Highlights of the Jewish state 9 nights 10 days -Friday arrival

Day 1 – Friday Arrival

Monarch-Israel representative will meet you after passport control upon your arrival to Ben Gurion Airport, assisting as you pick up your luggage and head out for the transfer to your hotel. Check in at the hotel in Tel Aviv. Overnight: Tel Aviv

Day 2 – Saturday Free time

Day at leisure in Tel Aviv
Overnight: Tel Aviv

Day 3 – Sunday Travel to the North

After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and drive south to Rehovot. Our first stop will be at the Weizmann Institute which played a key role in the development of the state. We will enjoy the new, amazing presentation of high technology and see the mansion house of Haim Weizmann, the first president of Israel. We will then continue to Caesarea, built over 2000 years ago by King Herod the Great, which served as a key Mediterranean port for centuries. Hear about Caesarea’s role in Jewish history, including its part in the Great Revolt of AD66, and interact with three-dimensional
historical figures that come to life using cutting-edge technology. Onwards to the Carmel Mountain range to visit Zichron Yaacov for a stroll through the historic streets of one of the earliest settlements from Israel’s first immigration period. Then visit the Atlit Detainee Camp, telling the heroic story of the struggle of Jewish immigrants at the detention centre established by the authorities of the British Mandate in the 1930s. Finally, we are on to Haifa – Israel’s major port city, with a stop at the Louis Promenade for a great view of the Haifa Bay and the beautiful Baha’i Gardens.
Overnight: Haifa

Day 4 – Monday Tzfat and the Galilee

Check out after an Israeli breakfast in the hotel. Our journey will begin with a drive through the mountain ranges and valleys which extend from the west to the east of the Galilee region. Visit a Galilee Winery for an Israeli wine-tasing tour, and to get an up close and personal view of the wine production process. We will continue to Rosh Pina, originally founded in 1878 by a group of ultra-orthodox Jews intending to become farmers, with the support of Baron Edmund de Rothschild. Rosh Pina is one of Israel’s oldest colonies but today boasts a small town known for great restaurants,
cafés and art galleries. Drive up to Safed (Tzfat), where we will walk through ancient sections of the city and hear stories of the Kabbalists and their ancient synagogues. Our Tzfat tour will end with a visit to its famous artists’ colony. In the afternoon, we will visit the beautiful Hula Valley, Israel’s first Nature Reserve. The HaHula Tourism Complex is located at the centre of the Hula Valley and is considered to be one of the world’s most important centres for bird watching and ornithology. Overnight: Kibbutz hotel

Day 5 – Tuesday Adventure Day

K’far-Kedem, Armageddon, Mt. Carmel & Caesarea. Traveling through the Galilee, we’ll be introduced to biblical lifestyle and culture at K’far-Kedem biblical village, discover the prophetic plains of Armageddon, ascend Mt. Carmel where the Prophet Elijah called on God who answered by fire to worship with Israeli Believers at the Carmel Congregation, continue to Caesarea Marittima, Rome’s capital on the Mediterranean Coast, and arrive to our Jerusalem hotel for dinner and rest. Overnight in Jerusalem.
This touring day will give you an opportunity to enjoy the north of Israel in a unique and exciting way. We will start our day by driving up into the Golan Heights with a visit to Mount Bental, a beautiful spot for a panoramic view of the Upper Galilee, the Golan Heights, Mount Hermon and Syria. Visit Golan Magic, an entertaining 3-D multi-media adventure viewed on a 180-degree screen. After the film, walk through a giant model of the Golan Heights, the largest of its kind in the world, accompanied by special narration, sound and light effects. We will then walk through The Golan Olive Oil Mill and Visitor Center, a uniquely-designed building with ancient ambience, as your guide explains the olive oil production process, including the evolution from antique tools to modern machinery. We will finish the first half of the day at Mitzpe Gadot, which once served as a Syrian base, commanding a spectacular view of the Hula Valley and kibbutzim below.
The rest of the day is free! We will be happy to provide you with a list of the options in the area and recommend the most suitable ones for your party. Some options include: biking or hiking tour, rappelling, kayaks or even participating in a gourmet chocolate workshop. And so much more… Evening Option (Seasonal) – a lantern tour in either the Valley of the Lost River or Nimrod Fortress. Overnight: Kibbutz hotel

Day 6 – Wednesday Travel to Jerusalem

Check out from the hotel and depart for our touring day. Our first stop will be the Tel Hai Museum. This memorial is dedicated to a dramatic battle in 1920 led by Joseph Trumpeldor, a hero known for his national loyalty. Then we will descend to the shores of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) for a short visit to Tiberias, a city which was a significant spiritual centre during the Mishna and Talmudic periods. We will continue south along the Jordan Valley to visit the “Naharayim Experience at Gesher”. Nicknamed the “start-up” of last century, this unusual light and sound show is filled with models demonstrating the dam system, running water and a combination of sounds and colours. The demonstration shows how the desert transformed into a symbol of – and a vision for – Jewish immigration and industrial development in Israel. Our day will continue with a drive to Jerusalem through the Jordan Valley’s stunning landscape. We will stop at Mt. Scopus upon arrival in Jerusalem for a magnificent view of the city and a brief
explanation about the capital’s past and future. Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 7 – Thursday Old City of Jerusalem

After breakfast, we will start our tour through the Old City of Jerusalem. We’ll walk through one of this ancient walled city’s many gates to see the restored Jewish Quarter, the Western Wall (Ha Kotel), the colourful bazaars and the Cardo. Then, we will walk to the City of David for a virtual reality movie about King David’s historical city, and a “wet” walking tour of the ancient water system connecting Warren’s Shaft to the Shiloah tunnels (Hezekiah’s Tunnel). We will continue to the Archaeological Garden and the new Southern Wall excavations (Davidson Center) – the same steps once used by pilgrims entering the Holy Temple. *Thursday is the day many Bar Mitzvah celebrations take place at the Western Wall. During our walk we will meet some of them and get to wish them a MAZAL TOV! Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 8 – Friday Jerusalem’s New City

Visit the graves of Israel’s former prime ministers, and soldiers who died in battle, at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery. We will then continue to the museum at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, including the Valley of the Communities. We will pass by the Knesset – Israel’s Parliament building, as well as the famous Menorah and the new home of Israel’s Supreme Court. We will visit the Israel Museum to see the Shrine of the Book with a display of Dead Sea Scrolls and visit the model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period. Then continue on for a neighbourhood tour around the Mahane Yehuda Market to meet different local ethnic groups and taste some of their cultural foods. Drive to the Western Wall to participate in meaningful Kabbalat Shabbat services as the Jewish Sabbath descends over Jerusalem. Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 9 – Saturday Free

Day at leisure in Jerusalem – or an optional tour to Masada and the Dead Sea.
Evening Option – Enjoy a breathtaking sound & light show at the Tower of David citadel.
The show is highly recommended due to its unique way of depicting the different periods in Jerusalem’s long history. Duration: Around one hour. Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 10 – Sunday Departure

Check out of the hotel following breakfast. Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for the flight home.