Family Adventure in Israel - 12 Days

Day 1: Welcome to Israel!

Welcome to Tel Aviv! You'll arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, then transfer to the hotel. The evening is free to settle in and relax, or head out to start exploring! The beachside promenade is particularly lovely in the evening, as the sun begins to set.  

If there's enough time, explore the ancient port city of Jaffa and browse the flea market, or discover the complexity and beauty of Hebrew graffiti art in the bohemian neighborhood of Florentine. 

Day 2: Jerusalem Old City

Meet your guide in the morning, then explore the city on a full-day tour. Start the day with a walk down the Haas Promenade to get acquainted with the city, then walk the Rampart Walls of the Old City from Jaffa Gate to Zion Gate. Continue to see the City of David excavations and discover Jerusalem's foundations during King David's time, then cool off underground in Hezekiah's Tunnel, a spring-fed aqueduct running below Jerusalem.  

Your next stop is the Southern Wall Excavations and Davidson Center, and extensive 2nd Temple Era archaeological park. From here continue to the Western Wall for quiet reflection, then explore millennia of history deep under the Old City in the Kotel Tunnels. 

Afterward, enjoy free time to explore the Jewish Quarter. Head to Beh Yehuda Street for dinner and evening stroll through town. 

Please Note: Part of the day will be spent touring holy sites, so modest dress will be required. Women should wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees, men should have their shoulders and heads covered. 

Day 3: Jerusalem Memorials

In the morning head to the Museum Yad Vashem (World Holocaust Remembrance Center), Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. The museum aims to honor the dead and research the phenomenon of genocides with the aim of avoiding such events in the future. 

Continue to Mount Herzl National Cemetery, Israel's national military cemetery. It's named after Theodor Herzl, the father of political Zionism, who is also buried here. The cemetery is home to the graves of soldiers who have fallen in the line of duty, as well as Israeli leaders, including Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin. 

In the evening visit the Tower of David to see a spectacular sound and light show in the Old City. 

Day 4: Jerusalem New City

After breakfast head out to explore. Your first stop is the Knesset to discover Israel's democratic system at the parliament building. View the Chagall Windows at Hadassah Hospital in Ein Karem, then visit the colorful Mehane Yehuda open-air marketplace. Sample different wares and enjoy street food for lunch, then make your way to the Israel Museum to see the Dead Sea Scrolls, a Temple Model, and various ancient artifacts. 

Dinner is on your own again. Make your way to the First Station, a marketplace and cultural center on the site of Jerusalem's original train station, for an evening out. 

Day 5: Jerusalem Hills

Tour Latrun, Israel's tank museum and site of a famous battle in the War for Independence, then head out to explore the rolling hills surrounding Jerusalem on an ATV adventure. 

Day 6: Masada, Dead Sea and Ein Gedi

Today is an early morning departure for the ancient hilltop fortress of Masada. Ascend to the top by cable car (optional hike to the top) and tour the archaeological site where the Zealots made their last stand against the Romans before committing mass suicide in 73 CE. You'll see different buildings, including the bathhouse and synagogue, as well as restored buildings and modern displays. Return back to the ground by cable car, then continue to the Dead Sea to Ein Bokek Beach.

Cover yourself in mineral-rich muds and float in the Dead Sea to experience its therapeutic properties, then continue to Ein Gedi National Park to go for a short hike and see a stunning waterfall. From here you'll travel north along the Jordan River Valley, part of the vast Syrian-African Rift. Dinner is included in your accommodations. 

Day 7: Ancient Safed

Spend the day exploring the ancient city of Safed (Tzfat), the historic center of Jewish mysticism in the Galilee highlands. After exploring the town, descend into the ocean-swept caves of Israel's far northern border to see the Rosh Hanikrah Grottoes. 

Tonight's Shabbat dinner is included in your accommodation. 

Day 8: Golan Heights

Spend the morning exploring the history and terrain of the Golan Heights on an off-road jeep tour, then visit the former IDF bunkers on the summit of Mt. Ben-Tal. 

Cool off with an afternoon of relaxed kayaking down the upper part of the Jordan River, then go for a cruise on the Sea of Galilee, followed by dinner on your own at the decks along the waterfront. 

Day 9: Haifa and Caesarea

Join the Jewish National Fund for a tree-planting activity in the Tzomet Golani Forest to honor a loved one, then head to the port city of Haifa to explore the intricate and meticulously landscaped Bahai Gardens on Mount Carmel. 

Learn about the Druze culture and share a traditional meal in the Carmel village of Ussafiya, then continue to see Caesarea—Herod's Roman amphitheater and grand palace on the beach. 

Day 10: Tel-Aviv/Jaffa

Start your day in Tel Aviv with a visit to Machon Ayalon to honor the leaders who helped establish modern Israel at this secret underground facility, then explore the ancient port city of Jaffa. Spend some time browsing the Jaffa flea market and sampling local street food to find the perfect stall for lunch. 

Head to the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation in Jaffa to learn how Israel became known as the "startup nation", then visit the bohemian Florentine neighborhood to see complex Hebrew graffiti art. 

Day 11: Tel-Aviv Museums and Flight to Eilat

In the morning visit the Palmach Museum to learn about the foundation of the State of Israel, then continue to the Yitzhak Rabin Center to trace the story of modern Israel through the life of its famous soldier and leader. 

In the early evening transfer to Sde Dov Airport for a domestic flight to Eilat. 

Day 12: Eilat

Spend the day enjoying the beauty and luxury of this resort town. Start your day with a guided snorkel in the Red Sea at the Coral Beach National Park, then explore the natural treasures of the Red Sea at the Underwater Observatory Marine Park. 

In the evening, transfer for Eilat Airport for a late domestic flight back to Tel Aviv. 

Day 13: Goodbye and Farewell!

Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your flight home.