leisure and overnight in Tel Aviv. (B)
Day
3
SUN I TEL AVIV I CAESAREA I HAIFA I ACRE I ROSH HANIKRA I GALILEE
Today, head north to Caesarea, once the Roman capital of the region. See the excavations of the Crusaders’ city, the aqueduct and the amphitheater that has been restored as a concert venue. Proceed to Haifa to visit the Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum (“Af al Pi Chen”) and hear the story of the illegal emigrants to Israel at the time of the British mandate. Drive to Acre, whose Old City is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. and continue on to Rosh Hanikra where you will descend by cable car into the underwater grottoes to admire the spectacular natural formation. Overnight at a Kibbutz guesthouse in the Galilee. (B)
Day
4
MON I GALILEE I SAFED I GOLAN HEIGHTS I TEL-HAI I GALILEE
Drive to Safed, one of the four holy cities in Israel and center of the Kabbalah movement. Visit the Caro and Ari synagogues and the picturesque Artists’ quarter. Next, enjoy a Jeep tour to the foot of the Golan. Continue up the Golan Heights, stopping at Gadot overlook, a memorial for the fallen of the Golan located over former Syrian bunkers and view the monument built in honor of the Alexandroni Brigade. Take in the views over the city of Kuneitra and the Syrian territory. Drive to Tel- Hai; see the “Roaring Lion” monument and learn about the heroic battle of Josef Trumpeldor and his comrades in 1920. Meet with a Kibbutz member and learn about their unique lifestyle. Overnight at a Kibbutz guesthouse in Galilee. (B)
Day
5
TUE I GALILEE I TIBERIAS I BEIT SHEAN I BEIT ALPHA I GAN HASHLOSHA I JERUSALEM
Drive to Tiberias to visit Rambam’s grave. Continue through the Jordan Valley to Beit Shean, known as “Scythopolis,” and see the fascinating excavated remains from Roman and Byzantine periods. Stop at Beit Alpha to admire the beautiful mosaic floor of a synagogue discovered in 1929. Visit Gan Hashlosha National Park and enjoy the warm spring water pools and waterfalls. Head on via the Jordan Valley to Jerusalem, stopping at Mount Scopus for a blessing as you enter the city. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)
Day
6
WED I JERUSALEM
Visit the Tomb of King David on Mt. Zion. Visit the four Sepharadic Synagogues in the Jewish quarter restored after the war of 1967. Visit the Western Wall (Kotel) and explore its tunnels. Next, visit the archaeological park at Davidson Center. Then, walk through the colorful local bazaar to visit the Tower of David museum presenting the history of Jerusalem and ancient remains of the city beginning with the First Temple period. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)
Day
7
THU I JERUSALEM
Enjoy seeing the Bar-Mitzvah ceremonies at the Kotel. Drive through Mea Shearim, one of the oldest Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem and learn about the unique lifestyle of the ultra-orthodox communities. Head to Mount Herzl, the military cemetery, and on to the memorial to the Holocaust, Yad Vashem. Visit Ammunition Hill, then drive by Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, and see the Menorah with its biblical emblems. Next, visit Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea scrolls are housed, and see the Holyland model, a miniature replica of Jerusalem as it was during the Second Temple period. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)
Day
8
FRI I JERUSALEM I QUMRAN I MASADA I DEAD SEA I JERUSALEM
Drive through the Judean desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. Visit the Qumran Caves, where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. Continue to Masada and ascend by cable car, then tour the mountain fortress built by King Herod where the Zealots made their last stand against the Romans. Here you will see the remains of the walls, palaces, synagogue, and bathhouse before descending by cable car. Next, stop for lunch and experience the spa facilities in one of the leading hotels in the area and enjoy some time to float in the hypersaline Dead Sea. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B,L)
Day
9
SAT I JERUSALEM
Day at leisure. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)
Day
10
SUN I JERUSALEM I TIMNA I EILAT
Travel south through the Negev Desert and stop at Timna, a large geological and archaeological park. Marvel at the multi-colored rock formations and the copper mine (King Solomon’s Mines) and view the outstanding Solomon’s Pillars. Continue to Eilat, the southernmost resort city on the shores of the Red Sea. Visit the Underwater Observatory Marine Park, built into a coral reef, and enjoy the opportunity for a close up look at the rich life of the Gulf of Eilat. Overnight in Eilat. (B)
Day
11
MON I EILAT
Day at leisure or take an optional full day tour to Petra, Jordan. Overnight in Eilat. (B
Day
12
TUE I EILAT I MIZPE RAMON I SDE BOKER I HATZERIM I TEL AVIV
Depart Eilat via Mizpe Ramon and stop to view the Ramon Crater, a geological wonder. Proceed to Sde Boker and see Ben Gurion’s hut and grave overlooking the magnificent Zin Valley. Stop for a camel ride and a visit to a Bedouin tent to learn about Bedouin hospitality and enjoy a light lunch. Continue to Hatzerim and visit Israel’s Airforce Museum to view the planes and equipment and hear the story of this brave fighting force. Overnight in Tel Aviv. (B,L)
Day
13
