Israel In-Depth

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival in Jerusalem

  Welcome to Israel, a land overloaded with religious monuments and Bible stories!

  Upon arrival at the Ben Gurion International Airport, a private transfer will take you to your hotel in Jerusalem. Check-in and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

  • Jerusalem

• Day 2: Jerusalem

  According to the Bible, Jesus entered Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives at the beginning of the week before His death. Your exploration of the Old City of Jerusalem will start with an overlook from the mountaintop, then go down along the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed on His last night before His arrest. Later, following the traditional Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, you can get the details about the fourteen events of Jesus that took place on the route. The local market hidden inside the city may be a great place for you to seek some interesting souvenirs.

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  • Jerusalem

• Day 3: Jerusalem, the Old City of Jerusalem

  On the second day of Jerusalem, you will explore further in the Old City. The Temple Mount, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, is the site of the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Even though non-Muslims are not allowed to enter these mosques, the exterior of the buildings is also worth a visit. Walk down the hill and explore the Jewish Quarter and Western Wall (including access to its underground tunnels that are still close to the public). Just outside the Old City walls is Mount Zion, where Jesus had the Last Supper with his disciples. Next, the Garden Tomb on the other side outside the walls is considered by some Protestants to be the site of the burial and resurrection of Jesus. Before returning to the hotel, you may want to enjoy a relaxing evening walk in downtown Jerusalem.

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  • Jerusalem

• Day 4: Jerusalem, Israel Museum & Village of Ein-Karem

  Today, your tour guide will bring you to visit the Israel Museum in the New City of Jerusalem. As a national museum and one of the most important museums in the Middle East, it collects numerous archaeological sculptures and traditional art from all over the world. The treasures of the museum that you can't miss are the Dead-Sea Scrolls (the oldest copies of the original bible) and the ancient Jerusalem model from the Second Temple period. After getting out of the museum, you will continue to explore the 3,000-year-old village of Ein-Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist.

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  • Jerusalem

• Day 5: Jerusalem, The Dead Sea & Mount Massada

  This morning you will set out for the Dead Sea, the lowest place on the Earth with 1,300 feet below sea level. On the way, stop and climb up to Mount Massada by cable car. The natural fortress overlooking the Dead Sea was the last stronghold of the ancient kingdom of Israel in the First Jewish-Roman War and the symbol of Jewish patriotism.

  When arriving at the beach of the Dead Sea, you'll have a chance to try floating in the Dead Sea with a newspaper in the hand and take some photos like what you may have seen in campaigns promoting the Dead Sea. It is really cool!

  After that, proceed to visit Qasr-el-Yahud, a lesser-known place to be Baptized in Israel. Return to Jerusalem and rest after the tour.

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  • Jerusalem

• Day 6: Jerusalem - Galilee

  Start today with a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Treat your taste buds with a delicious Culinary Tour at a food market and then continue to Bethlehem for a visit to the Church of the Nativity. Built on the site where Jesus was born, it is one of the oldest churches still in use in the world. When the tour ends, you will be escorted to your accommodation in the Galilee area for the night.

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  • Galilee

• Day 7: Galilee, Exploration to the Golan Heights

  Today will be an exploration of the Golan Heights, a rocky plateau between Israel and Syria. First of all, you can overlook from Bental Hill into Syria and receive an eye-opening security briefing from an expert on what's really happening in Syria these days. Afterward, take a private tour to a kibbutz, a collective community, traditionally agrarian. Here you can meet with members of this community, learn about their daily life and have lunch with them. The last stop will be Banias, an ancient site that developed around a spring. An optional natural hiking tour can be offered here to explore this area according to your interests and physical strength.

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  • Galilee

• Day 8: Christian Galilee

  After breakfast, go out to explore the Bible sites around the Sea of Galilee. On the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee is the Mount of Beatitudes. It is where Jesus is believed to have delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Nearby is Capernaum, the site of St. Peter's house. A little drive along the shore is Tabgha, the site of the Miracle of Fish and Loaves. Magdala is the hometown of Mary of Magdala, one of the earliest followers of Jesus of Nazareth according to the Bible. You can pray and learn the stories from your guide when traveling these sites. Finally, you will visit a private cooking workshop and have dinner in the home of a Druze family (an indigenous ethnic minority).

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  • Galilee

• Day 9: Galilee - Tel Aviv, Nazareth and Caesarea En-route

  The Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth is where angel Gabriel appeared to Virgin Mary and announced that she would conceive and bear the Son of God, Jesus. It would be interesting to learn about the Bible stories from the carvings of the gate and see colorful images of Madonna from different countries. Later, drive via the Jezreel Valley and visit Tel Megiddo, once the site of epic battles. Before arriving at Tel Aviv for the night, you will stop at Caesarea, a famous Roman port city on the shores of the Mediterranean. It seems like travel back in time as you walk around the remains of Roman architecture such as the Roman-period theater, the amphitheater, and much more.

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  • Tel Aviv

• Day 10: Tel Aviv

  Situated on the Mediterranean coast about 60 km northwest of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv is one of the most vibrant cities in the world. The buildings in a unique form of the International style standing on either side of the Rothschild Boulevard, the Rabin Square, and the fashionable neighborhood of Neve Tzedek will reveal the modern life that is completely different from any other cities in Israel.

  Later on, you will enjoy a leisure afternoon at Old Jaffa. The winding alleys of Jaffa, lined with yellow houses with huge stones, are filled with craft shops, art galleries, and stalls selling antiques and jewelry. At every turn, you may receive unexpected surprises, perhaps characteristic house numbers, interesting souvenirs, or fascinating scenery of the Mediterranean Sea.

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  • Tel Aviv

• Day 11: Tel Aviv, Departure

  Your vacation about religions comes to an end. You may enjoy a relaxing day on your own before your driver escorts you to the airport because the departure flights often take off at midnight.

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