Bethlehem Private Tour plus City of David Group Tour

Bethlehem Private Tour plus City of David Group Tour

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HIGHLIGHTS

  • Ride the express train along Highway 1 and pass the morning traffic jam
  • Private Tour of Bethlehem the Birthplace of Jesus
  • Visit the Church of Nativity
  • Stoll through Manger Square
  • The Gihon Spring, giving life to Jerusalem and fiercely protected
  • Silwan Necropolis, holding the Tomb oft he Pharaoh’s Daughter and the Tomb of the Royal Steward
  • Hezekiah’s Tunnel carved out underneath the City of David

DESCRIPTION

Israel is fully accessible by train! Ride the Israel Railway to Jerusalem where your private taxi to Bethlehem will be waiting for you. In the afternoon join the City of David group tour, making the most out of your day.
BETHLEHEM PRIVATE TOUR
Once in Jerusalem, your driver will bring you to the checkpoint to meet your local Bethlehem specialized guide. A visit to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and forms the backdrop to the Nativity, is a must for most travelers. Your guide will show you Bethlehem’s Old City, which is where the tour will be concentrated. The main Christian Holy Land sites are Manger Square, the Church of the Nativity and the surrounding Churches and Chapels, as well as the Milk Grotto.
CITY OF DAVID – GROUP TOUR
The next part of the tour starts at the Jaffa Gate where you will meet your group to visit the City of David. You will see a Sandeman guide holding a red umbrella.
The 3-hour Ancient Jerusalem: City of David Tour meets at the Jaffa Gate, as your expert licensed guide that takes you back in time 6,000 years to uncover the archaeological secrets of the City of David and the Old Testament. Not for the faint-hearted – expect underground tunnels, narrow passageways, and some wading through water, however, if you can brave it, your reward will be some of the most incredible archaeological sites in one of the holiest places on Earth.

Mysterious references in the Old Testament uncovered
For centuries, historians could not understand King David’s mysterious reference in the Old Testament to Jerusalem being captured. However, in the past 150 years, intense research has been focused on the underground tunnels visited on this tour, and historians now believe it’s here, in the part of the tunnels known as Warren’s Shaft, that David’s capture of Jerusalem took place. As these historic waterways provided water from the Gihon Spring, Jerusalem’s only water supply, the tunnels were fiercely protected.

Some of Israel’s most important ancient sites
On this three-hour tour, you’ll discover some of Jerusalem’s most important ancient sites, such as the Silwan Necropolis, holding the tomb of the Pharaoh’s daughter, Jerusalem’s early water system, and also its first palace; we ask, did King David himself live here?

What’s included

train

Train

Roundtrip ticket Tel Aviv – Jerusalem

local-transportation

Local Transportation

The IsraelRail Rav Kav Card is valid for local buses, trains and the Light Rail in Jerusalem

Guide

Bethlehem Private Tour

4-hour tour of Bethlehem with your local private tour guide

Guide

Guided Group Tour

City of David 3-hour guided group tour

Itinerary

Map of Jerusalem

8-10 hours
1-4
Availability

Eng
N/A
N/A
Eng
Eng

Meet a local IsraelRail representative at the Tel-Aviv Hahagana train station in order to receive your travel itinerary packet

Tip

Lunch – if you would like to have lunch in Bethlehem, speak with your guide or if you prefer to eat in Jerusalem, there will be enough time before your City of David tour. There are many restaurants near the Jaffa Gate and Mamilla Mall.

Meeting Point

For Bethlehem – Take the train from the Hahagana train station and meet your private driver at the Jerusalem Gold Hotel. (3-minute walk for the train station)

For City of David – Aim to arrive at Jaffa Gate at 13:50 PM. Your Sandemans tour guide will be holding a red umbrella and the tour will begin at 14:00 PM. Sandemans-meeting-point

Dropoff Point

The tour finishes within a 10 minutes walk from the Jaffa Gate at the Dung gate.

Itinerary

Tel Aviv Train Station
Start at the Tel-Aviv Hahagana Train Station

Meet a local representative of IsraelRail and collect your travel itinerary packet which includes your itinerary, the IsraelRail card and a map

Itzhak Navon Station Jerusalem
Arrive at Itzhak Navon Jerusalem Station

Arrive at the Jerusalem Itzhak Navon station after a short 34 minute ride. Exit the station and walk to the Jerusalem Gold Hotel.

Jerusalem Gold Hotel
Meet your Private Driver

Meet your private taxi driver in front of the Jerusalem Gold Hotel. (3-minute walk for the train station)

Bethlehem Church of Nativity
Private tour of Bethlehem

Visit the Church of Nativity, Manger Square, the Milk Grotto and more! Your Private Bethlehem Tour lasts for 4 hours and can be customized to your interests.

Sandemans Red Umbrella Jaffa Gate
City of David Group Tour

After Bethlehem, your driver will bring you within a 10 minute walk to the Jaffa gate. Here you will meet your Sandemans tour guide – who will be holding a red umbrella, at 14:00 PM. Your Jerusalem City of David Tour lasts for 3 hours

City of David
Jerusalem City of David 3-hour Tour

The Gihon Spring
Silwan Necropolis
Hezekiah’s Tunnel
Warren’s Shaft
Jerusalem’s first palace
The Canaanite period and water system

Jerusalem Old City
Continue exploring Jerusalem on your own

After the guided tour feel free to discover more of the Old City or other parts of Jerusalem

Tel Aviv City
Heading back to Tel Aviv

The last train leaves from Jerusalem Itzhak Navon Station at 21:30. We recommend leaving arriving 20 minutes early, not to miss the last train!
Arriving back in Tel-Aviv you can exit any station

ADDITIONAL INFO

Departure Time
We suggest taking the 08:01 AM train arriving in Jerusalem Itzhak Navon train station at about 08:55 AM
Exit the train station and meet your private driver at the Jerusalem Gold Hotel at 9:00 AM. (3-minute walk for the train station)
If you prefer you can also take an earlier train, starting from 06:01 AM. Trains leave the Hahagana train station every 30 minutes. Check the updated train schedule here!

What to Bring
Please bring your Passport with you! You will need your passport to enter Bethlehem.
Remember to wear comfortable shoes for walking and bring a hat to protect against the sun & drink lots of water in the summer months. When visiting holy sites you will be asked to cover your shoulders and knees.

Cancellation Policy
Any cancellation prior to 48 hours advance of travel date will incur a fee of $10 USD for the refund procedure.
Upon notice 48 hours advance of departure – the trip is non-refundable!

Unfortunately, these tours are not wheelchair accessible.

Train Station Security Checks

Entry to all train stations is subject to a personal baggage check.

Every station entrance is manned by security guards who operate in accordance with Israel Police guidelines and are committed to upholding your dignity and safety during the security check.

Please be aware that lines may develop at the security check stations during peak hours in the morning and afternoon/evening (6:00am-9:00am and 15:00-19:00), so it is important that you arrive sometime prior to your train’s departure.

In cooperation with:
Israel Railways and SANDEMANs NEW Europe