11 DAYS HIGHLIGHTS OF ISRAEL AND JORDAN (MULTI-COUNTRY)
11D / 10N
11 D | Guaranteed Departure | From and to Tel Aviv
During this eleven-day tour, discover the incredible highlights of Israel and Jordan. Arriving in the vibrant city of Tel Aviv, go ‘low’ and see the Dead Sea, and visit ancient archaeological ruins and charming villages. Then discover Jerusalem and its history and enjoy a wine tour and a local Israeli winery. Select between a basic bed-and-breakfast basis or enjoy included dinners on the half-board option.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
- Jerusalem: Israel’s capital city is a city of tradition, religion, and history, but also of modern culture and heritage.
- Beit She’an: One of the oldest cities in Israel, over 20 layers of human civilization are tucked away inside its large ancient mound.
- Nazareth: Nazareth, located in Israel’s Galilee region, not only has over a dozen important Christian sites but as Israel’s largest Arab city, has some fascinating cultural sites and experiences to discover.
- Galilee: One of the most beautiful regions of Israel, Galilee is characterized by its beautiful landscape, amazing natural formations, historic sites, and charming villages.
- Tel Aviv: This city that never sleeps combines sandy Mediterranean beaches with top-notch nightclubs, a buzzing cultural and culinary scene, fascinating architecture, and an international mindset.
- Amman: Considered as the most liberal and modern Arab city and the major tourist destination in the region, Amman is rich in culture and history, from the Neolithic, crossing the classical period, Islamic era, to the modern era.
- Petra: The “Rose City”, due to the color of the stone, is a historical and archaeological city in southern Jordan. Its emblematic buildings are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage since 1985.
Itinerary
Upon arriving at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, meet your tour representative before hopping on the transfer to your hotel in Tel Aviv for your first night in Israel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, becoming acquainted with your vibrant new surroundings. Overnight in Tel Aviv in selected hotel and board option
DAY 2 : TEL AVIV – BEER SHEBA – MASADA AND DEAD SEA – JERUSALEM (304 KM – 4.5 HRS)
Meet your tour guide in the morning and set off from Tel Aviv, driving south, passing by the cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon to Beersheba, for a short visit to the capital of the Negev Desert. Continue via Arad to Masada, Israel’s foremost archaeological park. Ascend via cable car for a thorough visit that gives insight into the rituals, politics, and culture of the people who inhabited this desert fortress, the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations, Herod’s palaces, the synagogue, the bathhouse, and cisterns, and enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea. Descend to the lowest place on earth – the Dead Sea, to experience the mineral-rich black mud and float in its salty waters. Passing by the oasis of Ein Gedi, proceed through the Judean Desert to Jerusalem. Overnight in Jerusalem in selected hotel and board option
DAY 3: JERUSALEM
Start the day at the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book, which contains the famous Dead Sea scrolls, then a visit to the beautifully renovated model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem, dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Enjoy Ein Karem: a picturesque village on the southwestern outskirts of Jerusalem. This small village has great significance in Christian traditions since this is where according to tradition John the Baptist was born. Visit Yad Vashem the official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953, located at the foot of Mt. Herzl. Then travel to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, commemorated at the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square. Return to your Jerusalem hotel. Overnight in Jerusalem in selected hotel and board option.
DAY 4 : JERUSALEM: OLD CITY
Enter the Old City of Jerusalem, where you’ll see the Western Wall and the actual site of the Second Temple, the Temple Mount. Walk along the Way of the Cross, the Via Dolorosa, to Calvary and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, housing both the traditional site of Crucifixion and the Tomb of the Resurrection. To the southwest, just outside the Old City, is Mount Zion, with the traditional tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper. From atop the Mount of Olives, enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of Jerusalem, a holy city for the world’s three Abrahamic religions, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Visit the Garden of Gethsemane, where Judas betrayed Jesus. In the heart of a neighborhood in downtown Jerusalem, visit Mahane Yehuda to experience the flavors, aromas, colors, and the traders’ interaction with the crowds, at the largest open market in Israel. Return to your Jerusalem hotel. Overnight in Jerusalem in selected hotel and board option
DAY 5: JERUSALEM – BEIT SHE’AN – NAZARETH – GALILEE (267 KM – 4 HRS)
Leave Jerusalem and drive north passing by Jericho, the oldest city in the world. Travel through the Jordan Valley and the new settlements to Beit She’an and visit the excavations of this beautifully preserved Roman city. On to Nazareth, to visit the Church of the Annunciation and Christian holy sites. Proceed then to Safed, the city of the Kabbalah and center of Jewish mysticism, to visit the beautiful streets of the artists’ colony. Overnight in Galilee in selected hotel and board option
DAY 6 : GALILEE: GOLAN HEIGHTS AND AROUND THE SEA OF GALILEE
In the morning, depart the hotel and drive up to the Golan Heights, passing through the Druze villages. Visit a former Syrian fortification on the heights. Pass by Banias, the source of the Jordan River, and then enjoy an Israeli wine country experience, with vineyards surrounded by breathtaking views. Become acquainted with a collection of fine and rare wines during the tour and enjoy a wine tasting while learning about the wine production process. After, descend to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, visit the Mount of Beatitudes and the ruins of the ancient synagogue and Peter’s house at Capernaum. Visit Tabgha, where the miracle of the fish and bread took place. Continue to Tiberias for a short tour of the old center of Jewish learning. Return to Galilee. Overnight in Galilee in selected hotel and board option.
DAY 7: GALILEE – ACRE – HAIFA – CAESAREA – TEL AVIV (124 KM – 2 HRS)
After breakfast drive through the hills of the Galilee, westwards to Acre for a visit to its old Crusader stronghold and medieval fortifications. Continue to Haifa, ascending Mount Carmel for a panoramic view of the city, and visit the Baha’i Shrine, the Persian Garden, and the bay. Proceed along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea to visit the Roman Theatre and the Crusader fortress known as the ‘masterpiece of Herod the Great. End the day with a short city tour of Tel Aviv and the ancient port of Jaffa. Overnight in Tel Aviv in selected hotel and board option
DAY 8: TEL AVIV – JORDAN – JERASH – AMMAN (260 KM – 5 HRS)
Drive from Tel Aviv to the Sheikh Hussein border crossing to enter the neighboring country of Jordan. Proceed to Jerash, the city of the Decapolis, located about 45 kilometers north of Amman in the fertile heights of the Gilad. Visit the ancient Roman city with colonnaded streets, and see its ancient baths, the temple on top of the hill, and much more. Drive then to the capital city of Amman and enjoy a panoramic guided tour of this history-rich Jordanian city with a modern soul. Overnight in Amman in selected hotel and board option.
DAY 9: AMMAN – PETRA (230 KM – 3 HRS)
After an early breakfast, leave the hotel and travel south to the desert region of Wadi Musa. There you’ll find the modern village of Petra. Feel like Indiana Jones as you approach the ‘siq’ (canyon), also known as the “red rock city”, which used to be the ancient capital of the Nabateans from the 3rd century BC to the 2nd century AD. Marvel at the breathtaking beauty of this city carved in rock, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. Visit its most interesting monuments, such as the Treasury, El Khazneh (a tomb of a Nabatean king), the field of tombs, the obelisks, the altar, and Al Madhbah, a point from which you can view the whole of the rock city. Then prepare for an unforgettable night as you make this stunning site your abode and go to sleep in the ancient city. Overnight in Petra in selected hotel and board option
DAY 10: PETRA – MADABA – MOUNT NEBO – TEL AVIV (452 KM – 7 HRS)
Drive northwards to Madaba to visit the remains of its famous Byzantine church, which contains an ancient mosaic floor map, the oldest surviving original cartographic depiction of the Holy Land and Jerusalem. Continue then for about 10 kilometers to Mount Nebo, from where Moses viewed the Promised Land. From there you will indeed be able to see the Jordan Valley, Jericho, and the Dead Sea, which today lie on the other side of the border, in Israel. Drive across the border and return to Tel Aviv. Overnight in Tel Aviv in selected hotel and board option
DAY 11: DEPARTURE TEL AVIV
We have reached our final day on this tour! Enjoy one last breakfast before your transfer takes you to the Ben Gurion airport for your flight back home. Breakfast included
TOUR GUIDE:
- Operated with Government licensed English-speaking guide on all touring days on a shared basis
ACCOMMODATION:
- 10 nights’ accommodation.
MEALS:
- B&B Option: 10 breakfasts
- Half-board option: 10 breakfasts and 9 dinners (upon additional supplement)
TRANSPORT:
- Transfer from/to the airport on arrival and departure
- Sightseeing in a modern air-conditioned motor coach
ENTRANCE FEES AND ACTIVITIES:
- All entrance fees and visits indicated as included: short visit of Jaffa, visit excavations of Beit Shean, Cable car in Masada, Visit excavation, King Herod’s palace, synagogue, visit the tomb of King David, Visit Israel Museum, visit Bethlehem, The Garden of Gethsemane, Museum’s Shrine of the Book with famous Dead Sea scrolls, visit Herodian city of Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the tomb of King Davis, Church of the Nativity, Church of the Annunciation and the carpentry workshop of Joseph, visit former Syrian fortification, tour wine tasting, visit ruins of synagogue & Peter’s house at Capernaum, visit old Crusader from Acre, sightseeing tour in Haifa, visit the port, roman theatre, city tour in Tel Aviv.
OTHER:
- Assistance at the airport upon arrival
EXCLUSIONS
- Porterage at the airport
- Tipping for guide, driver, and hotel staff
- Lunches and beverages with meals
- Travel, medical or baggage insurance
- Optional tours and activities
Please note
- Please take note that Entrance to Yad Vashem is not permitted for children 0 to 10 years.
- Hotel early check-out, early check-in, late check-in, and connecting or adjoining rooms are all subject to availability and not guaranteed
- Please note that hotel classification is as per Israeli standards.
- No refunds for unused services. Splitting the package is not allowed.
- Please note that Single rooms are available on request.
What do I need to bring?
Comfortable and light clothing is best suited to travel in the warm months and warm clothing in the colder months in Israel. Visitors should not wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts, or sparse clothing when visiting temples, religious or official buildings, or the Western Wall. Sun protection, sunglasses, and a hat can be very useful during your stay.