Day 1 Monday       USA / Transatlantic   -   Depart USA for Israel. Dinner and breakfast on board

Day 2 Tuesday      Tel Aviv  -  Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport you will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel in Tel Aviv.

Day 3 Wednesday  Tel Aviv - Rehovot - Jaffa  -  Your day starts with an orientation tour of modern, cosmopolitan Tel Aviv, taking in the Hagana Museum, tracing the development of Israel's Defense Forces. Visit the Hall of Independence, historic Rothschild Boulevard, the Mann Auditorium and on to the Diaspora Museum to follow the history and migrations of the Jewish People after the destruction of the Temple. Leave Tel Aviv and drive through orange groves to Rehovot, home of Chaim Weizmann, Israel's first president and site of the world famous Weizmann Institute of  Science. Next, visit the ancient port city of Jaffa and stroll through the winding paths of the artist's quarter. Overnight in Tel Aviv.
 

Day 4 Thursday     Tel Aviv  -  Leisure Day in Tel Aviv.

Day 5 Friday       Latrun / Absalom Caves / Kibbutz Yad Mordechai / Ashkelon   - Drive to historic Latrun with its military memorial and Trappist Monastery. View the natural wonders of stalactite caves, then drive across the beautiful Ha'Ella valley (where David fought Goliath), on to the fascinating Bell Cave at Beit Govrin, and then to Kibbutz Yad Mordechai. Visit the Warsaw Ghetto Museum and the reconstruction of the major battle fought here during Israel's War of Independence. Return to your Tel Aviv hotel via Ashkelon (the ancient Philistine capital on the Mediterranean).

Day 6 Saturday       Tel Aviv  -  Leisure day in Tel Aviv

Day 7 Sunday      Caesarea / Megiddo / Druz Village   -  Leave Tel Aviv and head north along the coast to scenic Caesarea, once the Roman capital of the Holy Land, Explore its excavated Roman harbor, amphitheater and Crusader fortress. Continue inland to Megiddo, one of King Solomon's chariot Cities, and explore these remarkable excavations including the famous well and Solomon's stables. Continue north to visit a nearby Druze village on Mount Carmel and stroll along its colorful market street. Drive to you hotel in Haifa for the night.

Day 8 Monday     Haifa / Nazareth / Sephoris / Safed / Golan Heights / Tiberias   - Begin your tour of Haifa with a breathtaking panoramic view of Haifa Bay and the Western Galilee from the summit of Mount Carmel. Visit the golden-domed Bahai Temple and its exotic gardens. Pass the city's port and drive to Nazareth to visit the Church of the Annunciation, and continue to Sephoris to view one of the region's beautiful mosaic floors. On to Safed, the center of Jewish mysticism with historic synagogues and modern artists' quarter. Continue to the Golan Heights and view former Syrian army bunkers, the abandoned city of Kuneitra and the new Israeli town of Katzrin. Drive to Tiberias, a resort town on the Sea of Galilee, for over  night.

Day 9 Tuesday   Tiberias / Capernaum / Jericho / Jerusalem   -   After a short city tour of Tiberias continue to Capernaum to see the ancient synagogue. On to Bet Shean, a major Roman city to see the reconstructed amphitheater. Proceed to Bet Alpha to view the famous mosaic floor of an ancient synagogue. Follow the Jordan valley to Jericho, the world's oldest settlement with the remains of Joshua's wall, and then drive up through the Judean Hills to Jerusalem.

Day 10 Wednesday  Jerusalem Old City / Bethlehem   -  Start the day with a visit to the tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper on Mount Zion. Visit the Museum of the City of Jerusalem in David's Citadel. Enter the walled city and stroll through the restored Jewish Quarter. See the Roman Cardo, the Herodian Mansions and continue to the Western Wall. Walk along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the holy Sepulchre. Proceed to Mount Scopus and then to the Mount of Olives for a magnificent panoramic view of the Old City. Continue to Bethlehem, stopping at Rachel's Tomb, to visit the Church of the Nativity. Visit a diamond factory to see the artisans at work. Return to your hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 11 Thursday  New City Jerusalem   -  A full  day devoted to the New City starts with a view of the Knesset (Israel's Parliament Building) and the architectural splendor of Israel's Supreme Court Building. Other important sites on the program: the Chagall Windows at the Hadassah Medical Center, Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum and Memorial, and Mount Herzl. See the scale model of Jerusalem at the time of the Second Temple. Visit the Shrine of the Book at the Israeli Museum, housing the original Dead Sea Scrolls. Return to your hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 12 Friday   Dead Sea / Qumran Caves / Massada   -  Drive through the moonscaped Judean Desert down to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth (almost 400 meters below sea level). Visit the Qumran Caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Continue along the shores of the Dead Sea to Massada. Ascend by cable car to the top of the mountain and marvel at King Herod's desert fortress-palace and the last strong hold of the Jewish Zealots against Roman domination in 73 CE. Time and weather permitting you may float effortlessly in the Dead Sea. Return to you hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 13 Saturday   Jerusalem   -   Leisure day in Jerusalem

Day 14 Monday   Beer Sheva / Sde Boker / Avdat / Mitzpe Ramon / Eilat   -  Start your day with a visit to the capital of the Negev - Beer Sheva. Continue to Sde Boker to visit Ben Gurion's Hut and Tomb. Drive via Avdat to Mitzpe Ramon for a visit to the Visitor's center and Ramon Crater. Continue to Eilat for overnight.

Day 15 Monday   Eilat   -  Leisure day in Eilat

Day 16 Tuesday   Eilat / Timna / Tel Aviv   -  Visit the Marine Museum and the underwater observatory, and on to view border crossing points with Jordan (Arava) and Egypt (Taba). Heading north the tour reaches Timna Valley, where you will see the Egyptian Temple, the "Mushroom" and Solomon's Pillars. Drive to Tel Aviv for dinner and overnight.

Day 17 Wednesday   Tel Aviv / USA   -  Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your departure flight.