Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures 2017 16-Day Land Tour{TRIPOperatedBy} EXTEND YOUR TRIP PRE-TRIP Jordan POST-TRIP Palestinian Discovery Your Day-to-Day Itinerary OVERSEAS ADVENTURE TRAVEL Overseas Adventure Travel, founded in 1978, is America’s leading adventure travel company. The New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler, The Los Angeles Times, Travel + Leisure, The Wall Street Journal, US News & World Report, and others have recommended OAT trips. But our most im- pressive reviews come from our customers: Thousands of travelers have joined our trips, and 95% of them say they’d gladly travel with us again, and recommend us to their friends. INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE » International airfare, airport transfers, government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges unless you choose to make your own air arrangements » All land transportation » Accommodations for 15 nights » 29 meals—daily breakfast, 6 lunches, and 8 dinners (including 1 Home-Hosted Lunch and 1 Home-Hosted Dinner) » 25 small group activities » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip Leader » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and luggage porters » 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward your next O.A.T. trip—an average of $283 Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-955-1925. WHAT THIS TRIP IS LIKE PACING » We travel via air-conditioned » 6 locations in 17 days with one 1-night 30-passenger bus (no toilet onboard), stay Jeep, wooden boat for a lake crossing, and cable car to reach Masada » There are several overland 3-hour drives, including an off-road excursion by Jeep ACCOMMODATIONS & FACILITIES into the Judean Desert along canyons and » Hotel rooms are smaller than those in the dry riverbeds U.S. and offer simple amenities PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS » All accommodations feature private baths » Not appropriate for travelers using wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility aids » There are a large number of steps to negotiate at the Western Wall tunnels and at other archaeological sites; expect 6-8 hours of physical activities and sightseeing on some days » You will need to access vehicles by stairs without aid » We reserve the right for Trip Leaders to restrict participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience CLIMATE » The weather in Israel is often compared to the temperate climate of Florida or southern California, with warm summers and mild, balmy winters TeRRAIN & TRANSPORTATION » We’ll travel over several city streets, hike along rugged paths and trails, and walk up and down many stairs at various sites in Israel. There are also walks along sandy beaches and desert terrain Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-955-1925. Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures 2017 EXTEND YOUR TRIP PRE-TRIP Jordan POST-TRIP Palestinian Discovery Traveling in Israel is to journey through land that is many things to many people. It’s a center of faith for three of the world’s great religions. A strategic crucible of modern world politics. A land of stunning natural beauty. A complex ethnic tapestry. An archaeologist’s dream. A realm of transcendent land- scapes. A place that has resonance for any traveler seeking answers to the great spiritual matters of our times. While many tours focus on one religious tradition or another, we follow a multicultural pathway through Israel’s many layers of religious heritage. And we explore contemporary issues, too—inviting you to peer behind the headlines to meet Palestinians and Israelis, native Sabras and Eastern European immigrants, Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Druze. If you are drawn to destinations that challenge your preconcep- tions, or even inspire some soul-searching, come feel the power of this ancient place—at least once in your life. Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-955-1925. DETAILED ITINERARY An important word about your adventure This is an adventure travel trip. Part of the adventure is the possibility that things may change which make it impossible for us to follow this trip itinerary exactly. When we are confronted with changing circumstances, this itinerary is the one we strive to follow. But it’s important for you to know in advance that we may not be able to follow this plan verbatim. The sequence of places visited may vary. The hotels mentioned on your hotel contact sheet are not guaran- teed. When we are forced to make variations, we make every attempt to use facilities that are equivalent in quality, but this is not always possible. This trip is designed for people who want a different kind of travel experience. It emphasizes active exploration and close cultural contact, not gourmet food or deluxe accommodations. We seek out unusual experiences, in out-of-the-way places where ordinary tours don’t go. To fully enjoy this trip, you should be in good health and enjoy an active lifestyle—and flexibility is important. Bring an open curiosity, an adventurous spirit and a willingness to adapt and make the best of every situation. After all, that is the definition of adventure. DAY 1 Depart U.S. Israel’s cultural and commercial hub, Tel Fly overnight from the U.S. to Tel Aviv. Aviv was founded in 1909 near the ancient port city of Jaffa (with which it later merged) as a planned “garden city” on the DAY 2 Arrive Tel Aviv, Israel Mediterranean coast, and blossomed into the An O.A.T. representative will meet us upon largest collection of Modernist buildings in our arrival this afternoon at Tel Aviv’s the world. Today, Tel Aviv is home to about airport, where we’ll meet travelers who one-third of Israel’s population, and is a took the pre-trip extension to Jordan. We’ll thoroughly modern city in every sense of the transfer to our hotel and settle into our phrase—whatever it may lack in ancient his- rooms, and then our small group’s Trip tory, it more than makes up for in vibrancy Leader will deliver a short orientation brief- and contemporary culture. ing before we share a Welcome Dinner at a Dinner local restaurant. Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-955-1925. DAY 3 Explore Old Jaffa & Tel or holiday will enjoy dinner with an Orthodox Aviv • Home-Hosted Dinner family in Jerusalem on Day 12 in lieu of today’s yeshiva dinner. After breakfast at our hotel, we begin today’s discoveries with a visit to Jaffa, a Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 4,000-year-old city situated on the southern outskirts of downtown Tel Aviv that may well be the world’s oldest seaport. Our Trip DAY 4 Overland to Haifa • Leader will take us on a walk through Old Discover Caesarea Jaffa, followed by a visit to the Ilana Goor After breakfast at our hotel we’ll depart for Museum, housed in the private home of Caesarea, where Herod the Great built a this renowned Israeli artist, designer, and remarkable artificial port—an engineering sculptor, where artifacts from Israel’s past marvel in its time. Here we’ll explore Roman and artworks from its present stand side by ruins, many of which were transformed into side. From there, we’ll venture to the color- a walled Crusader’s city in later times, and ful Jaffa Flea Market (closed on Saturdays) have some free time for lunch on our own. and have the chance to browse the vendors’ extensive selection of antiques. Then we Then we’ll proceed to Haifa, Israel’s third- enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before we largest city. This ancient seaport on the continue on to Tel Aviv. slopes of Mount Carmel is invested with both the historical weight of Jerusalem and the Upon arrival, we’ll have the afternoon to modern ambiance and tempo of Tel Aviv. It make our own discoveries. Consider visiting is in some senses Israel’s model city, rich the Carmel Market (closed on Saturdays); with history, replete with a stew of cultures commonly referred to as a shuk (Hebrew for and religions working side by side, and an open-air market), this bustling bazaar evolving rapidly into the modern world. is the oldest model for food shopping in We’ll head to Mount Carmel for a panoramic the Holy Land, where you can discover a view of the terraced Baha’i Gardens, as they cornucopia of fresh fruits and vegetables, flow down its slopes toward the busy harbor, cheeses, spices, nuts, and even clothing and then continue on to Haifa. We’ll also stop housewares. It’s an authentic and invigorat- at an olive farm for a tasting, followed by ing whirl of activity that reveals Israel’s dinner. incredible diversity. Breakfast, Dinner Afterwards, we depart for the city of Bnei Brak outside Tel Aviv, where we meet with members of the Jewish Orthodox community DAY 5 Haifa • Wadi Nisnas • Safed • and enjoy dinner with local scholars at their Visit Ethiopian Absorption Center yeshiva, an institution of rabbinical learning. This morning we’ll set out to tour the Please note: Both the Jaffa Flea Market and streets of Wadi Nisnas, an Arab neighbor- the Carmel Market are closed on Saturdays. If hood in Haifa. Here we’ll learn more about Day 3 of your itinerary falls on a Saturday, you the peaceful Jewish-Arab coexistence in may have the chance to visit them on Day 16. the city. We’ll have time to explore Haifa’s Groups staying in Tel Aviv on a Friday, Saturday, Old Market before departing for Safed. Due to it’s elevation of nearly 3,000 feet, the Itinerary subject to change.