DAY 1, Tuesday - Depart for Israel
Depart for Israel

DAY 2, Wednesday - Arrive in Tel Aviv
Shalom! Welcome to Israel! Arrive in the cosmopolitan city of Tel Aviv, nestled on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and transfer to your hotel. This evening, attend an orientation meeting with your Tour Manager at approximately 7 PM. We recommend that you select flights which arrive no later than 5 PM
Overnight: Tel Aviv

DAY 3, Thursday - Ayalon Institute, Ancient Jaffa, Energetic Tel Aviv
A drive south takes you to Rehovot, one of the first communities founded in modern Israel. Visit the Ayalon Institute to hear the story of this underground clandestine ammunition factory built during the British Mandate. Then, on to Jaffa (Joppa), the ancient port city linked with biblical stories of Solomon, Jonah and St. Peter. Tour the ancient ruins and walk along the winding alleyways to the reconstructed Artists' Quarter. From atop the hill, stop to admire panoramic views of the Mediterranean coast. Continue to trendy Neve Tzedek, Tel Aviv's "Soho", the first neighborhood constructed outside of Jaffa and to the HaTachana, a renovated Ottoman train station converted to an entertainment complex. Drive past the Mann Auditorium, home of the Israeli Philharmonic, the Opera House and Rabin Square. A walking tour on Rothschild Boulevard highlights the Bauhaus architecture of this city, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend the rest of the day at leisure
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Breakfast

DAY 4, Friday - Caesarea, Crusader Acre, Rosh Hanikra
Travel north along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, named by King Herod in honor of Augustus Caesar. This archaeological site reveals impressive Roman and Crusader ruins, including an ancient theater. Next, a scenic drive takes you to the rugged terrain of the northernmost tip of Israel and the gleaming white cliffs of Rosh Hanikra. Here, descend by cable car to the underwater grottoes and sea caves. A stark change in scenery as you arrive in the timeless crusader city of Acre. This once-thriving Ottoman city today is a fishing port with elegant buildings, relics and monuments. Onwards along the rolling hills and the northern road to your hotel for dinner and overnight
Overnight: Galilee Region
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 5, Saturday - Hula Valley Wetlands, Druze Village, Golan Heights
Begin the day at the Hula Valley wetlands, a unique ecosystem that provides a crucial resting and "refueling" place for migrating birds. The bird population in the valley changes depending on the season. Learn more as you view the multimedia presentation about migration. Next, ascend to the peak of the craggy Golan Heights; overlooking the fertile valleys and tranquil villages below. Reach Mt. Bental near Marom Hagolan, at the crossroads of Syria, Lebanon and northern Israel, share a home-cooked lunch at a private family home in a nearby Druze village; learn about Druze traditions and the challenges of life in Israel. End the day with a drive along the rim of the peaceful Sea of Galilee to your hotel in time for dinner
Overnight: Galilee Region
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 6, Sunday - Capernaum, Yardenit, BioBee Facility, Dead Sea
This morning, begin your day at the ancient ruins of Capernaum. Next, stop at the Yardenit Baptismal Site, located where the Jordan River flows out of the Sea of Galilee and into the Dead Sea. From there, visit the BioBee Factory in Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu. Learn about the advanced agricultural technologies which Israel has exported worldwide in attempt to improve farm cultivation and environmental sustainability. Then, travel via the Jordan Valley to your hotel on the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. Spend leisure time before dinner at the hotel
Overnight: Dead Sea
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 7, Monday - Fortress of Masada, Bedouin Experience, Carmey Avdat Winery
Ascend by cable car to the pinnacle of the ancient fortress of Masada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, touch the ancient stones and walk through the palaces, synagogue and bathhouses once part of this ancient city. Next, savor a traditional Bedouin lunch and learn about the Bedouin way of life and desert customs. After, gain insight into Israel's thriving wine industry and enjoy a wine tasting at the Carmey Avdat Winery. Tonight, dinner is at your hotel in Sde Boker
Overnight: Sde Boker
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 8, Tuesday - Ben Gurion Cottage, Ashalim Power Station, "Golden" Jerusalem
In the morning, visit Kibbutz Sde Boker, the final home and self-chosen burial site of Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben Gurion. Next, travel north through the Negev desert to the Ashalim power station where you will find the one of the world's newest and tallest solar towers, able to produce enough solar energy to power 120,000 homes. Then make your way past desert outposts, tiny villages and Bedouin tents as you slowly rise to the "golden city" of Jerusalem. Your first panoramic view of Jerusalem, a city built on seven hills, will be from atop soaring Mt. Scopus. This evening savor a traditional dinner at the home of a local family
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 9, Wednesday - Davidson Center, Western Wall Tunnel, Emek Tzurim
Today, visit Jerusalem Archaeological Park and Davidson Center that offers a window into Jerusalem's glorious past. View an enlightening multimedia presentation that interchanges the experience of Second Temple pilgrims with the present. View the Dome of the Rock before arriving at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, and the only remaining portion of the Second Temple. Then, walk through the Rabbinical Tunnel (Western Wall Tunnel). Continue to the restored Jewish Quarter and walk along the Cardo, a colonnaded main street of Byzantine Jerusalem. From there, travel to Emek Tzurim where you participate in the Temple Mount "Sifting Project"; a unique opportunity to sift through ancient rubble from buildings dating back to the Temple period. This afternoon, join the optional Bethlehem* tour to visit the Church of the Nativity, commemorating the birthplace of Jesus Christ*Bethlehem is under the Palestinian Authority, requiring a brief inspection and local guide
Optional: Half Day Bethlehem (PM)
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast

DAY 10, Thursday - Old City, Yad Vashem
Begin with a morning walking tour of the Old City at Mt. Zion; visit the Room of the Last Supper and the Tomb of King David. Walk the lanes of the Old City to follow the path of Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, believed to encompass the sites where Jesus was crucified and the tomb where he was buried and resurrected. Visit a fabric store where the old ways still continue today. Meet a third generation fabric merchant who imports hand-woven silk, cotton and gold-threaded cloths from Africa and uses them to create robes for Christian priests, Muslim imams and ultra-Orthodox Jews. Take time to walk through the bazaars with their wondrous aromas. This afternoon visit Yad Vashem, memorial to the Holocaust. Walk through the Museum, the Children's Pavilion and along the Avenue of the Righteous, dedicated to Christians who rescued Jews during the Holocaust. Tonight, dinner is at a local restaurant, followed by a performance of the dramatic "Sound & Light Show" at David's Citadel
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 11, Friday - Machane Yehuda, Home Hosted Shabbat Dinner
Your last day in Jerusalem begins with a walk through the bustling Machane Yehuda market, joining Jerusalemites preparing for the Sabbath. The rest of the day is free. Tonight, you're invited to an exclusive Shabbat dinner with a family at their private home
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 12, Saturday - Depart Israel
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight
Meals: Breakfast

Please Note: Land Price does not include airfare, departure or arrival transfers, airline taxes and fuel surcharges.