Price range
From $ per person
Upcoming Date
24 May 2024 - 30 May 2024
Tour Time
7 Days (Inc. Arv./Dpt.)
BOOK THIS TOUR

Highlights

• Visit Army Bases throughout Israel and meet Soldiers from different backgrounds
• Extreme sports like Jetskies and EZ Raiders
• Meeting with local entrepreneurs and young business owners
• Unique, boutique hotels throughout the trip
• Single supplement - $800

Itinerary

Download Itinerary

1 - Friday ( May 24 )

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Activities:

  • Welcome to Israel

  • Arrival at Ben Gurion airport - Arrival at Ben Gurion airport. Our welcoming rep will be waiting to greet you at passport check. After assisting with arrival procedures and collecting your baggage, you will be taken to meet your driver.

  • Drive to Jerusalem and check in to your hotel - Depending on time of arrival - OPTIONAL:
    Stop for coffee and introduction at a unique coffee cart on the way to Jerusalem.

  • L'chaim at Jerusalem gardens

  • Short tour of Old City of Jerusalem - Tour Jerusalem’s Old City and meet the people and places that make this place so unique. In the Jewish Quarter, uncover the layers of Jewish history from the time of the First Temple until the present day. In the Christian Quarter, visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and, if conditions permit, visit one of the holiest Muslim sites, the Temple Mount. Throughout the tour explore the complexity of a city that is holy to the three major religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

  • Meet Soldiers the the Sapir/Schottenstein Heritage Center - The Sapir/Schottenstein Heritage Center is an already-existing and fully functional building located in the Jewish quarter in Jerusalem that will serve as a dormitory for officers, commanders and soldiers who come home for a few days to attend long workshops. It has a beautiful architecture, built with Jerusalem stone, and beautifully designed arches. FIDF took on the renovation as well as its furnishing. Jewish education and heritage and the history of Jerusalem is taught there by the Education Corps.

  • Dinner TBD - Jerusalem gardens

  • Ibis Styles Jerusalem City Center

Overnight: Ibis Styles Jerusalem City Center

2 - Saturday ( May 25 )

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Activities:

  • Breakfast at your hotel

  • Walking tour of Jerusalem - "Between Renewal and Preservation" - Embark on a captivating Jerusalem tour, where the intertwined tapestry of renewal and preservation comes alive. Traverse ancient streets revitalized by modern artistry, witnessing the harmonious dance of time-honored heritage and vibrant rejuvenation.

  • OPTION A: A Very Jerusalemite Lunch - Carefully packed lunch, made only by local, Jerusalemite ingredients, and delicacies. Enjoyed at Tiferet Israel, the smallest, and lesser known Nachala (one of the Nachlaot).

  • OPTION B: Lunch at Chef Rabbi Josh - Rabbi Josh is a Talmud scholar, a documentary filmmaker, a registered tour guide and specialty chef at Jerusalem’s iconic Tmol Shilshom Restaurant. Overyour meal, Rabbi Josh speaks on a wide range of topics from his riveting personal story to an explanation of Jewish tradition and an introduction to the Talmud.

  • OPTIONAL tour of Nachlaot - Nachlaot is known for its narrow, winding lanes, old-style housing, hidden courtyards and many small synagogues. In the wake of gentrification projects in the area, the face of the neighborhood has changed while retaining its unique character.

  • Motsash talk with Jessica Steinberg - "The Israeli Narrative through Netflix" - Jessica Steinberg is the culture editor at the Times of Israel, covering Israeli life, culture, food, travel and business. Meet Jessica at Smadar Cinema, the 19th century theatre and cinema.
    The topic of the talk: "The Israeli Narrative through Netflix"

  • Dinner on Own

  • Ibis Styles Jerusalem City Center

Overnight: Ibis Styles Jerusalem City Center

3 - Sunday ( May 26 )

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Activities:

  • Breakfast at your hotel and check out

  • Tour Mount Herzl - As Israel’s national cemetery, Mount Herzl is the final resting place of leaders of Zionism and Israel, including Yitzhak Rabin and Herzl himself, and of thousands of soldiers killed defending the State of Israel. At Mount Herzl you will find a moving monument to the 28,000-odd soldiers and civilians killed in combat or by terrorism since the founding of the state.
    Our tour will focus on the young leaders of Israel, and the early age of "Gdoley HaUma"

  • Head out of Jerusalem - And drive north

  • Army Base Visit - Along the way

  • Water Sports on the Sea of Galilee - Extreme water sports and drinks on the Sea of Galilee.
    This includes Jet skies, SAP's, tornado boats, waterskies and more!

  • Gin and Arak truck with Zoara Distillery - Meet Naama Shternlicht, master distiller of Zoara distillery, and Amaliya brewery. This young professional makes her drinks from foraged materials and the rejected dates grown in the region. Talk about young entrepreneurship in this special area.

  • Check in to your hotel

  • Dinner at Tibi's - One of the better known, meat-aging, restaurants in the north.
    Kosher style dinner. If needed Kosher certificate - Kibbutz "Al HaEsh" (BBQ) at Kibbutz Amiad

  • Vered Hagalil

Overnight: Vered Hagalil

4 - Monday ( May 27 )

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Activities:

  • Breakfast at your hotel

  • Army Base Visit

  • Druze cooking workshop - Together with your hosts in their private home, prepare traditional Druze Galilean dishes and then enjoy a lunch of the foods you create. Learn about Druze culture and history from your hosts and from the food you eat.

  • Short hike on "Shvil HaBanim" - The Path of Sons is a marked hiking route connecting the Druze villages. The project has been dedicated to the memory of the minority’s sons fallen in Israel’s wars.

    Meet with a local Druze speaker, that has lost his son during his army service.

  • Alma Research and Education Center - Lookout over the Israel-Lebanese border from Mt. Adir and hear about the geopolitics of the area with Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Sarit Zehavi, CEO and founder of Alma, a non-profit independent research and education center specializing in Israel’s security challenges on its northern border.

  • Tour, tastings and dinner at Ya Winery

  • Vered Hagalil

Overnight: Vered Hagalil

5 - Tuesday ( May 28 ) : knowing the land

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Activities:

  • Breakfast at your hotel and check out

  • Morning talk - Yoseph Haddad - Yoseph Haddad is a defender of Israel – from his time defending Israel as a member of the Israel Defense Forces or more recently as the CEO of Together – Vouch For Each Other, an organization bridging the gap between the Arab sector of Israeli society with Israeli society as a whole

  • Head south

  • Kama Raiders - EZ Raiders - Go on an exciting EZ Raider tour, explore the beautiful views of Kfar Kama, Mount Tabor and Nazareth and a learn through this exciting tour about the Circassian minority in Israel.

  • Hike the Israel (with loan soldiers) National Trail - The Israel trail traverses the length of Israel and was established as a National Trail in 1995. Specific route will be chosen depending on size of group.

  • Army Base Visit

  • OPTIONAL: Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel) Tasting tour - The Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel), is the largest market in Tel Aviv. Touring the market reveals the taste of the ages of Tel Aviv in the youthful atmosphere felt here. The Polish, the Persian, and the Yemeni...in this case, it is not the opening line of a joke, but the fascinating culinary traditions that mix in this place. Founded over 90 years ago, discover the many secret, stories, and legends of this culinary destination. Enjoy tastes of the market throughout the tour.

  • Check in to your hotel

  • Silent Headpjones Party - Sunset Dance with Guru Zuzu - on the beach - Have an unusual Tel Aviv experience through an unforgettable way to see the city and immerse yourself in Israeli culture and music. Imagine the most fun and invigorating event you have ever experienced -mixed with information about this history and life in the city.

  • Dinner at Guetta - On Jaffa's Jerusalem Boulevard, across from the Gesher Theater, Gueta restaurant keeps to its traditional Tripoli style of cooking, using old recipes that have been passed through generations.

  • Fabric Hotel Tel Aviv

Overnight: Fabric Hotel Tel Aviv

6 - Wednesday ( May 29 )

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Activities:

  • Breakfast at your hotel

  • Drive south to Ashkelon

  • FIDF Sports Day - Head to FIDF Beit Nofesh in Ashkelon for “sports day” with soldiers

  • Head back to Tel Aviv

  • Tishrey Bar - Drink down a story of Israel! Travel the different regions of the country through the drinks. Through local spirits, quality Israeli produce, cultural design, and Israeli innovation, meet the staff of an Israeli cocktail 'start-up' and see how they translate this into amazing cocktails. Cocktails are mixed with Israeli alcohol, fruit in season, and wrapped into the Israeli story. You’ll have a chance to learn to mix the drinks as well.

  • Dinner on own - OR - "Evolution of Street Food" - a tour through the stolls and the hidden street food gems of Tel Aviv, telling the story of this fabulous city, through street food.

  • Fabric Hotel Tel Aviv

Overnight: Fabric Hotel Tel Aviv

7 - Thursday ( May 30 )

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Activities:

  • Breakfast & check-out from hotel

  • Enjoy a day of leisure to explore and enjoy Tel Aviv on your own

FAQ

Is everything closed on Shabbat in Israel?

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Shabbat (the Sabbath), the Jewish holy day of the week, starts at sunset on Friday and ends shortly after sundown on Saturday evening. All public offices, banks and many stores are closed on Shabbat. Museums, national parks and most art galleries are open. Restaurants (not supervised kosher) and entertainment spots are open. On Shabbat, buses and trains do not run in every city, but taxis do. Airports are open as well. Naturally, cities differ from each other. For example, while Tel Aviv is mostly open on Shabbat, Jerusalem will mostly be closed. But there is still lots to do around the country, even on Shabbat. Just ask us for some recommendations!

What clothes should I bring?

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Israel is a very informal country and the most formal you'll have to be is "business casual". Religious sites require long pants for the men and clothing that covers the knees and shoulders for the women. Men and women may be requested to cover their heads at Jewish and Muslim religious sites, while at Christian sites men are usually required to remove their hats. It's important to have comfortable walking shoes for the touring days. A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are highly recommended as well. For warmer days, natural fibered clothes are best. We recommend bringing clothing that can be layered, as the night and day temperatures can vary greatly, regardless of season. Bring long-sleeved shirts, sweaters, a warm jacket/raincoat, as well as T-shirts. TALK TO US TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT OTHERS BY DONATING YOUR COAT AT THE END OF YOUR TRIP.

Will I need an adapter/converter for my electronics in Israel?

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The electric current in Israel is 220 volts, C, single phase, 50 Hertz - the same as in Europe. If your appliance does not work on 220 volts, you will need an adapter or converter. Israeli plug sockets are three-pronged, but most accept European two-pronged plugs. We recommend that you bring your own adapter, though most hotels should be able to supply one. For cell phones & tablets you need a plug tip adapter. Smart devices (Android, iPhones, Kindles, iPads) can convert between 110v/220v by themselves and therefore only need the plug-tip adapter.

Many hotels nowadays have USB sockets and 110V sockets as well, but don't count on it. Also - we supply our guides with adapters/converters for our guests. Should you need it, we've got you covered.

Terms of Payment

Deposit is due immediately to secure the booking.

Balance for the trip is due no later than 60 days prior to the first day of trip. An invoice will be sent 90 days before the trip.

Please refer to our full Terms and Conditions here.

Please note: 

  • The itinerary is subject to change as a result of unforeseen changes from suppliers, weather, etc.
  • This proposal is valid for 1 week for private clients, and 10 days for groups. 

Cancellation Policy

Bookings can be cancelled within 48 hours, with a full refund.

For cancellations made:

  • Up to 60 days prior to departure, any payments made above the deposit towards the tour will be refunded. The deposit is non-refundable
  • 60 to 30 days prior to departure, 50% of the total tour cost per person will be refunded
  • 29 to 8 days prior to departure, 25% of the total tour cost per person will be refunded
  • 7 to 0 days prior to departure, the client will incur 100% of the cost of the tour

Should members of a group booking cancel their participation, their deposits cannot be applied to the balance payment of other group members.

All cancellation requests must be made in writing.

What’s Included
A private, licensed, English speaking tour guide v
Bottles of water, as needed, and snacks v
Fees for sites and activities listed v
Group transfer to the airport on departure v
Hotels throughout the trip v
Meals as listed in the meal plan at the end of each day v
Transportation throughout the trip to all programmed activities v
Airfare v
Optional and suggested activities v
Tips for tour guides and drivers v
Travel Insurance (recommended) v
Testimonials
“Best Vacation Ever! My wife and I just returned from our first trip to Israel. We've traveled domestically and overseas many times. This was absolutely the best trip we've ever taken. I know many people who have gone to Israel and made lots of recommendations to go here, go there, etc... Ros and the crew at Via Sabra were absolutely fantastic. From shaping the trip to meet our schedule, finances, desires, etc... Via Sabra hit the mark on the nose. They made the trip easy from the gitgo with VIP service to and from Israel; no long lines to wait in and an expert on both ends of the trip to help us navigate the airport, customs, passport control, VAT refunds, baggage and our transport to and from the airport. We had a magnificent guide, Mark Kedem, who was made the trip even more enjoyable; beyond our expectations. Mark has an uncanny knowledge of all aspects of Israel including the geography, history, architecture, food, how all the religions interact, etc. It was like a great history class in-country with great food. Mark also steered us to off the beaten path places and restaurants that were truly memorable and unique. We plan to go back to Israel soon (hopefully next year) and will definitely use Via Sabra and Mark again. They're worth every penny!!!!”
Joe M
2019
“Via Sabra gave us an Israel experience like no other. The bookings, the guides, where we went, everything was a joy, the perfect combination of touring, learning and fun.”
Stephen K
2019
Know before you go
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Early bird special - $200 off per person.

Available only between October 1-10, 2021!!

Registration for the trip will open on October 1. Fill out this form to be notified when registration for the trip opens, so you can take advantage of early bird special pricing!

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