Enjoy the convenience of a well-planned, dynamic Holy Land tour that will take you to a wide-range of important historical, religious and archaeological sites all around Israel.
With this Holy Land tour package, there’s no need to worry about planning, booking flights and hotels or managing your time—just pack your bags and enjoy the ride.
Highlights
Jerusalem, Dead Sea, Massada, Veit Shean, Nazareth, Tiberias, Capernaum, Banias, Acre, Haifa, Megiddo, Caesarea, Tel Aviv
Itinerary
Wednesday
Ben Gurion Airport and Jerusalem
Upon your arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport, a tour representative will meet you and accompany you on the transfer to your hotel in Jerusalem.
Thursday
Jerusalem—Old City
Highlights: Room of the Last suppoer, Cardo, Via Dolorosa, Temple Mount, Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Church of all Nations, Garden Tomb
On the first day of your tour, you’ll dive right into the one of the holiest and most majestic spots in the world—the Old City of Jerusalem.
Your morning opens with a drive to the Mount of Olives, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Jerusalem, visit the Church of All Nations and walk to nearby Mt. Zion, site of King David’s tomb and the Room of the Last Supper.
Afterwards, you’ll enter the walls of the Old City, home to the ruins of the Cardo, the authentic shops of the bazaar and some of Judaism and Christianity’s holiest sites. Relive history as you walk in Jesus’ final steps along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and ascend the Temple mount, site of the ancient Temple of Solomon.
Finally, wrap up your day with a stroll through the Oriental bazaar of the Old City and a visit to the Garden Tomb, the site where some believe Jesus was buried and resurrected.
Friday
Jerusalem—New City and Bethlehem
Highlights: Church of Visitation, Yad Vashem, Israel Museum, Shrine of the Book, Dead Sea Scrolls, Church of the Nativity
Get ready for one of the most eclectic days of your tour, starting with a trip to West Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem neighborhood and the Church of Visitation.
Next, you’ll visit Yad Vashem, Israel’s national memorial to the Holocaust, for an emotional tour through one of the events that shaped history.
The West Jerusalem portion of your tour will wind down at the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book, where you can see some of the most important original ancient texts in the world, including the 2,000-year-old Dead Sea Scrolls and the Aleppo Codex.
Finally, you’ll drive 15km south to Bethlehem and conclude your day with a visit to the Church of the Nativity, birthplace of Jesus.
Saturday
The Dead Sea and Masada
Highlights: Masada, Herod’s Palace, Qumran
Your first full day outside of Jerusalem will take you south to explore the archaeological and natural treasures of the Dead Sea region, starting in Qumran.
It was here archaeologists first unearthed the Dead Sea scrolls you saw at the Israel Museum. Touring the excavations, you’ll be able to get an idea of how the writers of the texts lived and see the room where experts think they may have written them.
From Qumran, your tour will take you on a scenic drive along the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on Earth, to the foot of Masada, site of the last Jewish stronghold to fall to the Roman Empire.
After you’ve ascended Masada by cable car, you can explore the food storehouse, sophisticated water system and Herod’s Palace.
Time and weather permitting, your tour bus will take you to the banks of the Dead Sea, where you can bathe and float in its salty, therapeutic waters before returning to your hotel in Jerusalem.
Sunday
Beit Shean and Nazareth
Highlights: Roman Ruins, Yardenit, Sea of Galilee, Basilica of the Annunciation, St. Joseph’s Church
Get ready for a busy fourth day as you wake up early to embark on your final day in the beautiful north of Israel, beginning with a scenic drive to Nazareth via Cana of Galilee, the site of Jesus’ first public miracle.
Nazareth, Jesus’ childhood home, is a center for Christian pilgrimage, where you’ll visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, Church of St. Joseph.
The last stop of your tour will be the archaeologically rich ancient city of Beit Shean, home to some of the most impressive Roman ruins in Israel, as well as other remnants dating back to the ancient Egyptian dynasties and even earlier.
From Beit Shean, you’ll drive 2 hours through the Jordan Valley to your hotel in Jerusalem.
Monday
Tiberias, Capernaum and Banias
Highlights, Sea of Galilee, Church of the Multiplication, Tabgha, Mount of Beatitudes, Golan Heights
In the New Testament, the shores of the Sea of Galilee are renowned as the site of some of Jesus’ greatest miracles and sermons.
After a short tour of the Israeli city of Tiberias, you’ll take a peaceful boat ride to the Capernaum, the ancient fishing village Jesus used as the center of his ministry. Visit the remains of the synagogue where Jesus taught and healed people.
Just down the road, you’ll visit the restored Church of the Multiplication in Tabgha, the traditional site where Jesus fed 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. The church is particularly famous for its beautiful mosaic floors.
Afterwards, you’ll venture inland to the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus gave his famous Sermon on the Mount before you conclude your day with a drive to the Banias Springs and waterfalls for a tour of the Golan Heights.
Tuesday
Acre, Haifa, Megiddo and Caesarea
Highlights: Bahai Gardens, archaeological excavations
Your fifth day will take you to the Mediterranean shore of Israel and some of the most impressive archaeological excavations in Israel.
Start the day with a tour of the ancient city and harbor of the coastal city of Acre which was a vibrant center during the First Crusades.
Continuing south along the coast, you’ll stop in Haifa for a panoramic view of the beautiful Bahai Gardens and Haifa Bay before you travel inland to Meggido, the biblical location of Armageddon. Here you’ll tour the most recent excavation of the city, including the well-preserved water supply system.
Returning to the coast, you’ll visit Caesarea, the capital of Judea under the Romans and home to a bevy of impressive ruins from many periods, including a complex of Crusader fortifications and a Roman theatre and aqueduct.
Your day will conclude with a scenic drive along the coastal plain to your hotel in Tel Aviv for your final night in the Holy Land.
Wednesday
Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion International Airport
Bid farewell to the Holy Land as you enjoy the ride from your hotel in Tel Aviv to Ben Gurion International Airport for your flight home.
Additional Tour Information
What’s included
Transfer on arrival and departure (Ben Gurion International Airport), 7 nights accommodation on half board basis, 6 touring days with English-speaking guide, entrance fees to sites on itinerary,
What to bring and wear
Comfortable walking shoes, modest dress (no shorts or sleeveless shirts) and head covering for holy sites, sunscreen
Departure
Year-round
Special notes
Tour only available in English, Bethlehem trip is subject to availability, tour can be extended and tailor-made for private tours according to different religious interests