Discover Israel and the Holy Land: A Journey Through History, Culture, and Spirituality

Israel and the Holy Land are among the most fascinating and historically rich destinations in the world. This small yet diverse region is a crossroads of civilizations, religions, and cultures, offering visitors a unique blend of ancient history, vibrant modernity, and spiritual significance. Whether you are drawn by faith, history, or the allure of its landscapes, Israel and the Holy Land promise an unforgettable experience.

A Balanced History of Israel and the Holy Land

The history of Israel and the Holy Land is complex and layered, shaped by millennia of conquests, migrations, and cultural exchanges. This land has been home to numerous civilizations, including the Canaanites, Israelites, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Ottomans, and British. Each has left its mark on the region’s architecture, traditions, and heritage.

The Holy Land holds profound significance for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. For Jews, it is the Promised Land, the birthplace of their nation and the site of the ancient Temples in Jerusalem. For Christians, it is the setting of Jesus’ life, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection. For Muslims, it is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, and the Dome of the Rock.

The modern State of Israel was established in 1948, following the United Nations partition plan. The region has since been a focal point of geopolitical tensions, particularly between Israelis and Palestinians, who both lay claim to the land. Despite these challenges, the Holy Land remains a place of pilgrimage, coexistence, and hope for peace.

Culture: Israelis and Palestinians

Israel and the Holy Land are home to a rich tapestry of cultures, primarily Israeli and Palestinian, each with its own traditions, languages, and way of life.

Israeli Culture: Israeli society is a vibrant mosaic of Jewish, Arab, and other ethnic communities. Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages, and English is widely spoken. Israelis are known for their warmth, directness, and entrepreneurial spirit. The culture is a blend of ancient traditions and modern innovation, with a strong emphasis on family, food, and festivals. Israeli cuisine, such as hummus, falafel, and shakshuka, reflects the region’s diverse influences.

Palestinian Culture: Palestinian culture is deeply rooted in the land, with a strong emphasis on family, hospitality, and tradition. Arabic is the primary language, and Islam is the dominant religion, though there is also a significant Christian minority. Palestinian cuisine, including dishes like maqluba and kanafeh, is a highlight of the region’s culinary heritage. Traditional music, dance (such as the dabke), and crafts like embroidery are integral to Palestinian identity.

Both cultures share a deep connection to the land and a history of resilience. Visitors will find a wealth of cultural experiences, from bustling markets and ancient sites to contemporary art and music scenes.

Religion in the Holy Land

The Holy Land is a spiritual epicenter for the world’s three major monotheistic religions:

Judaism: Jerusalem’s Western Wall, the last remnant of the Second Temple, is Judaism’s holiest site. Other significant locations include the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and the ancient city of Safed.

Christianity: Key sites include the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the Via Dolorosa, Nazareth (the childhood home of Jesus), and the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus performed many miracles.

Islam: The Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem are central to Islamic faith. Hebron and Bethlehem also hold religious significance for Muslims.

Visitors of all faiths are welcome to explore these sacred sites, though it is important to dress modestly and respect local customs.

General Information for Travelers

Weather
Israel enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers (April to October) and mild, rainy winters (November to March). The Dead Sea and Negev Desert regions are warmer year-round, while the Galilee and Golan Heights can be cooler, especially in winter. Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are ideal for visiting, with pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds.

Currency
The official currency is the Israeli New Shekel (ILS). Credit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs are readily available. It’s a good idea to carry some cash for smaller vendors and markets.

How to Act and What to Wear
Respect Local Customs: When visiting religious sites, dress modestly. For women, this means covering shoulders and knees; men should avoid wearing shorts. In more secular areas like Tel Aviv, casual attire is acceptable.
Greetings: A simple “Shalom” (Hebrew) or “Marhaba” (Arabic) is a friendly way to greet locals.
Sabbath Observance: In Jewish areas, many businesses close from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Plan accordingly.
Tipping: Tipping is customary in restaurants (10-15%) and for tour guides and drivers.

Safety
Israel and the Holy Land are generally safe for tourists. However, it’s wise to stay informed about current events and follow local advice. Major tourist areas are well-policed and secure.

Why Visit Israel and the Holy Land?

From the ancient streets of Jerusalem to the modern skyline of Tel Aviv, from the serene shores of the Sea of Galilee to the stark beauty of the Negev Desert, Israel and the Holy Land offer something for every traveler. Whether you seek spiritual enrichment, historical insight, or cultural immersion, this region promises a journey like no other.

Join us on a tour of Israel and the Holy Land, where history comes alive, cultures intertwine, and the spirit of the past meets the vibrancy of the present. Your adventure awaits!

Cultural Tours

Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. Tourism may be international, or within the traveller’s country. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism more generally, in terms which go “beyond the common perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity only”, as people “traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes”.

Tourism can be domestic or international, and international tourism has both incoming and outgoing implications on a country’s balance of payments. Today, tourism is a major source of income for many countries, and affects the economy of both the source and host countries, in some cases being of vital importance.

The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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Hiking

Hiking is the preferred term, in Canada and the United States, for a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails (footpaths), in the countryside, while the word walking is used for shorter, particularly urban walks. On the other hand, in the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, the word “walking” is acceptable to describe all forms of walking, whether it is a walk in the park or backpacking in the Alps. The word hiking is also often used in the UK, along with rambling (a slightly old-fashioned term), hillwalking, and fell walking (a term mostly used for hillwalking in northern England). The term bushwalking is endemic to Australia, having been adopted by the Sydney Bush Walkers club in 1927. In New Zealand a long, vigorous walk or hike is called tramping.It is a popular activity with numerous hiking organizations worldwide, and studies suggest that all forms of walking have health benefits.

In the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and United Kingdom, hiking means walking outdoors on a trail, or off trail, for recreational purposes. A day hike refers to a hike that can be completed in a single day. However, in the United Kingdom, the word walking is also used, as well as rambling, while walking in mountainous areas is called hillwalking. In Northern England, Including the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, fellwalking describes hill or mountain walks, as fell is the common word for both features there.

The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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Jungle Safari

A is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. In the past, the trip was often a big-game hunt, but today, safari often refers to trips to observe and photograph wildlife—or hiking and sightseeing, as well.

The Swahili word safari means journey, originally from the Arabic meaning a journey; the verb for “to travel” in Swahili is kusafiri. These words are used for any type of journey, e.g. by bus from Nairobi to Mombasa or by ferry from Dar es Salaam to Unguja. Safari entered the English language at the end of the 1850s thanks to Richard Francis Burton, the famous explorer.
The Regimental March of the King’s African Rifles was ‘Funga Safari’, literally ‘tie up the March’, or, in other words, pack up equipment ready to march.

In 1836 William Cornwallis Harris led an expedition purely to observe and record wildlife and landscapes by the expedition’s members. Harris established the safari style of journey, starting with a not too strenuous rising at first light, an energetic day walking, an afternoon rest then concluding with a formal dinner and telling stories in the evening over drinks and tobacco.

The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
Available through out the year:
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
Available through out the year:
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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Kayaking

Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits facing forward, legs in front, using a double-bladed paddle to pull front-to-back on one side and then the other in rotation. Most kayaks have closed decks, although sit-on-top and inflatable kayaks are growing in popularity as well.

Kayaks were created thousands of years ago by the Inuit, formerly known as Eskimos, of the northern Arctic regions. They used driftwood and sometimes the skeleton of whale, to construct the frame of the kayak, and animal skin, particularly seal skin was used to create the body. The main purpose for creating the kayak, which literally translates to “hunter’s boat” was for hunting and fishing. The kayak’s stealth capabilities, allowed for the hunter to sneak up behind animals on the shoreline, and successfully catch their prey. By the mid-1800s the kayak became increasingly popular and the Europeans became interested. German and French men began kayaking for sport. In 1931, a man named Adolf Anderle became the first person to kayak down the Salzachofen Gorge, this is where the birthplace of modern-day white-water kayaking is believed to have begun. Kayak races were introduced in the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936.

In the 1950s fiberglass kayaks were developed and commonly used, until 1980s when polyethylene plastic kayaks came about. Kayaking progressed as a fringe sport in the U.S. until the 1970s, when it became a mainstream popular sport. Now, more than 10 white water kayaking events are featured in the Olympics.While kayaking represents a key international watersport, few academic studies have been conducted on the role kayaking plays in the lives and activities of the public .

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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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Paragliding

Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness suspended below a fabric wing comprising a large number of interconnected baffled cells. Wing shape is maintained by the suspension lines, the pressure of air entering vents in the front of the wing, and the aerodynamic forces of the air flowing over the outside.

Despite not using an engine, paraglider flights can last many hours and cover many hundreds of kilometers, though flights of one to two hours and covering some tens of kilometers are more the norm. By skillful exploitation of sources of lift, the pilot may gain height, often climbing to altitudes of a few thousand meters.

The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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Peak Climbing

A climbing peak may refer to a mountain or hill peak or a rock formation that has to be ascended by climbing. The term is common in Germany where it is specifically used of free-standing rock formations in the climbing regions of Saxon Switzerland, Zittau Mountains and other nearby ranges in the German Central Uplands that can only be summitted via climbing routes of at least grade I on the UIAA scale or by jumping from nearby rocks or massifs. As a general rule, they must have a topographic prominence of at least 10 metres to qualify. In Saxon Switzerland the Saxon Climbing Regulations do not require any minimum height, but define climbing peaks as

Another requirement is its recognition by the responsible sub-committee of the Saxon Climbers’ Federation (SBB) and the responsible conservation authorities. For hikers these authorized summits may often be recognised by the presence of a summit register and abseiling anchor points.

In other climbing areas, such as those in Bohemian Switzerland, there are other exceptions. There, climbing peaks only need to have a significant rock face – the lowest side of which has to be less than 10 m high, but at least 6 m high.

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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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River Rafting

An adventure is an exciting or unusual experience. It may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome.Adventures may be activities with some potential for physical danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting or participating in extreme sports.

The term also broadly refers to any enterprise that is potentially fraught with physical, financial or psychological risk, such as a business venture, or other major life undertakings.

The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
Available through out the year:
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
Available through out the year:
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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Road Cycling

Road cycling is the most widespread form of cycling. It includes recreational, racing, and utility cycling. Road cyclists are generally expected to obey the same rules and laws as other vehicle drivers or riders and may also be vehicular cyclists.

Dedicated road bicycles have drop handlebars and multiple gears, although there are single and fixed gear varieties. Road bikes also use narrow, high-pressure tires to decrease rolling resistance, and tend to be somewhat lighter than other types of bicycle. The drop handlebars are often positioned lower than the saddle in order to put the rider in a more aerodynamic position. In an effort to become more aerodynamic, some riders have begun using aerobars. Who and when aerobars where invented is unclear but they seem to date back to the early 1980s. The light weight and aerodynamics of a road bike allows this type of bicycle to be the second most efficient self-powered means of transportation, behind only recumbent bicycles due to the latter’s higher aerodynamic efficiency.

The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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The Annapurna Circuit is a trek within the Annapurna mountain range of central Nepal.The total length of the route varies between 160–230 km (100-145 mi),...
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Skiing

Skiing can be a means of transport, a recreational activity or a competitive winter sport in which the participant uses skis to glide on snow. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Ski Federation (FIS).

Skiing has a history of almost five millennia. Although modern skiing has evolved from beginnings in Scandinavia, it may have been practiced more than 100 centuries ago in what is now China, according to an interpretation of ancient paintings.

The word “ski” is one of a handful of words Norway has exported to the international community. It comes from the Old Norse word “skíð” which means “split piece of wood or firewood”.

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Other Trips

These are other trips.

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