Jerusalem & The West Bank – 3 Day/3 Night Tour

10.00am. You will meet your guide, at Jerusalem Hotel Cafe. Your trip will start with a briefing on the history and current status of the Israeli Occupation of the West Bank, illustrated with maps. Then you'll go on an alternative tour of Jerusalem's Old city, taking in the West ern Wall and the Church of the Holy Selpucher in addition to seeing the Israeli settler homes that have been sprouting in the Muslim Quarter. You'll learn about the implications of Israeli encroachment into Muslim areas of the Old City and surrounding neighbourhoods. After lunch you will go on the road for a tour of some of the suburban Jerusalem settlements, Palestinian neighborhoods, the Separation Barrier, and segregated roads. These will include Ma'ale Adumim, Pizgat Ze'ev, Beit Hanina, and Anata. You'll drive through Ma'ale Adumim, one of the largest settlements in the West Bank (pop. 35,000). Then you will go to meet your host family.

Today you'll be with a Palestinian guide for an overview of Bethlehem. The guide will provide a window into Palestinian society. Throughout the day you'll be visiting sites and meeting people. You'll visit the Church of Nativity, the Old City, Aida Refugee Camp, the Palestine Heritage Center, and see the Separatio n Barrier up close. You'll see the famous Bansky grafitti, and have a discussion with a leader of a Palestinian self-help organization. Best of all your guide will be able to give you some great insights into life in Bethlehem.

Fred will pick you up early in the morning. You'll travel up the spine of the West Bank on route 60 seeing many small radical settlements and Palestinian villages. After arriving at the Huwara Checkpoint you'll transfer from Fred to a Palestinian guide for the tour through Nablus. The first stop will be the Balata Refugee Camp where you'll see the crowded conditions and hear some stories about life there. You'll also visit one of the camp organizations that helps make life a little better for the residents. The tour will include the Old City with its beautiful labyrinth of buildings dating back to the Ottoman period. You'll visit the ancient Turkish baths and an olive oil soap factory. You will also visit sites of historical and religious interest such as Jacob’s Well; a deep well dug by Jacob and where Jesus once asked a Samaritan woman for a drink. If the Israeli army permits, the tour will pass the checkpoint to the Samaritan's hilltop village on Mount Grizim as see the site of their ancient temple.

In the morning you'll say goodbye to your host family and be off to the next part of your Israel/Palestine adventure. You have the option of booking an extra night or more with the family.