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Days
7
Price from
2084
Map of Journey Through Israel & the Palestinian Territories including Israel

Acquaint yourself with enigmatic Israel and the Palestinian Territories on an adventure to Jerusalem, Jericho, Bethlehem and the Sea of Galilee

Welcome to Israel and the Palestinian Territories a destination laden with overlapping tales, this short trip mines the seams of the past. From Roman Caesarea and the Crusader port of Acre to religious sites in Nazareth, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Jericho, this itinerary unveils the layers of mystery from the history of the Holy Land.

Start
Jerusalem, Israel
Finish
Tel Aviv, Israel
Destination
Israel
Style
Peregrine
Code
PGTI
Physical rating
Trip rating
14 reviews
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Take a week to explore the modern and ancient sides of Israel with a passionate and extremely knowledgeable local leader

  • Discover for yourself some of the most famous religious sites in the world: the location of the Miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and walk the ‘Way of the Cross’ in Jerusalem

  • Chat informally and get a local perspective from a dinner with a Christian Family and a meeting with a local Rabbi to gain a better understanding on the Israel / Palestine conflict and the peace process.

  • Taste the flavours of Israel, on an included home style dinner and a spot of Hummus tasting.

  • Spend a night in Bethlehem;  our Feature Stay Guesthouse is located in an ancient building renovated in a contemporary style that blends perfectly in the local environment. Enjoy a meal in the renowned Fawda Café which provides locally sourced Palestinian cuisine.

Is this trip right for you?

  • This trip visits a number of religious sites, so it’s best to bring clothes that cover the arms and legs to show your respect at these sites. A light scarf is also a good idea for covering shoulders and arms when it's hot.

  • At major sites you can expect to be exposed to the elements at length, so be prepared with a hat, sunscreen and plenty of fluids.  

  • Sites can get congested during peak travel periods with coaches of large pilgrim groups. We do our best to plan our visits around these times, but it’s not always possible. There may be delays, queues and private services that prevent us from entering the site. Your trip leader will manage this as best as they can on the day.

  • It’s not all hot desert days in Israel, as the winter months (December through to February) can be quite cold. Temperatures in northern parts of the country can drop to freezing overnight, and snowfall in these areas is common. Temperatures can differ dramatically from one place to the next, so it’s important to pack accordingly.

  • Israel & the Palestinian Territories is by no means a cheap destination, so it’s important to budget accordingly. The good news is that your expert local leader is on hand to help you uncover the best local deals.

  • Known as 'baksheesh' in the Middle East, tipping is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry. If you are satisfied with the services, tipping is appropriate and always appreciated. Don’t be taken back if this tipping culture is particularly apparent in Israel.

  • This destination caters primarily for large pilgrim groups, and it can be difficult to secure small, boutique style accommodation in central locations with local 4-star amenities.

Travellers look out over the rocky landscape of Masada on a sunny day
Traditional tomato dish of shakshouka with pita on the side
Prayers at the west wall in Jerusalem
Sunset over the Sea of Galilee

Itinerary
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Welcome to Jerusalem, a city awash with ancient history and holy sites. You will be met at the airport by a Peregrine representative and transferred to the hotel (approximately 1 hour). There will be a welcome meeting at 6.00pm please check with reception for your welcome note.

Meet your group and your Leader and head out for an orientation walk, afterward enjoy a welcome drink and  a free evening, perhaps consider dinner at one the restaurants recommended by your Leader.  
Accommodation
  • St Georges Guest House or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
An airport arrival transfer is included. This transfer is only valid if arriving on day 1 or if you have booked pre-trip accommodation through Peregrine. Please provide your flight details at the time of booking, or at a minimum 15 days prior to travel (note - we may not be able confirm request made within 15 days of travel). Once you have provided your details a transfer representative will be booked to meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

On occasions, it may be not be possible to confirm our preferred starting point hotel.   For this reason we have selected an alternative hotel called the Golden Walls or the Sergei Palace Hotel.  Please refer to your booking details and our joining point descriptions for information on where your departure will start.

Meet your leader for a morning walk start at St Stephen’s Gate (also known as Lion’s Gate) to enter the Old City, and visit the crusader church of St Anne and the Pool of Bethesda. Now located in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem, this pool was mentioned in the Gospel of John and is associated with healing. Walk along the Way of the Cross (Via Dolorosa) – the 'way of sorrows' which follows Jesus’ path to crucifixion – and stop by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built where Jesus is believed to have been crucified and buried before rising again.
Walk along the ‘Cardo’ in the recently restored Jewish Quarter, which was a road that ran the entire length of the city in Byzantine times. Visit the Wailing Wall – the remains of the Temple Mount, which acts as an outdoor synagogue, where written prayers are slid into the cracks between stones.

The rest of the afternoon is free for you to wander around the city at your leisure.

Meet up with your group again later in the afternoon and head back into the Old City.  This evening we will be the guests of a local Christian family living in the Old City, an opportunity to enjoy a meal together and some informal discussion on Christianity in the holy city.
Accommodation
  • St Georges Guest House or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Jerusalem - Western Wall (Wailing Wall)
  • Jerusalem - Walk the Via Dolorosa
  • Jerusalem - Holy Sepulchre
  • Jerusalem - Local Family Dinner
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Bound for Masada, drive via the biblical town of Ma'aleh Adumim and the Inn of the Good Samaritan in the Judean Desert. The Inn of the Good Samaritan is a museum located near the site of the inn mentioned in the New Testament's parable of the Good Samaritan, and it displays mosaics and artefacts discovered throughout Israel.

In Masada you will take a cable car to discover the spectacular cliff-top fortress of Masada, built by King Herod around 35BC. This UNESCO site is very important to the Jewish people, a symbol of their exile from the Holy Land and of bravery and self sacrifice. Afterwards, drive to an archaeological site on the West Bank, about a mile from the north shore of the Dead Sea. Major discoveries have been made here in Qumran, not the least of which is the Dead Sea Scrolls. Here you will also have a chance to float in the extremely salty and buoyant Dead Sea.

Continue up the shore to the town of Jericho. Discover this slow-paced town in the West Bank, where people have lived for 11,000 years. On a drive around the city see the Mount of Temptations (where Jesus was tempted by the devil) and a Sycamore Tree mentioned only in the Gospel of Luke.

Return to Jerusalem and meet up with a local Rabbi discover Jewish traditions and gain a different perspective on the Israeli / Palestine conflict.
Accommodation
  • St Georges Guest House or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Qumran - Archaeological site visit
  • Masada - Dead Sea & Fortress visit
  • Jerusalem - Local Rabbi Meeting and Discussion
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

In the morning, drive out to visit the Garden of Gethsemane, most famous as the place where Jesus prayed and his disciples slept the night before Jesus' crucifixion. See the Church of All Nations (also known as the Basilica of the Agony), which holds inside a section of bedrock where Jesus is said to have prayed before his arrest. Continue to Yad Vashem for a sobering and moving visit to Israel’s memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Our local leaders are not permitted to guide in this museum, so you will have a tour with a local guide which will take approximately 2–3 hours.

Even the non-religious have no doubt heard of Bethlehem, even if it’s just through Christmas Nativity plays. Visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, marking the spot of the stable where Mary is said to have given birth to Jesus, and the Shepherds’ Fields in Beit Sahour just a couple of kilometres east of the city. This area has been identified as the scene where angels visited the lowly shepherds and informed them of Jesus’ birth. The Roman Catholics and the Greek Orthodox each have their own Shepherds’ Field. The Roman Catholic site features a Franciscan Chapel designed to resemble the shepherds’ tent, while the Greek Orthodox site features a 5th-century church built over a cave.
Accommodation
  • Hosh Al Syrian Guesthouse (Feature Stay) (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Jerusalem - Garden of Gethsemane & Basilica of the Agony
  • Jerusalem - Yad Vashem Museum
  • Jerusalem - Mount of Olives
  • Bethlehem - Church of the Nativity & Shepherds' Field
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information

Travel to Tiberias and take a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee (weather permitting), and afterwards visit Tabgha. This is where the Bible says Jesus performed the Miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, one of the only miracles that’s in all the gospels. Here you can see the church and its ancient mosaics that were built to mark the spot of the miracle. A short way up the lakeshore is Capernaum; see the ruins of this old fishing town, the site of two ancient synagogues and a church said to have been the home of Saint Peter. Here you will have the traditional St Peter’s Fish lunch. The name 'St Peter's Fish' comes from a story in the Gospel of Matthew about the apostle Peter catching a fish that carried a coin in its mouth. Also visit the Church of the Annunciation, where Mary received the news of the Immaculate Conception, along with the well where she drew water every day.

Continue to Haifa for the evening, perhaps take a late after stroll through the Baha’i Gardens.  With 19 terraces flowing down to a domed shrine; the final resting place of the prophet-herald of the Baha’i faith, these gardens are considered Haifas crowning glory.

Accommodation
  • The Colony Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Tiberias - Church of the Multiplication
  • Tiberias - Sea of Galilee boat ride
  • Tiberias - traditional St Peter's Fish lunch
  • Nazareth - Visit to Church of Annuniciation & Mary's Well
  • Bahai Gardens - view & photo stop only
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Today as you make your way to Tel Aviv, stop at the former crusader port and capital of Acre. Here you’ll visit the vast complex of buildings occupied by the Knights of St John (Knights Hospitaller), excavated to uncover rooms such as a large hall, a dungeon, a dining room and the crypt of an ancient Gothic church. You will also see the secret tunnel of their rivals, the Knights Templar – an underground passage between their fortresses.

Visit  Caesarea, which served as the capital of Israel during the Roman and Byzantine eras. This was once a great port town built by King Herod around 25BC, complete with a theatre, amphitheatre, hippodrome, palace, Roman temple and an extensive network of aqueducts, along with an artificial harbour. The city was eventually abandoned and lost under the desert sands, but thanks to archaeological excavations since the 1950s, its splendour is on show once again.

Arrive in Tel Aviv and spend the afternoon discovering the city with your Leader, visit the Old City of Jaffa, the Peace Square and partake in some Hummus tasting, the city claims to have the best.

Arrive at the hotel late in the afternoon and bid your Leader farewell.
Accommodation
  • Cinema Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Akko - Templar Tunnels
  • Caesarea - Guided Visit
  • Tel Aviv - Walking Tour and Hummus Tasting
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Your journey through Israel & the Palestinian Territories comes to an end today after breakfast.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Due to strict security measures, we recommend that you allow 3 hours minimum to get through airport security before your flight departure

Meals

6 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Transport

Boat, Private vehicle

Accommodation

Comfortable hotel (5 nights) Guesthouse Feature Stay (1 night)

Included Activities

  • Jerusalem - Western Wall (Wailing Wall)
  • Jerusalem - Walk the Via Dolorosa
  • Jerusalem - Holy Sepulchre
  • Jerusalem - Local Family Dinner
  • Qumran - Archaeological site visit
  • Masada - Dead Sea & Fortress visit
  • Jerusalem - Local Rabbi Meeting and Discussion
  • Jerusalem - Garden of Gethsemane & Basilica of the Agony
  • Jerusalem - Yad Vashem Museum
  • Jerusalem - Mount of Olives
  • Bethlehem - Church of the Nativity & Shepherds' Field
  • Tiberias - Church of the Multiplication
  • Tiberias - Sea of Galilee boat ride
  • Tiberias - traditional St Peter's Fish lunch
  • Nazareth - Visit to Church of Annuniciation & Mary's Well
  • Bahai Gardens - view & photo stop only
  • Akko - Templar Tunnels
  • Caesarea - Guided Visit
  • Tel Aviv - Walking Tour and Hummus Tasting

Dates & availability

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Important notes

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT:
An optional single supplement is available on this trip. Please refer to your booking agent for further
information.

HOTEL SELECTION
On occasions, it may be not be possible to confirm our preferred hotel in Jerusalem.   For this reason we have selected alternative hotels on selected departures in Jerusalem. If you would like to confirm which hotel your trip will be staying please contact your booking agent 30 days prior to departure.

Following recent safety incidents we recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest information on travelling in Israel; particularly within the West Bank before your departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas of your itinerary. We have links to prominent government travel advisories and regular updates on issues affecting this trip on our Travel Alerts page - http://www.peregrineadventures.com/en-au/travel-alerts

Essential trip information

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