| Israel, Jerusalem and Petra
|
October 8th -
19th
10-days, 10-nights - $2,679 (land only)
Here's another epic trip that I'm
sure is on many of your lists, I know it's on mine. Imagine walking
in the footsteps of Jesus! On this trip, which was months in
the planning, we will visit many of the key sites. Our dates
coincide with the
Sukkot holiday which is a very nice added bonus. Click on
the link to learn more.
Sukkot is also called
The Time of Our Joy; indeed, a special joy pervades the
festival. Nightly Water-Drawing Celebrations, reminiscent of the
evening-to-dawn festivities held in the Holy Temple in preparation
for the drawing of water for use in the festival service, fill the
synagogues and streets with song, music, and dance until the wee
hours of the morning.
This trip is also
first class with awesome hotels, breakfasts and dinners included
as
well as all tours! It's really an excellent group rate and we have
group air locked in as well (see below). Don't miss this
opportunity to join us for what will certainly be an amazing
adventure.
HERE'S OUR ITINERARY:
Day
1 Arrive Tel Aviv (D)
Welcome to Israel! You will be met by our representative and your tour
guide at Ben Gurion Airport. Proceed on a short tour of Tel Aviv and
the ancient port city of Jaffa before transfer to your hotel to rest
and unwind from your flight.
Tel Aviv
is
Israel’s largest city and biggest commercial center spanning along
the beautiful beach strip of the Mediterranean. It is the country’s
greatest cultural center with a variety of museums, galleries,
theaters and concert halls.
Check in to Dan Panoramic Tel Aviv Hotel.
Day 2
The
ancient port city of
Old
Jaffa
is one
of the most attractive places to tour in Tel Aviv–Jaffa. There are
ancient churches, which are among the most beautiful in Israel,
serving the city’s Christian community with open doors for visitors
and the faithful. In 1909 sixty six Jewish families who resided in
Jaffa established the first neighborhood of what would later become
the city of Tel Aviv. Other new neighborhoods were
added until it eventually became the center of the Yishuv – the Jewish
settlement in Palestine at the time. It was in Tel Aviv, on May 14th
1948
that David Ben Gurion declared the independence of the State of
Israel. Continue to
Caesarea from where the
Apostle Paul sailed to
Rome. Extensive ruins of the Roman aqueduct and amphitheater
built b
y King Herod remain.
Visit Mt
Carmel and enjoy Druze hospitality and Lunch at a nearby
village. Stop at
Megiddo where it is believed that the Armageddon will begin.
Drive to
Mount Tabor
and visit the Catholic Church and the site of the Transfiguration.
Continue to Megiddo (Amageddon) and visit the
Museum
and this 5,000 year old city from the times of King Solomon, the old
Canaanite temples
and the
water tunnel
from the time of King Ahab. Drive via
Nazareth and
Cana (where Jesus
performed His first miracle by turning water into wine)
to the
Sea of Galilee.
Dinner and overnight stay at
Caesar Tiberias
Day
3
Begin
the day with a buffet breakfast and then head out 4x4 Jeep tour in
the Golan Heights. See the
Golan Heights from atop
Mt. Benthal. This is one
of the most beautiful and most traveled
parts of the country as it is abundant with wonderful scenic
treasures and archeological sites.
We will visit a
Golan winery for tasting. We will also meet the vintner
and see the wine making process. Visit
Mount of Beatitudes
the location of the Sermon on the Mount.
Boat ride on the sea of Galilee. Stop at
Capernaum
and see the ancient synagogue where
Jesus preached. We will conclude our day with a ‘wet and
wild’ exciting adventure kayaking down the Jordan River.
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 4
After
breakfast check out of the hotel and drive south to view among
Israel’s most impressive ruins are those found in
Beit
She’an. Excavators have discovered 18 successive towns
featuring black and white stones, marble columns, mosaics, and a
6,000 seat Byzantine amphitheater. Visit Beit Alpha
and see
the ancient mosaic and synagogue.
Via Jordan Valley
to
Qaser El Yahud (traditional baptism site on Jordan River)
Continue to
Bethlehem the birthplace of Jesus.
Enter Jerusalem and
check in to
Dan Panorama Jerusalem
for dinner
and overnight.
Day 5
· Begin
the day following breakfast
and ascend the
Mt. of Olives
- one of the most prominent sites in the Jerusalem vicinity
 mentioned
in the Holy Scriptures where you will be able to enjoy a spectacular
panoramic view of the Old City. Stop at
Dominus Flevit Chapel and enter
the
Garden of Gethsemane alongside the
Church of All
Nations. Continue to the
City of David, a
location that has been used
throughout the history of Jerusalem as a means to smuggle in and out
of the city, particularly during sieges. The Tunnel emerges at the
excavated Pool of Siloam, where ancient pilgrims washed and
refreshed themselves from a long journey before continuing on to the
Temple for worship.
Enter
via Lions Gate to the Old City: Pool of
Bethesda, Ecce Homo,
Stations of the Cross, Church of Holy Sepulcher, Jewish Quarter,
Western Wall.
·
Return to your
hotel.
Day 6
Today we'll drive to Mount Zion and visit the room of the Last Supper
and the Tomb of King David.
Walk
through the Jewish Quarter reaching the Wailing Wall- the
holiest place for the Jews and the Dung Gate and drive through the New
City of Jerusalem to Ein Karem. Visit the church of St John the
Baptist.
End
the day at Garden Tomb (Gordon’s Calvary}
Return to your hotel
for dinner and overnight.
Day 7
Following an
early breakfast this morning we drive to visit the fortress
Massada. Massada
is a fortress built by Herod the
Great on an isolated plateau rising some 1,440 feet above the western
side of the Dead Sea. It was here at Massada that the Jewish Zealots
held out against the Roman soldiers. The siege of the Romans against the
Jewish Zealots took place between 72-73 AD. The northern tip of the
fortress contained lavish palatial apartments for Herod the Great. The
larger palace was built near the Western Gate. Enormous caverns were dug
out midway to catch the rain water for drinking.
See the restoration efforts of
remains of buildings dating back to the fourth and fifth centuries AD.
Swim & "float"
at the Dead Sea
at a hotel spa. Proceed to
Ein Gedi and David’s Waterfall. It is mentioned several times
in the Book of Psalms, the place where King David hid from King Saul.
Hike to the waterfalls.
Check in to
Leonardo
Royal Resort for
dinner and overnight.
Day 8
After breakfast,
Pick-
up from your hotel in Eilat. Cross the Arava Border and drive to
Petra (approximately 2+ hours),
through the scenic Jordanian Desert, past the Wadi Rum area, where
Lawrence of Arabia once lived and fought together with the Bedouin.
Arrive at Petra where the visitor enters the Rose City of Petra through
the siq – a narrow passage through the mountains, which have inspired
awe for centuries. At the end of this gorge, the visitor is
suddenly confronted with the first view of the Treasury, leaving him
breath-taken by its size, color and beauty. Continue into the
heart of this ancient city carved into the mountains, passing hundreds
of tombs and monuments and a spectacular Amphitheatre, which once held
3,000 spectators.
· After
our visit to Petra, a stop for a sit-down lunch followed by a visit to
Moses Spring before leaving Wadi Moussa (the new town of Petra).
We drive to Aqaba for a short city tour
and return to the Arava Border.
Transfer (with guide) from Arava border to Eilat hotel.
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 9
After
breakfast, enjoy a city tour of Eilat.
Then we will visit the Red Canyon voted the #2
attraction of Eilat on Tripadvisor.
 
If you’re feeling a little adventurous and fancy
some hiking in amazing desert scenery, head out of Eilat to the Red
Canyon . The Red Canyon itself is approximately 150 meters long and
2-3 meters wide, reaching a height of some
30 meters. And why is it the Red Canyon? Well, the canyon is mostly
deep red sandstone, with additional shades of red, purple and white.
This tour will run about 2 hours.
· Rest
of day at leisure or - Optional-
Underwater
Observatory, or
Dolphin Reef, where you can Snorkel or dive with dolphins (on own
account. We will provide more information on this tour).
Enjoy dinner at hotel and overnight
Check in to Da
n Panoramic Tel Aviv hotel and farewell dinner
Day 10
After breakfast, drive north through the Arava. Visit the Timna park
and model of the Tabernacle.
Stop for a visit at the Mizpe Ramon crater.
Check into our Tel Aviv hotel for dinner
Day 11
Early morning transfer (with guide) to Ben
Gurion for departure flight
TK811 AT 07:30
And there you have what will likely be the
perfect Israel vacation. I believe we've packed as much as we can into
this itinerary and am confident that you will be delighted with the
tours and hotels. I hope you decide to join us. DEPOSIT TO
SIGN UP: $200
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $944
Sign up for this
Trip!
GROUP AIR:
You are welcome to arrange your own air however we have secured group air from LAX.
Cost is $1,450 with departure taxes (subject to change).
Here is our schedule: Flight:Turkish Airlines 010 Departure: Los Angeles 08OCT
/620P Arrival:Istanbul Ataturk 09OCT/510P
Flight:Turkish Airlines 788 Departure: Istanbul Ataturk 09OCT
/610P Arrival:Tel Aviv 09OCT/715P
Flight:Turkish Airlines 811 Departure: Tel Aviv 19OCT /730A
Arrival:Istanbul Ataturk 19OCT/950A
Flight:Turkish Airlines 009 Departure: Istanbul Ataturk 19OCT
/1245P Arrival:Los Angeles /430P
Cost includes:
-
Meeting & assistance
on arrival and departure from Ben-Gurion Airport by Ophir
representative
-
Porterage at airport
and hotels
-
10 overnights at the
above mentioned hotels
-
7 days sightseeing as
per attached program
-
Expert, government
licensed English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days & transfers
-
Luxury air-conditioned
vehicle as mentioned above
-
Transfer with guide
Ben Gurion airport to Tel Aviv hotel on arrival date
-
Transfer with guide
from Tel Aviv hotel to Ben Gurion airport on departure date
-
Masada cable car round
trip
-
Jeep ride in the north
-
Kayaking on the Jordan
river
-
Boat ride on the Sea
of Galilee
-
Full day tour of
Petra (see
itinerary) with English speaking guide throughout on air-conditioned
-
Horse riding in
Jordan
-
Entrance fees to all
sites mentioned
-
Pilgrimage Certificate
-
Ophir’s Kit
Meal arrangements:
Cost does not include:
-
International
air tickets, departure taxes and applicable visa fees.
-
Border taxes -
Israel/Jordan Border
taxes and tips- appx $65
-
Optional sightseeing tours and meals.
-
Items of a personal nature such as telephone calls, laundry,
beverages etc.
-
Tips
and gratuities to hotel staff, driver/guide.
-
Personal medical and travel insurance.
HOTELS
Dan
Panorama Tel Aviv *****
Yes, 5-star!
Website
Tripadvisor review
 
The Dan
Panorama Hotel offers easy access to everywhere you want to be.
Cross the road fronting this Tel Aviv hotel and you’re on the
Mediterranean where great beaches and soft sands greet you. A stroll
along the coastal promenade takes you to the flea market and scenic
harbor of ancient Jaffa, or to the outdoor cafés of Tel Aviv. A
fascinating walk through the adjoining historic neighborhood leads
to Israel’s major corporate and financial headquarters.
Caesar Tiberias ****
Website
Tripadvisor review
 The
Tiberias Caesar Premier Leisure Hotel is located on the city's
promenade, at a short walking distance from the Kinneret (Sea of
Galilee), and yet in the heart of the city's shopping and
entertainment centers. The hotel offers convenient access for local
touring and sight-seeing in the Golan Heights and the Galilee.
The hotel has 220 spacious, well-designed
rooms, all with spectacular views towards the Kinneret and the Golan
Heights. There are also 7 luxurious suites, and 2 presidential
suites are available for a vacation upgrade.
The hotel boasts its own luxurious spa – the
only hotel in the entire region with a Thermo-Mineral pool – as well
as 20 treatment rooms, salt-water baths, a large gym, and a superb
sauna.
Dan Panoramic
Jerusalem ***** Yes, 5-star!
Website
Tripadvisor review
 The
Dan Panorama Hotel Jerusalem with its dignified architecture and
honey-colored Jerusalem stone exterior resonates with the spirit of
this legendary city.
One of Jerusalem’s favorite hotels, the Dan Panorama Hotel boasts an
exceptional location that enables you to explore Jerusalem’s
multifaceted attractions simply by stepping outside. Across the road
a splendid park greets you. Around the corner is the fabled King
David, a destination in itself with magnificent public areas where
politicians and headline- makers mingle. A scenic stroll along
historic landmarks takes you down to the endlessly fascinating Old
City that invites you to explore a medley of cultures, famous holy
sites of the three monotheistic faiths and the more earthly
attractions of vibrant multicolored open markets.
Leonardo Royal Resort
Website
Tripadvisor review
 Situated
in Eilat, this hotel is close to North Beach, Eilat Museum and Art
Gallery, and Dolphin Reef. Area attractions also include Aqaba Fort
and Coral Beach.
There’s a large swimming pool as well as a
children’s pool and non-stop fun activities for all ages. Meals are
plentiful and tastefully prepared, with extended restaurant opening
times for maximum visitor convenience. There are plenty of facilities
and services to help you relax and indulge yourself during the day –
plus an exciting in-house dancing club for you to visit at night.
Sign up for this
Singles Trip! |
