Bethlehem and Jerusalem Biblical Tour: Discover Holy Cities from Tel Aviv

Embark on a full-day tour from Tel Aviv to explore the holy cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Visit important biblical sites, including the Church of the Nativity and the Via Dolorosa, and immerse yourself in the rich religious history of these iconic destinations.

Duration: 10 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Mount Scopus National Botanical Garden - Our journey begins with the Panoramic overview of Mt. Scopus with stunning views of Jerusalem’s skyline.
    Old City Temple Mount where the golden dome of the Dome of the Rock offers the perfect photo-op. Looking down we see a 3,000-year-old Jewish cemetery.
  • Garden of Gethsemane - We pass by the Garden of Gethsemane.
  • Church of All Nations (Basilica of the Agony) - Pass by the Church of All Nations.
  • Kidron Valley - Pass by the Kidron Valley.
  • Old City of Jerusalem - Entering the Old City via the Zion Gate to Visit the most important Historical sites.
  • Armenian Quarter - Pass by the Armenian Quarter
  • The Cardo - Visit the Jewish Quarter and the 1500 year old Byzantine Cardo.
  • Christian Quarter - Visit the most important sites in the Christian Quarter
  • Western Wall - We stop at the Kotel; the Western Wall where Jews have prayed since the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. Built by King Herod it was a supporting wall enclosing the Temple Mount area.
    On the tour you can join others from around the world and place a prayer note between the stones of the wall.
  • The Way of the Cross - Via Dolorosa - Explore The Via Dolorosa also known as the Way of the Cross Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
  • Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Visit the Historical site the Cross Church of the Holy Sepulcher built on the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and his burial tomb.
  • Muslim Quarter - Pass by the Muslim Quarter and The lively Bazaar.
  • Bethlehem - we continue to Holy Bethlehem, the city of Christ’s birth. We arrive in the City of Bread, Bethlehem, which was home to Jesse, King David’s father as well as being Christ’s birthplace.
  • Church of the Nativity - From Manger Square we enter the 4th century Church of the Nativity which is the oldest church in Israel still in use. Beneath the church is the Grotto of the Nativity where a star indicates the place where Jesus was born.
  • The Church of St. Catherine - If possible, visit the Church of St. Catherine.
    From the Church of St. Catherine we go down into a two room cave which connects with the Grotto of the Nativity. This is the perfect place for us to take a moment and sing some Christmas carols.
What's Included
  • Convenient hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Expert guidance from a professional
  • All entrance fees included
  • Comfortable in-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Insurance
Additional Information

Embark on a comprehensive day-long tour that covers two sacred cities: Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Beginning with a panorama of the Mount of Olives, the journey traces a number of biblical landmarks from Mt. Zion to the Old City, incorporating a walking exploration of the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian quarters. The tour progresses to Bethlehem where you will be visiting the Church of the Nativity as well as other significant religious sites like the Via Dolorosa. With comfortable coach transportation, travelling to each location is a breeze.

• A comprehensive one-day tour covering Bethlehem and Jerusalem’s biblical places.
• Visit the most noteworthy churches in Israel.
• Trace the route Jesus took on the Via Dolorosa.
• Learn about Bethlehem’s Christian heritage.
• Complimentary hotel pick-up and drop-off service included

  • The tour is subject to Palestinian authority regulations.
  • Passports are compulsory.
  • Visit to Bethlehem: due to the high number of visitors, entrance to the Nativity Cave may be limited.
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 12 hours of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
  • Minimum starting age for the tour is 4 years old.
Location
Mount Scopus National Botanical Garden
Mount Scopus, Hebrew University Campus
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(34 Ratings)
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Walter_m
Oct 31, 2023
Great Tour - Great tour and information. Was worth the time and money. The guides were helpful and informative! Recommend to a friend
Review provided by Viator
Goplaces63706321460
Jul 17, 2023
Great trip with passionate guides! - The guides were extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the place. It was an amazing experience although the heat was really bad in July. I'd love to explore more of Israel and will definitely go back to Ben Harim Tours for future visits back here. Thanks, Avi and George for your sincerity and your passion throughout the tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Renee_r
Jul 11, 2023
Don’t miss this! - OMG! First time in Israel. Did the biblical tour of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Our guide, Tomer, was fun, informative, very knowledgeable, and made us feel safe. We saw all the things we had hoped to see, including the church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Via Dolorosa, the Wailing Wall, and so much more. The pick up was on time, the coach was well air conditioned ( it was about 91) I would highly recommend this tour and this guide! Couldn’t have been better!
Review provided by Viator
Kalawatie_m
Mar 5, 2023
Walking in the footsteps... - Walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, visiting the wailing wall and when we were visiting the shepherds fields, there was people sings and it added to the experience. I'm not Christian but it made my hair stand, you could feel the spirit and passion listen to the tour guide explained the history and the hymns in the background. I truly enjoyed my tour.
Review provided by Viator
Thomas_b
Mar 4, 2023
Amie was excellent and really brought the tour to life. - Amie was excellent and really brought the tour to life. Beim Haim was well organised from pick up to drop off.
Review provided by Viator
Mylene_p
Feb 15, 2023
Awesome tour, awesome tour guide! - This is a not-to-miss tour if you are in Israel. Yo Av, the tour guide, and Isaac, the driver, truly looked after us and made sure we stayed on schedule and gave cultural insights on the Israeli and Palestinian way of life. YoAv even helpfully intervened with a merchant in the Muslim Quarter to make sure that we purchased a BYU Jerusalem t-shirt at a fair and reasonable price!
Review provided by Viator
John_d
Feb 11, 2023
A Crusade into the Holy Land with No Collateral Damage - Udi was an exceptional tour guide. Part historian and part comedian, he seamlessly explained the complex history of Israel within a 40 minute bus ride. His ability to lead the group through the dense alleys of the old city, while also allowing us the time and independence to explore and experience the incredible historical sites was very much appreciated.
Review provided by Viator
Tom_c
May 20, 2023
Amazing tour - We got a wonderful tour guide Mike he took us to all the must see sights and explained all the events were took place in the Bible. It was an amazing experience a must tour while visiting the holy land. Only improvement needed is the morning pick up from the hotel we have tours from the same operator twice and experience guests were not on the pick up list. the tour guide wasting a lot of time calling the office and other guests have to waited and waited the tours were delayed. The back office needs to do a better job on preparing the list.
Review provided by Viator
Natalia_p
Mar 7, 2023
Good considering out limited time - This tour was good. The tour bus was comfortable. We wasted a lot of time waiting for someone that never showed up. They should be more punctual with the departure. We had a coffee stop before the first scheduled stop. where we could buy water, snacks, and use the toilet. The tour guide was friendly. I didn't like how rushed we were once the real tour started. There was a lot see and my mom and I (and others on the tour) were literally running to keep up. There were some spots on the Via Dolorosa that I wish we would've stopped at so he can explain more and had time for pictures but if you took a picture the group would leave you. There were a lot of people and walking through the shops it was hard to keep up. For the guide to hold a flag would be very helpful. The lines at the Churches and the spots were Jesus was buried etc were long so it would've been nice to have more time to go inside. Flying from across the world to not be able to go inside isn't great. The tour was a full day and we got to see the highlights. Not bad.
Review provided by Viator
Mariafj2635eo
Sep 28, 2023
Credit Card overcharged while the tour: Bethlehem and Jerusalem day Biblical Tour - Dear Trip Advisor Team, I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share some feedback regarding a recent tour experience I booked the Bethlehem and Jerusalem Day Biblical Tour from Tel Aviv on 9/18/2023 through Trip Advisor. First and foremost, I'd like to express my trust in Trip Advisor as a reliable platform for travel recommendations and bookings. I eagerly booked a tour that promised to explore the historic sites of Jerusalem, and I was pleased to find that the tour started with a pick-up at the designated location. Our journey began at the Wailing Wall, followed by a visit to the Via Dolorosa. Before heading to the Sepulcher, our guide took us to a Golde City Bazaar Dajani store, which he claimed was not only a convenient restroom stop but also a place to provide complimentary water. He went further to assure us that this particular store was recommended by Israeli tourism authorities, as stated in the pamphlet provided to us. During this stop, I became interested in purchasing a Jerusalem 5-point cross. After some negotiation, I was quoted a price of 3,500.00 shekels, equivalent to $914.79. However, when I requested a receipt for the purchase, I was informed that their receipt machine was out of order. Additionally, I was not offered or asked if I needed VAT documentation. To my disappointment, a few days later, I discovered a charge on my credit card for the exact amount of $3,500.00 from the Bazaar store. This has left me feeling unsettled and concerned about the credibility of the tour operator recommended by Trip Advisor. I'm sharing these details with the sincere hope that Trip Advisor can improve its recommendation process to ensure travelers have a positive and trustworthy experience. Your platform is valued by many, including myself, and I believe that addressing such issues will help maintain the high standard of trust and reliability associated with your brand. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Maria
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