THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE IN PRESENTS ISRAEL NATURE AND DISCOVER TOUR November 13th – November 21st, 2016

Day 1 – Sunday Arrival – meeting at airport, drive to . After checking into hotel and refreshing meet with Jay Shofet, SPNI’s Director of Partnerships and Development, who will give an overview of SPNI’s history and current projects (21:00). Overnight Tel Aviv

Day 2 – Monday Drive north along the coastal road. Visit the ‘Bassa’ Wetland Park, to learn about the seasonal pool, one of Israel’s rarest habitats with Sara Ochyon (08:30). Then continue to for visit of the historical Roman and Crusader city, and then onto and Maagan Michael to see the ongoing process of river rehabilitation and the reptile and bird life with senior SPNI guide Sagi Milman (14:30). Overnight in

Day 3 – Tuesday We’ll start the day with a visit to one of SPNI’s Community Gardens with Yaffa Izrat-Hen, Head of SPNI’s Haifa office, (08:30) to see how SPNI helps transform small plots of land are turned into vibrant gardens. We’ll continue north to the city of Acre to explore the underground tunnels and the Crusader remains. Continue north to the grottos of Rosh Hanikra where you will descend via cable car to the site. Overnight at a Kibbutz in the

Day 4 – Wednesday

Begin with a dawn tour on the mobile hide in the . After breakfast, walk through the Waterfall, ascend the , stop at the Gamla Reserve to visit the raptor center and the ancient city of Gamla (Massada of the Galilee) – last stronghold of the Jewish revolt against the Romans in the north, and continue thru the Valley of the to Kasser El-Yehud. Kasser El-Yehud is the spot where according to tradition Jesus was baptized. It is also next to one of the locations of the IDF-SPNI ‘Army for the Protection of Nature Project’. Overnight

Day 5 – Thursday Starting at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory (8:30) for bird ringing before continuing to Knesset (Israel’s Parliament Building) before visiting Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial. Afternoon perusing the stalls at the Mahane Yehuda market.

Overnight Jerusalem

Day 6 – Friday

Today we will focus on the and its three religions. Enter the city walls via the Jaffa Gate; walk on the ramparts and through the Armenian Quarter to the Jewish Quarter, the Cardo, and Western Wall. View the Temple Mount and continue along the Via Dolorosa and the Stations of the Cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue through the colorful bazaars exit the walls of the Old City. Before dinner, you can join Friday Night prayers at the Kotel (Western Wall), if you wish. Overnight Jerusalem

Day 7 – Saturday Free day

Day 8 – Sunday Drive thru the Judean Desert to the lowest place on earth! Take a nature walk in the oasis to the waterfall, take a dip in the sea and cover yourselves with the local mud. Then continue to where you will ascend via cable car to visit the ruins of this Jewish stronghold and Herodian mansions. Overnight in SPNI’s Har HaNegev Field School: Mitzpe Ramon

Day 9 – Monday Visit Mitzpe Ramon – a hike in the crater with a jeep tour into the Ramon Crater drive thru the Desert, visit Sde Boker - Ben Gurion’s home, Optional bike ride in the desert. Walk thru the nature reserve of Ein Zin and return to Tel Aviv for departure flights.

If you want to book your place on this trip or request more information please contact Robin Gordon on 1-800-411-0966 or e-mail [email protected]. Itinerary is subject to change