Israel
Sea to Sea to Sea Bike Tour
A new Tradition is born in Israel! Based on the old "Sea to Sea" hiking tradition, we developed the ultimate "Israel by Bike" version, combining some of Israel's most interesting sites in a bike-tour from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee and from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea - a Triple "Sea to Sea"! Except for the Three Seas, on this all-Israel Biking Tour you will also visit Mt. Meron, Israel's highest mountain, when the state was established, Masada - a World Heritage Site by the Deepest Place on Earth, the Jordan River, and the Holy City Jerusalem, where this special Israel Biking Tour will reach its climax! After achieving each of these goals, you will get a stamp on your special "Three Seas Biking Passport" - all together seven stamps - a symbolic number for the People of Israel, just like the seven candles lit every day on the "Menorah" in the Jerusalem Temple!
The tour is done by bus, with one biking-session of up to 4 hours per day in medium to easy level. It is also suitable for amateur bikers. You will be accompanied by a trailer with spare bikes, just in case.
Israel: Sea to Sea to Sea Bike Tour Quick Info
| Tour Type | Bike/Bus |
|---|---|
| Accommodations | 3 and 4 star hotels, country lodges and kibbutzim |
| Biking Tour Type | Group Guided (English) |
| Biking Level | 1-4 |
| Duration | 8 days / 7 nights |
| Biking Distance | Maximum per biking day: 25km/16mi |
| Bike Rental | Bikes are included |
| Tour starts in: | Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Tour ends in: | Jerusalem, Israel |
Day 1:
Arrival at the Ben Gurion International Airport, transfer to your hotel in or by Tel Aviv.
Day 2:
Meet your professional biking staff that will escort you during the tour. They will brief you about your bike
and the Art of Biking, adjust your bike and give you general and safety instructions. Now we start our first
biking-session, riding along the Mediterranean Sea and stopping from time to time for explanations about
Tel Aviv, the "First Hebrew City" and Israel's commercial and cultural center. Our first Bike-session ends
in the Old City of Jaffa, once an important port that served as the gateway to the Land of Israel from the
time of King Solomon and into modern times. Old Jaffa's romantic alley-ways give inspiration to many
artists, who have their galleries there.
Here, by the Mediterranean Sea, we get our First Stamp.
We
continue by bus along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to Caesarea Maritima, the magnificent port-
city built by King Herod the Great. In Caesarea we visit the well-preserved Roman antiquities, as well
as its Crusader Walls and Fishermen Port. We end the day at the modern port-city Haifa, situated on
the slopes of the evergreen Mt. Carmel. The view from this mountain is famous for its beauty. Overnight
around Haifa.
Day 3:
We are still by our first Sea - the Mediterranean Sea. First we visit Rosh Hanikra, where we will go by
Cable-Car down the white chalk-cliff right by the Lebanese Border, where the storming sea-water meets
the white rock in caves carved by the blue water.
Now we start our second Bike-session, which is quite
demanding, as we climb up the Mountains of Galilee and into the area of Mitzpe Hila. We visit some of
the sites of the ancient Galilean village Peqi'in, where Druze, Moslems and Christians live with a Jewish
family that never left the area and keeps the Synagogue that is still here since Roman times!
Now we
drive up to the top of Mt. Meron, 1208 meters above sea-level, and hence upon its establishment it was
declared Israel's highest mountain. We will hike around its "Peak Trail", which gives us the opportunity to
enjoy the wide view of the Galilee from its four sides. Here we get our Second Stamp.
We end the day
in Safed / Tzfat, center of Jewish Mysticism - Kabbalah. Here we stroll through its blue-painted alleys,
listen to some of its many legends, and visit some of its enchanted synagogues. We spend the night in
or near Kibbutz Farod.
Day 4:
We start the day with a tour of the Kibbutz, including Saba (Grandpa') Habib's press, where we can
experience the traditional Galilean way of producing Olive and Sesame Oil (Tahina).
Now we drive down
to the Jordan River, where we mount the bikes and ride along this wild part of the Jordan River and then
up to the Galilean Mountains. After achieving the Jordan River section, you will be entitled to the Third
Stamp. We bike near the ancient city Korazim and to the "Mt. of Beatitudes" where we can enjoy the
special church built by the Italian architect Berluzzi, as well as the wide view over the Sea of Galilee.
Continue down to Tabgha, where we visit the reconstructed Byzantine Church, commemorating the
miracle of the Multiplication of the Bread & the Fish and ride along the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum,
where we visit Peter's House and the famous Synagogue. Here, by the Sea of Galilee, we receive our
Fourth Stamp.
Sail on the Sea of Galilee on a Boat similar to the boat used by Jesus and his disciples.
We end this day with a short visit of the Golan Heights, including a visit of the Gamla National Park
looking to the Gamla Stronghold - "Masada of the Golan" and the Vultures-Viewpoint. Overnight in a
Kibbutz.
Day 5:
Drive along the Jordan Valley and visit Deir Hajla, an Orthodox Monastery, where we get acquainted
with the ancient Christian Monasticism. A short drive brings us to Kibbutz Almog, where we step off the
bus and hike/climb in the gorge of Nachal 'Og (Wadi Mukaliq).
The bikes will await us at the end of this
hike, and we start riding along the cliffs overlooking the Dead Sea, past the caves where the first "Dead
Sea Scrolls" were discovered, and visit Qumran, the dwelling-place of the "Dead Sea Sect" who wrote
the scrolls that give us the precious insight into the origins of the Bible, Judaism and Christianity as we
know them today. We will not miss, of course, some floating (swimming is impossible!!) on the waters of
the Dead Sea, where we will get our Fifth Stamp.
We spend the night in a Kibbutz by the Dead Sea.
Day 6:
After breakfast we drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to Sodom (oh, yea, THAT Sodom!!) where
we will ride on one of the most extraordinary biking-trails in the world, in a bizarre landscape of white
canyons with mystical shapes.
Climb (by cable-car) the famous cliff-fortress of Masada, where Herod
the Great built a magnificent palace in the middle of the desert. Masada was then used as a fortress
by the Jewish "Zealots" who fought, few against many, against the pagan Roman Empire. Their heroic
struggle became a symbol for the modern State of Israel.
After a short ceremony where we get our
Sixth Stamp, we descend the mountain on the Roman Ramp and drive to Kfar Hanokdim. Here we will
ride the camels instead of bikes, and spend the night in a Bedouin-style tent, experiencing a traditional
Bedouin Dinner and Bedouin Hospitality according to the ancient rules of the desert...
Day 7:
Now we ascend the Holy City - Jerusalem! From the Mount of Olives we have a panoramic view of
Jerusalem's Old City - a suitable place to explain the city's rich history. A leisurely walk takes us down,
through the holy Jewish cemetery, to the "Garden of Gethsemane" with its "Church of all Nations" and
ancient Olive trees, almost 2000 years old! We continue to the "Wailing Wall", the last remnants of the
holy Jewish Temple, and, conditions permitting, visit the Temple Mount itself, where we can see the
Muslim Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque.
Then we walk through the colorful "Suq" (Bazaar)
and follow the different stations of the "Via Dolorosa", the "Way of the Cross" according to Christian
tradition. The Way of the Cross ends at the "Church of the Holy Sepulcher", built traditionally on the site
where Jesus was crucified and buried.
At the Jaffa Port our bus awaits us and takes us to our Closing
Ride, ending at the Haas Promenade, overlooking the 4000-year-old city. Here we have our Closing
Ceremony, where we receive the last, Seventh Stamp and a certificate stating that we achieved the
Seven Goals of the Tour and are entitled to be called a Triple Sea Biker!!!
Overnight next to Jerusalem.
Day 8:
Time permitting you can spend some more time in Jerusalem. Transfer to the airport for your flight back home.
Changes:
We reserve the right to alter the itinerary details, published times, and accommodations due to weather, local conditions, organization necessity or safety concerns.