Itinerary
Sunday, February 8, ‘09 – En Route ( Departing Los Angeles)
Depart Los Angeles on your El Al flight #006 to Israel departing at 1:45PM. Dinner and breakfast will be served on board the aircraft.
Monday, February 9, ’09 – Jerusalem (Arrival from Los Angeles)
Arrive in Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion Airport) at 2:05PM. You will be met and transferred to your hotel in Jerusalem for overnight.
Tuesday, February 10, ’09 – Jerusalem (Arrivals from Los Angeles)
Day at leisure. Sleep late; enjoy a leisurely breakfast and the facilities of your hotel. We’ll make suggestions of optional activities on this leisure day. The Seminar at the Source experience will start with Welcome Dinner this evening. (B)
Monday, February 9, ‘09 –En Route (Departing New York-JFK Airport)
Depart JFK International Airport on your El Al flight 008 to Israel departing at 11:50PM. Dinner and breakfast will be served on board the aircraft.
Tuesday, February 10, ’09 – Jerusalem (Arrivals from New York)
Arrive in Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion Airport) at 5:05PM. You will be met and transferred to your hotel in Jerusalem for overnight.
IsramWorld welcomes you in Israel! We welcome all our agents to the start of the exciting Seminar at the Source experience in Israel! Meet your tour managers at our Welcome Dinner this evening, hosted by the David Citadel Hotel. (D)
Wednesday, February 11, ‘09 - Jerusalem
We begin our program today with a morning visit to Yad Vashem, memorial to the Holocaust. Visit the Museum, the Children's Pavilion and walk along the Avenue of the Righteous. Then, drive to Mount Herzl to pay respects to Israel's military heroes; visit the Herzl Museum (schedule permitting.) Drive via the Knesset (Israel's Parliament) and the Supreme Court building to the Shrine of the Book, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Time to walk through the Billy Rose Sculpture Garden at the Israel Museum. Tour participants will be offered an optional tour to Bethlehem. Overnight in Jerusalem. Evening: Dinner hosted by the Mt. Zion Hotel. (B, D)
Thursday, February 12, ‘09 – Jerusalem
Today, drive to the Mount of Olives; see the spectacular panoramic view of Jerusalem. Continue to the olive-treed Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations, with its magnificent Byzantine façade. Drive to the Dung Gate and enter the Old City. Stop at the Davidson Center before walking to the Western Wall, the only remaining portion of the Second Temple. View the Dome of the Rock, sacred mosque of Islam. Then, on to the fascinating Hasmonean Tunnel - you'll walk through centuries of history! (Tunnel schedule permitting). Continue along the winding lanes of the Old City with its bustling bazaars and wondrous aromas. Follow the path of the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with its new golden dome. End the day with a visit to Mt. Zion to see the traditional Tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper. Overnight in Jerusalem. Evening: Dinner hosted by the Sheraton Plaza hotel. (B, D)
Friday, February 13, ‘09 – Jerusalem/ Eilat
An exhilarating day today as we travel via the Judean desert and the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, to Masada. Ascend by cable car to this last stronghold of the Zealots in their struggle against the Romans. Visit the excavations, Herod the Great's palace, synagogue and bathhouse. Then, on to a spa hotel for lunch hosted by the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dead Sea and a swim in the "unsinkable" buoyant waters of the Dead Sea. On to sunny Eilat, Israel's vivacious resort on the Red Sea. Overnight in Eilat . Evening: Dinner hosted by Royal Beach Hotel. (B, L, D)
Saturday, February 14, ‘09 - Eilat
Agents staying in Eilat:
Full day at leisure for rest and relaxation. Eilat, the southernmost city of Israel, is a unique oasis extended on the coast of the Red Sea. Eilat lives by the rhythm of the sun, the desert, the sea and nature itself. The calm transparent waters of the Red Sea reveal a delightful surprise - breathtakingly beautiful Coral Reefs and an enchanted underwater world, featuring thousands of varieties of fish and other marine life forms. The inspiring tranquility of the desert around Eilat will leave you with an indelible memory. The guides will recommend fabulous activities that you can join in, at this playground on the sea. Evening at leisure in Eilat to enjoy the fantastic restaurants and vivacious nightlife. Overnight in Eilat. (B)
Agents joining the Optional Petra Program:
Early morning departure transfer from your hotel in Eilat to the Arava border crossing. After ending all border-formalities drive up to the "Desert Highway" and then to the "Rose Red City" - Petra. Enter the ancient city through the famous "Siq" - a narrow natural gorge that made the secret entrance to Petra. Part of the journey through the "rose red" city is by horseback (if you wish) then by foot, through the "Siq," a winding, canyon road. At once the valley of Petra will open in front of you and you will see the famous "Khazane" ("Treasury"). Visit the most famous monuments, carved in the red Sandstone ; the Small Temple, the Roman Amphitheater and the caves in the rock between dozens of imposing obelisks and monuments. Lunch is included in Petra hosted by our colleagues in Jordan. Return to Eilat for overnight. Evening at leisure in Eilat to enjoy the fantastic restaurants and vivacious nightlife. (B, L)
Sunday, February 15, ‘09 – Tel Aviv
After breakfast, drive north through the Negev Desert to the Ramon Nature Reserve, the largest of its kind in the Negev Desert. On to Avdat, the greatest Nabatean City in the Negev. As you stand among the ruins of the Negev Highland city of Avdat, the echoes of the bells tinkling on the bridles of the camels that passed this way in their caravans of hundreds, bringing the riches of the East - frankincense and myrrh - to market via the Mediterranean. Avdat was founded by Nabatean traders, the masters of those caravans as a way station on this Incense Route. Long before, the Israelites had wandered near here through the Wilderness of Zin At the top of the city, you'll discover a third-century guard tower with a Greek inscription, and a Nabatean shrine to their god Oboda (after whom Avdat was named). This temple eventually became a church, whose pillars frame a magnificent Negev deserts cape. Considering the surrounding desert, you'll be amazed to find a wine-press here, revealing agricultural skills that tamed their harsh surroundings by harvesting every precious drop of water into a complex system of channels and cisterns. Once you've experienced Avdat, you'll know why its ancient cultural, social and economic impact on the region has placed it, together with its Negev sister-cities of Mamshit and Shivta, on UNESCO's prestigious list of World Heritage Sites.
On to Sde Boker, Paula and David Ben-Gurion's desert home. It remains exactly as Ben-Gurion left it when he passed away in 1973. This was his wish, as left in his will. World leaders who visited Ben-Gurion in his residence were amazed to see the famous man living in such humble surroundings. Then, drive to cosmopolitan and bustling Tel Aviv; check in to your hotel on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. Evening: Dinner hosted by the NEW Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Azrieli Center. (B,D)
Monday, February 16, ‘09 – Tel Aviv
Drive via the coastal road to the verdant Galilee Arrive in Safed, one of Judaism's holiest cities, where Kabbalah flourished during the golden age; visit the ancient synagogues and the picturesque Artists' Quarter. Continue to Capernaum to visit the ancient synagogue on the site where Jesus once preached. On to the Sea of Galilee - enjoy a fabulous but quick lunch hosted by a hotel in the Galilee, nestled on the shores of the Sea. Drive to Nazareth, where Jesus spent part of his youth; visit the Church and Mary's Well. Return to Tel Aviv. (B,L)
Tuesday, February 17, ‘09 – Tel Aviv
Depart your hotel after breakfast to the xxx hotel for ISRAMWORLD'S "Seminar at the Source" Presentation and Briefing. Afterwards, see the highlights of Tel Aviv city. Drive via the Mann Auditorium, home of the Israeli Philharmonic, Habimah Theatre and the impressive Opera House. Pass Yitzhak Rabin Square, dedicated to the late Prime Minister. On to the old port city of Jaffa, magnificently restored; walk through the cobblestone lanes. Then, to charming Neve Tzedek (downtown Soho) -- with a style all of its own; enjoy its ageless charm while you explore the galleries, shops and cafes. On to Nachalat Benjamin, a pedestrian street with restaurants and cafes. Return to the hotel with the group, or, spend the rest of the afternoon in Nachalat Benjamin for lots and lots of shopping (return to hotel is a short taxi ride). Evening: Farewell dinner with some fabulous entertainment, not to be missed! Casual-smart attire. (B,D)
Wednesday, February 18, ‘09 – En Route
Join today's tour to ancient Caesarea; explore the astonishing Roman and Crusader ruins including the impressive theater and aqueduct. Visit Caesarea Harbor with its thrilling multi-media presentation - you'll see ancient history come to life! Continue to the sparkling seaport city of Haifa; after Lunch hosted by the Dan Carmel Hotel, view the Bahai Shrine and the magnificent gardens before returning to Tel Aviv. Time to pack up and prepare for your departure transfer to the airport for your after-midnight flight on El Al back to the USA.
Thursday, February 19, ‘09
Arrival in the USA.
(B) Israeli Buffet Breakfast (L) Lunch (D) Dinner