Classic 12 Night Friday Arrival Israel Tours

Friday - Ben Gurion Airport / Tel Aviv  Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Tel Aviv. Saturday – At Leisure - Overnight in Tel Aviv. Sunday - Caesarea / Megiddo / Druze VillagesDrive along the coastal plain to Caesarea, capital of Judea under the Romans. See the excavations of the Crusader city, Roman port, aqueduct and the amphitheater that has been restored to its former glory as a concert venue. Proceed to Megiddo, identified as the site of Armageddon; visit the archaeological excavations including the well preserved water supply system. Continue to Daliat El Carmel, a Druze village and enjoy a late lunch at a local restaurant. Proceed via Mount Carmel to Haifa for a panoramic view of the Haifa Bay and Golden domed Baha'i shrine and Gardens. Overnight in a Kibbutz guesthouse. Monday - Safed / Golan Heights / WineryDrive to Safed, the center of Jewish mysticism, where you will visit the ancient synagogues and artists’ colony. Continue to the Golan Heights to see the former Syrian bunkers, Kuneitra and the new Israeli town of Katzrin. Stop at the Golan Winery for a tour and wine tasting; Proceed to Kessem Hagolan, a multimedia presentation of the area and its history. Overnight in a Kibbutz guesthouse.

Tuesday - Sea of Galilee / Nazareth 

Start the day with a visit to Nazareth and visit the Church of the Annunciation. Continue to Tiberias; visit Capernaum to see the ruins of the synagogue and octagonal Church of St. Peter. Visit Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Drive via Beit Shean to Beit Alpha to see the remains of the mosaic floor of an ancient synagogue depicting the zodiac. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Wednesday - Jerusalem: Old City

Start the day with a magnificent panoramic view from Mount of Olives. Drive to the Old City;

Visit the tomb of King David and the room of Last Supper on Mt. Zion. Enter the walled city and walk through the newly restored Jewish quarter. Visit the Roman Cardo, the Herodian quarter and continue to the Western Wall. Walk along the Via Dolorosa to the church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue to Bethlehem; view Rachel's Tomb and proceed to visit the Church of Nativity and Manger's Square. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Thursday - Jerusalem: New City

Drive to the Israel Museum; Visit the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed and the miniature model of Jerusalem as it was during the second temple period; Proceed for a tour at the Knesset, Israel's parliament. Continue to visit Mount Herzl cemetery and Yad Vashem, the memorial to the Holocaust. Visit Mea Shearim , the ultra orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem and learn about their unique lifestyle. In the evening enjoy a middle eastern dinner followed by the spectacular "sound& light" show at the Tower of David museum (weather conditions permitting) .Overnight in Jerusalem. 

Friday - Qumran / Masada / Dead Sea 

Drive through the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, almost 1300 feet (400 meters) below sea level. Stop at Qumran to visit the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to Masada. Ascend by cable car and tour the ancient fortress where the Zealots made their last stand against the Romans before committing mass suicide in 73 A.D. Descend by cable car; Continue to the Dead Sea; Cover yourself with the mineral rich mud and experience a swim in the Dead Sea that many believe has its therapeutic effects (weather permitting). Overnight in Jerusalem. 

Saturday - At leisure

Overnight in Jerusalem.

Sunday - Timna/Underwater Observatory/Eilat

Travel south through the Negev desert, Visit Timna to see the copper mines and King Solomon’s pillars and marvel at the huge multi-colored rock formations. Continue to Eilat and stop to visit the underwater observatory , one of the largest seaquariums in the world, built into a coral reef. Overnight in Eilat.

Monday - At Leisure or optional tour to Petra (additional charge)

After visa assistance at the Jordanian Border, drive straight to Petra through desert highways. Your ultimate destination is the astonishing rose-red city of Petra which was built by the Nabateans (an early Arab tribe). Petra was renowned for its massive architecture, pools, dams and water channels. Petra is the legacy of the Nabateans who settled in the South of Jordan more than two-thousand years ago. The visit begins with the possibility of short horseback-riding for about 700 m. until the entrance of the Siq, which is about 1.2 km long (walking distance). There is

a possibility to rent a chariot (extra) to get inside Petra and back to the gate outside. Petra is famous for its huge monuments such as The Treasury, Royal Tombs, The Court, Roman Theatre, Roman Street, Qasser El-Bint (Palace of Pharaoh's daughter) and many other smaller monuments which fascinate visitors. The city itself is almost 45 square km and is considered to be the second wonder of the world. After the visit, enjoy lunch at a nice restaurant, followed by a drive back to the border. En-route, stop for a short visit at Aqaba with possibility for a short walk. Transfer to border at approximately 18:00 for crossing to Eilat. Overnight in Eilat.

Tuesday - Eilat / Mitzpe Ramon / Sde Boker / Tel Aviv

Depart Eilat via Mitzpe Ramon to gaze into the Ramon crater, a geological wonder. Proceed to Sde Boker and see Ben Gurion’s hut and grave overlooking the magnificent Zin valley. Stop for a Camel riding experience and visit to an authentic Bedouin tent. Learn about the Bedouin hospitality and enjoy a light lunch. Continue to Hatzerim and visit Israel’s air force museum to view the planes and equipment and hear the story of this brave fighting force. Overnight in Tel Aviv.

Wednesday - Tel Aviv / Ben Gurion Airport

After breakfast, transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for departure.