The Nature of Israel

Monday, September 9:   New York to Tel Aviv, Israel
Tonight we board our overnight flight from New York City to Israel.

Tuesday,  September 9:   Arrive in Tel Aviv, Israel

Arriving the next day in Tel Aviv, we are greeted by our AdventureWomen guide and transferred to our Tel Aviv hotel. En route to the hotel, we visit the Israeli nature reserve of Neot Kdumim, a unique recreation of the physical setting of the Bible in all its depth and detail. There are plants here from biblical times with the following names: the Forest of Milk and Honey, the Dale of the Song of Songs, Isaiah’s Vineyard, and the Fields of the Seven Varieties. Far more than a “garden” that displays various biblical plants, Neot Kdumim embodies the panorama and power of the landscapes that helped shape the values of the Bible and provides a rich vocabulary for expressing them.

Tonight’s Welcome Dinner is followed with an evening discussion by an Israeli nature preservation expert.

(Meals Aloft and Welcome Dinner)

Overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Tel Aviv
Renowned for its excellent personalized service, the Crowne Plaza Hotel is modern, elegant and ideally located on Tel-Aviv’s seafront promenade. It is within easy access from Tel-Aviv’s fun and entertainment centers, shopping, business and nightlife districts. The hotel features 246 rooms and suites all equipped with modern amenities, and it is our home for the next three nights.

Wednesday, September 10:   Tour Old Jaffa – Tel Aviv – “White City” 
Today we begin with a visit to the Israeli city of Jaffa, which adjoins Tel Aviv with a harbor that has been in use since the Bronze Age. The city’s history is connected to a series of successive conquests that rocked Israel throughout the millennia. Today Jaffa is a city with a diverse population of Jews, Muslims and Christians. Currently undergoing a wave of gentrification, Jaffa is a socio-economic mix of young artists, new wealth and older, less affluent inhabitants. Culturally, Jaffa has become a place where creative people live, work and set up shop, making its streets a maze of discovery – with galleries, theaters, restaurants, a flea market and an antique district.

We are honored today to visit a unique museum and art gallery located in the private home of acclaimed artist Ilana Goor. Well-known for her unusual designs of tableware and furniture, she has renovated a beautiful old building in the Artists Quarter.

We continue on to tour Tel Aviv, beginning with the recently renovated old Othman train station and strolling through Neve Zedek, the first neighborhood in Tel Aviv. For years, the neighborhood prospered as Tel Aviv itself, the first modern Israeli city, grew up around it. Years of neglect and disrepair followed, but today, Neve Zedek has become one of Tel Aviv’s latest fashionable and expensive districts.

We break for lunch in the Old Port of Tel Aviv, one of the liveliest entertainment centers, with dozens of restaurants, high end shops and markets.

Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 by a small group of Jewish families who moved from the overcrowded and hostile Arab town of Jaffa. Just one hundred years later, it is Israel’s 2nd largest and most vibrant city. Its sheer vigor and determination makes Tel Aviv seem vastly bigger than it really is. In fact, the city is smaller in area than Haifa or Jerusalem, but almost one-half of Israel’s population lives in the greater Tel Aviv metropolitan area.

Driving through the White City of Tel Aviv, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we see a collection of over 4,000 Bauhaus or International-style buildings. These were built in the 1930s by German Jewish architects who immigrated here after the rise of the Nazis. We stop to visit the “White Square” environmental monument by well-known Israel sculptor Danni Karavan.

This evening we enjoy a special outing that includes dinner and a theater performance at Na Laga’at Center. Originally opened in 2007, Na Laga’at (which translates to “please touch”) was founded by the Na Laga’at non-profit organization, which in turn was founded on the idea that every human being has the right to contribute to the society in which he or she lives. The Center is the first of its kind in the world and its main aim is to promote interaction between deaf-blind, deaf, and blind individuals with people able to hear and see, regardless of cultural or social distinctions.

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Tel Aviv

Thursday, September 11:   Latrun Bird Watching Center – Kibbutz Nachshon – Tel Maresha
A special morning today, we spend time in the countryside at Latrun Bird Watching Center, a model for wildlife preservation, conservation and restoration ecology. Meet with Dr. Yosef Leshem (duties permitting) or someone from his team, founder of the bird center and the driving force behind many of the birding centers in Israel, and hear about the UN supported program: “Birds Have No Borders.” Tel Aviv University and SPNI (Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel) have been allocated an area of 8 acres on the western side of the site in order to establish the International Center for the Study of Bird Migration. The complex includes an inter-university research institute, a field study center, a hostel, and a large auditorium that combines a museum and a radar system to display to the public the phenomenon of stork and other bird migration.

On our way to the historic Ayalon Valley in the center of Israel, we’ll visit Kibbutz Nachshon. This strategic region has played a central role in the history of modern Israel and its roots go back to the Biblical period. Viticulture and winemaking have been a part of life in the Valley for at least 3,000 years, and the ancient stone wine vats in the hills and fields bear witness to this. We learn about this unique way of life, visit their dairy farm and winery, and taste the kibbutz’s homemade produce of cheeses and wines. A delicious lunch is served at the Kibbutz.

Next stop: Tel Maresha, part of the expanse of the National Park of Beit Guvrin that covers approximately 1,250 acres. For thousands of years, people quarried the high quality limestone from these hills, which created huge hollow complexes beneath the ground. The complexes were used for dwellings, burial caves, storerooms, cisterns, industrial facilities, hideouts and dovecotes (a structure to house doves or pigeons). Walking through this underground labyrinth, we glance into how people lived and worked in ancient times. And, time permitting, we’ll participate in an archeological dig, a rare opportunity to touch a piece of history!

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Tel Aviv

Friday, September 12:   Tel Aviv – Caesarea – Haifa
Our journey through Israel continues north to Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea, an ancient Israeli city and now an archaeological park. Constructed by Herod the Great between 22 and 10 BC and named for Caesar Augustus, Caesarea was one of the most splendid cities in Palestine and was the capital of the province for almost 600 years. Here there are ruins from the Roman, Byzantine and Crusader eras, with a virtual model of Ancient Caesarea and the enormous artificial port that even today would be considered an important feat of engineering.

Kibbutz Ma’agan Michael is located between the southern Carmel Mountain and the Mediterranean Sea in the foothills of the town Zichron Ya’akov. Established in 1949, the Kibbutz is a wildlife sanctuary especially developed to protect the habitat both for native and migratory and wading birds such as the Great Black Headed Gull, Terns and Glossy Ibis. For thousands of years, migrating birds would stop at this swampland in order to build up strength prior to making the long trek over the Sahara Desert. Today, the fish ponds created by Kibbutz Ma’agan Michael mimic these swamps, and serve as a place for migrating birds to meet, rest, and feed. Throughout the year, hundreds of species of birds are seen at the ponds of Ma’agan Michael, and SPNI has decided to open a bird observatory here.

Nest, we drive to the foot of Mount Carmel to see the Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery. In the 12th century, during the Crusader occupation of the region, groups of religious hermits began to inhabit the caves in this area in imitation of Elijah the Prophet. Within a century, these monastic hermits were organized into the Carmelite order which spread throughout Europe. While the Carmelite orders flourished in Europe throughout the Middle Ages, its founders on Mount Carmel were exiled at the time of the Mamluk conquest in 1291 and did not return until the 18th century. Construction of the present monastery and basilica began in 1836. Today, Mount Carmel is a center of the Israeli wine industry, and lunch today is in the Tishbi Winery, the first private commercial winery on Mount Carmel!

We end our very busy day with a last stop before Haifa, at the picturesque Ein Hod Artist’s Village, situated on a hillside among olive groves, with a stunning view of the Mediterranean Sea and a 12th c. Crusader fortress. Many Israeli painters, sculptors and musicians live here, and maintain studios and galleries that are open to the public.

Located on the northern peak of Mount Carmel, Haifa overlooks a bay on the Mediterranean Sea. Compared by some to the similarly-situated cities of Memphis or Naples, Israel’s third largest city is a major industrial center and has a population of almost 300,000. According to a popular Israeli saying, “Tel Aviv plays while Jerusalem prays. But Haifa works!”

Like most of Israel, Haifa has been populated since ancient times. Elijah is the city’s most famous early inhabitant: here he meditated in a cave before defeating the priests of Baal. In April 22, 1948, the Arabs of Haifa surrendered to Israeli forces and the town remains under Israeli rule today. Most of Haifa’s Arab inhabitants left, but the town still retains a cosmopolitan mixture of Muslim Arabs, Christian Arabs, and Baha’is.

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Haifa
Our hotel tonight is located on the green hills of the Carmel Mountain, with a breathtaking view of the Haifa Bay. The hotel is just a few minutes’ walk from the popular Louis Promenade and Carmel Center with its many cafés, shops and entertainment venues. From the hotel you can easily walk to the breathtaking Bahai Temple and Gardens. Tastefully and elegantly designed in modern style, all the guestrooms and suites offer marvelous views.

Saturday, September 13:   Haifa – Bahai Gardens – Hai Bar National Park
After breakfast we visit the immaculate Bahai Gardens, with their stone peacocks and delicately manicured cypress trees. A restful, aesthetic memorial to the founders of the Baha’i Faith, pilgrims come to Haifa from all parts of the world to pay homage to the first leaders of their religion, which emphasizes unity across cultures and religions. They believe that messengers of God, like Moses, Jesus and Mohammed, have been sent at different times in history with doctrines varying to fit changing social needs, but bringing substantially the same message.

We’ll then discover the National Park of Hai Bar, which is located on Mount Carmel. Covering some 1,500 acres in the heart of Mount Carmel, known as “Little Switzerland,” this park carries on a special mission to restore Israel’s wildlife. The nature reserve protects the wild animals mentioned in the Bible and other endangered desert species.

Driving to the World Heritage Site of Acco, we view an exceptional historic walled port-city which has had continuous settlement from the Phoenician period. Acco became the capital of the Crusaders after they lost Jerusalem. Walking through the restored underground Crusader City, we can see that the present city is characteristic of a fortified walled town dating from the 18-19th centuries, with well-preserved components such as a citadel, mosques, khans, and baths.

Continuing to Rosh Hanikra, we take short cable car ride that descends down to the British railway tunnels and bridge. A tunnel allows visitors to reach the sea caves (grottoes) and watch the interaction of sea waves and the white rock. It is one of the most spectacular sites of nature beauty in Israel. The cliff and the seashore are a natural reserve of unique fauna and flora. On the slopes of the cliff, the scented white seashore Lilies, Narcissus and Squill bloom in autumn and wintertime. Inside the grottoes, groups of bats spend their day resting on the ceiling while swallows and rock pigeons nest in the protective darkness of the caves. Flights of seagulls wing their way to their nesting island a mile to the west. There one can observe most of the local and European seashore and sea birds. The rocky depths of the sea offers a friendly environment to all kinds of Mediterranean fish and other marine animals.

The most attractive guest on this shore is the loggerhead turtle, a huge maritime reptile that has chosen these rocky shores as a mating area. In the rough sand shores the female digs bottle-shaped pits and lays her eggs in early summer. A few weeks later hundreds of tiny turtles dig their way out of the pits and hurry to the sea, guided by the beam of the full moon.

(Breakfast and Dinner)

Overnight at Kibbutz HaGoshrim
Our next two nights are at HaGoshrim Kibbutz and Resort Hotel, located in the heart of the Galilee forest among natural springs and between the tributaries of the Jordan River. It is built on the site of Emir Fa’ur’s ruined winter palace, where he controlled the northern Hula Valley in the days of the Ottoman Empire. The hotel lies in the center of the valley, facing the Golan Heights and the snows of Mount Hermon. Its unique combination of ancient and modern architecture blends together in pleasant harmony.

Sunday, September 14:   Tel Dan Nature Reserve – Beit Osishkin – Hula Nature Reserve & Agamon
Today’s drive takes us to Tel Dan Nature Reserve, a wonderfully unique combination of nature and culture. With rare archeological findings of Israeli city life dating back to the Neolithic or Stone Age, and lush river greenery along the river, Tel Dan is a feast for the mind and senses. This principal tributary of the Jordan River is Israel’s biggest source of fresh water. Here you will become aware of the conflict between nature preservation and other uses of fresh water in a long water shortage period.

We visit Beit Osishkin, a museum and education center for nature and culture of the region, and have an opportunity to learn about the alpine peaks of Mount Hermon and the ecological impact of the drainage of the Hula Lake in the 1950s. Following lunch, the drive takes us north to the Hula Nature Reserve and the Agamon, for a half day of bird watching in the north of Israel. The Hula Valley is an important resting and “refueling” place for migrating birds on their annual trip from Europe to Africa and back. The lake and the swamps are home to tens of thousands of aquatic birds, along with many species of rare plants and fish, creating a wondrous world of flora and fauna.

(Breakfast and Dinner)

Overnight at Kibbutz HaGoshrim

Monday, September 15:   Mount Meron – Tsfat (Safed) – Jerusalem
This morning we drive along the Rift Valley cliffs, overlooking the Hula Valley to Mount Meron, then we take a hike around the comfortable “Summit Trail” and enjoy amazing views over the entire north of Israel.

We’ll visit the ancient Galilean city of Safed, the highest city in Israel, which commands breathtaking views of the Galilee with its green mountains and the white snow-capped peak of Mount Hermon. One of the four holy cities of Israel (Jerusalem, Tiberias, and Hebron are the other three), it has been a spiritual Kabbalah center since the 1600s. The Kabbalist mystics lived, studied, taught, and wrote in the city, and many of their graves are today objects of worship. We wander through the alleyways past charming stone houses with their artist studios, workshops and synagogues, some active for as many as 500 years.

Lunch today is enjoyed at Muscat, Chef Haim Tibi’s gourmet’s restaurant at Mizpe Hayamim Resort.

Driving along the Jordan Valley to Jerusalem we stop, if time permits, to visit the National Park of Beit Shean, which houses some of Israel’s most spectacular archaeological finds. Located on the banks of the Harod stream, this city was first established in the 5th century BC. It served as the military and administrative center of the Egyptian New Kingdom and is another of the many sites that were destroyed in 732 BC by Tiglath Pileser III, King of Assyria. It was on the walls of Beit Shean that the Philistines hanged the bodies of King Saul and his sons after the crushing defeat on Mt. Gilboa.

Late this evening we arrive at the magical city of Jerusalem and check into our hotel, where we stay for the next two nights.

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Jerusalem
The Crowne Plaza Jerusalem is a luxurious, spacious and modern hotel situated on Givat Ram. Its 400 rooms offer breathtaking panoramic views of the Old City, the Knesset, the Supreme Court and the Israel Museum. Every floor in the Jerusalem Crowne Plaza Hotel has a different theme, each of which pertains to a different neighborhood in the city.

Tuesday, September 16:   Jerusalem: Mount Of Olives – Old City Of Jerusalem – Israel Museum  – Jerusalem’s Zoo
We spend today exploring Jerusalem, a mountainous city with a 5,000-year history, sacred to the three great monotheistic religions of the world – Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is a major site of pilgrimage for all three religions, as well as non-religious travelers, thanks to its unmatched historical and spiritual importance, its network of museums and concerts, and the archeological treasures that are continually discovered here. It is also a dynamic modern city shared by Jews, Christians and Arabs.

We’ll visit the Mount of Olives, with its stunning views of Jerusalem. According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will appear here and bring the dead back to life. As a result, the hillside became the holiest cemetery, and is covered by thousands of graves, some remaining olive trees, and churches that mark the various acts in the life of Jesus.

The streets of the Old city of Jerusalem is the perfect venue for a walking tour, which includes amazing and exotic middle-eastern bazaars and markets. Stroll through Armenian, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian Quarters, and visit historical, archeological, and holy sites.

Before visiting the Israeli Supreme Court for a tour of this striking compound, we have an authentic falafel lunch.

The architects for the Supreme Court building leaned heavily on the Bible and the precepts of Jewish thought in their design. Notice at the entrance foyer that there is a narrow staircase leading into the sky. Jerusalem stone walls on one side, and a bare flat wall on the other, symbolize the aspiration from the land (laws) toward the heavens (justice.) This same theme is repeated in the visual leitmotif of straight lines (”Your laws are straight,” Psalms 119:113) and circles (”He leads me in the circles of Justice,” Psalms 23:3.) The courtrooms are simple and elegant: the judges and lawyers sit along two tables that form a circle. And the building is conveniently situated between the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) and the site of the future Prime Minister’s office and residence, thus the judicial branch serves as mediator between the executive and legislative branches.

Our next stop is the Israel Museum. The most popular part of the museum is the Shrine of the Book, with its distinctive onion-shaped top. The roof was designed to resemble the jar covers in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947. Inside, a long, subtly lit passageway, designed to evoke the environment in which the scrolls were found, has a permanent exhibition on life in Qumran when the scrolls were written. The main attraction of the Shrine of the Book is, of course, the Dead Sea Scrolls themselves. Directly beneath the dome is an imposing showcase containing a replica of the Great Isaiah Scroll (written c. 100 BC), comprised of 66 chapters on a 23 ft long, sewn-together piece of parchment. This find was extremely important, as it is 1,000 years older than the oldest biblical manuscript that was ever available. Another important exhibit here is the scale model of Jerusalem at the time of the Second Temple.

We end our day in Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo, a world leader in protecting endangered species. Meet Dr. Sigalit Dvir, deputy director of the Zoo for a special “behind the scenes” tour. The Jerusalem Zoo is also a Middle Eastern leader in a different, broader type of population control: saving endangered species from extinction and eventually reintroducing the animals back to nature. The Persian Fallow Deer was thought to be extinct in the early part of the 20th century, but was found again in Iran about 50 years ago. Israel has been breeding the animals since the 1970s, at the Hai Bar Animal Reserve on the Carmel, and at the Jerusalem Zoo. Another animal being saved by the zoo is the Sand Cat, a small, nocturnal feline desert dweller native to the Arava. Nearly extinct due to agriculture, the cats are being raised in an off-exhibit area by the zoo, in conjunction with the Israel Zoological Association and the National Parks Authority, with the express goal of reintroducing them back to nature.

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Jerusalem

Wednesday, September 17:   Dead Sea – Einot Tzukim Nature Reserve – Ein Gedi Nature National Park – Masada – Mtizpe Ramon
This morning we leave Jerusalem and travel to the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth and the saltiest body of water on earth. No living creature can live in this water, but its minerals are good for our skin and muscles.

We visit the Einot Tzukim Nature Reserve. The green oasis stands in contrast between the desolate slopes of the desert and the blue Dead Sea. Walking through the reserve we meet animals and plants around the springs of fresh water.

Another reserve we visit is the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, a lush oasis set between the harsh Judean Desert and the barren Dead Sea. Taking a short hike to the beautiful waterfalls, we enjoy the wonderful flora and fauna en route.

Lunch today is on the shores of the Dead Sea, allowing us time to float in this sinkless and mineral-laden water.

After lunch we climb the ancient serpent path, or take a cable car to the ruins of Massada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built by King Herod, the site would later be the scene of the Zealots last stand against the Roman Legion. Determined not to become slaves to the Romans, they did the unthinkable, which was mass suicide. Some 960 souls chose death over surrender on that fateful day. Explore the ancient excavation of Herod’s Palaces, the bathhouse, storerooms, the ramp, and one of the oldest synagogues in the world.

In the Negev Desert of southern Israel is the largest natural crater in the world, Mitzpe Ramon, a place of unparalleled serenity and breathtaking views. The crater’s walls are made from layers of different-color rock beds containing fossils of shells, plants, and trees.

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Overnight at the Isrotel Ramon Inn Hotel in Mitzpe Ramon
Our hotel tonight, the Isrotel Ramon Inn Hotel, is situated on a cliff overlooking the Ramon Crater. You can enjoy a wet and dry sauna, a heated and covered swimming pool that is open all year round, and a variety of body treatments. “The Ramon-Inn Restaurant” serves an abundance of Middle Eastern style cuisine with a North African touch.

Thursday, September 18:   Machtesh Ramon – Yotvata Hai Bar – Eilat
Today’s drive brings us to makhtesh Ramon, a large erosion cirque, created 220 million years ago when oceans covered the area (the word crater is therefore a misleading translation of Hebrew to English). The Ramon Crater measures 24 miles in length and between 1.2 and 6 miles in width and is shaped like a long heart, forming Israel’s largest national park, the Ramon Nature Reserve. There are very few craters like this in the world, and three of them are located in the Israeli Negev Desert.

Continuing by bus we travel to the Arava Planes subtropical desert, with its unique fauna and flora. Here we visit Yotvata Hai Bar, a safari-like reserve with animals that at one time were natives to this country and later became extinct. The Hai Bar Reserve (Hebrew for wildlife) works at trying to reintroduce these animals back to nature.

Our destination for tonight is Eilat, Israel’s southernmost city on the shores of the Red Sea. Eilat’s location made it strategically significant during the many historical periods in which it served as a port, beginning in the days of King Solomon. The modern city of Eilat was established in 1950. In the early 1950s, a quay was built in the new city, and subsequently a port, which became the basis for the new city’s economy. Eilat has a rare combination of tropical sea with some of the most beautiful coral reefs, a huge number of migrating birds, and a very unique geology.
(Breakfast and Dinner)

Overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Eilat
The Crowne Plaza Hotel Eilat is ideally located on Eilat’s North Beach. The hotel has 266 spacious rooms, a large swimming pool surrounded by lawns, poolside snack bar, luxurious health club and spa including reflex-massage, dry and wet saunas, chiropractic and mud treatments, Jacuzzi outdoor pool and cosmetic treatments. We stay here for the next two nights.

Friday, September 19:   Eilat’s Bird Sanctuary – Underwater Observatory

To visit the Eilat Bird Sanctuary means an early start to our day. Connecting between three continents – Africa, Asia and Europe – Eilat is the principle migration route for millions of birds. In the spring, more than 30 species (about a million birds of prey) take advantage of rising warm air above the Eilat Mountains. For many, Eilat is a refueling stop on their hazardous journey. During the migration season, between 500 million to a billion birds are estimated to cross Eilat’s skies. The Eilat Bird Sanctuary and Ringing Station are located on the site to the north of the Saltpans and close to the Jordanian border crossing. The saltpans, pools, trees and bushes here host migrant birds such as shrikes, flycatchers and warblers. The Little Green Bee-eater is also common here.

We return to the hotel for breakfast and then continue with our visit to the underwater Observatory to view the full spectrum of sea life that lives in Eilat’s famous and magnificent coral reefs. The bay is one of the major attractions of the Red Sea, with its beautiful beaches, water sports, and one of the best diving spots in the world. South of the city is the Coral Reserve, with splendid tropical fish on the reef, and the Underwater Observatory, which displays a marine museum with collections of fascinating sea animals.

At lunchtime we board a private yacht to enjoy a relaxing sailing experience along with a delicious BBQ lunch.

Tonight we are treated to a special Farewell Dinner in a local restaurant, and we celebrate our time together and this unique trip we have just completed in Israel.

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Overnight at the Crowne Plaza Eilat

Saturday, September 20:   Eilat~Day At Leisure – Tel Aviv – Flight to New York
Today is at leisure to explore Eilat on our own. Most of Eilat’s sunny Red Sea shores will remind you of a tropical Caribbean hideaway. The water is very clear and calm and swimming is lovely. There are plenty of bars/restaurants on the beach, so lunch will be a hard decision!

Late afternoon we’ll be transferred to the airport for our short flight to Tel Aviv, where we connect with flights home, departing shortly after midnight.

(Breakfast)

Sunday, September 21:   Arrival in New York
This morning we land in New York and transfer to flights to your hometown cities, with all the special memories of our Nature of Israel adventure.

(Meals Aloft)