Past to the Future – The Highlights of the Jewish State

13 days / 12 nights | Thursday Arrival

Day 1 – Thursday
Tel Aviv
Our representative will meet you after passport control upon your arrival to Ben Gurion Airport, assisting as you pick up your luggage and head out for the transfer to your hotel. Check in at the hotel in Tel Aviv. Overnight: Tel Aviv

Day 2 – Friday
Tel Aviv tour
Our first day of touring will begin immediately after breakfast. We will start our walking tour on Rothschild Boulevard, where we’ll explore Tel Aviv’s beautiful Bauhaus style architecture. Amongst the buildings will be the newly renovated Independence Hall, the site commemorating the declaration of the founding of the state of Israel on the 14th of May 1948. We will continue on to Neve Tzedek, Tel Aviv’s very first neighborhood and then enjoy free time at the Nahalat Binyamin Crafts Fair and Carmel Outdoor Market – for great sounds, smells and of course, great shopping! End the day at Jaffa, the world’s oldest port city, for a view of the old city and its well-known artist’s colony. Overnight in Tel Aviv. (B)

Day 3 – Saturday
Day at Leisure
Day at leisure in Tel Aviv. Overnight: Tel Aviv. (B)

Day 4 – Sunday
Travel to the North
After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and drive south to Rehovot. Our first stop will be at the Weizmann Institute, which played a key role in the development of the state. We will enjoy the new, amazing presentation of high technology and see the mansion of Chaim Weizmann, the first president of Israel. We will then continue to Caesarea, built over 2000 years ago by King Herod the Great, which served as a key Mediterranean port for centuries. Onwards to the Carmel Mountain range to visit Zichron Yaacov for a stroll through the historic streets of one of the earliest settlements from Israel’s first immigration period. Then visit the Atlit Detainee Camp and learn the heroic story of the struggle of Jewish immigrants at this detention centre. Finally, we are on to Haifa, with a stop at the Louis Promenade for a great view of Haifa Bay and the beautiful Baha’i Gardens. Overnight in Haifa. (B)

Day 5 – Monday
Tzfat and the Galilee
Check out after an Israeli breakfast in the hotel. Our journey will begin with a drive through the mountain ranges and valleys of the Galilee region. Visit a Galilee Winery for an Israeli wine-tasting tour. We will continue to Rosh Pina, originally founded in 1878 by a group of ultra-orthodox Jews intending to become farmers, with the support of Baron Edmund de Rothschild. We’ll drive up to Safed (Tzfat), where we will walk through ancient sections of the city and hear stories of the Kabbalists and their ancient synagogues. Our Tzfat tour will end with a visit to its famous artists’ colony where we’ll meet a Kabala artist and learn about his special techniques and content. In the afternoon, we will visit the beautiful Hula Valley, Israel’s first Nature Reserve. Overnight in Kibbutz hotel. (B, D)

Day 6 – Tuesday
Adventure Day
This touring day will give you an opportunity to enjoy the north of Israel in a unique and exciting way. We will start our day by driving up into the Golan Heights with a visit to Mount Bental, a beautiful spot for a panoramic view of the Upper Galilee, the Golan Heights, Mount Hermon and Syria. Visit Golan Magic, an entertaining 3-D multi-media adventure viewed on a 180-degree screen. After the film, walk through a giant model of the Golan Heights, the largest of its kind in the world, accompanied by special narration, sound and light effects. We will then visit The Golan Olive Oil Mill and Visitor Center. We will finish the first half of the day at Mitzpe Gadot, which once served as a Syrian base, commanding a spectacular view of the Hula Valley and kibbutzim below. The rest of the day is free! We will be happy to provide you with a list of recommendations most suitable for your party. Some options include: biking or hiking tour, rappelling, kayaks, participating in a gourmet chocolate workshop and so much more. Evening Option (Seasonal) – a lantern tour in either the Valley of the Lost River or Nimrod Fortress. Overnight in Kibbutz hotel. (B, D)

Day 7 – Wednesday
Travel to Jerusalem
Check out of the hotel and depart for our touring day. Our first stop will be the Tel Hai Museum. Next we will descend to the shores of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) for a short visit to Tiberias, a city which was a significant spiritual center during the Mishna and Talmudic periods. We will continue south along the Jordan Valley to visit the “Naharayim Experience at Gesher”. Nicknamed the “start-up” of last century, this unusual light and sound show is filled with models demonstrating the dam system. The demonstration shows how the desert transformed into a symbol of – and a vision for – Jewish immigration and industrial development in Israel. Our day will continue with a drive to Jerusalem through the Jordan Valley’s stunning landscape. We’ll stop at Mt. Scopus upon our arrival in Jerusalem for a magnificent view of the city and a brief explanation about the capital’s past and future. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)

Day 8 – Thursday
Jerusalem: Old City
After breakfast, we will start our tour through the Old City of Jerusalem. We’ll walk through one of this ancient walled city’s many gates to see the restored Jewish Quarter, the Western Wall (Ha Kotel), the colorful bazaars and the Cardo. Then, we will walk to the City of David for a virtual reality movie about King David’s historical city, and a “wet” walking tour of the ancient water system connecting Warren’s Shaft to the Shiloah tunnel (Hezekiah’s Tunnel). We will continue to the Archaeological Garden and the new Southern Wall excavations (Davidson Center).*Thursday is the day many Bar Mitzvah celebrations take place at the Western Wall. During our walk we will meet some of them and get to wish them a MAZAL TOV! Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)

Day 9 – Friday
Jerusalem: New City
This morning we’ll visit the graves of Israel’s former prime ministers, and soldiers who died in battle, at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery. We will then continue to the museum at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, including the Valley of the Communities. We’ll pass by the Knesset – Israel’s Parliament building, as well as the famous Menorah and the new home of Israel’s Supreme Court. We will visit the Israel Museum to see the Shrine of the Book with a display of Dead Sea Scrolls and visit the model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period, then continue on for a neighborhood tour around the Mahane Yehuda Market to meet different local ethnic groups and taste some of their cultural foods. We’ll end the day with a drive to the Western Wall to participate in meaningful Kabbalat Shabbat services as the Jewish Sabbath descends over Jerusalem. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)

Day 10 – Saturday
Day at Leisure
Day at leisure in Jerusalem.
Evening Option – Enjoy a breathtaking sound & light show at the Tower of David Citadel (one hour duration). Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)

Day 11 – Sunday
Masada • Dead Sea
We will drive south, starting with Masada where we will ascend by cable car to see where Jewish defenders made their last stand against the Romans in AD 73. After a short drive, we will arrive at Ein Gedi Nature Reserve for an easy hike through this natural desert oasis. Next we’ll continue to our hotel by the Dead Sea shore for free time at the hotel spa and a float on the salty waters. Overnight in Dead Sea. (B, D)

Day 12 – Monday
Travel to Eilat
Check out after breakfast, and start the day with a tour to explore the wonders of the desert, salt pillars and powder canyons. Continue on to Kibbutz Neot Smadar, founded in 1989 on a shared desire to understand the spirit of cooperation and its expression in daily life. Neot Smadar’s main work divisions are organic farming, small scale organic food production, the Art Center and a roadside restaurant. We will continue to marvel at the immense, multi-colored rock formations with a tour of Timna Park, viewing the ancient copper mines and the spectacular King Solomon’s Pillars. Our day will end with a Desert Jeep Safari through the Eilat Mountains to Eilat and check-in at the hotel. Overnight in Eilat. (B)

Day 13 – Tuesday
Departure
Check out and transfer to Eilat Airport for your flight back to Tel Aviv or Ben Gurion Airport for the international flight home. (B)

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Meals:

Daily Israeli Buffet Breakfast
2 dinners at Kibbutz Hagoshrim
1 dinner at the Dead Sea
(B) Breakfast (L) Lunch (D) Dinner
 

Tour Exclusions:

1 day Petra
Visa and border fee into Jordan