Compare The Holy Land: Past, Present, and Future by National Geographic Expeditions vs Immersive Israel by Culture Trip
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| Trip |
3.5 | Average
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 11 days | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 5,995 | $ 2,709 |
| Price Per Day | $ 545 | $ 387 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Internal airfare and ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
10 Breakfast,7 Lunches and 9 Dinner |
Six breakfasts, one lunch, four dinners |
| Description |
Immerse yourself in the history and culture of the Holy Land on an expedition inspired by the peace-building efforts of National Geographic Emerging Explorer Aziz Abu Sarah. Explore the City of David and Masada, glide across the Sea of Galilee, and discover Jerusalem through the eyes of Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Hear a broad spectrum of narratives on this program designed in partnership by Israelis and Palestinians, Arabs and Jews. |
Take a deep dive into the culture, religion and conflict that make up the fabric of this region on this immersive seven-day trip. See Jerusalem from the perspective of two locals, one Arab and one Jewish, and visit Mount Zion. You’ll also have the opportunity to cycle through the Tel Aviv markets; float across the Dead Sea on a boat trip; and whip up a Middle Eastern feast in a family home in Bethlehem. You’re guaranteed to see an authentic side to this complex, fascinating destination. This trip has been designed to help you explore this beautiful but politically turbulent region. We'll provide a balanced view of the Israel-Palestine conflict, focused on enriching your understanding of the area. |
Days 1 & 2: U.S./Tel Aviv, Israel/Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: American Colony Hotel
Take an overnight flight to Tel Aviv, and transfer to Jerusalem. Relax at the hotel before our reception and welcome dinner tonight.
Day 3: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: American Colony Hotel
Begin the day on the Temple Mount, capped by the shining cupola of the Dome of the Rock. Meet an imam from the Al-Aqsa Mosque, who will explain the importance of the holy site to Muslims. Then visit the Western Wall with a rabbi, touch the ancient stones, and learn about the significance of this sacred place. A local pastor then joins us at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, home to six Christian sects and, according to tradition, the tomb of Jesus. In the afternoon, ascend to the top of the Mount of Olives, and take in a panoramic view of the domes, spires, and golden stones of Jerusalem’s Old City.
Day 4: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: American Colony Hotel
Just outside the Old City walls lies the City of David, thought to be the original capital city established by King David some 3,000 years ago. Venture into the archaeological site, and meet with its Israeli administrators, and later with residents of the nearby Palestinian neighborhood who oppose the excavations. Later, get an insider’s perspective on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict with an Israeli politician. Then travel to Ramallah, where we are granted rare access to the offices of the Palestinian Authority, and hear from a high-ranking politician.
Day 5: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: American Colony Hotel
Today, trace the turbulent history of the birth of the state of Israel. At Yad Vashem, Israel’s moving memorial to the Holocaust, meet with a Holocaust survivor for a personal glimpse into one of history’s darkest moments. Then travel to Ein Kerem, where Christian tradition says John the Baptist was born. An Israeli and a Palestinian guide will each tell their divergent narrative of the village’s role in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence. Enjoy time to explore Jerusalem on your own. Tonight, gather for a discussion with Israeli and Palestinian peace activists from the Bereaved Families Forum.
Day 6: Bethlehem and the West Bank
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: American Colony Hotel
Travel to the Gush Etzion settlement bloc to hear the viewpoints of Israeli settlers. Continue to Bethlehem and meet with the mayor to learn about the city’s shrinking Christian population. Stop by Manger Square and, at the Church of the Nativity, descend into the cave revered by many as the birthplace of Jesus. Walk through a nearby Palestinian refugee camp, and learn how murals and graffiti have been used to depict the refugees’ struggles. Our final stop is Herodion, a volcano-shaped hill and fortress built by Herod the Great. Over dinner, take in a musical performance by a group of Israeli and Palestinian musicians.
Day 7: Jerusalem/Jericho/Dead Sea
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ein Gedi Boutique Hotel
This morning, meet with an environmentalist from Friends of the Earth Middle East whose efforts to foster Arab–Jewish cooperation through environmental stewardship were featured in the special April 2010 “Water” issue of National Geographic magazine. View the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Israel Museum, and then drive down through the Judean Desert to Jericho to visit the archaeological site of Tel Jericho. This afternoon, continue to our hotel located in the Ein Gedi kibbutz on the shores of the Dead Sea. Learn about the kibbutz movement before enjoying time on your own to float in the Dead Sea, wander through the hotel’s botanical garden, or enjoy an optional spa treatment.
Day 8: The Jordan River Valley/Tiberias
Accommodation: The Scots Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Soar up the flank of Masada in a gondola and explore King Herod’s 2,000-year-old mountaintop refuge. Then follow the Jordan Valley north to the Roman city of Bet She’an to see its remarkably preserved amphitheater, baths, and column-lined streets. Along the way, stop to dip your feet in the Jordan River where Christian pilgrims come to get baptized.
Day 9: Galilee
Accommodation: The Scots Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Visit Caesarea Philippi, a center of worship from the Hellenic age to the early Christian era. Explore the area as you wish this afternoon: follow a scenic trail to the Banias waterfall or enjoy a short hike through the Tel Dan Nature Reserve to the ancient city of Dan. Take a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee from Tiberias to Capernaum, where Jesus lived and preached, and many apostles, including Peter, made their home.
Day 10: Nazareth/Jaffa/Tel Aviv
Accommodation: Dan Tel Aviv Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hear the perspective of an Israeli Arab Christian on the way to Nazareth, where we visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, one of the largest churches in the Middle East. On an excursion to the mountaintop village of Beit Jann, discover the secretive traditions of the Druze, and enjoy lunch with a Druze family in their home. Travel towards the Mediterranean coast this afternoon, and explore picturesque Jaffa, a strategic port town dating back to the Bronze Age. Explore the bustling city of Tel Aviv, our home for tonight, and enjoy dinner on your own.
Days 11 & 12: Caesarea Maritima/Tel Aviv/U.S.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner ( Day 11), Breakfast (Day 12)
Accommodation: Dan Tel Aviv Hotel
Follow the coast north to Caesarea Maritima, Herod’s harbor city, and visit the ruins with geo-archaeologist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer Beverly Goodman. Then enjoy a free afternoon in Tel Aviv before gathering for a farewell reception and dinner. After breakfast the next morning, transfer to the airport for your flight home.
DAY 1
Arrive in Jerusalem, followed by an evening craft beer tasting
Touch down in Ben Gurion Airport – or if you’ve been on our Beyond Petra: Discovering Jordan’s Rugged Side trip, you’ll be collected from the border. Check in to your hotel in Jerusalem. Here you’ll meet our Local Insider who will accompany the group throughout the trip. At 5pm, get to know your fellow travellers over a glass of wine. Next, head out for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Finish the evening in the Machane Yehuda Market for craft beer tasting at Beer Bazaar, a cool hangout that stocks more than 100 bottled Israeli microbrews.
ACCOMMODATION
- Harmony Hotel
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Welcome dinner with beer tasting
DAY 2
Explore the holiest sites in Jerusalem
Today, you’ll take a deep dive into the Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites in the Old City with two locals, one Arab and one Jewish. Early birds can join an optional prayer service in the Holy Sepulchre. Regroup at the Mount of Olives, where you'll start the tour at the gold-topped Islamic shrine, the Dome of the Rock, and al-Aqsa Mosque, before an optional Western Wall tunnel tour. After lunch, walk part of the Via Dolorosa, the crucifixion route Jesus took, towards the ancient Holy Sepulchre and end the day on top of the Old City ramparts.
ACCOMMODATION
- Harmony Hotel
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Old City tour with two locals
- Old City ramparts tour
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Holy Sepulchre morning prayer service
- Western Wall tunnel tour
DAY 3
Tour of Mount Zion and home-cooked meal with a local family
In the morning, you can choose to visit Yad Vashem, a Holocaust memorial museum on the slopes of the Mount of Remembrance, or take the opportunity for some free time. Lunch will be street-food bites at Machane Yehuda before a trip to Mount Zion. A representative from the Jewish Intercultural Centre (JICC) will take you on a tour of the multi-faith sites and discuss this hotly contested land. Dinner is a traditional home-cooked meal hosted by a local family.
ACCOMMODATION
- Harmony Hotel
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Machane Yehuda Market tour
- Mount Zion visit with JICC representative
- Home-cooked dinner with local family
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- East to West Jerusalem food tour
- Meet religious leader at Mount Zion
- Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum visit
DAY 4
Step inside the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, followed by a cooking class
Leaving Jerusalem behind, you’ll be driven 25 minutes to Bethlehem, stopping at the Tent of Nations, an educational farm in the West Bank. Meet local Palestinian Christians here and learn how they turned their land into a reconciliation space. In Bethlehem, visit the Nativity Church and Manger Square. Next, see the colourful, politically charged graffiti on the Separation Wall. End the day with a visit to Banksy’s museum (aka the Walled Off Hotel) and a leisurely cooking class with a local family. Return to Jerusalem for a final night at the hotel.
ACCOMMODATION
- Harmony Hotel
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Tent of Nations visit
- Nativity Church and Manger Square visit
- Bethlehem Old City tour
- Separation Wall and Banksy museum visit
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Bethlehem cooking class
- Meet with peace-focused NGO
- Cross West Bank checkpoint on foot
DAY 5
Climb Masada and take a Dead Sea boat cruise
After breakfast, you’ll be whisked away to the ancient fortress of Masada, in southern Israel. Built by Herod I, it sits on an isolated rock plateau overlooking the Dead Sea. You’ll have the option to hike to the top via the popular Snake Path trail. From here, enjoy a private boat ride on the Dead Sea. If time permits, take a tour of a kibbutz and visit a goat or date farm. Tonight, you’ll sleep in a lush desert oasis in the Kana`im Valley.
ACCOMMODATION
- Kfar Hanokdim
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Masada visit
- Dead Sea private boat cruise
- Bedouin dinner
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Hike up Masada
- Local kibbutz tour
- Goat or date farm visit
DAY 6
Discover Tel Aviv by bicycle – from food to tech startups
Ready to swap dunes for the glassy tower blocks of Tel Aviv? Today, you’ll visit the Yitzhak Rabin Center, a library and museum built in memory of the assassinated prime minister. Learn about Rabin’s life, peace processes and wars. Next, hop on a bike for a two-wheel foodie tour of the vibrant Carmel Market, trendy Levinsky Market and the Jaffa Flea Market passing historical sights (such as Independence Hall) as you pedal. You can also visit the Center for Israeli Innovation, and discover more about Israeli tech startups. Digest the week over a farewell dinner with new friends.
ACCOMMODATION
- Center Chic
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
- Yitzhak Rabin Center visit
- Tel Aviv bicycle tour
- Independence Hall and Jaffa visit
- Farewell dinner
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- South Tel Aviv refugee encounter
- Center for Israeli Innovation visit
DAY 7
Depart from Tel Aviv
After a lazy breakfast, it’s time to wave goodbye to the group and make your way to the airport by 8am. Alternatively, stay on and extend your trip in Israel. There’s always the south to discover next.
