SAMPLE ITINERARY

Day 1 – Arrival

Upon arrival to Tel Aviv, our uests will be warmly greeted by our representative and transferred to the hotel for dinner and orientation. Dinner and overnight in Haifa

Day 2 – Central Israel and the Coast

Our program will trace the development of Israel’s unique greenhouses and will include a “hands on” workshop at local Kibbutz that’s on the forefront of creating food from algae. We will learn a bit about other local cultures as we visit with members of the local Druze community. Dinner and overnight in Haifa

Day 3 – The Coast and the Galilee

One Arab city in northern Israel is renowned for being on the cutting edge in environment initiatives. Here we will visit the new Science, Environment and Space Center in Sakhnin and learn about their unique waste water treatment plant. We will enjoy local Galilean slow cooked lunch and later, take a tour of the ancient market of Nazareth. Our day will end with a boat-ride on the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight in Haifa

Day 4 – Samaria

We will cross into Samaria today and learn about the organic and ecological strides within the Palestinian communities such as Burqu’in, home of a successful fair trade factory. We will meet with local farmers and hear about how this enterprise evolved and the local certification procedures required to participate in this special olive harvesting cooperative. Later we will visit one of the oldest churches in the world. We will visit a green organic permaculture farm. A tour of the ancient market of Nablus will complete our day.  Dinner and overnight in Nablus

Day 5 – Jordan Valley – Dead Sea 

This morning we will learn about the ancient Samaritan culture and visit the community that lives at the top of Mt. Gerazim, that has sustained itself for thousands of years. We will meet with residents of an adjacent community to see how they are growing grapes for wine manufacturing. The second half of our day will be spent in the Jordan valley where we will learn first-hand about the water issues associated with the Jordan River. We will spend time at Auja Eco-Park, and enjoy an evening hike and star program with our partners from the Friends of the Earth Middle East. Our dinner prepared by local Palestinian women, will be accompanied by delightful Dabka music.  Dinner and overnight in Jericho

Day 6 – Jericho-Judea and Hebron

We will spend the morning in Jericho, first visiting the ancient site of Qasr El Yahud on the Jordan River, considered the original baptismal site, and we will meet a local organization to learn issues pertaining to the restoration of the river Jordan.  We will spend the rest of the morning visiting a date farm and and a wildlife monitoring station. After lunch we will hike in the terraces around Battir, a unique ecosystem outside of Bethlehem. The latter part of our day will be spent in Hebron, where we will explore the ancient Ma’arat HaMachpelah- the Cave of the Patriarchs. We will enjoy a special Bedouin Hafla dinner and culture evening before traveling to Jerusalem for overnight. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem

Day 7- Jerusalem – The Old City

This morning we will meet and have breakfast with a local environmentalist active in promoting green education in schools. Later we will visit the ancient Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. We will spend the rest of the day touring many of the highlights of Jerusalem’s ancient Old City including the Via Dolorosa, Western Wall tunnels, Jewish Quarter, and Mt. Zion. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem

Day 8 – Ella Valley – Habsor

Today will be spent seeing the newer side of Jerusalem, first with a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Museum, and then we will enjoy a special challah making workshop within one of the oldest Hasidic sects in Jerusalem, and learn how this community has sustained itself through modern times. We will enjoy lunch inside of Machane Yehuda market.  Afternoon at Leisure. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem

Day 9 – Departure

Highlights

• Visit the Arab city of Sakhnin in northern Israel, which is at the forefront of the rehabilitation of wastewater with its treatment plant.
• Explore the Sea of Galilee, not only an important holy site, but also the most critical water reservoir in Northern Israel
• Tour an organic fair trade factory in Burqin and be surprised by some of the many renowned products that are manufactured here
• Discover an organic permaculture farm and see the innovations occurring in the heart of the West Bank
• Learn about one of the most ancient communities, the Samaritans
• Meet with Friends of the Earth Middle East and tour the Jordan River valley and learn about critical water management
• See Qasr El Yahud, the authentic site of the baptism of Jesus
• Be enlightened by local environmentalist active in promoting green education in schools
• Visit one of the most beautiful and ancient of cities, Jerusalem and visit the Old City holy and historical sites important to Jews, Christians and Muslims
• Tour Yad Vashem; the Holocaust Remembrance Museum