Discover the land of Israel full of history, coastlines, ancient ruins, sacred landmarks and outstanding scenery. Visit the ancient city of Jerusalem and get taken back in time. Float on the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, discover bustling Tel Aviv, and enjoy the serenity of Galilee. Truly a memorable destination!
Inclusions
Meeting and assistance upon arrival at Ben-Gurion airport by representative
Return airport transfers
Porterage at hotels, as of second touring day
8 overnights:
2 overnights at Tal by the Beach Hotel Tel Aviv 4* or similar
2 overnights at The Schumacher Haifa 4* or similar
4 overnights at Lady Stern Hotel Jerusalem 4* or similar
7 full days sightseeing as per the itinerary with English-speaking licensed tour guide
Luxury air-conditioned coach
14 meals: 8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 5 dinners
Entrance fees are included per program
Exclusions
International airfare – Gratuities to hotel personnel, guides and drivers – Beverages – Optional excursions – Any type of insurance, including Covid-19 insurance – Meals that are not mentioned in the inclusions – Service at restaurants – Visa if required to visit the country
Additional Information
Note
This is a join-in English-speaking tour. Minimum 2 passengers are required to guarantee the departure. The maximum number of participants is unknown at time of booking. A private guided tour is possible for a supplement $.
DAY 1 – MONDAY – FINDING YOUR FEET
Meals : Dinner
Accommodation : Tel Aviv for 2 nights
DAY 2 – TUESDAY – RARING TO GO
Following a delicious breakfast, you will meet your group and the guide in the hotel lobby before setting off on a fun-packed day which will include:
A walk around the Old Port City of Jaffa, the oldest seaport in the world and home to a vibrant multiethnic community of Muslims, Christians, and Jews: get to know the first Jewish city of the modern era, established in 1909.
A stroll along Rothschild Boulevard, the beating heart of Tel Aviv: home of The White City, Tel Aviv’s most prominent collection of Bauhaus (International Style) buildings. Built during the 1930s and 1940s, this functional architecture created well-designed objects and an unparalleled worldwide cohesive urban landscape.
A choice of two culinary tours that will introduce you to the very best of Tel Aviv’s food scene: (12:30):
- Carmel market tasting tour – enjoy a fascinating variety of culinary riches, colorful spices, and intriguing characters in the primary market of Tel Aviv, where the flavors and scents of the old town combine with the young bustling atmosphere of the city’s central market.
- Vegan culinary tour – Tel Aviv, the world’s #1 vegan culinary destination, is where traditional vegan and vegetarian cuisine and innovative young chefs meet, creating a one-of-a-kind savory adventure for food lovers, whether vegan or not.
Tel Aviv is a rising star in the international street art and graffiti scene. Take a magical tour that will take you through the side streets and alleyways of this colorful urban underground scene. Explore the best works of street art and graffiti covering our public space’s walls.
Free evening.
Meals : Breakfast
DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY – BACK TO THE FUTURE
After breakfast, we leave Tel Aviv and head north. Take in the ancient city of Caesarea, built by Herod the Great and once the administrative center of the Roman Empire for the Province of Judaea. The town and its archeological wonders testify to its significance throughout the ages. The ancient port, the Roman hippodrome, amphitheater, and the impressive palace are among the many historical treasures in this fascinating old city.
The Kibbutz Experience – past and present – visit the Ein Shemer kibbutz museum, where we will experience a journey from the early days of the kibbutz to the present and learn about the kibbutz way of life. (11:30-12:30)
Continue to the southern end of Mount Carmel, between Zikhron Ya’akov and Binyamina, lies Ramat Hanadiv Gardens, a natural gem dedicated to the memory of Baron Edmond de Rothschild. The Memorial Gardens beckon guests into a place of rare tranquility. The Gardens reflect Baron de Rothschild’s legacy of dignity and modesty and a gracious combination of European formality and Mediterranean-style vegetation.
Before driving to our hotel in Haifa, we will stroll at the picturesque town of “Zichron Yaacov” and have free time for lunch.
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation : Haifa for 2 nights
DAY 4 – THURSDAY – COBBLESTONES & VINEYARDS
Drive to the city of Katzrin, the “Capital of the Golan Heights.” Walk through a Talmudic village and get a sense of what it was like to live in the times of ancient Israel (9:30-10:30).
Continue to the mystical city of Tzfat, the birthplace of the ancient Jewish mystical text, the Kabbalah. Stroll through the narrow, winding alleys—Peek inside some beautiful synagogues. Browse through workshops and galleries in the flourishing artists’ quarter (11:20-12:30).
Enjoy a wine-tasting tour at the local Winery, a family-owned boutique winery in Galilee (12:45-13:45).
Drive to the Sea of Galilee and take a boat ride on the calm waters (15:30-16:15) and return to your hotel in Haifa.
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 5 – FRIDAY – FAITHS AND CULTURES
Visit the amazing Bahai Gardens in Haifa, comprising a staircase of 19 terraces extending up the northern slope of Mount Carmel. At its heart stands the golden-domed Shrine of the Báb, the resting place of the Prophet-Herald of the Bahá’í Faith.
Explore the ancient crusader port city of Akko, the fascinating UNESCO heritage site, with new excavations revealing what life was like 1000 years ago. Visit the Crusader Halls and follow the underground tunnels. See the port and fortifications that enabled the inhabitants of the town to resist invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte. Spend time walking through the Arab Bazaar, reliving a Middle Eastern shopping experience (8:30).
Time permitting - Drive to the Druze village of Dalyet El Carmel, at the top of Mount Carmel. The Druze are Arab-speaking citizens of Israel and are renowned for their hospitality. Take a fascinating tour of the alleys and old quarter of the village.
Drive to Jerusalem and check in at the hotel.
In the evening, experience a special Home hospitality Shabbat dinner featuring a home-cooked prepared by a professional chef – Rabbi Josh. A personal talk about Judaism was presented with humor and depth by a rabbi and experienced educator. (Between 17:00 to 19:00 according to Summer/winter time).
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation : Jerusalem for 4 nights
DAY 6 – SATURDAY – HIGHS & LOWS
Setting off east from Jerusalem towards the Dead Sea, 1388 feet (423m) below sea level.
Visit the legendary mountaintop plateau of Masada - the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their struggle against the Romans in 73CE - overlooking the Dead Sea. Ascending by cable car to the ancient fortress, we shall explore the site, with its synagogue and bathhouse.
Enjoy a leisurely afternoon at the Dead Sea shore. Cake yourself in mineral-rich mud and float in the buoyant waters. Lunch is included (13:00).
Drive to a lookout point for a view of Wadi Qelt and the cliff-hanging Monastery of St. George; founded in the 5th Century and still active and inhabited by Greek Orthodox monks.
Return to Jerusalem.
In the evening, enjoy the Sound and Light Show at the Tower of David – a creative depiction of the history of the city of Jerusalem projected onto the ancient stones (weather permitting – 19:00 to 20:30 up to availability).
Meals : Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 7 – SUNDAY – SPIRITUALITY AND TRADITION
Start the day with an overview of the Mt. of Olives.
Our exploration of the Old City of Jerusalem begins at the City of David, with its fascinating tunnels. See the newest exciting excavations revealing Jerusalem during the 1st Temple period (9:30).
Walk through the Old City and visit some famous sites, including the Western Wall and the Cardo, an ancient commercial street where you can still shop today.
Walk through the Arab Bazaar and experience traditional Middle Eastern life, with its rich colors, flavors, and smells.
Take a rooftop tour of the Old City neighborhoods for a behind-the-scenes look at the various communities living alongside each other in this ancient walled city.
Walk along part of the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. According to traditions dating back to at least the 4th century, the church is the home of the two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, known as “Calvary” or “Golgotha, “; and Jesus’s empty tomb, where he is said to have been buried and resurrected.
Meals : Breakfast
DAY 8 – MONDAY – HONORING HISTORY
Visit Yad Vashem, considered the world’s primary Holocaust memorial and museum. Take a tour of the new Holocaust History Museum, which occupies over 4,200 square meters, mainly underground. Visit the moving exhibit at the Children’s Pavilion, commemorating the death of over 1.5 million Jewish children in the Holocaust.
From Yad Vashem, we will move on to the Israel Museum. There we will see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition and the famous Model of Jerusalem, depicting the city as it was in the 2nd Temple period.
Optional - visit in Bethlehem. See the Church of the Nativity and the remains of ancient Bethlehem (beneath the Greek Monastery) from the times of Christ (around lunchtime 14:00) OR leisure time at Mamilla Mall or Ben Yehuda Street.
Meet up again for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant (18:00/18:30).
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 9 – TUESDAY – SHALOM AND L’HITRA’OT
Transfer to the airport and depart on your flight back home.
Leave Israel with everlasting memories!
Meals : Breakfast
HOTEL OPTIONS OR SIMILAR
Tel Aviv
Tal by the Beach Hotel 4* – Standard room
Haifa
The Schumacher 4* – Superior room
Jerusalem
Lady Stern Hotel 4* – Superior room
Rates in CA$, per person, starting from, in double occupancy |
Land Package |
|
Guaranteed departures on below Mondays – 2023 and 2024 | Double Occupancy | Single supplement |
February 12, 2024 September 16, 2024 |
4315 | +1415 |
March 11, 2024 April 8, 2024 December 12, 2024 |
4480 | +1435 |
October 16, November 13, 2023 October 28, November 18 2024 May 20, 2024 |
4615 | +1599 |
This is a join-in English-speaking tour. Minimum 2 passengers are required to guarantee the departure. The maximum number of participants is unknown at time of booking. A private guided tour is possible for a supplement $.
**Prices in this document are for information only; they were issued at press time, for the current year. Please note that due to exchange rates and temporary promotions, they can increase or decrease at any time. Contact your travel agent for the price and promotion of the moment. Prices include the contribution of customers to the Compensation Fund for clients of Quebec travel agents.