Spring 2015 Adults Only Value Virtual Tour
Day 1 Virtual Tour – The April 27th Adults Only Value Tour has arrived in Israel. They are probably finishing their delicious Welcome Dinner at the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem and heading upstairs to their beds for a good nights sleep. Spoiler Alert – Jet Lag should wake them up around 4:00 am. CNN International can be a jet lagged traveler’s best friend. After an Israeli Buffet Breakfast (I’m so jealous!) – an exciting day of touring in Jerusalem.
Day 2 Virtual Tour – Today was the first full day of touring in Jerusalem. I’m sure many of our passengers are still finding it hard to believe that they’re finally here. For the majority of the group, this is their first visit to Israel. First stop today was the Old City in Jerusalem. King David’s Tomb, The Jewish Quarter and The Western Wall were just a few of the amazing sights visited.
Day 3 Virtual Tour – Today our group got their hands dirty at the Tel Maresha Dig. It was time to look for buried treasures at this underground archaeological site. Digging and sifting revealed ancient pieces of pottery and artifacts from past civilizations.
Day 4 Virtual Tour – Shabbat Shalom!
Today was a very emotional day as our group visited Yad Vashem – Israel’s National Memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. After a private memorial service and a visit to the Museum and Memorials, it was on to the Israel Museum to see the Dead Sea Scrolls, Sculpture Garden and scale model of Jerusalem. A visit to the Western Wall to before Shabbat was a wonderful way to end the week. Tonight is a traditional Shabbat dinner at the Inbal Hotel.
Day 5 Virtual Tour – It was a day of rest in Jerusalem for our group. The wake up call came a little bit later this morning. A fascinating walking tour of the the Old City was the only touring today. The rest of the day was at leisure. Tomorrow is another big day as the group will leave Jerusalem and head south to the Dead Sea – the lowest place on Earth.
Day 6 Virtual Tour – The adventure continues… into the desert. Today our group left Jerusalem and toured to the Dead Sea. On the way they stopped at the Hatzarim Air Force Base and saw the actual command plane used in the Entebbe operation. Before arriving at our luxury resort at the Dead Sea our group enjoyed a taste of Bedouin hospitality and camel rides! Floating in the Dead Sea was a relaxing way to end the day.
Days 7 & 8 Virtual Tour – Wow, so much has happened since our last update. Day 6 started early with a cable car ride up to the top of Masada. The group enjoyed a magnificent view of the Dead Sea and surrounding desert from the top of the ancient fortress. After a tour of the excavations it was back to the hotel for breakfast and then on to Eilat. Along the way they saw King Solomon’s Pilars and stopped at Yotvata Dairy Kibbutz for a refreshing ice cream break. Day 7 – two options – A relaxing and fun yacht cruise on the red sea with lunch, snorkeling, swimming and parasailing (for the adventurous) or an optional day trip to see one of the wonders of the world – the ancient Nabatean capital city of Petra, Jordan
Days 9 & 10 Virtual Tour – Going North – Day 8 began with a short flight from Eilat to Tel Aviv. From Tel Aviv the group continued touring to northern Israel and ended their day on the shores of The Sea of Galilee in the city of Tiberias. Along the way they saw the spectacular Roman ruins of Caesarea, Megiddo and the ancient synagogue at Beit Alpha. Day 9 was another day of adventure that included a jeep tour in the Golan Heights and the ancient holy city of Safed – the center of Jewish mysticism – Kabbalah. This evening the group went to Kibbutz Ein Gev and had the unique opportunity to enjoy the hospitality of the Kibbutzniks in their homes and learn about life on the Kibbutz.
Days 9 & 10 Virtual Tour – Going North – Day 8 began with a short flight from Eilat to Tel Aviv. From Tel Aviv the group continued touring to northern Israel and ended their day on the shores of The Sea of Galilee in the city of Tiberias. Along the way they saw the spectacular Roman ruins of Caesarea, Megiddo and the ancient synagogue at Beit Alpha. Day 9 was another day of adventure that included a jeep tour in the Golan Heights and the ancient holy city of Safed – the center of Jewish mysticism – Kabbalah. This evening the group went to Kibbutz Ein Gev and had the unique opportunity to enjoy the hospitality of the Kibbutzniks in their homes and learn about life on the Kibbutz.
Day 12 Virtual Tour – Shabbat in Tel Aviv. A day to rest and relax. The group took advantage of their final Shabbat in Israel – they strolled along the beach, took naps by the pool, ate delicious Mediterranean style lunches and reflected on what they have seen and done over the past 11 days. Their Israel experience is not over yet! Tonight is their festive farewell banquet. After a day of rest they should be ready to dance the night away.
Day 13 Virtual Tour – It’s not over yet! This morning the group visited the Ayalon Institute – site of the underground bullet factory used during the War of Independence, The Weizmann Institute of Science where medical and scientific breakthroughs happen almost daily, and toured modern Tel Aviv. Last stop of the day was the Palmach Museum – a fascinating and captivating experience dedicated to the first defenders of Israel. The rest of the day was at leisure to shop, pack, rest and relax before the long flight home.
Day 14 Virtual Tour – The April 27th group is on their way home. It was an amazing two week experience and we cannot wait to hear from them! The May 4th group is at the Dead Sea today. June 11 is the departure date for our next Family / Bar-Bat Mitzvah tour. It’s going to be a busy summer!
