2012 Tour of Israel - 11 days (10 nights)
In this tour we cover nearly every major archaeological site in the country as well as the main traditional holy sites. Experiences range from pushing your way through the sights and smells of Jerusalem's crowded bazaar to strolling quietly beside the Lake of Galilee. See Crusader castles, Roman cities, Jebusite tunnels and Israelite villages. Link this tour with the tours of Egypt and Jordan to make the journey of a lifetime!
| Jericho | 31 52 16.14N 35 26 39.30E | You can clearly see the various trenches and pits that scar this most famous tel from nearly a century of excavation. |
| Beitshan | 32 30 09.04N 35 30 08.38E | You can make out the Roman city, though the picture could be better. The tel is so large that it shows up when you tilt the map! |
| Bethsaida | 35 54 37.87N 35 37 51.39E | You cannot see any of the excavations, but the shape of the tel is clear to see. |
| Horns of Hatin | 32 47 58.36N 35 27 35.16E | There is nothing to be seen here, but the outline of the ancient volcanic crater which is the "Horns" is clearly visible. |
| Caesarea | 32 30 09.15N 34 53 31.90E | The impressive walls of the Crusader city are clearly visible. The excavations down to the Roman theatre are along the beach to the south. |
Day 1/17 Tuesday May 01
Arrive at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport where you will be met and taken to Jerusalem to the beautiful Olive Tree Hotel. The group that has been touring Jordan will cross the Allenby Bridge border and arrive in Jerusalem mid-afternoon.
Day 2/18 Wednesday May 02
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| View of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. |
Day 3/19 Thursday May 03
Our bus takes us to Mt Zion where we visit the Upper Room (Coenaculum) and the Dormition Abbey where the Virgin Mary is buried. We then walk beside the walls down to the Dung Gate and turn right to the Warren Shaft Excavations where we view the recently discovered remains of David's palace (highly contentious!) and then walk through Hezekiah's Tunnel to the Pool of Siloam. (You will need a torch, shorts or swim suit, and footwear that can get wet, plus a bag in which to carry your ordinary clothes. The water in the tunnel is usually no more than knee deep but it can be waist deep. Those who suffer from claustrophobia can wait in the area of the excavations.) We then enter the Old City via the Dung Gate and visit the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. We explore the discoveries of the Ophel Excavations, in which the Diggings team took part, and see the steps up which Jesus almost certainly walked, then head through the heart of the Old City to the Damascus Gate and the amazing King Solomon's Quarries. As the day wanes we visit the beautiful Garden Tomb before walking the short distance back to our hotel.
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| A Diggings tour group emerges from Hezekiah's Tunnel. |
Day 4/20 Friday May 04
In the morning we visit the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed. In the afternoon we head to Bethlehem (you will need to bring your passports for this) and visit the Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ. We also visit the Milk Grotto and the Shepherds' Fields.
Day 5/21 Saturday May 05
Free day in Jerusalem. Those with a yearning for ancient things can visit the Tombs of the Kings or the Tombs of the Sanhedrin, you can spend a whole day being harassed in the bazzar, you can take a taxi excursion to Ein Kerim, birthplace of John the Baptist, or you can visit the holy sites at your leisure and take time to reflect and pray. For those who wish it, I will arrange a service of Holy Communion in the Garden Tomb in the afternoon.
Day 6/22 Sunday May 06
We travel down into the Rift Valley to visit Jericho, which has been claimed as the oldest city on earth (other cities claim the same title!) We then head south to Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found and then further south to Masada where Jewish terrorists, trapped by the Roman Army, committed suicide rather than face justice. We end the day with a swim in the Dead Sea (you will need to bring your swimming costumes).
Day 7/23 Monday May 07
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| The Roman remains of Scythopolis, now Beitshan. |
Day 8/24 Tuesday May 08
We drive round the Lake of Galilee to Kibbutz Ginnosar, where we view the "Jesus Boat" found in the mud of the lake bed when the water level fell during a drought. We then travel on to Tabgha and Capernaum, then up to the ruins of Chorasin where you can "sit in Moses' seat" if you so desire. We continue to Bethsaida and then round to Kursi, the traditional site of the healing of the demoniacs. We climb up to Susita (the bus can only take us so far and then we have to walk) and then down to Ein Gev where we meet our boat which takes us across the lake to Tiberias and our hotel.
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| The formidable Crusader defences of Caesarea. |
Day 9/25 Wednesday May 09
We drive north to Hazor and Tel Dan, then up to Banias and the amazing sanctuary of Pan and the spot where the River Jordan begins. We explore the mighty castle of Nimrud before winding through the disputed Golan Heights and back to our hotel in Tiberias.
Day 10/26 Thursday May 10
We head west to the Horns of Hattin, scene of the final destruction of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, and then on to Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine. From there we drive to Nazareth and walk through the bazaar to the church supposedly built over the house of Mary. We travel to Megiddo and see the stables where Solomon (or Ahab!) kept his horses and walk through the amazing water system that supplied the city in time of siege. We cross the historic pass over Mt Carmel and finish the day in Caesarea, the "heathen" city built by Herod the Great. We book into the Tel Aviv Carlton Hotel for our final night in Israel. You can even swim in the Mediterranean if you wish. 32 05 07.70N 34 46 10.34E
Day 11/27 Friday May 11
Transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport for the flight home.
Total cost of this tour (excluding flights to and from Israel): $2850
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