Day 2 Jerusalem

Enter through the Jaffa Gate and tour the Old City. Wind through the cobbled alleys of the Arab Quarter where you can hunt for bargains while the sweet scents of coffee, spices, and smoke waft through the air. Visit the Christian Quarter and retrace the Via Dolorosa, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Experience the sights and sounds of the Jewish Quarter, including the Cardo, synagogues and small alleyways.

Switch gears for an afternoon of fun with a Cross Jerusalem Segway Tour. Zip through the enchanted, picturesque neighborhoods southwest of the Old City on your self-balancing scooter through Jerusalem’s history. Learn learning about the first established Jewish settlements outside the Old City of Jerusalem.

Day 3 Jerusalem

Meet your guide in the lobby to head out for a half-day tour of the city. Discover fascinating and exciting finds from the Second Temple period on your visit to the Southern Excavations and the Davidson Center. View traces of archways that held up paths to the Temple Mount and the remnants of a main street below that thousands of Jews would have walked on 2000 years ago on their way to the Holy Temple.

Explore what has been unearthed below the Western Wall plaza on a special tour of the Western Wall tunnels. Walk through subterranean spaces and view parts of the Western Wall that were previously hidden from view, including intriguing archaeological findings, such as large stone arches, water pits, and more.

Ascend the Temple Mount, a site holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims. View the Dome of the Rock and El Aqsa Mosques and different prayer spots, arches and fountains structures that span time periods throughout the ages.

Take a guided visit of the Yad Vashem complex, the Jewish National Memorial to victims of the Holocaust, including the new Historical Museum and the Children’s Memorial.

Afternoon at leisure

Day 4 Jerusalem/Judean Desert

Today we transfer you to the Judean Desert – the lowest point on earth. (Drive about 1.5 hours). Enjoy a unique glimpse into the scenic wonder of the Dead Sea and its salt crystal structures while on your private Dead Sea Kayaking Tour. Paddle through water that is heavy, salty and unlike anything else you have experienced before. Float atop the heavy, salty waters at a beachfront spa resort.

For the real adrenaline junkie get your heartrate up on your Cave Rappelling Tour. First, hike up a unique mountain made of salt next to the Dead Sea (about 10-15 minutes) until you reach the entrance of the great “salt cellar” of the Colonel Salt Cave. Next, from the top of this cave, rappel 85 meters into the dark chute where the light of your headlamp reveals extraordinary views of thread-like layers of salt, stalactites and crystals adorning the cave walls. Finally, walk and crawl through the cave’s winding passageway, taking in more of the fascinating structures until you finally emerge at sea level.

Drive (about 1.5 hours) south to the Mitzpe Ramon area.

Day 5 Negev Desert

Half day tour of the Negev Desert. Head out for a special Jeep Tour of the Ramon Crater (called a “makhtesh” in Hebrew), which is the largest crater of its kind in the world! Travel back in time some 220 million years when dinosaurs roamed the earth and learn about the formation of this phenomena, check out the unique animals that inhabit this place and experience the utter vastness of the desert.

Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the spa facilities at the hotel or lounge by the pool.

Additional add on activities available for the adventurous:

Sandboarding (think surfing on the sand!) down the sweeping sand dunes in the Negev. Head to the top of a dune and gaze out at the surrounding desert backdrop and slope below. You can stand, sit, or lay down as you experience the thrill of gliding down the dune in this special and exhilarating experience.

Wine tasting. Nestled along a small river near Mitzpe Ramon is the Nana Winery, you’ll find 25 acres of grapevines that are a living testament to the mission of early settlers of this land to “make the desert bloom”. Learn about the history of wine making in this region directly from the owner and sample a variety of unique wines and snacks during this unique and intimate experience combining the wine culture, the awe-inspiring desert landscape and realizing the dream of settling the Negev.

Day 6 Negev/Eilat

Private transfer to the southernmost point of Israel, Eilat. (Drive time about 1.5 to 2 hours).

Optional Tours for Eilat

Scuba Diving. Suit up and embark on your private scuba dive tour with your personal instructor who will guide your dive as you explore the wonders of the underwater world of the Red Sea, widely regarded as one of the world’s best diving regions. You’ll marvel as you take in the world-class coral reefs, fascinating marine life and more.

Dolphin Swim. This privately run beach is famous for its abundant shade trees, free-range peacocks and resident pod of semi-wild bottlenose dolphins. Originally from the Black Sea, the dolphins can be observed from floating piers or get in the water and snorkel beside them.

Day 7 Eilat or Petra

Enjoy the day at your leisure or sign up for one of the many activities listed above. Or, we can organize a private day tour to Petra, a place that emerges like a mirage from the desert. This rose-red ancient city known as “Sela” in the Bible – and Petra today –was lost to the world for five centuries until its rediscovery in 1812. Our favorite way to approach is by horseback or donkey.

Enter through a narrow gorge carved in the sandstone which opens to a stunning view of the Treasury (which enjoyed cinematic fame as the resting place of the Holy Grail). The World Heritage Site today features palaces, temples, tombs and more, all carved from soft stone cliffs. Masterful masonry makes for architectural surprises at every turn, from the Treasury to the Outer Siq, the 7,000-seat Theatre to the Roman Soldier’s Tomb.

Day 8 Eilat / Tel Aviv

Enjoy the morning at your resort at your leisure. Check out of your hotel and take your private transfer to the Eilat Airport where you will catch your domestic 45-minute flight from Eilat to Tel Aviv. Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, we can offer a speedboat tour of the skyline of Tel Aviv or a Fishing Yacht Excursion on the clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. We take you on a 12-meter yacht, fully equipped with everything you need to catch a great haul! Take in the sea air and soak up the sun with the Tel Aviv skyline as your backdrop.

Day 8 Tel Aviv

Day at leisure. We suggest the following free activities for our Israel active tour:

• Stroll along Rothschild Boulevard and take in the beautiful tree-lined boulevard, famous Bauhaus architecture and stop in a chic Tel Aviv café.
• Walk along the Tayelet (boardwalk), which runs over 5km between Jaffa and the Tel Aviv port. Each section has a different characteristic and it’s a great way to take in views of the beach and shore, feel the sea breeze, and encounter locals getting around their own city.
• Head to Jaffa, tour this ancient area with its enchanting alleyways, artists’ galleries, Arab heritage and superb views of Tel Aviv. Stop by the famous Jaffa flea market and test out your bargaining skills.
• Explore Neve Tzedek, one of the first neighborhoods built outside of Jaffa, with its narrow streets, colorful buildings, and unique boutiques, it is a welcome oasis in the middle of the modern city.
• Visit the Tel Aviv Museum of Art which houses a comprehensive collective of classical and contemporary art, including a department for local Israeli art (entry fees at the door).

Day 9

Homeward Bound