Grand Israel Tour

Wednesday

Arrival to Israel. 

Overnight Tel-Aviv.

Thursday

Independence Hall/Latrun/Beit Guvrin/Ayalon Institute

Start the day with a visit to the Independence Hall where the establishment of the state  of Israel was declared; Next, drive to Latrun to visit the Armored Corps memorial museum also considered as one of  the most diverse tank museums in the world. Continue to Beit Guvrin national park, declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site; Explore parts of the archaeological remains and unique caves. 

Proceed to Ayalon Institute, once a secret underground ammunition factory established by the "Haganah", the Jewish underground movement before May 1948.

Overnight Tel-Aviv.

Friday

Diaspora museum/Old Jaffa/Tel-Aviv

Visit the Diaspora museum; Drive around the main streets of Tel  Aviv, center of business and entertainment of Israel; Also known as the "White City", Tel-Aviv was declared by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site for its Bauhaus style buildings. 

Stop at Rabin's Square, place of assassination of Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin. Continue to Old Jaffa, one of the oldest port cities in the world; Visit the ancient ruins and walk along the Artist's Quarter.   

Visit  Neve Tzedek, the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv, built in 1887 and Nahalat Benyamin, the pedestrian mall of the city where you can enjoy live street music, arts, crafts and handmade jewelery. Next, stop at Sheinkin, the lively  and colorful street especially known with the unique shops, café life and youthful ambiance.

Overnight  Tel-Aviv.

Saturday

At leisure - Overnight Tel-Aviv

Sunday

Caesarea/Megiddo/Druze village/Haifa

Drive along the coastal plain to Caesarea, once the Roman capital of the region; See the excavations of the Crusaders' city, the Roman port, aqueduct and the amphitheater that has been restored to its former glory as a concert venue. Proceed to Megiddo, identified as the site of Armageddon; visit the archaeological excavations including the well-preserved water supply system. Continue to Daliat-el-Carmel, a Druze village and enjoy a late lunch at a local restaurant. Proceed via Mount Carmel to Haifa for a panoramic view of the Haifa bay and the golden domed Bahai Shrine and gardens. 

Overnight in a Kibbutz guesthouse.

Monday

Safed/Katzrin/Golan winery

Drive to Safed, the center of Jewish mysticism; 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. Stop at the Golan Winery for a tour and wine tasting; Proceed to "Golan Magic", for a multimedia presentation of the area and its history.

Overnight in a Kibbutz guesthouse.

Tuesday

Sea of Galilee/Nazareth/Beit Alpha

Start the day with a visit to Nazareth; Visit the Church of Annunciation; Continue to Tiberias; Visit Capernaum to see the ruins of the synagogue and octagonal Church of St. Peter; Visit Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the sermon on the mount. 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.

Wednesday

Mt. of Olives/Old City/Bethlehem

Start the day with a magnificent panoramic view from Mount of Olives. 

Drive to the Old City; Visit the Tomb of King David and the Room of 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 Holy Sepulchre. Continue to Bethlehem*; view Rachel's Tomb and proceed to visit the Church of  Nativity and Manger's Square.

Overnight in Jerusalem.

Thursday

Israel museum/Knesset/Mt. Herzl/Yad Vashem/Night show

Drive to the Israel Museum; Visit the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea scrolls are housed, and the miniature model of Jerusalem as it was during the Second Temple period; Proceed for a tour at the Knesset, Israel's parliament. Continue to visit Mount Herzl cemetery and Yad Vashem, the memorial to the Holocaust. Drive through Mea Shearim, the ultra orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem and learn about their unique lifestyle. 

In the evening enjoy a middle eastern dinner followed by the spectacular "Sound & Light" show* at the tower of David Museum. Overnight in Jerusalem.

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. 

Continue to the Dead Sea; Cover yourself with the mineral rich mud and experience a  swim in the Dead Sea* that many believe has its therapeutic effects. 

Overnight in Jerusalem.

Saturday

At leisure - Overnight in Jerusalem.

Sunday

Negev desert/Timna/Underwater Observatory

Travel south through the Negev desert; Stop at Timna, a large geological and archaelological park; Marvel at the multi colored rock formations and copper mines; 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 Eilat.

Monday

Free day in Eilat or Optional Day tour to to Petra (at additional charge).

After assistance with border formalities, drive straight to Petra, the astonishing rose-red city 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-ride 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, qasser el- bint (Palace of Pharaoh’s daughter) and many other smaller monuments which fascinate the visitors. The city itself is almost 45 square km and is considered to be the second wonder of the world. After the visit, time for lunch in a nice restaurant. After lunch drive back to border. On the way, a short visit to Aqaba with the possibility to stop and take a walk around. Transfer to the border at  around 18:00 p.m and crossing back to Eilat. 

Overnight  Eilat.

Tuesday

Mitzpe Ramon/Sde Boker/Bedouin hospitality/Airforce museum

Depart  Eilat via Mitzpe Ramon; Stop to gaze into 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 an authentic Bedouin tent; Learn about the Bedouin hospitality and enjoy a light lunch. 

Continue to Hatzerim and visit Israel's Airforce Museum to view the planes and equipment and to hear the story of this brave fighting force. 

Overnight Tel-Aviv.

Wednesday

Departure from Ben Gurion airport.

* Visit subject to security/weather conditions. 

* Program sequence is subject to change without advance notice

Rates per person, in US$, on Bed & Breakfast basis

Reduction for child under 12 : $ 235

Note : For the option of Prima Tel-Aviv & Prima Kings Jerusalem a supplement of : $ 140 per person in double; $210 in single will apply.

For arrivals from December 4 supplement for this option will be : $ 175 p/p in double; $ 294  in single.

The above rates include the following:

• 14 Nights accommodation on Bed & Breakfast basis.
• 2 Dinners at Kibbutz Lavi.
• 10 Touring days as per itinerary, with English speaking guide (excluding Petra).
• Entrance fees to the sites  as described in the program (excluding Petra).

Transfers are not included. Supplement will be as follows including:

• $ 117 per person in a double room ; $ 233 per person in single ; $ 19 for third.
• Meeting assistance on arrival; Private arrival transfer from Ben Gurion airport to Tel-Aviv hotel.
• Private departure transfer from Tel-Aviv hotel to Ben Gurion airport.

No refund for untaken services: hotel accommodation and touring days.

The hotels appearing in the table might be replaced with similar ones.

Program sequence is subject to change without advance notice.

Things to do

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The city enchants with its beauty, attracting thousands of tourists daily. Jerusalem is the capital of the unique state of Israel, therefore it plays a significant role in religious, social, structural and other aspects.

 

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Akko (Acre)

Not a single city of the era of the Crusaders reached our days in such a condition and in such safety as Acre. In terms of the abundance of Acre’s historical monuments in Israel, it is probably second only to Jerusalem. Wherever you go, you will surely see something ancient and...

 

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Bethlehem

Bethlehem is one of the oldest cities in the world and a holy city for Christianity. He is the second on importance after Jerusalem. Here according to the Gospel Jesus Christ was born. Also in Bethlehem was born and was anointed King David. The major tourist and Christian attraction...

 

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Caesarea

Built by King Herod and serving as the capital of the country during the period of Roman rule, Palestinian Caesarea was first mentioned in the middle of the 3rd century BC. Nowadays, almost the entire territory of the ancient city is included in the national park of the same name...

 

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Dead Sea

The Dead Sea has many names. It is often called the “bottom of the world” because it is located at the lowest point of the earth. And in the biblical scenes of this extraordinary reservoir is reflected. It is said that in the mixture for the binding of bricks in the construction of the Tower of Babel...

 

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Galilee

Galilee is a place created by God for people. The northern edge of the biblical Promised Land. It was Galilee who took a special place in the life of Jesus Christ and people from his closest circle. Here is the city of Nazareth, where Jesus spent his childhood, Galilee was the birthplace of St. Peter and...

 

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Jericho

Jericho. The city of ups and downs, glory and shame, death and rebirth. Oasis in the middle of the desert. The most ancient city on the planet Earth. In Hebrew, the city is called Yeriho, in Arabic Ericha, it stands at the foot of the Judean Mountains opposite the confluence of the Jordan in the Dead Sea in...

 

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Masada

The fortress of Masada is the citadel of King Herod that became the last bastion of the Zealots during the Jewish revolt. Here the most tragic events occurred in the history of the Jewish people - the rebels preferred mass suicide in order not to fall into Roman slavery...

 

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Nazareth

Nazareth is a city in the Galilee, in the north of Israel. This is a holy Christian city, the third largest after Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Here, according to the Gospel, the Annunciation was made and the childhood and youth of Jesus Christ passed. In Nazareth there is the grotto of the Annunciation...

 

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Tiberias

Tiberias is an ancient city in the Galilee, located on the western shore of Lake Kinneret (also known as the Sea of Galilee). Like Jerusalem, Hebron and Safed, Tiberias is one of the holiest cities for the Jews. This is a very picturesque place with narrow and winding streets and old houses of...

 

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