Compare Israel Escape by Globus vs Immersive Israel by Culture Trip
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 8 days | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 2,059 | $ 2,709 |
| Price Per Day | $ 257 | $ 387 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | No | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A | Six breakfasts, one lunch, four dinners |
| Description | Begin your Israel Escape in Tel Aviv and enjoy a welcome dinner together with your Tour Director and traveling companions. In Jaffa walk around the beautifully restored port—starting point for medieval pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Continue your guided tour of Israel through the Holy Land to Caesarea, and journey to Nazareth in Galilee to visit the Church of the Annunciation. Stop in Cana—site of Jesus’ wedding miracle turning water into wine—on your way to historical Haifa. A wealth of fascinating visits await you: the Baha’i Shrine; the Mount of Beatitudes, and Capernaum—all sites where the story of Jesus unfolded, the Valley of Elah where David slew Goliath, the Valley of Ayalon to hear the story of Samson and Delilah, and a serene cruise on the Sea of Galilee. You’ll also visit the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem.Stay four nights in Jerusalem to discover this symbolic city. Embark on a moving excursion to Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. Visit the Israel Museum containing the Shrine of the Book, and the Dead Sea Scrolls—the oldest biblical manuscripts in the world. Visit the Old City, the Garden Tomb, and take in the view from the Mount of Olives. See the Garden of Gethsemane, follow the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa, and visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at the site of the crucifixion. View the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock mosque, and visit the Western Wall, the most holy shrine in the Jewish religion. Also visit the fortress of Masada—a historic site for Jewish faith. The experience of floating in the buoyant salt waters of the Dead Sea enriches the wonderful memories already collected during your inspirational Israel Escape! | Take a deep dive into the culture, religion and conflict that make up the fabric of this region on this immersive seven-day trip. See Jerusalem from the perspective of two locals, one Arab and one Jewish, and visit Mount Zion. You’ll also have the opportunity to cycle through the Tel Aviv markets; float across the Dead Sea on a boat trip; and whip up a Middle Eastern feast in a family home in Bethlehem. You’re guaranteed to see an authentic side to this complex, fascinating destination. This trip has been designed to help you explore this beautiful but politically turbulent region. We'll provide a balanced view of the Israel-Palestine conflict, focused on enriching your understanding of the area. |
Day 1: ARRIVE IN TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
Welcome to Tel Aviv! This evening, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner. (Dinner)
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Day 2: TEL AVIV–JAFFA–CAESAREA–NAZARETH–CANA–HAIFA
Miraculous Sites & Ancient Wonders JAFFA Take a walking tour of the ancient port.CAESAREA Visit the Roman Amphitheater and the Crusader fortress. NAZARETH Visit the Church of the Annunciation.CANA Visit the site of Jesus’ first recorded miracle. (Breakfast,Dinner) 124 mi/200 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHTHISTORY & MYSTERY Explore the ancient port of Jaffa, where biblical stories of Jonah, Solomon, and St. Peter took place. The Israeli city traces its roots to 1800 BC, with mythological tales of Andromeda and Perseus. Today Jaffa features picturesque alleys, art galleries, unique boutiques, ancient buildings, and wonderful landmarks.
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Day 3: HAIFA. EXCURSION TO THE MOUNT OF BEATITUDES–CAPERNAUM–SEA OF GALILEE
Holy Water & Wondrous Miracles HAIFA Visit the Baha’i Shrine. MOUNT OF BEATITUDES Explore the site where Jesus delivered his iconic Sermon on the Mount.CAPERNAUM Visit the site where Jesus recruited his followers.RIVER JORDAN Visit a baptismal site.SEA OF GALILEE Take pictures of Lake Tiberias from the panoramic point before embarking on a [LF] scenic cruise. (Breakfast,Dinner) 66 mi/107 km
LOCAL FAVORITE EPIC RIDE The Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) is the background to many biblical events and miracles, it is where Jesus walked on water. Take a cruise on the historic waters of the lowest freshwater lake in the world, just over 200 meters below sea-level, and enjoy the panoramic views.
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Day 4: HAIFA–VALLEY OF ELAH–LATRUN–BETHLEHEM–JERUSALEM
Giant Victories LATRUN AREA Take pictures at the site of David’s victory over Goliath, and visit the Monastery of the Trappist Monks. BETHLEHEM Take an orientation tour and visit the Church of Nativity. (Breakfast) 140 mi/ 225 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT HISTORIC SITE The Emperor Constantine and his mother St Helena commissioned the first Church of the Nativity in the 4th Century, it was built over a grotto widely recognized to be the birthplace of Jesus. In the following centuries the church was rebuilt and renovated. Today the guardianship of the Church is shared by three Church Authorities – Armenian Apostolic, Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic.
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Day 5: JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO THE ISRAEL MUSEUM, YAD VASHEM, AND MOUNT ZION
Moving History JERUSALEM Visit the Israel Museum and Yad Vashem Memorial. Guided walking tour of Mount Zion, visit the Upper Room and the Tomb of King David. (Breakfast,Dinner)
TOUR HIGHLIGHTIN MEMORIUM Yad Vashem (the World Holocaust Remembrance Center) takes its name from the biblical verse, ″And to them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name (a yad vashem)” – (Isaiah, 56; 5). Here, roughly one million visitors come to remember the millions who were persecuted during WWII. Housing a remarkable collection of historic and personal artifacts, stories, and memorials to the Jewish people who suffered at the hands of the Nazi regime, Yad Vashem leaves a deeply profound impression of remembrance and conviction in the souls of all who visit.
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Day 6: JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO THE OLD CITY
Prayerful Places JERUSALEM Guided walking tour of the Old City includes Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed. Visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Stop at the Western Wall. (Breakfast)
TOUR HIGHLIGHTICONIC FOOTSTEPSJerusalem is totally unique; there is no place like it. A city of tradition, religion, and history, but also increasingly of modern culture and heritage. Take in all this while you wander around the maze of streets listening to the story that made it so special even astronaut Neil Armstrong when visiting said, “I am more excited stepping on these stones than stepping on the moon.”
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Day 7: JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO MASADA AND THE DEAD SEA
Uplifting Waters & Unforgettable Wonders MASADA Take a cable-car ride to visit the cliff-top fortress . DEAD SEA Experience the buoyancy of floating on the waters of the Dead Sea. Farewell dinner at your hotel. (Breakfast,Dinner) 64 mi/103 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT NATURAL WONDERS Feel weightless as you float effortlessly on the waters of the Dead Sea. This legendary salt lake in the Jordan Rift Valley is fed by the Jordan River, with its salty surface lying 430.5m below sea level – the lowest land-based shores on Earth.
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Day 8: JERUSALEM
Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (The nearest airport is Tel Aviv.) (Breakfast)
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DAY 1
Arrive in Jerusalem, followed by an evening craft beer tasting
Touch down in Ben Gurion Airport – or if you’ve been on our Beyond Petra: Discovering Jordan’s Rugged Side trip, you’ll be collected from the border. Check in to your hotel in Jerusalem. Here you’ll meet our Local Insider who will accompany the group throughout the trip. At 5pm, get to know your fellow travellers over a glass of wine. Next, head out for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Finish the evening in the Machane Yehuda Market for craft beer tasting at Beer Bazaar, a cool hangout that stocks more than 100 bottled Israeli microbrews.
ACCOMMODATION
- Harmony Hotel
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Welcome dinner with beer tasting
DAY 2
Explore the holiest sites in Jerusalem
Today, you’ll take a deep dive into the Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites in the Old City with two locals, one Arab and one Jewish. Early birds can join an optional prayer service in the Holy Sepulchre. Regroup at the Mount of Olives, where you'll start the tour at the gold-topped Islamic shrine, the Dome of the Rock, and al-Aqsa Mosque, before an optional Western Wall tunnel tour. After lunch, walk part of the Via Dolorosa, the crucifixion route Jesus took, towards the ancient Holy Sepulchre and end the day on top of the Old City ramparts.
ACCOMMODATION
- Harmony Hotel
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Old City tour with two locals
- Old City ramparts tour
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Holy Sepulchre morning prayer service
- Western Wall tunnel tour
DAY 3
Tour of Mount Zion and home-cooked meal with a local family
In the morning, you can choose to visit Yad Vashem, a Holocaust memorial museum on the slopes of the Mount of Remembrance, or take the opportunity for some free time. Lunch will be street-food bites at Machane Yehuda before a trip to Mount Zion. A representative from the Jewish Intercultural Centre (JICC) will take you on a tour of the multi-faith sites and discuss this hotly contested land. Dinner is a traditional home-cooked meal hosted by a local family.
ACCOMMODATION
- Harmony Hotel
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Machane Yehuda Market tour
- Mount Zion visit with JICC representative
- Home-cooked dinner with local family
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- East to West Jerusalem food tour
- Meet religious leader at Mount Zion
- Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum visit
DAY 4
Step inside the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, followed by a cooking class
Leaving Jerusalem behind, you’ll be driven 25 minutes to Bethlehem, stopping at the Tent of Nations, an educational farm in the West Bank. Meet local Palestinian Christians here and learn how they turned their land into a reconciliation space. In Bethlehem, visit the Nativity Church and Manger Square. Next, see the colourful, politically charged graffiti on the Separation Wall. End the day with a visit to Banksy’s museum (aka the Walled Off Hotel) and a leisurely cooking class with a local family. Return to Jerusalem for a final night at the hotel.
ACCOMMODATION
- Harmony Hotel
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Tent of Nations visit
- Nativity Church and Manger Square visit
- Bethlehem Old City tour
- Separation Wall and Banksy museum visit
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Bethlehem cooking class
- Meet with peace-focused NGO
- Cross West Bank checkpoint on foot
DAY 5
Climb Masada and take a Dead Sea boat cruise
After breakfast, you’ll be whisked away to the ancient fortress of Masada, in southern Israel. Built by Herod I, it sits on an isolated rock plateau overlooking the Dead Sea. You’ll have the option to hike to the top via the popular Snake Path trail. From here, enjoy a private boat ride on the Dead Sea. If time permits, take a tour of a kibbutz and visit a goat or date farm. Tonight, you’ll sleep in a lush desert oasis in the Kana`im Valley.
ACCOMMODATION
- Kfar Hanokdim
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Masada visit
- Dead Sea private boat cruise
- Bedouin dinner
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Hike up Masada
- Local kibbutz tour
- Goat or date farm visit
DAY 6
Discover Tel Aviv by bicycle – from food to tech startups
Ready to swap dunes for the glassy tower blocks of Tel Aviv? Today, you’ll visit the Yitzhak Rabin Center, a library and museum built in memory of the assassinated prime minister. Learn about Rabin’s life, peace processes and wars. Next, hop on a bike for a two-wheel foodie tour of the vibrant Carmel Market, trendy Levinsky Market and the Jaffa Flea Market passing historical sights (such as Independence Hall) as you pedal. You can also visit the Center for Israeli Innovation, and discover more about Israeli tech startups. Digest the week over a farewell dinner with new friends.
ACCOMMODATION
- Center Chic
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Yitzhak Rabin Center visit
- Tel Aviv bicycle tour
- Independence Hall and Jaffa visit
- Farewell dinner
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- South Tel Aviv refugee encounter
- Center for Israeli Innovation visit
DAY 7
Depart from Tel Aviv
After a lazy breakfast, it’s time to wave goodbye to the group and make your way to the airport by 8am. Alternatively, stay on and extend your trip in Israel. There’s always the south to discover next.
