Day One
Welcome to Israel
Welcome home! A representative of the tour company will meet you as you disembark from the plane and streamline your visa and customs processing. You will be brought to a waiting VIP van which will bring you to your hotel.
Sleep Dan Panorama Tel Aviv
Day Two
Machon Ayalon – Clandestine Bullet Factory
Just outside of Tel Aviv, on a small hill is located one of the State of Israel’s best kept secrets. Now a museum, this former bullet factory was hidden under a laundromat in a kibbutz training facility and arguably saved the State of Israel. In 1943 as the War of Independence was approaching the Hagana (the pre state army) desperately needed weapons and ammunition but the British ruled the land. This secret underground factory was established, and in 3 years produced over 2 million bullets under the nose of the British. It was so secret that for the next 30 years no one had even heard of it!
Plant a Tree in Israel
“If while holding a sapling in your hand you are told that the Messiah is about to arrive, first plant the sapling and then go out to receive the Messiah.”
Neot Kedumim is a nonprofit that has received international recognition as a model of restoration ecology. In 1994, Neot Kedumim won the Israel Prize,for reclaiming the Land and making it bloom.
Here we will set our roots and do our part to fulfill the prophecy of the resurrection of the Land of Israel.
Old City of Jaffa
Tradition tells us that Jaffa, or Yafo as it’s called in Hebrew, was founded by Yefet the Son of Noah many, many years ago. Throughout history it’s known as one of the most famous Middle Eastern ports and the one from which Jonah set forth on his famous voyage. Today its artists colony, alleyways, and views sets it apart as one of the most beautiful places in Tel Aviv. It’s for this very reason that one can spot brides and grooms having their photoshoots almost everyday of the week in Yafo.
Shuk HaCarmel – The Carmel Market
There is no better place to get in touch with the real Tel Aviv than in its most famous and vibrant market. There is never a dull moment when wandering through this dizzying array of fruits and spices, clothing and tchotchkes, with local Tel Avivians just out for a snack.
Sleep Dan Panorama Tel Aviv
Day Three
Caesarea
This picturesque 2,000 year old port city was a dream of King Herod. The Caesarea port was an unparalleled feat of engineering and instrumental in solidifying trade agreements with the Roman Empire. It was at the time, one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire and the capital of Rome in Israel. We will visit the excavated hippodrome, theater and bathhouse. Once a symbol of Roman power, today Caesarea is a testament to the eventual victory of the Jews over Rome.
Mei Kedem Water Tunnels
Step into a time machine at Mei Kedem and embark on a thrilling journey through the hidden wonders of a 2,000 year old Roman water tunnels. We will splash through an ancient Roman water tunnel built by the Romans to bring water to Caesarea, but today used as a fun place to beat the heat.
Haifa Baha’i Lookout
Over half a million visitors from around the world flock to Haifa to see the UNESCO World Heritage Site Baha’i Gardens covering some 200,000 square meters cascading down 19 different terraces. Besides being a holy place for the Bahai, it is also the burial site for the Bab, the founder of the Baha’i faith. It offers one of the most stunning views of Haifa from the Carmel Mountains.
Rosh Hanikra Grottoes & Cable Car
On Israel’s northern border with Lebanon sits one of the most magnificent natural phenomenons in Israel. We will take cable cars down to grottoes that were carved into the mountainside over thousands of years by the beating waves of the Mediterranean Sea. From the cliff sides we will get one of the most picturesque views of the Mediterranean coast that you can imagine.
Sleep Ramot Resort
Day Four
Tzfat Old City & Artist Quarter
In Judaism’s most mystical book, the Zohar, Tzfat is described as having the purest air in all of Israel and that’s not only because Tzfat is almost 3,000 feet in elevation. Of Judaism’s four Holy Cities, Tzfat is the one described as mystical and connected to the element of air, that which is intangible… hidden. It is for this reason that 500 years ago Tzfat attracted mystics and rabbis and built breathtaking synagogues which we will explore. In recent years Tzfat’s beauty has attracted artists from all over who have opened their galleries to the public, making Tzfat a highlight of any trip to Israel.
De Karina Chocolate Factory & Workshop
Karina & Gyora Chepelinski made aliyah in 2003 and brought with them a three generations old trade. The Chocolatiers have made the Golan Heights bloom with their family chocolate recipes. We will tour this one of a kind boutique chocolate factory, situated in picturesque Kibbutz Ein Zivan less than a mile from the Syria/Israel border. Besides seeing the factory floor, and tasting the delicious treats, we will get our hands dirty making our own truffles in a one of a kind workshop.
Har Bental Viewpoint and IDF Bunkers
We will drive up a dormant volcano to a height of 1,260 feet above sea level to take in a breathtaking 360 degree view of the Golan Heights. From this former Israeli defensive position we can look down into Syria and on a clear day even see the approaches to Damascus only 45 miles away. We can also climb through the decommissioned bunker and trenches of the IDF.
Jordan River Kayak
We will enjoy a leisurely float down the Jordan river, the largest river in Israel and relax in the Holy waters of Israel’s north. The lazy river will float us along grassy banks, and under a canopy of trees, enjoying a relaxing break from the summer sun.
Sleep Ramot Resort
Day Five
Jeep Tour Judean Desert
There’s practically no better way to see the beauty of the Judean Desert than by offroading with a local, where we can find some of the most stunning views of valleys, canyons, and wildlife of all kinds. This adventure will take us into a barren desert, a place where very little can live. We will find signs of life from times past while enjoying stunning views of the mountains of Judea and Moab.
Sde Eliyahu Bio Bee Kibbutz Tour
Ever wonder what it’s like to live on a kibbutz? At Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu we will tour not only one of the last vestiges of authentic kibbutz life in Israel, but also a world leader in organic farming and biological pest control. We will learn about owls, bees, worms, and donkeys as well as various other trailblazing techniques that this kibbutz is using to try to make the world a better and cleaner place. We will finish the tour with lunch in the cheder ochel or communal dining room for a kibbutz lunch!
Gan Hashlosha Swim
Gan Hashlosha or the Sachne as the locals call it, was listed by Time magazine as one of the most beautiful places in Israel and one of the top 20 exotic places in the world. This natural thermal spring has a year-round water temperature of 82 degrees! These pools are a welcome relief to the temperature outside, whether it be hot or cold, and swimming in this paradise is enjoyable year round.
Welcome to Jerusalem – Mount Scopus viewpoint
The rabbis of the Talmud state that Jerusalem is the highest place in the world because everyone “ascends” to Jerusalem. The spiritual plateau of the world is here in this most famous and yearned after city. As we enter Jerusalem we will breathe in her beauty from the Mount Scopus Viewpoint and recall the words of the Sages that one “doesn’t come to Jerusalem, rather they return to Jerusalem.”
Sleep Dan Panorama Hotel
Day Six
The Kotel – Western Wall
If Jerusalem is the heart of the Jewish People then the Temple Mount and its western retaining wall are its soul. After the Temple’s destruction 2,000 years ago, the Western Wall or kotel is one of its last remaining walls. Although we only see a fraction of it exposed, it spans over a quarter of a mile and once stood 20 stories high! Although made of limestone, local tradition holds that it is made up of the tears and prayers of 2,000 years of Jews yearning for “Next year in Jerusalem.” According to Jewish thought the Temple Mount is the holiest place on earth and the entryway to the spiritual world.
City of David
Just outside of the Old City we will explore the ancient city where King David held his capital. Ir David, or the “City of David” as it is known in English, is the actual location of the biblical city of Jerusalem captured by King David over 3,000 years ago. Highlights include entering the secret tunnel
leading to the Gihon Spring, walking through Hezekiah’s water tunnel, the Pilgrims Ascent from the Shiloach Pool up to “Wall Street” the ancient financial district and shopping area.
Southern Wall Excavations
At the Southwest corner of the Temple Mount lies the excavated ruins of the Second Temple Period, downtown Jerusalem from 2,000 years ago! From here we will be able to recreate in our mind’s eye the sights and sounds of a bustling marketplace filled with priests and prophets, rabbis and pilgrims. The archeological gardens are littered with the treasures of the Jewel in the Crown of Jerusalem…the Holy Temple.
Jewish Quarter
The Jewish Quarter has had a Jewish presence almost continuously for 2,700 years! Home to nearly 3,300 residents, it combines history, religion, and archeology as well as shops and restaurants, yeshivas and synagogues. Although there is a modern neighborhood on top of these ancient ruins, the stones come to life and whisper the prophecy of Zachariah that “there will once again sit old men and women in the squares of Jerusalem, and the streets will be filled with playing children.”
Evening Recommendation – Shabbat at the Western Wall
Friday night is a special time to be in Jerusalem. With the setting sun a new day begins – Shabbat.The Kotel in Jerusalem becomes a unifying place for the Jews as holiness of time and place intertwine. Soldiers and Hassids, tourists and locals, dance arm in arm together to welcome the Jewish Sabbath with song and joy. This celebration has no parallel in the world and should not be missed.
Sleep Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem – Shabbat Dinner Included
Day Seven
Four Quarters Walking Tour
From the Hotel we will ascend on foot to the Old City Via the Jaffa Gate, passing through Jerusalem’s oldest and most picturesque neighborhood outside the Old City’s walls, Yemin Moshe. Besides being Judaism’s holiest city, it is a holy city to both Christianity and Islam. Today Jerusalem has four distinct areas colloquially called “the four quarters”, the Jewish Quarter, Christian Quarter, Muslim Quarter, and Armenian Quarter. Together we will explore the hidden gems of this holy city, climbing her rooftops, wandering her alleys, and unlocking her secrets.
Evening Activity – Tower of David Night Spectacular
4,000 years of Jerusalem come alive as they are projected on the walls of the Tower of David. In this citadel, where once the palace of King Herod and the Maccabees stood, the history of the city will be projected in a beautiful swirl of sounds and images which will bring the stones almost literally to life.
Sleep Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem
Day Eight
Camel Ride
We will go back in time 3,800 years and leave our four wheeled vehicle for one of the four legged variety. Our camels will transport us back to the tent of the Patriarchs – Avraham and Sara. The experience is almost as amazing as the view of the desert of Judea and mountains of Moab that we will take in from atop our camels.
Masada
In the year 30 BCE King Herod built here his desert fortress par excellence. Perched on a mesa 450 meters above the Dead Sea yet only 58 meters above sea level, surrounded by a four meter high double wall and steep cliffs, it was thought to be impregnable. Nearly 100 years after it was built the drama unfolded as one of the most famous battles in Israel; the last stand of the Jews in their Great Revolt against the Romans.
Ein Gedi National Park
We will visit this desert oasis where King David hid from his enemy Saul as recounted in the Bible in the Book of Samuel. Here we can do easy to difficult hikes through the beautiful Judean Desert, periodically stopping to dip in the cold water springs, and cool off under the waterfalls. It’s not uncommon while hiking in this nature reserve to see wild ibex drinking from the stream, hyraxes climbing the trees, or eagles soaring overhead.
Dead Sea Float
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be weightless? Here in the lowest place on earth we have the saltiest lake in the world. The water is so dense that it’s impossible to sink. The waters of the Dead Sea have been known throughout antiquity to have healing qualities, and a day at the Dead Sea has the power to rejuvenate the skin. The hypersalinity and high mineral content have been shown to be therapeutic for arthritis, psoriasis, eczema,and much much more.
Sleep Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem
Day Nine
Israel Museum & Dead Sea Scrolls
Covering an area of over half a million square feet, and strategically situated next to the Knesset, sits Israel’s foremost cultural institution…the Israel Museum. This museum houses the largest comprehensive collection of biblical artifacts in its archeological section, as well as the world’s largest collection of Judaica, Jewish art and manuscripts. Besides the famous “ahava” statue and the 20 acre model of the Second Temple and Jerusalem, the biggest highlight on the premises is the Shrine of the Book, which displays the Dead Sea Scrolls; the oldest biblical manuscripts in the world!
Mount Hertzl National Cemetery
Perched on one of the highest hills in western Jerusalem, is our country’s national cemetery. Buried at the peak of this hill, is the namesake of the mountain, Theodore Hertzl, the founder of modern Zionism. Flanking Hertzl are Presidents and Prime Ministers, on a foundation of our boys…IDF soldiers who have fallen in battle. No nation is given its land on a silver platter; those who sacrificed their lives are here as a monument to the struggle for our homeland.
Yad Vashem – Israel’s Holocaust Memorial
Yad Vashem was founded in 1953 as Israel’s central holocaust memorial and museum. It’s for this reason that, after the Kotel, it is Israel’s most visited site. It is here where visitors will hear the story and the meaning of the holocaust within the greater story of the people of Israel and the Land of Israel. All political delegations that come to Israel must come to Yad Vashem to see for themselves what can happen when the Jews don’t have a place to call home.
Pantry Packers
The root of the Hebrew word ahava is hav which means giving, thus to love is to give. This is our chance to give to those less fortunate than us. Pantry Packers is part of an initiative of feeding the hungry in Israel regardless of religion, ethnicity, or nationality. Besides wholesale supermarkets, soup kitchens, meals- on-wheels etc. at their warehouse in Jerusalem, volunteers pack boxes of dried goods to be shipped all over the country. Nothing is more rewarding than giving back and giving Tzedakah to those in need.
Sleep Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem
Day Ten
Dig For a Day
At Beit Guvrin/Maresha, the land of 5,000 caves, we will take part in a modern archaeological excavation. Maresha was the hometown of the prophet Michah and has a 3,000 year history, as well as having been conquered and destroyed numerous times. Dig For a Day is a unique opportunity to get your hands dirty with the past by participating in an active archaeological dig searching for lost treasure and exploring underground caves that haven’t been seen for 2,100 years.
Beit Guvrin National Park
Beit Guvrin or Maresha as it’s known in the bible, is the land of 5,000 caves. Maresha was the hometown of the biblical prophet Michah and has a 3,000 year history, as well as having been conquered and destroyed numerous times. The city sat on hills of soft chalk which the ancients quarried under their homes for building material resulting in an unbelievable underground systems of caves, and tunnels. We will get to explore these underground caves that haven’t been seen for 2,100 years, as well as perhaps seeing the famous bell caves, columbarium, and amphitheater of the Roman city.
Biblical Museum of Natural History
Many people don’t think of animals when they think of the Tanach, but in fact the Tanach is full of descriptions of animals, whether in regard to kashrut, or metaphors and symbolism. Part zoo, part museum, we will come face to face with many of the animals of the Tanach, and get to hold them as well.
Bar Kochva Tunnels
Almost 1,900 years ago the soldiers of Bar Kochva fought a guerrilla war against the Roman Empire. The ruins of a town from that period were discovered here with escape tunnels running underneath the ruins that we will explore on our hands and knees. This is not for the claustrophobic! You must bring flashlights and clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty.
Machane Yehuda Shuk – Jerusalem Market
There are no words to accurately describe the “shuk”…one must immerse themselves in the sights, smells, and above all, tastes of Jerusalem’s largest outdoor food market. It teems with locals and tourists alike, and is a meeting place for Jerusalemites from all over. Make sure to taste the chalva, techina, the famous marzipan rugalach, and get a fresh Juice from Uzi.
Sleep Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem
Day Eleven
VIP Transfer and Departure
In Israel we dont say goodbye we say l’hitraot…that means “see you later”
A representative of our company will bring you to Ben Gurion Airport and streamline your flight check-in and departure. Looking forward to next time!
