Israel and Jordan 12-Day Tour Package

Day 1: Welcome to Israel

After you touch down at Ben Gurion Airport and make your way to your Tel Aviv or Jerusalem hotel you’ll have time to relax and settle in. Your hotel accommodation is included in your tour package.  If you want you can use some of our suggestions about how to spend your first day in Israel or you could spend the day discovering the unique character of the Holy Land and its people. Welcome to Israel!

Overnight stay: Tel Aviv

 Day 2: Caesarea, Acre and Rosh Hanikra

Tour the coastal cities of Israel as we drive north of Tel Aviv and make our first stop in Caesarea. Here we tour the remains of an ancient Roman port city and see the theater, hippodrome, and ruins of palaces, temples, and bathhouses. We travel further north along the coast to the port city of Haifa. Here we see the terraced Baha’i Gardens on Mt. Carmel and learn about the Baha’i faith. Continuing all the way to Israel’s border with Lebanon the tour takes you to the sea caves of Rosh HaNikra. Here we can enter the cave chambers and tunnels where waves crash against the rocks. We return south and the tour visits the Crusader city of Acre. Here we tour the Crusader fortress built in the 12th century, the Ottoman structures, and a former Turkish and British Mandate citadel prison. 

 Day 3: Nazareth, Capernaum and Sea of Galilee

This tour begins with a drive up the coastal road, then we turn off towards the Valley of Armageddon. From here we can see Megiddo. We pass by Mt. Precipice and arrive in Nazareth. Here we tour the beautiful Church of Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph. On route to the Sea of Galilee, we pass Cana, where Christ transformed water into wine. From a distance, we see Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount and stop in Capernaum on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. In Tabgha, we tour the Roman Catholic Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. We pass Tiberias on the edge of the Sea of Galilee and stop at Yardenit. This River Jordan baptismal site could have been where John baptized Jesus. On our return journey, we pass Mt. Tabor where the Transfiguration took place.

 Day 4: Golan Heights

The Golan Heights Tour takes you north through the Plain of Armageddon and past Megiddo into Galilee. The Galilee has rolling hills, farmlands, vineyards, and the beautiful Sea of Galilee. Crossing the Jordan River we ascend the Golan Heights through lush countryside. We pass Hamat Gader, a site with hot springs used by the Romans and modern-day spa-goers. We travel to the Shalom Observatory and from this elevated point, we have stunning views all the way to the Sea of Galilee. In Katzrin we see an excavated Jewish village from the Mishnah and Talmudic eras.  At Mt. Bental we explore the remaining Syrian bunkers and trenches captured by Israelis in the 1967 Six-Day War. 

 Day 5: Jerusalem Old and New

We take in the panoramic views of Jerusalem from the top of Mount of Scopus then travel down the mount passing the biblical Garden of Gethsemane, Church of All Nations, and Kidron Valley which holds monumental Jewish tombs. In the Jewish Quarter, we see the Cardo; the Byzantine-era main street of Jerusalem. We stop at the sacred Western Wall to place a prayer note between the ancient stones of the wall. The tour follows part of the Via Dolorosa to the stunning Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Here we see the site of Christ’s crucifixion and his burial tomb. After a lunch break and walk through the Old City bazaar we travel to new Jerusalem. Driving through the modern city we reach Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. The museum’s exhibits include authentic artifacts, original documents, photos, and video testimonials of Holocaust survivors.

 Day 6: Masada and the Dead Sea

This tour heads to southern Israel through the Judean Hills and past the Inn of the Good Samaritan. We pause at sea level for an unforgettable photo-op then continue our descent further and further down beneath sea level towards the iconic Dead Sea. Our first stop is at Masada where we take a cable car to the plateau summit and tour the remains of Herod’s 2,055 year old palace fortress. We see remarkable structures including palaces and a bathhouse. From Masada the tour takes you past the desert oasis of Ein Gedi and Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We spend the rest of the day relaxing on one of the Dead Sea beaches. You can float in the salty-water that is 8.6 times more saline than the ocean creating natural buoyance. Use the Dead Sea mud as a natural skin mask and soak up the glorious Dead Sea sun. 

 Day 7: Day of Leisure in Jerusalem

With a free day in Jerusalem you can visit sites you’ve dreamed of or discover new places in the City of Gold. Wander through the Old City visiting churches and ancient sites or venture into the new city. At the Machane Yehuda Market taste local delicacies and at Mamilla Mall experience luxury shopping. Visit Ein Kerem, a village-like neighborhood or explore Mt. Zion. Jerusalem has brilliant parks and museums including the Israel Museum and Shrine of the Book that holds the Dead Sea Scrolls. We can offer suggestion of how to spend your free time in Jerusalem.

 Day 8: Jerash and Amman

On the first day of this tour leave Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and enter Jordan by crossing the Sheikh Hussein Bridge and travel through stunning landscapes to Jerash. Here we see the well preserved remains of an important ancient Roman city. Your Jordanian tour guide will show you Jerash’s colonnaded streets, amphitheater, Roman baths, temples and more. Continue on to the Jordanian capital of Amman where we settle into our Amman hotel for the night.

 Day 9: Mount Nebo and Petra

We set off to Mount Nebo where Moses stood as he looked out over the Promised Land. From here we have brilliant views of the Dead Sea, Jordan Valley and Jericho. The tour continues through dramatic landscapes to Wadi Musa, a small town at the entrance to Petra. We approach Petra on foot or horseback through a narrow gorge where vertical cliffs tower above us on both sides. Petra is an archeological city carved out of red-colored rock cliffs over 2,300 years ago. We tour Petra’s intricately decorated rock-cut tombs, temples and monuments then spend the night in Wadi Musa.

Day 10: Wadi Rum and Madaba

Start your day with a hearty breakfast then we embark on a journey through Wadi Rum, a desert wilderness with unique rock formations. Just like Lawrence of Arabia you’ll be mesmerized by the beauty of Wadi Rum as you explore the area on a thrilling jeep safari stopping at Khazali Canyon and Lawrence Spring. Driving north we reach Madaba to visit a Byzantine-era church with a floor mosaic featuring a map of the Holy Land. It is one of the oldest cartographic depictions of this region and specifically Jerusalem. We drive on to Amman where we spend the night.

 Day 11: Back to Israel via Sheikh Hussein Border

On the final day of the tour you wake up in your Amman hotel and after breakfast the tour leaves the Jordanian capital to make the return journey back to Israel. On route we cross the Jordan River and leave the Hashemite Kingdom via the Sheikh Hussein Bridge border crossing into Israel and on to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

 Day 12: Last Day in Israel

On your last day in Israel you will have time to pack your bags and say good-bye to the Holy Land. If your flight is in the evening check-out at 11am and leave your luggage at the hotel. Head into the city to enjoy a “last supper” or do some last minute shopping. Perhaps return to a place you fell in love with; visit somewhere new or mix with the locals at a neighborhood café. If you would like to use your last day to the fullest we would be happy to make suggestions or help you plan a tour.