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Itinerary
for tour of Israel with optional Petra extension |
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Included meals are indicated as B =
Breakfast, L =Lunch, D = Dinner |
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| 03.11.10 |
Depart Brisbane at
2:20pm on TG 474, arriving in Bangkok at 8:30pm.
Depart Melbourne at 4:00pm on TG 466, arriving in Bangkok at 9:10pm.
Depart Sydney at 4:30pm on TG 478, arriving in Bangkok at 10:00pm.
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04.11.10
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All
passengers
depart Bangkok at 12:20am on El Al Israel LY 82, arriving in Tel Aviv
at 6:30am. You will be met at the airport and after this there will be
a short walking tour of the Tel Aviv neighbourhood before being
transferred to the hotel.
Accommodation at the Leonardo Basel Hotel in Tel Aviv. |
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05.11.10
B,D |
Breakfast at the
hotel. Tour Tel Aviv, known as the 'city that never sleeps'. Visit the
multi-media Palmach Museum to learn of Israel's struggle for
independence. Then visit the Old City of Jaffa and stroll through the
renovated artistss colony and ancient port. See the home of Simon the
Tanner. Enjoy a traditional Shabbat (Sabbeth) dinner at the hotel.
Accommodation at the Leonardo Basel Hotel in Tel Aviv. |
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06.11.10
B,L,D |
Breakfast at the
hotel. Depart Tel Aviv and drive to Caesarea , one of the Land of
Israel's most important cities during the Roman Empire; visit the
Herodian theater and newly excavated hippodrome, palace and bathhouse
and explore the 900-year-old crusader city built on the same site with
its new hologram interactive activities centers. Continue to Mt Carmel
and enjoy a traditional Druze lunch and hospitality. Drive to Haifa for
a breathtaking view of Haifa Bay and the magnificent Bahai Gardens.
Conclude the day with a visit to the Church of the Annuncation of
Christ in Nazareth. Dinner at the hotel. Accommodation at the En Gev
Kibbutz hotel. |
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07.11.10
B,D |
Breakfast at the
hotel. Enjoy a wooden boat cruise on the Sea of Galilee. Continue the
day with a visit to the Church of the Beatitudes located on the
traditional site of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Then continue on to
Capernaum, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, the site of
Jesus' teachings and the remains of a second century synagogue. Visit
Tabgha, traditional site of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fish, and
site of a modern church built on the remains of a Byzantine church from
the fourth century. Drive to Safed to see a center of Jewish mysticism
for hundreds of years, and a contemporary artist' colony; visit the
many unique synagogues, stroll through the quaint art galleries and
shop in the artists' colony. Return to the hotel for dinner.
Accommodation at the En Gev Kibbutz hotel. |
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08.11.10
B,D |
Breakfast at the
hotel. Visit the Talmudic synagogue at Katzrin. Head up the Golan
heights to Mt Bental and peer deep into Syria. Further north visit
Banias and Caesaerea Philippi. Take a short hike at Tel Dan (weather
permitting). Return to the hotel for dinner. Accommodation at the En
Gev Kibbutz hotel. |
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09.11.10
B,D |
Breakfast at the
hotel. Continue onto Beit Shean to see the archaeological excavations
in one of the largest Roman-Byzantine cities uncovered in Israel.
Depart Beit Shean and drive to Jerusalem passing Jericho on the way.
Upon entering Jerusalem, stop at the Haas Promenade to say the
traditional 'shehechiyanu' blessing, recited upon entering Jerusalem.
Dinner at the hotel. Accommodation at the Mt Zion Hotel Jerusalem. |
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10.11.10
B |
After breakfast at
the hotel, begin youor visit of Jerusalem with an overview of the city
from the top of Mount of Olives, the traditional site of Jesus'
ascension to heaven. Walk down the side of the mountain to the Garden
of Gethsemane. Then enter the Old City through St Stephen's Gate and
visit the pools of Bethesda at St Anne's Byzantine and Crusader
Church. Continue along the Stations of the Cross on the Via Dolorosa to
the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. After eating lunch on own in the Old
City enjoy a visit to the Western Wall (Kotel), the remaining wall of
the Second Temple and, today, the holiest prayer site in the world to
Jews. Explore the Western Wall Tunnel that runs along the entire length
of the Western Wall of the Temple Mount. Finish the day at the Davidson
Center excavations at the Southern Wall. Tonight an opportunity to eat
out in one of Jerusalem's many fine restaurants. Accommodation at
the Mt Zion Hotel Jerusalem. |
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11.11.10
B |
Breakfast at the
hotel. Visit the new excavations at the City of David which have
redefined the origins of Jerusalem. Walk though Hezekiah's 3000 year
old tunnel. Stop for lunch on own on Emek Refaim Street one of
Jerusalem's trendy cafe neighborhoods. This afternoon visit Yad
Vashem, the memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Stop at the
Israel Museum to view the Dead Sea Scroll. Dinner on own at the Ben
Yehuda Pedestrian and outdoor shopping promenade. Accommodation at
the Mt Zion Hotel Jerusalem. |
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12.11.10
B,D |
Today you have the
choice of a tour to Bethlehem, the site of the birth of Jesus and the
Church of the Nativity or visit the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, the
ancient Roman Cardo, the newly restored Hurva Synagogue followed by a
stroll through the colourful Machane Yehuda Market. Return to the hotel
and take time to rest and prepare for Shabbat. Enjoy a festive Shabbat
dinner. Accommodation at the Mt Zion Hotel Jerusalem. |
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13.11.10
B,D |
Breakfast at the
hotel. Depart Jerusalem in the direction of the Dead Sea Basin. Stop at
Qumran, walk through the impressive Dead Sea Sect community area and
see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, and view the new
interactive audio visual program. Drive on to Masada, Herod's
mountain palace and site of the Jewish Zealots' last stand against the
Roman Legionnaires. Experience the weightlessness of the Dead Sea as
you
float in its waters. Enjoy a short hike to 'Nahal David' the freshwater
spring at the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, a lush oasis in the Judean
Desert
overlooking the Dead Sea. Prima Oasis Hotel. |
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14.11.10
B,D |
Breakfast at the
hotel. Morning free to enjoy the amenities at your Dead Sea spa hotel.
Afternoon departure for Eilat, Israel's Red Sea Resort. Stop at Timna
and King Soloman's Copper mines. Tonight enjoy dinner at an Eilat fish
restaurant and stroll the waterfront promenade. Accommodation at Prima
Music Hotel. |
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15.11.10
B |
Breakfast at the
hotel. Optional tour to Petra the rose red city.
Relish in the 'Rose City's hidden beauty', deep within the mountains of
Wadi Araba. See the fantastic and impressive stone carvings and
stifling beauty of this amazing treasure and find yourself in a time
'half as old as time'. Pick up from the hotel lobby in Eilat at about
7.00am by our representative. Assistance at the Jordan border. Once on
the Jordanian side you will meet your local English speaking guide.
Transfer through the beautiful desert landscape past Wadi Rum (approx 2
hours) to the small town of Wadi Moussa / Petra.
Enter the magic of Petra through Al-Siq, a winding trail at the bottom
of a powerful, deep, natural canyon, following the magical trail to
reveal the simply breathtaking and monumental treasure. Learn about the
Nabateans who established Petra as their Capital on the 'Spice Route'.
Lunch break at a local restaurant on site. Afternoon drive back
Aqaba/Arava Border for border crossing to Israel. Our representative
will meet you on the Israeli side and take you back to your hotel.
Approximate Itinerary:
07.00 - Pick up from Eilat Hotel
07.30 - Cross ISR / JRD border and drive to Petra
10.30 - Enter Petra, visit site.
14.30 - Lunch at Petra Museum or similar
16.00 - Exit Petra and drive back to Aqaba.
18.00 - Estimated return at Arava border
Cost is $255 per person plus $55 required at border crossing for visa
fee.
Alternately enjoy a day at leisure in Eilat to snorkel, dive or enjoy
the beach.
Accommodation at Prima Music Hotel. |
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16.11.10
B,L |
Breakfast at the
hotel. Visit the world famous Underwater Aquarium where the beautiful
tropical fish get a chance to look at you. Late farewell lunch. After
lunch transfer to the airport for your flight back to Tel Aviv.
Depart Tel Aviv at 11:10pm on LY 81, arriving in Bangkok at 2:50pm the
next day. |
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17.11.10
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On arrival in
Bangkok you will be met by your Thai tour guide and transferred to the
Millenium Hilton Hotel, a near new 5 star hotel with superb views over
the Chao Phyra River. The afternoon is free in one of the best shopping
cities in the world.
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18.11.10
B,D |
Morning free.
Early afternoon we depart the hotel by boat to tour Bangkok's extensive
klong (canal) network. You will see the way of life of the Thai people.
You will stop and inspect the Royal Barges Museum, with its magnificent
ceremonial boats. We then visit Bangkok's colourful flower market. Then
we go by coach to visit the factory & showroom of a jewellery
manufacture. Next we transfer to Siam Square, where we have dinner at
one of Bangkok's renowned restaurants. Then transfer to Bangkok airport.
Sydney passengers depart Bangkok at 11:59pm on TG 477, arriving in
Sydney at 1:20pm (19.11.10).
Brisbane passengers depart Bangkok at 11:59pm on TG 473, arriving in
Brisbane at 12:05pm (19.11.10).
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19.11.10
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Melbourne passengers depart Bangkok at 12:15am on TG 465,
arriving in Melbourne at 1:25pm. |