2 Weeks Israel Tour Eilat > Tel Aviv (no Massada)

 Copyrights to Benayah Blum (tour guide & partner at Ahalan Olympus, your Israeli tour operator)

Day 1:

Your Israeli Guide of Ahalan Olympus (tour operator located in Eilat / Israel), will wait for you at the Border, and after you are through all the formalities,we will transfer you to Eilat, where you will spend the rest of the day at leisure. O/N in Eilat.

 

Day 2:

Now the tour really begins! We visit the Underwater Observatory to take a close look at the colorful underwater-world of the Red Sea Coral Reef. A short drive through the desert brings us to the Timna Park, where we visit the bizarre Rock Formations, the ancient rock inscriptions and the ancient mines that were identified in the past as "King Salomon's Mines".

O/N in Eilat.

 

Day 3:

We leave Eilat into the wide Desert and visit some of the extraordinary nature sites at the "Ramon Crater". This "Crater" is a unique phenomena, only to be seen in the Negev Desert! We will also visit the antiquities of the Nabathean city Avdat, once a Caravanserai on the "Incense Road" where caravans brought the myrrh and frankincense from "Arabia Felix" and on to Rome.  Before sunset we will also visit David Ben Gurion's humble tomb, situated in a specially designed garden overlooking the Zin Valley. David Ben Gurion was Israel's first Prime Minister, and his vision formed the State of Israel as we know it today. O/N in Beer Sheba or in a Kibbutz nearby.

 

Day 4:

On our way to the north we visit the man-made caves of Beit Guvrin. The soft chalk-stone in the area gave an opportunity to carve hundreds of caves in the rock, used for different uses, such as pigeons housing, olive-oil press, burial caves, quarries, and more… After driving through Israel's center area, we stepstroll through the old city of Jaffa, one of the ancient gateways to the Holy Land: Through it's port the Cedar trees for Salomon's Temple were brought, the prophet Jonas tried to flee God, but most important: It was in Jaffa where Christianity began to be spread among the nations. Here St. Peter lived in the house of Simon the Tanner and had the "Vision of the Flesh", and here he made his first miracle by healing the little girl. Today Jaffa's renovated alley-ways attract many artists, who have their galleries there. In the afternoon we arrive at our hotel in Tel Aviv, where we spend the night.

 

Day 5:

We drive to Caesarea Maritima, the magnificent port-city built by King Herod the Great. From here St. Peter went to Rome and started with his first miracles. In Caesarea's well-preserved theater an inscription of the procurator Pontius Pilate was found. We continue to Tell Meggido, one of Israel's most ancient cities, where we can find traces of fortifications left by the Canaanites, King Salomon, King Ahab, and more, as well as a very sophisticated water system, some claim was built by the king Salomon. This strategic place has always been the scenery of war, and according to John's Revelation it is here where the last battle shall take place – the battle of Armaggedon! We drive up the evergreen Mt. Carmel to the modern Port-City of Haifa, holiest site for the Bahai Religion. The view from this mountain is famous for its beauty. O/N in Haifa.

 

Day 6:

Drive to the oriental city of Akko (Acre), where the Crusaders built their most important port. We can still visit the very well-preserved "Knights Halls" under the living oriental Bazaar with its colors and odors of the East, and listen to oriental stories (legends…?) in the restored Turkish "Hamam" . Driving along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea we reach Rosh Hanikra, where a cable car takes us down to the white chalk grottoes carved by the waves of the sea… After driving on the "Northern Road", through the mountains of Upper Galilee, where Jews, Druze, Christians and Muslim live mixed together, we ascend to the holy city of Tzefat (Safed), the center of Jewish Mysticism - Kabbalah. We breathe its special, spiritual atmosphere, listen to its many legends, and visit some of its enchanted synagogues. Then we drive down from the Mountains of Galilee to our hotel in Tiberias.

 

Day 7:

Today we visit the places where Jesus acted around the Sea of Galilee: Capernaum, with Peters House and the famous Synagogue, enjoy the view from Mt. of the Beatitudes, where the "Sermon on the Mount" was given, and the reconstructed church at Tabgha, where tradition puts the miracle of the Bread and The Fish. We will also sail on the sea in a boat similar to the boat used by Jesus and his disciples. We end the day at the Baptismal Site on the Holy River Jordan. O/N in Tiberias.

 

Day 8:

We start the day in Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water to wine at a wedding, and continue to Nazareth, where we visit the Basilica of the Annunciation and the Greek-Orthodox St. Gabriel church near Mary's Well. In the afternoon we can enjoy the well-preserved Jewish-Roman city Sapphoris, with it's colorful wall-paintings & mosaics. O/N Tiberias.

 

Day 9:

Today we leave the Galilee on our way to Israel's capital – Jerusalem.  We ascend the steep and scenic road to Mt. Tabor with its specially designed Church of the Transfiguration. After descending the mountain, we can refresh ourselves at the Sachne springs, before we travel through the Jordan Valley in Jesus' footsteps to enter Jerusalem via the Mount of Olives. On Mount Scopus, at a point viewing the Holy City, we will step out of the bus for a Welcome Ceremony to Jerusalem. O/N Jerusalem. 

 

Day 10:

We start with an introduction to the city from the top of The Mount of Olives, and then walk down to the Garden of Gethsemane. We also visit the "Wailing Wall", the last remnants of the Temple in Jerusalem. If the current situation allows it, we will try to visit the Temple Mount as well. We continue in the footsteps of Jesus along the Stations of the Via Dolorosa, Jesus' "Way of Suffering", and unto the Church of the Holy Sepulcure, where Jesus was crucified and buried. The Via Dolorosa also passes through the Old City's oriental "Suq" (Bazaar). At the end of the day we visit King David's Tomb and the "Room of the Last Supper". O/N Jerusalem.

 

Day 11:

This day is dedicated to Jerusalem's New City: We visit the "Chagall Windows", a famous piece of art, describing the 12 tribes of Israel. We also visit "Yad Vashem", the holocaust memorial, and then the famous "Menorah" (Candelabra) situated outside the "Knesset", Israel's parliament. The afternoon is intended to be at leisure. We can also organize some activities such as some free time in the Arab Market, a visit at the Israel Museum with the"Shrine of the Book", where the "Dead Sea Scrolls" are exhibited, the Model of Jerusalem at the time of the 2^nd Temple, and more…

O/N in Jerusalem.

 

Day 12:

If security allows it, we will drive to Bethlehem, to visit the Church of Nativity - the traditional place where Jesus was born. This is the oldest church in the world that is still active! In the afternoon we stroll leisurely through the picturesque village Ein Karem, where traditionally John the Baptist was born. O/N in Jerusalem. 

Day 13:

Today we are southwards bound, into the desert! Reaching by the Dead Sea, we visit the ruins of Qumran, where the famous "Dead Sea Scrolls" were found, and hearing about the mysterious sect of the Esseans who lived there. We also walk through the Oasis of Ein Gedi, known since the days of King David. Ein Gedi, where four springs with fresh water meet the desert sun, is a place to enjoy the rich and unique flora and fauna that such an oasis can offer. We walk to the waterfall and back to the bus. We will not miss, of course, some floating (not swimming!) on the Dead Sea, the deepest point on earth!

After experiencing all this, we drive back to Jerusalem, where we have our farewell-dinner. O/N in Jerusalem.

 

Day 14:

A day at leisure in Jerusalem. Transfer to the Ben Gurion Airport for your flight back home.

above program can start at either Taba border or at Arava (Aqaba/Jordan) border as well..

For booking and information, contact us or call 00-972-50-3392425