Jerusalem, Bethlehem by bus from Sharm El Sheikh

Jerusalem, Bethlehem by bus from Sharm El Sheikh

Without understatement, these sacred places are very valuable for many nations and people of different faiths: Christians, Muslims, Jews. Jerusalem is also known under the names: “City of Peace”, “Golden City”, “City of Three Religions”.

Dear guests, please note:

– There are no discounts for children on this excursion.

– A visa to enter Israel is NOT required

– The tour takes place on Mondays and Thursdays

– The excursion is not available for citizens of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan

– To maintain travel safety, the road is constantly monitored by the Egyptian police and army

– The Israeli Border Guard may not allow you into the country. In this case, the transfer fee will be $70

– We will pick you up from the hotel by minibus, and then you will be transferred to a large, comfortable bus (to save your time)

– In connection with visiting sacred places, clothing must be appropriate

Program “Jerusalem, Bethlehem by bus from Sharm El Sheikh”:

– Pick up from the hotel

Our guide will pick you up from your hotel in Sharm El Sheikh usually 19:30-20:15, we will inform you the exact departure time on the day of departure via SMS on Whatsapp/Viber/Telegram after 15:00. A minibus will pick you up at the hotel, from which you will later transfer to a large, comfortable bus with 55 seats, with reclining backrests, air conditioning and a toilet, accompanied by guides.

– Path to the border town of Taba

From Sharm El Sheikh to the city of Taba the journey is 190 km, on average 3 to 4.5 hours on the road. Taba is a border town with Israel, where the border checkpoint is located. On the way, you will stop at checkpoints, and the driver will be checked for the necessary permits and licenses to travel outside the territory of Sharm El Sheikh.

– Crossing the border  with Israel

Crossing the border is a moment that no one can control, and which depends on many factors: the number of cars at the border, the number of tourists. On average, crossing the border takes from 30 minutes to 3.5 hours. Before the border, you will be given badges with the name of the host country and telephone numbers: Egyptian and Israeli. You cross the border with Israel on foot, and on the other side you will be met by our Israeli guide, who will seat you in a comfortable large bus.

– Dead Sea and Israel

The journey from the border to the Dead Sea will take on average 2 hours. A stop here will take you 1.5 hours for swimming and visiting a Dead Sea cosmetics store. Usually, from the beginning of April to the end of October, swimming in the Dead Sea occurs in the morning, and in winter – from November to March, a stop for swimming in the Dead Sea will be on the way back.

– Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives

The journey from the Dead Sea to Jerusalem takes on average up to 1.5 hours. When entering the city, your guide will show you the observation deck of the Mount of Olives (the site of the Ascension of Jesus Christ). From the Mount of Olives you will see a panorama of Jerusalem and its other attractions, which your guide will tell you about. You will see the Old Jewish Cemetery – the oldest cemetery in the world, a cemetery only for Jews and has more than 150 thousand graves; as well as the old city with its ancient mosque.

– Sightseeing visit to churches and monasteries in Jerusalem:

Russian Spaso Ascension Monastery is a convent on the top of the Mount of Olives, which in our time is inhabited by more than 50 nuns from different countries.

The Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Gethsemane) is a Russian Orthodox monastery located near the tomb of the Virgin Mary. The church was built in memory of Empress Maria Alexandrovna Magdalene in 1888.

The Roman Catholic Church of Dominus Flevit – belongs to the Franciscan Order, is located opposite the golden Qubat Al-Sakhr, where Christ mourned the fate that awaits Jerusalem.

Catholic Church Pater Noster (“Our Father”) – so named in honor of the fact that here Christ gave the apostles the prayer “Our Father”.

The Garden of Gethsemane with the tomb of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the place of Jesus’ prayer on the night of his arrest. According to the New Testament, it was here that Judas found Jesus that night.

Kidron Valley (Valley of Jehoshaphat) – in the Old Testament: “the valley in which God will judge.” According to the eschatology of the Abrahamic religions, the “Last Judgment” or “Judgment Day” is the last judgment performed by God on people in order to identify the righteous and sinners.

– Tour of the Old City of Jerusalem

Walk from the Jaffa Gate, along Via Dolosora (Road of Sorrow), to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There you will walk the last 5 stops of the Way of the Cross, along which Jesus carried his cross to the place of crucifixion.

– The Alexander Metochion – the closest building to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which includes the Threshold of the Gates of Judgment – the threshold of the ancient gates through which Jesus crossed to his execution, and the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky – was conceived by the leadership of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society as a temple-monument to him founder – Alexander III.

– The Armenian quarter is smaller than all the others, covering an area of 0.126 km2. Located south of the Jaffa Gate on the site of the palace of King Herod the Great. The population size and density here is the smallest among all four quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem.

– The Jewish Quarter with the Temple Mount – separated from the Armenian Quarter by Chabad Street, covers an area of 116,000 square meters. It starts from the Zion Gate in the south and reaches the Western Wall and the Temple Mount in the east. The Dung (Garbage) Gate leads directly to the block. The Temple Mount is the holiest site for Judaism and the third holiest site for Islam. There are religious Islamic buildings located there: the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. The Al-Aqsa Mosque is, according to Islamic beliefs, the first of the objects by which the qibla was determined, and it is also the second mosque built on earth. Up to 5,000 believers can pray here at the same time. The Dome of the Rock is the earliest monument of Islamic culture, one of the main shrines of Islam, and is included in the list of World Heritage Sites.

– The Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem is bounded by the Lion Gate in the east, the northern retaining wall of the Temple Mount in the south, and the Damascus Gate-Western Wall road in the west. The quarter is considered the most densely populated. Among the attractions here are Kotel Katan, Ateret Kohanim, Bab Al Huta, Ohel Isaac Synagogue and many other important places. The first seven Stations of the Cross are also located here. Also, according to legend, the Virgin Mary was born here, in the Basilica of St. Anne.

– Christian Quarter – here you will pass the last five Stations of the Cross, see the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (this will be the last stop of the Way of the Cross), Golgotha, the Stone of Confirmation, the Rotunda with the Chapel of the Edicule, the Altar of the Crucifixion.

– Western Wall in Jerusalem

The only fragment of the Temple Mount wall that has survived to this day. The midrash says that the Creator swore: “this part of the wall will not be destroyed, and that the Divine presence will never depart from this wall.” You can find people praying near the Western Wall at any time of the day. The sages say: “anyone who prays in Jerusalem at this place is as if he were praying before the Throne of Glory, for here are the gates of heaven, open to hear all prayers.”

– Mount Zion

Jewish tradition viewed Zion as a symbol of Jerusalem. On Mount Zion there is the Zion Upper Room – the place where the Last Supper and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles took place on the second floor. Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – according to legend, the Assumption of the Mother of God took place in this Catholic church. Monastery of the Savior – located in the place where it is possible that the house of the high priest Caiaphas was located. Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu – according to medieval tradition, it was in this place that the Apostle Peter mourned his renunciation of Jesus Christ.

– Cardo Street

Decorated with columns, one of the oldest streets in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.

– Bethlehem

Bethlehem is located in the Judean Mountains, 2 km from the south of Jerusalem. The main attraction of the city of Bethlehem is the Basilica of the Nativity, located in the city center on Manger Square above the cave of the Nativity, where, according to legend, Jesus Christ was born. Nearby is the Milk Cave (Milky Den), where, according to legend, the Holy Family took refuge during the flight to Egypt, and the Virgin Mary dropped drops of her milk, and next door is the cave in which St. Jerome wrote the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible, for thirty years .

– Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem

This is a Christian church in Bethlehem, built, according to legend, over the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Together with the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, it is one of the two main Christian churches in the Holy Land. The Basilica of Bethlehem was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012. You will also visit souvenir shops where you can purchase candles, icons, etc. from the Holy Land.

– Lunch

A delicious buffet lunch awaits you at a local restaurant.

– Return back

After such a busy day, you begin your return to your hotel in Sharm El Sheikh. The road will run through the Israeli city of Elat, bordering Egypt. Expected time of arrival at the hotel is approximately 00:00-01:00.

• A visa to enter Israel is not required for this excursion; however, a valid passport is mandatory.

• The tour operates only on Mondays and Thursdays and must be booked in advance.

• The excursion is not available for citizens of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.

• Border crossing procedures are beyond the tour operator’s control and may take from 30 minutes to 3.5 hours depending on border traffic and security checks.

• The Israeli Border Guard reserves the right to refuse entry; in such cases, a transfer fee of $70 applies.

• As this excursion includes visits to important religious sites, modest and appropriate clothing is required for both men and women.

• This is a long full-day pilgrimage and sightseeing excursion involving extensive walking through historical and religious sites, so comfortable walking shoes are highly recommended.