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Biking Israel North to South
offered by supplier M14329 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 5
- 11
day(s)
Group Size: 5
- 22
people
Destination(s):
Israel
Specialty Categories:
Bicycle Touring
Season: January - December
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Minimum Per Person Price: 2450 US Dollar (USD)
Maximum Per Person Price: 3450 US Dollar (USD)
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Biking Israel is an exhilarating, fun, breathtaking and fascinating experience. This tour offers you the opportunity to see Israel up close on a road bike all over the country. You will literally crisscross most of Israel on this tour, which includes sightseeing, a safe and supportive staff, an excellent guide, and much more. The dates offered on this tour could change. We would love to prepare an amazing custom tour for your group!
Day 1, Thurs. April 8: Depart US for Israel.
Day 2, Fri. April 9: Nevei Ativ
Distance: 20 km
Total Climb: 600 m
Total Descent: Depends on climb.
Upon landing at Ben Gurion Airport, we are met by our guide and bus and begin traveling to Nevei Ativ, the northern end of Israel. Once we arrive at our hotel, we’ll spend time assembling our bikes. Time permitting we’ll have an opportunity for a short ride from our hotel to the village of Majdel Shamps. We may possibly have time to climb up the Hermon Mountain, the highest mountain in Israel (2200m abover sea level. Accommodations: Nevei Ativ Hotel or similar.
Day 3, Sat. April 10: Golan Heights and Upper Galilee
Distance: 73 km
Total Climb: 430 m
Total Descent: 1210 m
Major Attractions: Banias Nature Preserve, Capernaum
The route will take us through sites in the Golan and the Jordan River. We begin the day riding down the slopes of Mt. Hermon, through the Hula Valley, an agricultural region with abundance of water, and on to the springs that collect water from the Jordan River. We continue climbing the eastern slopes of the beautiful Golan Heights, passing the ‘fault road’ that is a natural break on the edge of the Golan cliffs. The trail leads us through areas of the Golan with gorgeous basalt rock, then onto the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee through the village of Natziv Heights, on the edgd of the Golan overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Accommodations: Ramot Vacation Village or similar.
Day 4, Sun. April 11: Ramot - Tabor Village
Distance: 105 km
Total Climb: 1360 m
Descent: 1160 m
Major Attractions: Golan Wineries, Hamat Gader Hot Springs.
Circling the Sea of Galilee from Ramot to the Tabor Village. Our day begins with a lovely long climb to the center of the Golan Heights. Next, we’ll visit the town of Kazrin, built around the site of a Jewish agricultural village of the Mishnaic period and the largest town in the Golan Heights. We continue on to the Golan Winery, founded in 1983. After enjoying some delicious wine in this winery, we’ll continue riding south through the plains of the Golan to the cliffs’ edge of the southern Golan. We’ll have a lovely view of the valley of the Sea of Galilee and the Galilean Mountains. Next we continue our descent to the natural hot springs of Hamat Gader where we’ll stop and relax and sooth our weary muscles in the warm natural mineral water. We continue to the southern edge of the Sea of Galilee to the Kinneret Village. From here we’ll climb the Galilee Heights and onto the Yavniel Valleyand the Sireen Heights. Finally we bike on flat road through the Jezreel Valley and to the Tabor Village, located on the foot of the Tabor Mountains. Accommodations: Hotel on Mt. Tabor or similar.
Day 5, Mon. April 12: Mt. Tabor to the Gilboa Mountain
Distance: 98 km / 80 km
Total Climb: 1710 m
Total Descent: 1650 M
Major Attractions: Monastery on Mt. Tabor, Sachne.
We’ll begin our day with a steep climb to the summit of Mt. Tabor, scene of many biblical events such as the transfiguration of Christ, where the prophetess Deborah summoned Barak and with him at their helm, the Israelites vanquished the Canaanites. Mt Tabor is an impressive and imposing mountain with a very unique round shape. This allows for incredible viewpoints of the mountains of Nazareth, the Galilee and the northern valleys. After a visit in the monastery atop the mountain, we’ll descend a winding road and continue south to the Harod Valley and to the Gilboa mountains, a place of tragedy and triumph where King Saul and his three sons lost their lives fighting the Philistines. We’ll climb to the top of the Gilboa Mountains, reaching Mt. Barkan for a beautiful view of northern Samaria. From Gilboa we’ll descend a scenic path in the heart of a scenic pine forest that will lead us to the wide open spaces of the Jezreel Valley. Here, we’ll ride approximately 20 km on flat road and then climb to the verdant Menashe Heights and to Kibbutz Dalia where we’ll spend the night. Accommodations: Kibbutz Dalia.
Day 6, Tues. April 13: Mt. Carmel to Ceasaria
Distance: 78 km
Total Climb: 798 m
Total Descent: 1000 m
Major Attractions: Monastery of Keren Ha’Karmel, the Cave Creek, Tishbi Winery, Caesarea Archeological Park.
From the Menashe Heights, we’ll begin a climb to the eastern side of the Carmel Mountains, through a narrow and winding road that traverses the heart of many Druze villages such as Dalit El Carmel, and Osfiya. We then visit the Muchracha Monastery that belongs to the Carmelite Order, which arrived here from Europe in the 17th century. According to tradition, the fire that rained down from the sky amid a struggle between Prophet Elijah and the Baal prophets had occurred in this exact location. We’ll continue riding on the mountain across from the Mediterranean Sea through the neighborhood of Shluchat Bet Oren in a steep descent to the sea. We’ll continue to the shore of the Carmel coast south and to the picturesque little village of Zichron Ya’akov, one of the first Jewish settlements in Israel and the place where the Nili spy ring lived during the War of Independence. We’ll spend time at one of the best wineries in Israel, Tishbi winery and after some tasting, we’ll continue for a flat ride to the village of Binaymina and to the incredible archeological park of Caesarea on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Accommodation: Hotel Tel Aviv.
Day 7, Wed. April 14: Climb to Jerusalem
Distance: 46 KM
Total Climb: 1330 M
Total Descent: 710 M
Major Attractions: Spring of Sataf, Ein Karam, Golden city of Jerusalem, Night tour of the city.
The climb to Jerusalem is through beautiful thick pine forests and mountainous regions. We’ll start the ride later and will be transported to Bet Shemesh and will begin our climb from here. We begin with a long, steep road that goes through lovely scenic trails over deep the deep canyon of the Kishalon Creek. We’ll continue through to Tzuba and enter Jerusalem through the western neighborhood of Ein Karam. The climb is through a narrow road with breathtaking views that will lead us through some of the older stone houses and narrow alleys and through to the more modern and lively part of the city. After an urban ride through parks, we’ll arrive at the entrance of the Old City of Jerusalem. Accommodations: Jerusalem.
Day 8, Thurs. April 15: Jerusalem - Dead Sea - Judean Desert
Distance: 150 KM
Total Climb: 990 M
Total Descent: 2110 M
Major Attractions: Dead Sea Beach, Masada and Ein Gedi Oasis
We’ll begin the day with a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem. Next, we’ll begin our descent to the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. We’ll ride through Morad Edumim and complete the day by riding the length of the Dead Sea. We’ll visit the desert fortress of Masda, famed archeological remains of the site where 960 Jewish Zealots drew lots to decide their fate rather than be captured by the Romans during the Great Revolt. Finally, we’ll take a dip in the Dead Sea, an incredible floating experience. Accommodations: Tent in Ne’ot Hakikar
Day 9, Fri. Apr. 16: Ne’ot Hakikar to Mizpe Ramon
Distance: 130 KM
Total Climb: 1080 M
Total Descent: 810 M
Major Attractions: Havat Haboddim Ranch (wine and cheese), ZIn Valley and Ein Avdot.
Another long and beautiful day awaits us in the desert. We’ll spend most of the day climbing from the Dead Sea to the Negev Mountains. We start with a moderate climb through the northern Arava Desert and continue through the Zin Valley, with its moon-like landscape unique to this region. Next, we’ll climb up to Ma’ale Akrabim, with its 20 serpentine turns. From the top of the climb we’ll have incredible views of the Zin Valley below. Time permitting we’ll visit the small Makhtesh, or crater, a geological phenomenon found only in Israel and the Sinai Peninsula, which is actually an erosion cirque consisting of steep walls of resistant rock surrounding a deep closed valley which is usually drained by a single valley. The valleys have limited vegetation and soil, containing a variety of different colored rocks and a diverse fauna and flora, which has been protected and preserved over millions of years.
We’ll continue riding on the sandy road to the large Makhtesh and stop to see the colorful sand. Next we’ll comb the Makhtesh to the cit of Yerucham. From Yerucham we will travel towards Kibbutz Sde Boker, where the first Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben Gurion spent the later part of his life. We’ll stop to taste wine and cheese that was made in the desert. Finally, we’ll arrive at the city of Mizpe Ramon, home to the largest Makhtesh in the world, the Ramon Crater. Accommodations: Bike Hotel Mizpe Ramon.
Day 10, Sat. Apr. 17: Makhtesh to Paran Desert
Distance: 82 KM
Total Climb: 890 M
Total Descent: 1600 MM
Major Attractions: Makhtesh Ramon
The Ramon Makhtesh, one of the most beautiful Makhtesh in the world, is a geological phenomenon which opens a rare window to the heart of the earth. Its length is 30 KM, depth 500 KM and is the largest in the world. Our ride will start on a cliff above of the Makhtesh. We’ll go through Ma’aleh Ha’atzmaut road, descending into the belly of the Makhtesh and crossing the southern edge to the heart of the desert. We’ll experience a desert day in the land of Paran and Tziyah, rich in sharp cliffs, desert mountains, dry riverbeds and the unique and powerful silence of the desert. Accommodations: Desert camp in Paran.
Day 11, Sun. Apr. 18: Southern Arava Desert and Eilat
Distance: 144 KM
Total Climb: 1250 M
Total Descent: 1390 M
Major Attractions: Eilat nature preserve, swimming in the Red Sea, copper mines of Timan
After a two hour transport we’ll arrive in Makhtesh Timna where we’ll begin riding into an amazing array of unique desert views. We’ll ride through the copper mines considered to be the oldest in the world. We’ll be able to see ancient Egyptian drawings on the rocks and also a formation called the King Solomon Columns. We’ll cross the southern Arava Desert to the salt pools that have a regular group of flamingos nearby. Our ride will be on a flat road between the mountains of the Eilat Mountains and Mount Edom, all the way to the northern shores of the Red Sea. We’ll continue riding through to the city of Eilat and the southern shores arriving at the coral reef reserve. Here, we’ll have time to stop, swim or snorekl in the Red Sea, which maintains the same water temperature year round. Finally, we ride to our hotel, between the seashore and the mountains. Accommodations: Hotel Eilat.
Day 11, Mon. Apr. 19: Free day in Eilat and return flight to Ben Gurion Airport.
Day 12, Tues. Apr. 20: Return to the US
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes
- Accommodations
- Breakfast, lunch and some dinners per itinerary
- Guide, activities and entrance fees per itinerary.
Also see tour packages in:
Middle East
Israel
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Bicycle Touring
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