Compare Hiking the Israel Trail: Ancient History & Wild Landscapes by Road Scholar vs Mediterranean Sea by Travel for All

Day 1
In Transit to Program
In Flight

Day 2
Arrive, Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Jerusalem D Prima Kings Hotel
Dinner: Welcome dinner in the hotel dining room.

Day 3
Biblical Jerusalem
Jerusalem B,L,D Prima Kings Hotel
Activity note: Up to 2 hours of walking at a time, some through tunnels. Walking on cobble stones and stairs unavoidable.

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Begin your exploration of Jerusalem at the City of David. On-site lecture: Political Morality in the Bible. Walk through the Canaanite era dry tunnel. Continue in newly excavated First Century tunnel to the Southern Wall Excavations. On-site lecture: The Role of the Temple in Ancient Civilizations and King Herod-The Builder.

Lunch: Lunch at restaurant in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Afternoon: Guided exploration through the Jewish and Armenian Quarters to Zion Gate. Leisure time at hotel.

Dinner: Dinner in local restauarant.

Day 4
Burma Road and Latrun
Jerusalem B,L,D Prima Kings Hotel
Activity note: Total hiking this day is 7.5 miles, 4-5 hours

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Hike along the Israel Trail in the Jerusalem hills from Beit Meir through the Masryk Reserve and "The Burma Road", a bypass road built to break the siege of Jerusalem during the War of Independence in 1948.

Lunch: Picnic Lunch en route

Afternoon: Finish hiking at Latrun, where the Armored Corps Museum and a Trappist Monastery are located.

Dinner: Enjoy dinner at a restaurant in the Jerusalem Hills.

Day 5
Mt. of Olives & Kidron Valley, Jewish Sabbath
Jerusalem B,D Prima Kings Hotel
Activity note: Total distance is 1-2 miles, mostly downhill.

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Walk down the Mt. of Olives, passing a number of beautiful churches on the way: Dominus Flevit, St. Mary Magdalene and Church of All Nations. Continue along the Kidron Valley Trail passing monumental tombs from the First and Second Century BCE.

Lunch: Lunch on own in the Machaneh Yehuda fruit & vegetable market.

Dinner: Enjoy a traditional Sabbath meal at the hotel.

Evening: Visit the Western Wall Plaza as thousands from around the world gather.

Day 6
Sabbath in Jerusalem, Christian Quarter
Jerusalem B,L,D Prima Kings Hotel
Activity note: Morning: up to 1 mile at slow pace, stopping for explanations along the way. Afternoon: 1-2 miles, stairs, 2.5 hours including explanations.

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Morning walking tour through the historical and picturesque neighborhood of Yemin Moshe located just outside the walls of the Old City.

Lunch: Lunch in the hotel dining room.

Afternoon: Walking tour to the Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, through the Christian Quarter including guided visit of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure.

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel dining room.

Evening: Cultural Event.

Day 7
Jordan River Valley and Gilboa Region
Galilee Region B,L,D Nofey Gonen Kibbutz Guest House
Activity note: Total hiking is 2 miles, 3 hours.

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Depart Jerusalem and travel north along the Jordan River Valley to Mt. Gilboa. Hike along Mt. Gilboa which overlooks the Jezreel Valley and to view late-blooming purple Gilboa Irises. Hike through Nahal Yitzpor.

Lunch: Lunch in kibbutz dining room with kibbutz members.

Afternoon: Visit Kibbutz Sde Eliyah, a leader in the "Green" revolution and organic farming techniques. "Bio-Bee" tour of the organic farm which uses integrated pest control of insects, barn owls, and other birds instead of harmful pesticides.

Dinner: Dinner at guest house dining room.

Evening: Lecture: "Water Knows No Borders-Ecological & Security Issues Pertaining to the Jordan River Basin"

Day 8
The "Mighty" Jordan River and Its Tributaries
Galilee Region B,L,D Nofey Gonen Kibbutz Guest House
Activity note: Morning: approx. 1 mile, flat trail, 2 hours with explanations. Afternoon: approx 1 mile, partly walking through water, 2 hours.

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast in the guest house dining room.

Morning: Hike along the northern most part of the Israel Trail along the beautiful and lust Tel Dan Nature Reserve. The Dan River is the largest of the tributaries to the Jordan River. See the archaeological remains of an ancient Israelite site.

Lunch: Packed Lunch.

Afternoon: Continue along the Israel Trail, walking through the Snir (Hatzbani) Stream.

Dinner: Enjoy dinner at the Dag Al Hadan fish restaurant (famous for trout) along the river.

Day 9
Hula Valley
Galilee Region B,L,D Nofey Gonen Kibbutz Guest House
Activity note: Total hiking 2.5 miles, 3 hours. Bike ride will be on flat terrain.

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast in the guest house dining room.

Morning: Pick up hiking along the Israel Trail from Nebi Yusha (a Muslim shrine to the Prophet Joshua) to Qadesh, a Canaanite village mentioned in the book of Joshua, overlooking the Hula Valley.

Lunch: Enjoy lunch and wine tasting at the Adir Winery.

Afternoon: Then venture to the Agamon Hahula- a bird paradise- at sunset, when thousands of local and migrating birds settle in for the night. We’ll enjoy a guided tour in a tractor-drawn safari wagon, which allows you an extra-close observation of birds and other animals in their natural habitat at Agamon Hula.

Dinner: Dinner in the guest house dining room.

Day 10
Arbel Cliff, Ancient Tzippori, & Druze Village
Greater Haifa/Carmel Region B,L,D Eden Inn
Activity note: Arbel Cliff- 1.5 miles, mostly down incline, 2 hours. Tzippori-approximately 2 hours, including explanations. Dirt paths, some stairs.

Breakfast: Breakfast in the guest house dining room.

Morning: Hike through the Arbel Cliff Nature Reserve, a vertical cliff towering high above a chasm overlooking the Sea of Galilee, the Golan Heights, and Mt. Hermon.

Lunch: Picnic Lunch

Afternoon: Explore the archaeological site of Tzippori, the Roman city of Sepphoris, site of some of the most beautiful mosaics in the entire Middle East. On-site lecture: Crossroads of Civilization: Rome & Jerusalem. Then visit the Druze village of Daliat-al-Carmel including the local "shuk".

Dinner: Enjoy a home hospitality dinner with a Druze family. Residents will explain their religion and culture.

Day 11
Modern Israeli Art
Tel Aviv B,D Metropolitan Hotel
Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Depart by coach to pick up the Israel Trail. Hike into the artist village of Ein Hod where we will meet with local artists in their studios.

Lunch: Lunch on own en route.

Afternoon: Travel south along the Mediterranean Sea to Tel Aviv. Summary and conclusion session.

Dinner: Farewell dinner in Tel Aviv's Yemenite Quarter.

Day 12
Program Concludes
In Flight B
Breakfast: Breakfast in hotel dining room.

Day 1:

Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport where you will meet with your driver for an accessible transfer to your hotel in Netanya.

Once checked into the hotel and settled in, the remainder of the day will be spent at your leisure.

Days 2 – 4:

Spend your days swimming in the Mediterranean Sea and exploring the streets of Netanya; a Mediterranean resort city in central Israel known for its sandy beaches, including Amphi Beach.

The remains of Um Khaled Khan village date to the Mamluk period. The Museum of Yemenite Jews Heritage depicts the culture of Yemenite Jewry. South of the city, rare seasonal purple irises bloom at the Iris Reserve. The Udim Reserve is known for its turtles and water birds.

Day 5: Excursion “Jerusalem – an overview”.

Today will be packed with history as you tour The Mount of Olives, The Archaeological Museum of Davidson, The Western Wall and The Tunnels.

Later you will be transferred back to your hotel for overnight

Day 6

Spend your day swimming in the Mediterranean Sea and exploring the streets of Netanya.

Day 7:

Check-out. Accessible transfers to Ben Gurion will have you on your way.