Canadians wanting to visit the Holy Land have many options, most of which are large group tours based on a shared religious perspective. If that is what you're looking for, you have dozens of choices, and Barry would be happy to point you in the right direction.
TravelMaven's JERUSALEM plus tour is different, as we take a more generic and cultural perspective. You see, we approach Jerusalem as one of the world's Great Cities, the same way we approach Seoul and Istanbul and Cape Town. Obviously, much of the appeal of Jerusalem is its history as the cradle of three major world religions, but there is much more to see and experience in this city and region.
Please note that JERUSALEM plus is a small group walking tour. This means our guest are fit and active, and able to explore places on foot. This also means we don't waste time like a large group, and guests have more freedom and flexibility to do what they want. (This is also why we have a Tour Concierge rather than a Tour Director.)
Finally, we acknowledge thatTravelMaven offers a very Jerusalem-centric visit to Israel. Unlike most tours that spend a few nights here as part of a larger loop around the country, we stay in central Jerusalem the entire time. This allows guests to be in this ancient city over two weekends, maximizing exposure to religious celebrations and providing lots of time for simply "being there". It also avoids spending time constantly packing and unpacking.
Having said that, we do include day-trips to other sites, including the Dead Sea, Masada, Bethlehem, the Sea of Galilee and Tel Aviv. TravelMaven also provides guests with an 'a la carte' day when everyone gets to make their own plan. By working with a local tourist operator (Tourist Israel), we are able to provide guests with more than a dozen options, depending on their personal interests.
Finally, TravelMaven also offers the opportunity for guests to add-on 3 days to visit nearby Petra, Jordan with Tourist Israel. For those interested, this can be added seamlessly to the end of our group tour, and Tourist Israel will get you back to the airport too.
Please note, JERUSALEM plus was originally planned to launch in 2021, but delays due to COVID meant this tour will first be offered in April 2023, making "next year in Jerusalem" TravelMaven's commitment to you in 2022!
PACE: Active
GROUP SIZE: max 12 guests
HIGHLIGHTS
Visit to Western Wall to begin Shabbat
Walking tour of Jerusalem city centre
Dinner in Shuk Machane Yehuda market
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Church of all Nations
Church of Mary Magdeline
Dormition Abbey
Masada Fortress
Dead Sea
Visit to Nazareth
Visit to Jericho
Yad Vachem Holocaust Museum
Shabbat dinner with local family
Visit to Tel Aviv
Tour of Ancient Port of Jaffa
PRICE INCLUDES:
Jerusalem hotel tbd (10 nights), breakfast daily, 1 lunch, 5 dinners, full-time TravelMaven Tour Concierge, all admissions & fees, all ground transportation and all taxes.
This tour is guaranteed to depart. This Land Package is in Canadian dollars, based on double occupancy and guaranteed once a $250 deposit is received.
Day 1 (Thursday) Depart Toronto
The recommended Air Canada flight departs mid-afternoon from Pearson Airport in Toronto.
Day 2 (Friday) Arrive in Jerusalem (L,D)
Guests will arrive at Ben Gurion Airport mid-morning and transfer to Jerusalem (45 minutes away). Upon arrival at our hotel, we will enjoy a light lunch before check-in. After unpacking and refreshing ourselves, we will head towards the Western Wall to witness the start of Shabbat. Afterwards, we will return to our hotel for a light supper.
Old Jerusalem
Day 3 (Saturday) Orientation Walking Tour; Machane Yehuda Market (B, D)
To commence our week in the Holy City, we will join a local guide for a walking tour of the city centre. Later in the afternoon, we will walk to Machane Yehuda Market for dinner and an opportunity to find some treats.
Day 4 (Sunday) History of the Christian Church Part 1 (B, D)
On this day we will go to school by focusing on the historic development of the Christian church in Jerusalem. Our program will include presentations and visits to important sites relevant to the development of the Catholic, Orthodox and Armenian Churches, as well as incorporation of the Crusades and other historic events.
Shuk Machane Yehuda
Day 5 (Monday) Masada Fortress & Dead Sea (B)
Day Trip #1 - On this day we will enjoy an excursion to the Masada Fortress, followed by time at the Dead Sea. (details to be confirmed)
Day 6 (Tuesday) Nazareth and Jericho (B)
Day Trip #2 - Our second group excursion will be to nearby Nazareth and Jericho. (details to confirmed)
Masada cable car
Days 7 (Wednesday) Sea of Galilee (B)
Day Trip #3 - Our third day trip will be to the Sea of Galilee. (details to be confirmed)
Day 8 (Thursday) A LA CARTE Day (B)
There are so many amazing attractions in Jerusalem and surrounding area that TravelMaven has blocked two consecutive days for guests to do whatever they want. Our tour partner, Tourist Israel, offers a wide variety of tours to popular attractions, including one and two day tours to Petra, Jordan. Others may choose to visit a kibbutz, the Sea of Galilee or many other places. Still others may want to enjoy a more peaceful time in Jerusalem. In order to make plans, Barry will work with guests both before departure and early in the week to identify what they want to do.
Sea of Galilee sunset
Day 9 (Friday) Yad Vachem & Shabbat meal with local family (B, D)
After breakfast, we will travel to Yad Vachem, the Jewish Holocaust Museum. Guests will receive an initial orientation, then travel through these powerful exhibits on their own. After returning to the hotel in the afternoon, we will split into smaller groups to join local families for a Shabbat meal.
Day 10 (Saturday) Tel Aviv (B)
Day Trip #4 - This day will feature a slice of contemporary life in Israel. While Jerusalem is the cultural and religions heart of Israel, Tel Aviv is the economic and social centre of the country. Guests will have time to explore artisan markets, walk on the beach and explore the ancient port of Jaffa.
Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum
Day 11 (Sunday) History of Christian Church Part 2 (B,D)
This day will be a continuation of our focus on the historic development of the Christian church in Jerusalem, including more presentations and visits to important sites relevant to the development of the Christian church. At the end of the day, our group will gather for our Farewell Dinner
Day 12 (Monday) Heading home (B)
After an early breakfast, we will head to the airport to catch our 11:45 Air Canada flight, arriving in Toronto at 16:30.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
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