Israel
Day Tours

This is one of the most popular day tours in Israel. Leaving Jerusalem, we'll travel east through the beautiful Judean Desert descending to the lowest point on earth. After a stop at the famous ancient village of Qumran to see where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, we will continue south along the coast of the Dead Sea to the foot of Masada, where we will take a cable car, or for those more ambitious, hike the snake path to the top of Herod’s magnificent desert fortress. There we will enjoy the view, visit the archaeological ruins and recount the tragic and perhaps heroic end of the Jewish rebels. After lunch, we will FLOAT in the mineral rich waters of the Dead Sea.

If time, interest and energy permit, we will also go to the Ein Gedi oasis for a short nature stroll alongside the cool water flowing from the Ein Gedi spring. It is here that David fled from King Saul hiding in caves, eating dates and drinking fresh water from this spring.

Every effort is made to blend history, archaeology, geopolitics, religion, nature, adventure, culture, and of course food into every tour.

Highlights:

• Hills of the Judean Desert overlooking Jericho

• Qumran

• Masada

• Floating in the Dead Sea

• Ein Gedi Oasis

Caesarea, Haifa, Acre, and Rosh Hanikra, highlight Israel’s northern Mediterranean Coastline. Caesarea is King Herod’s impressive port city on the Mediterranean and one of Israel’s most recognizable sites. Once the largest artificial harbor built in the open sea, it has been beautifully restored into a bustling National Park with a fascinating visitor center. Next, we will pass through one of the earliest modern Jewish settlements, Zichron Yaakov, and then arrive in the impressive city of Haifa. Haifa, Israel’s third largest city, sits on the slopes of Mount Carmel and above the Mediterranean Sea. There we can see a panoramic view across the beautiful Haifa Bay and the amazing Bahai Gardens. After exploring Haifa, we will continue north to Acre, one of the world’s oldest ports and a city with a rich history. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we will tour the Crusader city which is hidden by the Ottomon City built on top. From the Medieval Hospitaller Fortress, we will meander through the colorful Old City bazaar and then reach the harbor and the beautiful sea wall. Our final stop northward is Rosh Hanikra and Israel’s border with Lebanon. It is here that the sea has carved beautiful grottoes into the chalk cliffs. We will descend by cable car and explore the beautiful grottoes, before ending this amazing day! This tour to Caesarea, Haifa, Acre and Rosh Hanikra, provides a brilliant insight into the history and geography of Israel's Mediterranean Coastline.

Every effort is made to blend history, archaeology, geopolitics, religion, nature, adventure, culture, and of course food into every tour.

Highlights:

• Caesarea - King Herod's impressive port city on the Mediterranean

• Lunch in Zichron Yaakov

• Haifa

• The Bahai Gardens

• The Old City of Acre

• Rosh Hanikra

Tel Aviv, “The White City,” is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site for its International Style/Bauhaus architecture. It is one of the most vibrant and FUN cities in the world. Literally a city on the edge- where the Land of Israel meets the sandy shores of the Meditteranean Sea, where history meets the future, and where West meets East. Before there was Tel Aviv, there was Old Jaffa, one of the oldest port cities in the world. In 1909, the first modern Jewish city of Tel Aviv was established on sand dunes to the north of Old Jaffa. It is a young city but Tel Aviv’s story is the culmination of thousands of years of history. At once old (Jaffa) and new, the city’s fascinating fusion of tradition with modernity is a thing of beauty. Let’s have some fun!

Every effort will be made to blend history, archaeology, geopolitics, religion, nature, adventure, culture, and of course food into every tour.

Highlights:

• Biking/Walking

• Ancient Jaffa Port

• The Artists’ Colony of Old Jaffa

• House of Simon the Tanner

• St. Peter’s Church

• Shuk Hapishpeshim Flea Market

• The American/German Colony

• Graffiti Art

• Neve Tzedek

• Shalom Tower

• Rothschild Boulevard

• Independence Hall

• International Style Bauhaus architecture

• Sheinkin Street

• Carmel Market

• Nachalat Benyamin Crafts Fair (Tuesdays and Fridays)

• The beach promenade

• Dizengoff Circle

• Rabin Square

• Sarona Market

The Jews take their name from this region, south of Jerusalem which was allocated to the tribe of Judah and became known as Judea. Here, Abraham purchased a cave at Machpelah for 400 shekels of silver to bury his wife Sarah. Except for Rachel, this cave in Hebron will become the family burial place for the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs. David was born and anointed King secretly by the Prophet Samuel here in Bethlehem. King David will rule in Judea from Hebron for seven years before moving his capital to Jerusalem. Here too in Bethlehem will be the birthplace of Jesus. Travelling through Judea along the “Patriarch’s Highway” is like being transported back in time to the days of the Bible.

A day or two days in Judea might include tasting wines from grapes grown in vineyards of the Judean Hills just like in ancient times, hiking through tunnels of the more than 2,000 year old Biyar Aqueduct, swinging from the longest zipline in Israel, combat training at Caliber 3, or driving ATVs through the rugged Judean Mountains.

Every effort is made to blend history, archaeology, geopolitics, religion, nature, adventure, culture, and of course food into every tour.

Highlights:

• Patriarch’s Highway

• Neve Daniel Lookout

• Herodian

• Gush Etzion

• Hebron and Cave of the Patriarchs (and Matriarchs)

• Ancient Sussya (for the more ambitious)

Samaria is where the Jewish story in the Land of Israel begins. It is here where Abraham enters the land for the first time. It is here where Joshua gathers the nation of Israel and divides the land among the Twelve Tribes. Here is where the children of Israel stood on the mountain of blessings and the mountain of curses and declared their allegiance to God. It is here where the tabernacle stood for nearly 400 years in Shilo.

So many of the biblical stories happened here! So much so that you can barely walk without stubbing your toe on biblical artifacts.

A day or two in Samaria might include a nature stroll in Ein Prat, visits to award winning wineries, including one which is trying to rediscover the ancient Judean wine-grapes, a soap factory which uses all local, organic ingredients and provides work for people with physical and mental limitations, the largest olive presses in Israel, and a factory producing the best techina in Israel.

Every effort is made to blend history, archaeology, geopolitics, religion, nature, adventure, culture, and of course food into every tour.

Highlights:

• Ein Prat

• Psagot/Shilo Wineries

• Beit El

• Ancient Shiloh

• Har Gerizim

Bethlehem (House of Bread), the birthplace of Jesus. The Church of the Nativity is one of the oldest churches in the world and the focus of Christian worship within the city.

Most visitors come to Bethlehem with a preconceived image – a small stone village, a manger and shepherds in their fields. The reality is quite different. Bethlehem hums with activity. Its winding streets are congested with traffic and its main square filled with snap-happy tourists scrambling to keep up with their guides.

Churches now cover many of the holy sites but there is plenty to see and do for even the non-religious. There’s a lively Old City and bazaar, plus sites around town including the incredible Solomon Pools, Herodian, Mar Saba Monastery, Rachel's Tomb and Gush Etzion.

Every effort is made to blend history, archaeology, geopolitics, religion, nature, adventure, culture, and of course food into every tour.

Highlights:

• The Church of the Nativity

• The Milk Grotto

• The Shepherd's Fields

• The Old City and the Bazaar

• Solomon’s Pool

• Herodian

• Mar Saba Monastery

• Gush Etzion

The Valleys of Israel significantly contributed to the historical development of the region as a crossroads between Egypt and Mesopotamia and eventually a “Land of the Bible”. The intersection of ancient and modern civilizations, geography, geology and geopolitics are more visible here in these Valleys than perhaps anywhere else in the world!

The mountains standing above these Valleys have been witness to Israel’s role as a land bridge linking Africa, Asia and Europe. For thousands of years ancient caravans transported goods through these Valleys from far-off lands. Armies of every conqueror passed this way attested to by the ancient remains left behind at Beit Shean, Jezreel, Meggido and many other notorious archaeological sites.

On top of Mount Gilboa, where King Saul took his own life in battle with the Philistines, we can get a bird's eye panoramic view of the meeting point of these essential valleys and recount stories of the important events that took place here. At Mount Moreh, Gideon assembled his army and then selected 300 for battle against the Midianites at the spring of Harod. Nearby is Tel Jezreel, the palace of King Ahab and his wicked wife, Jezebel. Here also, at the foot of Mount Gilboa are the grounds where the British general, Orde Wingate, trained modern day Jewish warriors for the “Special Night Squads”, among them Moshe Dayan and Yigal Allon. The Jezreel Valley is dotted with over forty of the early Zionist kibbutz and moshav settlements.

After an overwhelming day of history, we’ll need to refresh ourselves in the temperate spring fed pools of Gan Hashlosha before returning along the ancient Via Maris. This will be an unforgettable day—guaranteed!

Every effort is made to blend history, archaeology, geopolitics, religion, nature, adventure, culture, and of course food into every tour.

Highlights:

• The Judean Desert

• Qasr al Yehud

• Beit Shean

• Gan Hashlosha pic-nic and swim

• Beit Alfa Synagogue

• Maayan Harod

• Mount Gilboa and the Shoulder of Saul

• Tel Jezreel

• Tel Megiddo

• Via Maris

In 1953, Israel's first prime minister David Ben Gurion abruptly resigned and moved to the Negev fulfilling his dream of “making the desert bloom”. This desert area in the south of Israel comprises over 50% of its total land area. The Negev is rich in spectacular landscapes right off the pages from the Book of Genesis, with an abundance of impressive geological formations and pristine vistas, serene and majestic. This vast yet intimate desert possesses remains of bygone civilizations, ancient archaeological sites and long ago abandoned desert agricultural methods being revived. It is also the backdrop for ancient “people of the desert” like the Nabateans with their spice routes and the Bedouin tribes who uphold their ancient traditions and nomadic lifestyle until the present day. We will travel southward through the lush Shfela (Foothill) landscape passing Beer Sheva, the capital of the Negev, into the Central Negev Desert and descend into the Ramon Crater, a natural wonder.

A day (or better yet, two days) in the Negev could include visits to desert wineries where they are cultivating vineyards and making wine just like the Nabataens and early Israelites did thousands of years ago, jeep or ATV riding off the beaten track in the Ramon Crater, rappelling, sand surfing, star gazing, camel riding with Bedouins, or a visit to an Alpaca farm.

Every effort is made to blend history, archaeology, geopolitics, religion, nature, adventure, culture, and of course food into every tour.

Highlights:

• The Shefela

• Beer Sheva

• Mitzpe Ramon Visitor Center and Ilan Ramon Museum

• Ramon Crater

• Ein Saharonim (spring or fall only for the more ambitious)

• Avdat Nabataean ruins

• Desert home of David Ben Gurion at Kibbutz Sde Boker

• David and Paula Ben Gurion tomb overlooking the Zin Wilderness

• Avdat Spring/Ein Avdat nature stroll