The Bible Comes to Life

You will delve into the very sites that form the foundations of Jerusalem, and in turn the foundations for the three monotheistic Abrahamic faiths. Your guidebook for the day will be the Bible and ancient Jewish texts as we uncover the city of King David, the city of Jesus, and all those who came between. We start with a panoramic view of the city on Mount Scopus/Mount of Olives from where we will start to see how the ancient world fits in to the modern city.

The City of David is where the history of Jerusalem begins. Conquered by King David 3,000 years ago, the ancient stones of the site will take us on a journey through the Biblical narratives which will leap off the pages into reality.  When we visit the Givati excavations, we will understand first-hand the complexities of running an archaeological site in an urban setting as well as the particular sensitivities of this dig from historical, geo-political, religious, and national perspectives.

We will enter the Old City through the Dung Gate and visit the Western Wall; the holiest site in the world for Judaism.  We will learn the significance of the Western Wall both in its historical context and as a focus of prayer, belief, dreams, and as a national symbol. We will have time to pray or meditate at the wall, which is open to peoples of all faiths and backgrounds, either before or after we visit in smaller groups, the Western Wall Tunnels.

As we enter the eerie arches of the Western Wall Tunnels, we are transported to a different Jerusalem; underground Jerusalem. The Western Wall as we see it, is just a very small section of the entire Western Wall; in this 1 hour walking tour we are going to follow the length of the Wall, seeing sections that were covered for hundreds of years until Israeli Archeologists were able to bring them back in to the light following 1967.  Here we will understand the incredible building project of King Herod’s temple, the Second Temple, and we will start to understand the terrific loss that is symbolized by its destruction in the year 70CE.

Minimum Participants 5 

Price per person from $255

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Following Jesus’ Footsteps in Jerusalem

We begin the day by entering the Old City on foot through the Lion’s Gate, following in the footsteps of the Israeli Paratroopers of 1967 who were the first Israelis to enter the Old City since the establishment of the modern state of Israel 19 years earlier. We will visit the Pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed the lame man, and visit the beautiful Crusader period Church of St. Anne.  We will start on the Via Dolorosa, the traditional route that Jesus followed from his trial in front of Pontius Pilate, to his crucifixion at Calvary. We will pass some of the Stations of the Cross along the way before coming to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The solemnity of the events marked by the church is juxtaposed with the human traffic that floods through its doors every day. On our journey we will rub shoulders with tourists and priests; with those carrying crosses and those carrying selfie-sticks; those going about their everyday business and those fulfilling a life-long dream. This is the Holy City. Close to the Old City Walls there is the Garden Tomb, a beautifully maintained, quiet, picturesque area where we will take time to contemplate, meditate, and for those who wish, to pray. Continue to the Southern Wall Excavations, including the steps leading to the ancient Temple and the site where Jesus overturned the moneychangers’ tables and explore The Western Wall. We will exit the city via the Arab Souk, filled with sweet delights, silks and pashminas, olive wood products, Persian carpets, and a million other captivating wares. As we board the bus, we will view the area of the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations, as well as Mount Zion.

Minimum Participants 5 

Price per person from $240

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Tragedies of the Recent Past; Triumphs of the Here & Now 

Today we delve into the various facets of memorial and memory in Israeli society, which carved the foundation of the modern state.  Begin your day at Yad Vashem, the world’s Holocaust Remembrance Center. Literally meaning “a  name and a monument”, the museum is dedicated to preserving the memory of those  murdered, honoring those who fought against their Nazi oppressors, and  commemorating righteous gentiles who selflessly aided Jews in the time of  their most dire need. The museum has an expansive education center that stands  at the forefront of researching the phenomenon of the Holocaust in particular  and genocide in general, with a deliberate aim of preventing such events  in the future. 

The way one says “cheers” in Hebrew is “L’chaim”, “to life”; there is nothing more Jewish than celebrating life with food. A line will be drawn under the grueling experiences of this morning, as we head towards the Mahane Yehuda Market or simply “The Shuk”. The Shuk, is the central produce market of the city, and the beating heart of modern Jerusalem where local Jerusalemites buy their fruits and vegetables, baked goods, spices, wines and beers, house wares, or just to eat lunch or meet a friend. Join a local expert and weave through the market streets which will take us on a journey to the four corners of the earth, as the tour through the Shuk tickles our taste buds with examples of traditional flavors from many of the palettes that make up modern Israeli cuisine, and hear the stories of the people that bought them to Israel. 

Minimum Participants 5 

Price per person from $355

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

A Peek into Israel’s Special Forces 

Meet the world-renowned Israel Defense Academy, the top defense forces training academy in Israel with clients around the world. At IDA, you will receive a briefing from a high-level agent, who will teach you about self-defense, emergency situations and lessons in heightened awareness that you can carry with you for life. You will experience a first-hand peek into the [unclassified] security training that the IDA provides. As part of your experience, you will reenact war situations, and have your choice in training of Krav Maga, shooting, tactical and airsoft training. 

There are various options of the IDA experience depending on the size of the group and the experience you crave: indoors, outdoors, etc. Please ask us directly and we will work directly with the IDA to help curate your ideal training experience.

Minimum Participants 5 

Price per person from $565

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Tel Aviv – The Trailblazer Hebrew City of the Modern Era

You will begin your day at the earliest historical landmark, the ancient port city of Jaffa, one of the oldest ports in the world with a history spanning nearly 4,000 years. On this tour you will explore the history of Jaffa as well as its modern side with a peek into the artists’ colony and some of the world-famous galleries there.

From there you will walk through the Neve Tzedek neighborhood, the first built  outside of Jaffa. Neve  Tzedek is the original story of Start Up Nation and has reinvented itself as  the center of modern Tel Aviv culture. Built in 1887 it housed several famous artists and writers, including Nobel Prize winner Shmuel Agnon. You will then continue into metropolitan Tel Aviv along the famous Rothschild Boulevard to follow what is known as the Independence Trail. While Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, Tel Aviv is where the modern state was founded, and by visiting some of the major sites in the oldest part of the city, you will trace the history of the creation of Tel Aviv as the first revived Hebrew-speaking City in two millennia through the Declaration of the State of Israel in 1948. It should go without saying that you will enjoy breaks to bask in the incredible coffee, ice cream, and street food that abound in this neighborhood.

Culminate your half day tour in the Carmel Market, which holds a fascinating variety of culinary riches, colorful spices and intriguing characters. Our Carmel Market tasting tour will introduce you to flavors and scents of old Tel Aviv as well as the young and bustling atmosphere of the city’s central market.

Minimum Participants 5 

Price per person from $410

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

From Geographical Lows to Spiritual Highs: Jerusalem and Masada from Above

This morning we are going to conquer Masada! Built by King Herod as a mountain-top desert fortress at the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea, it was to here that the last of the Jews fighting the Romans in the Great Revolt fled; and it was here that they took their last stand 2,000 years ago. The incredible events to which the mountain bears testimony, and the unbelievable choices of those besieged on it will drive our tour through the site today. With breathtaking views over the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea, the Roman encampments below, and the Moabite Mountains, the astonishing story of Elazar Ben Yair, leader of the Zealot Jews, will leave its mark on us as we witness it with a bird’s eye view.

We will land nearby and take a short ride to the shores of the Dead Sea, or the “Salt Sea” as it is called in Hebrew. A lake in which nothing can sink, it was considered by the ancient Roman writers to be one of the miracles of this land. Today we will enjoy lunch and spa at a Dead Sea hotel with semi-private access to the Dead Sea itself, before returning by helicopter. This is an experience you will never forget.

Minimum Participants 5 

Price per person from $2,425

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Israel’s Narrow Waistline and Topographical Wonder

We will take an aerial view over Jerusalem’s Old City, continue to the Dead Sea Basin for a fly over Masada, and on to the Negev Desert.

The Negev Desert makes up more than half of the territory of Israel and her first Prime-Minister, David Ben Gurion, famously dreamed of making the desert bloom. His vision has largely come to fruition through the incredible efforts of Israeli technology, development, and its number one natural resource – its people. You will land for a quick visit as your helicopters refuel, and then you will return to the sky as you fly over Tel Aviv and the Galilee, exhibiting Israel’s narrow waistline for a clear picture of the small scope of the country and the area of the West Bank. This is a once in a lifetime way of seeing Israel.

Minimum Participants 5 

Price per person from $2,615

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Venture South: Geopolitics, Coexistence, Agritech, Adventure

On this unforgettable, uniquely curated tour, you will make several visits in the area of the Northern Negev in order to understand the reality and complexities of this region.

You will visit the city of Sderot, the largest of the Israeli towns and villages along the border with Gaza. The Gaza Strip is governed by Hamas and is Israel’s most volatile border; the daily experience of the Israeli citizens who live close to this border and under constant attack is an important element of Israeli society that reflects both the facts-on-the-ground but also the incredible fortitude of the People of Israel.

An imperative stop on our journey will be at the SodaStream factory, often dubbed an oasis of co-existence, bringing together local Jewish, Palestinian and Arab-Bedouin workers to create what many of them feel to be a family. To deepen our understanding of the people who make up this fascinating part of Israel, we will take lunch in the cafeteria of the SodaStream factory where we can chat with the workers and absorb ourselves in the factory’s culture and ethos. 

Following lunch, you will visit a local kibbutz, Hatzerim, which is now famous for its kibbutz company Netafim, the inventors of drip irrigation. You will tour the site and discover first-hand the technology and vision that is enabling produce to be grown from the sand as well as irrigation AgriTech in general. There you will learn about the kibbutz movement; a uniquely Israeli social enterprise that was an imperative foundation of the country. At our final stop, you will enjoy an unforgettable jeep tour in the desert and a visit to a Bedouin hospitality tent to culminate your day down South. 

Minimum Participants 8

Price per person from $290

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Gems of the Galilee, a day of History and Social Impact

We will begin our memorable day driving to Caesarea Maritima. Built by Herod the Great about 25–13 BCE, it served as an administrative center of Judaea Province of  the Roman Empire. After centuries of  conquest a Jewish town of Caesarea was established in 1952 near the ancient ruins.  Archaeological excavations have uncovered remains from many periods, in particular a complex of Crusader fortifications and a giant Roman city that boasted the largest harbor on the eastern Mediterranean coast.

You will then continue northward, where you will meet more faces of the Galilee at the Tulip Winery in Kfar Tikva. Kfar Tikva is a village of around 200 people, all with disabilities and special needs. Within the community and the Tulip winery, the residents of the village can work and integrate with self-respect, creating a stable social environment, and producing award-winning wine which you will enjoy!

Following Tulip, you will continue northward to Acre, where you will have an incredible tour of an ancient fortress overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Minimum Participants 8

Price per person from $260

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Culinary Tour Between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv

Venture into the Old City of Jerusalem and begin your Israeli culinary adventure on a tour within the walls. As you walk through the narrow alleyways, hear the culinary history of Jerusalem, stopping to taste delicacies from the different stalls.

Travel to the Mahane Yehuda marketplace and wind your way through to taste spices, fruits and veggies, and local delicacies. Whether you prefer salty or sweet, you will be able to try new foods, and hear the stories of the vendors. Their stories hail from Morocco, Yemen, Ethiopia, and more, bringing an international flavor to the Middle East.

You will then travel to Tel Aviv, as your culinary tour is not complete without a tour of Jaffa, well-known for having some of the best hummus in Israel. Enjoy a hearty bowl of hummus and a pita filled with food, in the backdrop of the 4,000 year old ancient port.

Continue with a tour of the colorful and authentic Levinsky market in the Florentin neighborhood. Get the inside scoop from one of Israel’s top chefs and local experts as you weave your way through this neighborhood market. Culminate your tour at one of the top restaurants in Tel Aviv and experience the combination of flavor, presentation and culture through each bite.

Minimum Participants 8

Price per person from $285

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

From Geographical Lows to Spiritual Highs: Dead Sea & Masada 

This morning we are going to conquer Masada! Built by King Herod as a mountain-top desert fortress at the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea, it was to here that the last of the Jews fighting the Roman in the Great Revolt fled; and it was here that they took their last stand 2,000 years ago. The incredible events to which the mountain bears testimony, and the unbelievable choices of those besieged on it will drive our tour through the site today.   With breathtaking views over the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea, the Roman encampments below, and the Moabite Mountains, the astonishing story of Elazar Ben Yair, leader of the Zealot Jews, will leave its mark on us as the story literally comes to life with a team of actors reenacting the events before our eyes. Leaving the past behind us, we will take a short drive to the Dead Sea, or the “Salt Sea” as it’s called in Hebrew. A lake in which nothing can sink, it was considered by the ancient Roman writers to be one of the miracles of this land. Today we will enjoy lunch and spa at a seafront hotel with semi-private access to the Dead Sea itself. On our way back to Jerusalem we will visit the Qumran National Park. High up on the cliff faces above the Dead Sea, two Bedouin young men discovered the archaeological finds of the century in 1947. That place was Qumran; the discoveries were the first 7 of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Since those initial discoveries thousands of ancient scrolls have been found in this area, as well as the remains of the Qumran community’s base; believed to be home to the people who wrote and hid these scrolls 2,000 years ago. On our tour we will view the place of the discovery of the scrolls and learn about the community from the remains they left behind. This is an experience you will never forget.

Minimum Participants 8

Price per person from $435

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Tel Aviv – the City of the Past, Present and Future

You will begin your day at the earliest historical landmark, the ancient port city of Jaffa, one of the oldest ports in the world with a history spanning nearly 4,000 years. On this tour you will explore the history of Jaffa as well as its modern side with a peek into the artists’ colony and some of the world-famous galleries there.

From there you will walk through the Neve Tzedek neighborhood, the first built  outside of Jaffa. Neve Tzedek is the original story of Start Up Nation and has reinvented itself as  the center of modern Tel Aviv culture. Built in 1887 it housed several famous artists and writers, including Nobel Prize winner Shmuel Agnon. You will then continue into metropolitan Tel Aviv along the famous Rothschild Boulevard to follow what is known as the Independence Trail. While Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, Tel Aviv is where the modern state was founded, and by visiting some of the major sites in the oldest part of the city, you will trace the history of the creation of Tel Aviv as the first revived Hebrew-speaking City in two millennia, through to the Declaration of the State of Israel in 1948. It should go without saying that you will enjoy breaks to bask in the incredible coffee, ice cream, and street food that abound in this neighborhood.

Enjoy lunch with a filling and fun Carmel market tasting tour. The historical market holds a fascinating variety of culinary riches, colorful spices and intriguing characters. Our Carmel market tasting tour will introduce you to flavors and scents of old Tel Aviv as well as the young and bustling atmosphere of the city’s central market.

The afternoon will bring us into the future, when you visit the Cyber Protection Unit of the IDF, where ‘Sim City’ was created to simulate a takeover of computer systems as part of the IDF’s readiness for a future war.

Enjoy sunset from a rooftop lounge, overlooking the entire city or practice yoga on the beach.

Tel Aviv is yours and a city you will want to visit again.

Minimum Participants 8

Price per person from $265

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Unforgettable Peek into Israel’s Special Force & Airforce

Start this unforgettable day at the world-renowned Israel Defense Academy, the top defense forces training academy in Israel with clients around the world. At IDA, you will receive a briefing from a high-level agent, who will teach you about self defense, emergency situations and lessons in heightened awareness that you can carry with you for life. You will experience a first-hand peek into the [unclassified] security training that the IDA provides. As part of your experience, you will reenact war situations, and have your choice in training of Krav Maga, shooting, tactical and airsoft training.

There are various options of the IDA experience depending on the size of the group and the experience you crave: indoors, outdoors, etc. Please ask us directly and we will work directly with the IDA to help curate your ideal training experience.

Have lunch with a briefing about the IDF and Innovation.

After lunch, head to the Tayeset Center, the only simulator of this kind for civilians, inspired by the Israeli Air Force. There you will experience an Israeli F-16 flight simulator of unparalleled accuracy and quality. This is an Israel one rarely sees!

Following the Tayest, you will travel to Tel Aviv and visit the Cyber Protection Unit of the IDF’s Telecommunications Division where ‘Sim City’ was created to simulate a takeover of computer systems, as part of the IDF’s readiness for future war.

Minimum Participants 8

Price per person from $685

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Tel Aviv or Jerusalem – Graffiti Tour at Night 

The graffiti tours of either Tel Aviv or Jerusalem highlights artists who choose to utilize the world as their canvas, and offers a unique perspective into Israeli sub-culture, political attitudes, and differing outlooks or perspectives on the country, society and our world in general. Come prepared to learn!

You will choose in which city to do your tour. 

Minimum Participants 5

Price per person from $260

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Tel Aviv – Amazing Pub Crawl  

On this curated Pub Crawl in Tel Aviv you will experience the city’s trendiest rooftop bars, secret hipster joints, underground electro clubs, and rub shoulders with all types of people that make Tel Aviv one of the most coveted nightlife destinations on Earth.

Minimum Participants 5

Price per person from $260

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Tower of David Light and Sound

You will enter the ancient Citadel of David for a breathtaking experience within the walls of this 2,000-year-old fortress. The ancient walls will come to life as the history of Jerusalem is projected on them in the stunning 45-minute Night Spectacular sound and light show.

Minimum Participants 5

Price per person from $220

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.

Tower of David

You will enter the ancient Citadel of David for a breathtaking experience within the walls of this 2,000-year-old fortress. The ancient walls will come to life as the history of Jerusalem is projected on them in the stunning 45-minute Night Spectacular sound and light show.

Minimum Participants 5

Price per person from $220

Booking Information

For reservations & booking information please email tours@authenticisrael.com or fill in the form below.