"Israel like you've never seen before " based on Isrotel Executive Collection- the leading 5* hotels of Isrotel hotels chain!
Day 1:
Transfer from the Ben Gurion Airport to Haifa.
Overnight at ISROTEL Carmel Forest Spa Resort
Day 2:
Our Tour starts with a panoramic view from the Carmel Mountain over the whole Haifa Bay, famous for its beauty. In Haifa we shall not miss a visit to the Bahai Gardens and Temple, center for millions of believers of the Bahai religion. No wonder that UNESCO declared this special place a "World Heritage Site"! In Rosh Hanikra, right by the Lebanese Border, we can enjoy the grottoes carved in the soft, white chalk rock thousands of years ago… We end the day at Acco (Acre) with its underground Crusader City, left intact almost as it was some 900 years ago, and its colorful Turkish Bazar where goods from all over the world are still displayed for sale – yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site!
Overnight ISROTEL Carmel Forest Spa Resort
Day 3:
A scenic drive through the Carmel Mountains and the Galilee brings us up to Tzfat (Safed), the spiritual city which winding, blue-painted alleys hide hundreds of legends and attract religious Jews and secular artists, all of them wanting to be inspired by this mystic Galilean air… At the Tsfat Kabbala Center we will meet a Rabbi who will reveal to us some of the secrets of Judaism's Mystic knowledge – the Kabbalah, as well as a Torah-Scribe that will teach us his ancient profession, combining skill and spirit. From Israel's highest city, 900 meters above sea level, we drive down to Magdala, situated more than 200 meters below sea level! In Magdala, recent excavations uncovered some astonishing findings, including a synagogue from the times of the second temple (the time of Jesus) villas with personal Mikveh's (Ritual Baths) a thriving market where the salted fish were sold, and much more...
Drive through the Jordan Valley, and then up a steep road to the well-preserved Belvoir Crusader Castle, overlooking the Jordan Valley, and all the way towards Trans-Jordan… Driving south through the Jordan Valley and along the shores of the Dead Sea brings us to the ISROTEL Dead Sea, where we will spend the 2 following nights.
Overnight ISROTEL Dead Sea
Day 4:
We spend the whole day by the Dead Sea, the deepest place on earth! Visit Ein Gedi National Park, a Nature Reserve, where 4 springs of fresh water flow through the desert and create a small paradise for animals and plants. We will walk quietly through the reserve to the waterfall, hoping to see a few of the many animals and birds that also enjoy this wonderful natural creation. A 10 minutes' drive along the shores of the Dead Sea brings us to Masada, a magnificent fortress, surrounded from all sides by high and steep cliffs, where less than a thousand Jews sought refuge during the 1st rebellion against the Romans, and fought them till Death. Their courageous spirit became a symbol of Jewish bravery for the modern State of Israel and made this site a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the afternoon we will set out for a Jeep-Tour through the bizarre landscapes of the Sodom Mountain (oh, yeah! THAT Sodom…!!!) before returning to our Isrotel for yet another stay by the soothing and relaxing Dead Sea.
Overnight ISROTEL Dead Sea
Day 5:
The road through the hills of the Judean Desert, where it seems that Landscape hasn't changed since Biblical Times, leads us to the Site of The Good Samaritan, with its well-preserved Byzantine Church and its extraordinary collection of mosaics. At the Good Samaritan Museum, we can see findings connected to the 3 religions mentioned in this story: Jewish Synagogues, Christian Churches, and findings from ancient Samaritan Synagogues where the only place in the world they can be seen is the Good Samaritan Museum! Not far away from there, at "Genesis Land", we will have a whole different experience: Here "Abraham's Tent" was reconstructed, and you can experience life in the time of Abraham by wearing the clothes of that time, riding camels, baking bread, meeting "Eliezer", Abraham's Servant, who will invite you to eat a biblical meal in his tent, telling you all about Abraham in the Bible, and more… Now time has come to ascend to The Holy City – Jerusalem! We will stop for a panoramic view of the Old City from Mt. Scopus, before heading down to the Orient Hotel located in the midst of the Holy City.
Overnight ISROTEL Orient Jerusalem
Day 6:
We start our visit in Jerusalem with a Segway Tour from the Peace Forest and along the Haas Promenade. This enables us to enjoy a panoramic view of the city, but also have some fun! A short drive brings us to the Jaffa Gate, and a few more steps take us right up on the Walls of Jerusalem! We walk on Jerusalem's ramparts from the Jaffa Gate to the Dung Gate, with a unique view over the Armenian Quarter and into the center of the New City of Jerusalem. Stepping down from the Ancient Wall, we head down to the "City of David", to experience the ancient water-system, built partly more than 3000 years ago! Entering Jerusalem's Old City we will not miss, of course, the famous Western (Wailing) Wall, a place of prayer and hope, where, already centuries ago, Jews came to utter their most intimate wishes in front of the Creator of the world. We continue, over the roofs of the Old City, viewing its 4 Quarters from above, and down to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Christianity's Holiest site, housing a variety of most holy chapels and sites that attract Christian pilgrims from all over the world. From here we walk back to the Jaffa Port and after a short drive we are back at the ISROTEL Orient Hotel.
Overnight ISROTEL Orient Jerusalem
Day 7:
This day is dedicated to the New City of Jerusalem, which also has quite a few interesting sites to offer: We will start by the famous Menorah (Candelabra) situated in front of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, and symbolizing the Spirit of the People of Israel that was never defeated, even in the most difficult periods of its history. At the Israel Museum we visit the Model of Jerusalem at the 2nd Temple Period, as well as the "Shrine of the Book", an architectural masterpiece housing the famous "Dead Sea Scrolls", that contain the oldest copies of the Bible, dating back more than 2000 years! Then we drive to nearby Ein Karem, a picturesque village, where according to Christian tradition John the Baptist was born. Instead of having a traditional lunch, today we will have a culinary tour through Jerusalem's Machane Yehuda Market, tasting the different types of food that Jews brought to Jerusalem from all 4 corners of the world, meeting the different people and hearing their stories and legends… After this we will keep strolling on foot through the conservative and religious neighborhoods Nachla'ot and Me'a She'arim, learning about their special way of life.
Overnight ISROTEL Orient Jerusalem
Day 8:
Transfer to the Airport for your flight back home.
