Tour Overview
See the best that Israel has to offer with this 9 day tour package as well as taking a day trip to the UNESCO-listed Rose City of Petra in Jordan. The itinerary is packed with iconic sites like Jerusalem, Caesarea, Haifa, Bethlehem, Jericho, the Dead Sea, Galilee and Masada. This is one of the most popular tour packages probably because it covers every aspect of the country – plus Petra!
Highlights
- Guaranteed departure Israel - makes your trip planning much easier and gives you complete peace of mind
- Have a free day to relax after your flight before you start touring and exploring the best of Israel
- In Jerusalem, City of Gold, see world famous religious and historic landmarks
- Visit Masada, the symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel
- Explore the Rose City of Petra, a symbol of Jordan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Visit Jericho, the lowest and the most ancient city in the world
- Experience Bethlehem, the birth town of Jesus
- Discover the lush countryside of the Galilee, Israel’s northern region, home to the Sea of Galilee
- Drive up the Mediterranean coast stopping at Caesarea, Acre, Haifa and sea caves at Rosh HaNikra
- 9 day experience with a day of leisure in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem
Itinerary
After you touch down at Ben Gurion Airport and make your way to your Tel Aviv or Jerusalem hotel you’ll have time to relax and settle in. Your hotel accommodation is included in your tour package. If you want you can use some of our suggestions about how to spend your first day in Israel or you could spend the day discovering the unique character of the Holy Land and its people. Welcome to Israel!
Overnight stay: Tel Aviv
This tour begins with a drive up the coastal road, then we turn off towards the Valley of Armageddon. From here we can see Megiddo. We pass by Mt. Precipice and arrive in Nazareth. Here we tour the beautiful Church of Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph. On route to the Sea of Galilee, we pass Cana, where Christ transformed water into wine. From a distance, we see Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount and stop in Capernaum on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. In Tabgha, we tour the Roman Catholic Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. We pass Tiberias on the edge of the Sea of Galilee and stop at Yardenit. This River Jordan baptismal site could have been where John baptized Jesus. On our return journey, we pass Mt. Tabor where the Transfiguration took place.
Sites During the Tour
Church of Annunciation
Yardenit Baptism Site
Capernaum
Church of Multiplication - Tabgha
Church of St. Joseph
Sea of Galilee (Kinneret)
Overnight stay: Tel Aviv
Tour the coastal cities of Israel as we drive north of Tel Aviv and make our first stop in Caesarea. Here we tour the remains of an ancient Roman port city and see the theater, hippodrome, and ruins of palaces, temples, and bathhouses. We travel further north along the coast to the port city of Haifa. Here we see the terraced Baha’i Gardens on Mt. Carmel and learn about the Baha’i faith. Continuing all the way to Israel’s border with Lebanon the tour takes you to the sea caves of Rosh HaNikra. Here we can enter the cave chambers and tunnels where waves crash against the rocks. We return south and the tour visits the Crusader city of Acre. Here we tour the Crusader fortress built in the 12th century, the Ottoman structures, and a former Turkish and British Mandate citadel prison.
Sites During the Tour
Acre Old City Market
Bahai Gardens, Haifa
Caesarea National Park
Rosh Hanikra Grottoes
The Roman Theatre of Caesarea
Underground Crusader City Acre
Overnight stay: Tel Aviv
Take a short flight from Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv (Terminal 1) to Ramon Airport near Eilat.
The tour starts with a transfer from Ramon Airport near Eilat to the Arava border, After swiftly crossing into Jordan, we'll take a 2.5-hour ride past breathtaking desert and mountain scenery.
When we arrive in Petra you can choose to enter the famous lost city on foot or on horseback. We’ll tour Petra, a splendid archaeological site dating back about 2,300 years to when the Nabataean people carved their city right out of the red-hued rock cliffs.
You'll see the mysterious Djinn Blocks, the Obelisk Tomb, and all the jaws will drop in front of Al-Khazneh - the magnificent Petra Treasury. Then continue to the amazing Royal Tombs. This intricate complex of burial combines interesting architecture with great views, as some of the tombs are several stories high. You can also take lovely shots in the Colonnaded street, and explore the Petra Theater.
Depart from Ramon Airport Eilat to Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv after your truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Sites During the Tour
Djinn Blocks
Obelisk Tomb
Petra Archaeological Park
Petra Theater (Nabatean Theatre)
The Royal Tombs, Petra
The Siq
The Treasury of Petra (Al-Khazneh)
Overnight stay: Tel Aviv
Take a day off in Tel Aviv. This is your time to get rest and explore the city that never sleeps!
Relax on one of the stunning beaches; discover Yarkon Park or explore the city. Shopaholics and bargain hunters will love the malls; Carmel Market and Jaffa’s flea market. Visit world class museums like the Museum of Art. Wander through the old neighborhoods like Neve Tzedek where there are indie stores and art galleries or discover the White City’s Bauhaus architecture. Follow the narrow lanes of Jaffa to the old port and feast yourself at Tel Aviv’s many eateries. We can offer suggestions to help you plan your free day in Tel Aviv.
Overnight stay: Tel Aviv
This tour heads to southern Israel through the Judean Hills and past the Inn of the Good Samaritan. We pause at sea level for an unforgettable photo-op then continue our descent further and further down beneath sea level towards the iconic Dead Sea. Our first stop is at Masada where we take a cable car to the plateau summit and tour the remains of Herod’s 2,055 year old palace fortress. We see remarkable structures including palaces and a bathhouse. From Masada the tour takes you past the desert oasis of Ein Gedi and Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We spend the rest of the day relaxing on one of the Dead Sea beaches. You can float in the salty-water that is 8.6 times more saline than the ocean creating natural buoyance. Use the Dead Sea mud as a natural skin mask and soak up the glorious Dead Sea sun.
Sites During the Tour
The Dead Sea
Judean Desert
Masada National Park
Overnight stay: Jerusalem
Take this Bethlehem and Jericho tour past the Inn of the Good Samaritan and descend beneath sea level to the ancient city of Jericho. In Jericho see the sycamore tree climbed by Zacchaeus when he tried to get a better look at Jesus. Recall the biblical tale of Joshua marching his troops around Jericho’s city walls until they fell. The tour leaves Jericho passing the Mount of Temptation and continues to Qasr al-Yahud on the Jordan River where John baptized Jesus. Then the tour visits Bethlehem where Jesus was born just over 2,000 years ago. The Bethlehem tour stops in Manger Square and we enter the Church of the Nativity which holds the Holy Grotto where the nativity took place. The tour visits the adjacent Church of St. Catherine and its subterranean caves holding ancient tombs and shrines. From here the tour passes Shepherds Field and returns to Jerusalem.
Sites During the Tour
Church of Nativity
Church of St. Catherine
Manger Square
Qasr al-Yahud Baptismal Site
Shepherds' Field
Tel Jericho
Zacchaeus Sycamore Tree Jericho
Overnight stay: Jerusalem
We take in the panoramic views of Jerusalem from the top of Mount of Scopus then travel down the mount passing the biblical Garden of Gethsemane, Church of All Nations, and Kidron Valley which holds monumental Jewish tombs. In the Jewish Quarter, we see the Cardo; the Byzantine-era main street of Jerusalem. We stop at the sacred Western Wall to place a prayer note between the ancient stones of the wall. The tour follows part of the Via Dolorosa to the stunning Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Here we see the site of Christ’s crucifixion and his burial tomb. After a lunch break and walk through the Old City bazaar we travel to new Jerusalem. Driving through the modern city we reach Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. The museum’s exhibits include authentic artifacts, original documents, photos, and video testimonials of Holocaust survivors.
Sites During the Tour
Byzantine Cardo Jerusalem
Christian Quarter
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Jewish Quarter
Mount Scopus
Muslim Quarter
Via Dolorosa
Western Wall Jerusalem
Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum
Overnight stay: Jerusalem
On your last day in Israel you will have time to pack your bags and say good-bye to the Holy Land. If your flight is in the evening check-out at 11am and leave your luggage at the hotel. Head into the city to enjoy a “last supper” or do some last minute shopping. Perhaps return to a place you fell in love with; visit somewhere new or mix with the locals at a neighborhood café. If you would like to use your last day to the fullest we would be happy to make suggestions or help you plan a tour.
Trip includes
Included
Tel Aviv 5 Nights Metropolitan Hotel Tel Aviv
Jerusalem 3 Nights Eyal Hotel Jerusalem
6 fully guided days with a local qualified and licensed tour guide
Guiding Method
Fully guided
Hotel pick-up and drop-off service
Transport by air-conditioned vehicle
Entrance fees
6 fully guided days with a local qualified and licensed tour guide
8 nights accommodation on bed & breakfast basis
Excluded
International or Domestic flights
Lunch, dinner, drinks
Insurance: All types
Airport transfers
Visa issuing and border fees: $140
Availability
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Book the tour by paying only 25% upfront, and settle the remaining amount 30 days before the tour departure.
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