Israel National Trail Itinerary
Awesome Israel KE-31-Sample
MONDAY: ARRIVAL IN ISRAEL, SHORASHIM: BACK TO THE ROOTS
- Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport for a Welcoming Ceremony.
- Travel from the airport to begin to explore this fascinating country.
- Drive North to Metula.
- Dinner.
- Opening group building and expectations program.
- Overnight in Metula Travelers Hotel.
TUESDAY: BORDERS, TRAILS & KAYAKS
Today we hope to strengthen the bond between ourselves and the physical ‘Eretz’ (land) of Israel as a necessary step our relationship with the People of Israel, the State of Israel and our Jewish heritage as well.
- Wake up & breakfast at Metula Travelers Hotel.
- Understanding the strategic borders of Israel at Mount Bental.
- Hike one of Israel’s most beautiful rivers at Nachal Snir through waterfalls, streams and foliage.
- Lunch.
- Cool off in Kayaks on the Jordan River.
- Relaxing afternoon in Metula.
- Dinner.
- Overnight in Metula Travelers Hotel.
WEDNESDAY: THE ISRAEL NATIONAL TRAIL
The Israel National Trail (INT) or as Israelis call it Shvil Yisrael, is a 580-mile footpath that stretches across the length and breadth of Israel. The northern trail head is in Kibbutz Dan, just below the Lebanese border. From there, the trail makes its way to Eilat at the southernmost tip of Israel, near the borders of Jordan and Egypt on the Red Sea. Today, as we begin a northern section of the Trail, we’ll begin to understand why National Geographic calls it "epic" and counts it as one of world's best hikes!
- Wake up & breakfast at Metula Travelers Hotel.
- Rendezvous with Israeli Soldiers.
- Israel National Trail – An Awesome way to see Israel's unique physical, ethnic, and religious landscape.
- Lunch on the Israel National Trail.
- Arrive at our overnight campgrounds & dinner.
- Sleeping under the stars on the Israel National Trail.
THURSDAY: HIKING, HAIFA & JERUSALEM
Today will be an electric day of hiking and history as we continue on the Israel Trail and we visit Haifa and travel to Jerusalem!
- Wake up and & Breakfast on the Israel National Trail.
- We now visit the Nabi Yusha fort – an important fort from the Israeli independence war.
- Head back to the Keren Naftaly portion of the Israel National Trail.
- Lunch.
- Haifa Partnership Program with Community Service.
- Travel To the Jewish capital city, Jerusalem.
- Dinner.
- Informal Group Discussion.
- Overnight in Caesar Premier Jerusalem Hotel.
FRIDAY: JERUSALEM – ALONG THE SEAM LINES
Today we explore both ancient and modern Jerusalem and the impact they have on Israeli society. As we transition between the old and the new we will reflect on the impact both have made on Israel and its people.
- Wake up & breakfast at Caesar Premier Jerusalem Hotel.
- Green Project at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory.
- Shehecheyanu upon arrival to the Holy City of Jerusalem, at the Haas Promenade.
- Lunch.
- Tour of Jewish Quarter of the Old City: view from rooftops, personal time at the Western Wall - Kotel
- Kabbalat Shabbat Services.
- Festive Friday Night Dinner.
- Oneg Shabbat: Fun and Games.
- Overnight in Caesar Premier Jerusalem Hotel.
SHABAT: A MUCH NEEDED REST!!
On Shabbat we will experience the intersection between sacred time and sacred space. We will experience a range of different creative responses to Jewish sites and sources. The pace of our schedule will be less frenetic than usual, in order to allow us to reflect the spirit of the day and allow space and time for us to absorb our experiences so far.
- Late wake up & breakfast at Caesar Premier Jerusalem Hotel.
- Informal soldier’s activity.
- Lunch.
- Guided around the Bible Land Museum and discover the culture of the peoples mentioned in the Bible.
- Dinner.
- Havdalah Ceremony.
- Yad Vashem Preparation with Tour Guide.
- Overnight in Caesar Premier Jerusalem Hotel.
SUNDAY: NARRATIVE, MEMORY AND THAT WHICH IS IN BETWEEN
Today we visit Yad Va’Shem, the national Holocaust memorial and explore the impact that the legacy of the Holocaust has on Israeli society and culture. To complete our exploration of modern Jewish memory, we will visit the national cemetery at Mount Herzl where many of Israel’s founders and dignitaries are buried. It is also the main military cemetery in Israel. Today is an exploration between history and memory.
- Wake up & breakfast at Caesar Premier Jerusalem Hotel.
- Visit Yad Vashem, Israel's national memorial to the Holocaust, including the Children's Memorial and the Valley of the Lost Communities.
- Time For Reflection & Processing
- Using all your senses at Machane Yehuda Outdoor Market, where you can see, hear, taste, smell and feel one of the most busy and colorful places in Israel.
- Lunch in Machane Yehuda Outdoor Market.
- Tour of Mt. Herzl Cemetery, the final resting place of Israeli dignitaries and fallen soldiers.
- Summary & Memorial Ceremony.
- Say goodbye to your Israeli soldiers.
- Dinner & Leisure Evening on Ben Yehuda - the epicenter of night life in Jerusalem.
- Overnight in Caesar Premier Jerusalem Hotel.
MONDAY: THE NEGEV DESERT, GO SOUTH TO GAIN WISDOM
The Tanach (Bible) instructs us to go south to “Gain Wisdom”, the Torah was given in the Desert, many of our prophets retreated there. Ben-Gurion declared, “It is in the Negev that the creativity and pioneer vigor of Israel shall be tested.” What is it about this arid unwelcoming place that conversely proves to be such a fertile environment for vision and ideas?
- Wake up & breakfast at Caesar Premier Jerusalem Hotel.
- We start traveling towards the south of the country and understand the geo-political situation of Israel.
- Ein Avdat Hike: A place to look up and say "wow".
- Lunch.
- Visit Sde Boker: Ben Gurion’s desert home and discover his vision for the future of the Negev.
- Desert Camel Riding.
- Bedouin Dinner Experience.
- Overnight Under the Stars.
TUESDAY: THE DESERT - DEFINING AND DEFENDING JEWISH VALUES
At Masada and Nachal David, we’ll connect to integral aspects of the Jewish narrative and understand how historical events can speak to contemporary dilemmas. As we continue to explore the nexus between past, present and future, we will also begin to explore the relationship between center and periphery.
- Wake up in Bedouin Guest Lodge & Check Out
- Breakfast & Masada: Hike and tour - Learn about the history and the mythology.
- Shopping at the AHAVA Factory.
- Hike Nachal David: The combination of fresh water sources allow a unique variety of plant and animal species to thrive side by side.
- Lunch.
- Float in the Dead Sea: Visit the lowest place on earth, and float in the nutrient rich waters.
- Travel Back towards Jerusalem.
- Dinner and Overnight in Kibbutz Ramat Rachel.
WEDNESDAY: EXPERIENCE TEL AVIV, AND CONSIDERING OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURE
On May 14th 1948 at 4 o’clock in the afternoon David Ben-Gurion declared the birth and independence of the State of Israel. Today we will travel to Tel Aviv and experience this incredible moment in time in Independence Hall, where the actual declaration was made. Throughout the day we will be exploring the city of Tel Aviv and Jaffa and see how the dream of the Jewish State has come true.
- Wake up & Breakfast in Kibbutz Ramat Rachel.
- Travel toward the modern metropolis of Tel Aviv.
- We explore the unique streets of old Jaffa and visiting the renovated Jaffa port.
- Enjoy the unique cultural streets of Shenkin & Carmel Market.
- Lunch in the center of Tel Aviv.
- Visit to Independence Hall. Visit the exact room where the State of Israel was born.
- A Farewell Dinner.
- Wrap-up Program: Can you sing? And find to come back to Israel again for FREE!
- Travel to Ben Gurion Airport.
- Check-in and baord return flight.