Israel Bike Tour

Ancient Israel from the Sea of Galilee to Old City Jerusalem

From $6,199 - $6,549 pp dbl. occ. | 8 days / 7 nights

(+$1,070 for sgl. occ.)

Israel will captivate you at every turn. Delve into this place shaped by prophets, kings and crusaders. Discover a rich tapestry of cultures. And explore a diverse landscape, from the azure Mediterranean to the green hills of the Golan Heights, via the unique perspective that only a bicycle can offer.

Highlights

Spin through the beautiful Judean Hills, an area rich in marvelous archaeological treasures of the ancient world
Sample diverse cuisine—from modern Israeli to traditional Lebanese and Druze—whose roots date back millennia
Taste contemporary wines in a region where grapes have been cultivated and fermented since biblical times
Experience an authentic, intimate and historically enlightening connection to this epic land and its vibrant people

Israel

Start/End Tel Aviv

Itinerary

Days 1-2 Spin along the famous Tel Aviv Promenade and north across the coastal plain | Visit Caesarea's Roman ruins, built by Herod the Great | Dine on innovative, modern Israeli cuisine beside the Mediterranean | Pedal through kibbutz orchards and Druze Arab villages | In the Carmel mountains, bike to hilltop Zikhron Ya'akov, known for superb wine.

Day 3 Ride on quiet rural roads lined with vineyards and orchards in the heart of the upper Galilee | Chat with members of the Arab-Israeli community | Witness the crumbling remains of Bar'am, one of Israel's oldest synagogues | Bike past vineyards near the Lebanese border and taste local wines | Wander the cobblestone lanes of entrancing Safed, the highest city in Israel and one of Judaism's four holy cities.

Days 4-5 Explore the secret passageways of medieval Nimrod Fortress | Savor traditional Arab sweets in the Druze village of Mas'ade | Take in views of Syria and a memorial from the Yom Kippur War | Gear up for a unique experience at an authentic kibbutz | A thrilling downhill route leads to the Sea of Galilee | Behold epic biblical landscapes from our relaxing lakeside inn.

Days 6-8 Get to know the old city of Jerusalem on a private walking tour | Enjoy a spin along the Jordan River | In Jerusalem, see the Western Wall as the sun sets, marking the beginning of Shabbat | Pedal into the Judean Hills accompanied by a multitude of local bicyclists | You're welcomed into a local home for a special Shabbat dinner | Picturesque Ein Karem village is a delight to explore on foot.

Next: Dates & Prices

The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy.

Cancellation fees may vary based upon departure date. Please review the grid below:

Number of Days Prior to Trip Start	Cancellation Fees (per person)	Departure Dates
96+ days	$200	2019 5/5, 5/19, 6/2, 9/8, 9/22, 10/20, 11/3 2020 5/3, 5/17, 5/31, 9/6, 9/20, 10/18, 11/1
61-95 days	30%
31-60 days	60%
0-30 days	100%

For information on our trip transfers see here.

Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.

Available
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Going
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C Classic Dates

2019 May

5/5–5/12

5/19–5/26

2019 June

6/2–6/9

2019 September

9/8–9/15

9/22–9/29

2019 October

10/20–10/27

2019 November

11/3–11/10

2020 May

5/3–5/10

5/17–5/24

5/31–6/7

2020 September

9/6–9/13

9/20–9/27

2020 October

10/18–10/25

2020 November

11/1–11/8

View Private Dates

Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. You can pick from the selection of dates below for your group of 8 or more. If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you. Call or email us to reserve your date.

2019 Private Trip Pricing

10 or more guests: from $6,199 pp dbl occ
8 - 9 guests: from $6,999 pp dbl occ

Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.

Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date

2+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 2 or more guests
8+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 8 or more guests
12+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 12 or more guests
16+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 16 or more guests
Reserved

C Couples, Friends & Solos Tours

2019 October

8+ 10/20–10/27

View Scheduled Dates

The sky’s the limit! Tell us what your dream trip would be and we'll make it happen! Whether you're looking for a honeymoon trip for 2, a 30-person family reunion or a 100-person corporate trip, we can do it all. A dedicated Custom Trip Consultant will work closely with you to bring your dreams to reality. Call us at 800-462-2848 to speak with your Custom Trip Consultant or click on the button below.

REQUEST YOUR CUSTOM TRIP NOW

Previous: Overview

Dates

C Couples, Friends & Solos Tours

2019
May
Jun
Sep
Oct
Nov

2020
May
Sep
Oct
Nov

View Scheduled Dates
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Prices

From $6,199 - $6,549 pp dbl. occ.
8 days / 7 nights

(+$1,070 for sgl. occ.)

Reviews

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Premiere Hotels*

Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel

Zikhron Ya'akov (2 nights)

Kibbutz Merom Golan

Golan Heights (2 nights)

* Casual Hotel

Setai, Sea of Galilee

Sea of Galilee (1 night)

Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Jerusalem, Israel

Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Israel (2 nights)

See Lodging Details

Activity Level

This trip is rated Levels 2-4

See Daily Route Options

What's Included

Services and equipment are included.

See how we include more

Why Backroads

Why Travel with Backroads in Israel

Find out What sets us apart

More On This Trip

View more photos

Watch videos

Detailed Itinerary Reserve This Trip

Reviews by Power Reviews ®

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Next: Lodging

Premiere Hotels*

Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the View Scheduled Dates or Private Dates tabs.

Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel

Zikhron Ya'akov (2 nights)

This arts-focused hotel features splendid views of forests and the Mediterranean Sea. (pool, spa)

Kibbutz Merom Golan

Golan Heights (2 nights)

* Casual Hotel

Enjoy the simple guest cabins on this kibbutz, ideally located in the northern part of the Golan Heights on the slopes of Mount Ben Tal. (pool)

Setai, Sea of Galilee

Sea of Galilee (1 night)

Set at the water's edge, these beautiful spa villas are surrounded by archaeological ruins and peaceful nature reserves. (pool, spa)

Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Israel (2 nights)

With a striking blend of Greco-Roman, Gothic and Ottoman architecture, this luxurious property is nestled in the heart of Jerusalem. Travel + Leisure World's Best Award.

Previous: Reviews

Next: Activity Level

This Trip Is Rated Levels 2-4

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next—and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Daily Route Options (drag to see full )

Day	EASYGOING				ACTIVE				AVID
Daily Route Options
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Level 4		Level 5
	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain
1			20*	600	30	1300
1	Walking Tour of Caesarea (1 Hour)
2			22*	400			41*	2000	60	3800
3			12*	1400	27*	2300			42	5900
4	14*	600			34*	2600			51	5800
4	Walking Tour of Safed (1 Hour)
5			17*	1200			38*	3100
6					37	600
7					33	2000	49	2400
8	Walking Tour of Jerusalem (2 - 4 Hours)

Note: There is less than 15% of riding on hard-packed dirt on this trip. Since the overwhelming majority of the trip is paved, we've elected to use standard road bike tires on our titanium road bikes. Most guests find this to be the right answer. If you prefer to skip the dirt, a shuttle is always a possibility.

* Includes shuttle.

Learn more about how we determine our activity level and fully support a range of abilities and interests.

Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies and other external factors.

Previous: Lodging

Next: What's Included

Meals

All breakfasts, 7 dinners, 6 lunches

Available Bike Options

The key to a stellar day’s ride is a bike that’s perfectly in tune with your cycling style… Backroads has you covered with the best bike fleet in the world! Read on for your available bike options for this trip.

Backroads Titanium Bikes (Included in your trip price)

Our custom-built titanium bikes are specially designed for you—and we offer different models for varied terrain so your bike is ideally suited to the region. Our custom-made bikes are included in your trip price.

Touring Bike (Included)

Performance Road Bike (Included)

Also Included

Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
Snacks and beverages between meals
Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
Park and other entry fees
Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
Select coach transfers
Baggage transfers and porterage

Previous: Activity Level

Next: Straight Talk

Next: Why Backroads

Get the Straight Talk about This Trip

We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.

Accommodations

Our Premiere Hotels on this trip are luxurious and offer top-notch amenities. We've also included a two-night stay at Kibbutz Merom Golan, which is simple Casual Hotel. Though humble, Merom Golan offers a great location, warm hospitality, strong cultural character and phenomenal views. We hope you'll appreciate its unique charm as much as we do.

Biking Routes in Israel

Biking in Israel is a different experience than biking in Europe. You won't find an extensive network of interconnecting roads like in Italy, for example. So we often shuttle to get to the starting points of the best routes, to reach our hotels at the end of a ride or to visit some of the most intriguing cultural and historical sites on our itinerary. And while biking is becoming more popular, many Israelis are still learning how to share the road, so stay alert!

Rest assured that we've designed some fantastic routes. Most of the busier roads have wide shoulders, and you can choose to shuttle past the sections that don't. No matter what, you can count on a culturally enriching and fascinating journey through Israel.

Previous: What's Included

Next: Why Backroads

Why Travel with Backroads in Israel

Everyone at Their Own Pace

We design and support our Israel trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.

Your Trip Will Run. Period.

Under our Book with Confidence policy, your Backroads trip will run even for one or two people (or a family of three or four), subject to a nominal extra fee. Or transfer to another trip, and we'll give you a credit. It's all part of our trademark commitment to treating guests with integrity, transparency and total accountability. Read all the details.

The Best Leaders in Israel

Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Israel, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.

Only the Best Hotels

On this trip featuring Premiere Hotels, you can count on the best lodgings Israel has to offer. In fact, the hotels we've chosen in this region have higher retail room rates than those offered by any other active travel company—even when their trips cost more.

Our Cultural Roots Run Deep

Thanks to our extensive connections in Israel, Backroads takes you off the beaten track and deep into the region's culture in ways that traditional travel can never hope to do. We know the people and their customs, the legacy of art and architecture, the complex history and politic—and if we're not sure, our amazing local experts can fill in the blanks.

Your Hotels Are Locked In

It may seem obvious to say the great hotels we tell you about are the ones you'll actually stay in. But the fact is many companies haven't even booked the places they promise and are later forced to settle for inferior alternatives. We book our hotels and exact rooms long in advance—often over two years—so you stay where you expect to stay.

A Second Van When You Need It

Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Israel—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.

More Leaders to Support You

On our Israel trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the road—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.

The Right Local Pairings

Our Trip Leaders combine deep local expertise with a firm grasp of North American expectations around quality of service. By the same token, we pair experienced Backroads leaders with local guides who know how to cater to your needs while cracking open the culture or natural history in ways that are meaningful, memorable and often magical.

Previous: Straight Talk

Previous: What's Included

Detailed Itinerary Reserve This Trip

Backroads Photo Gallery

Guest Photo Gallery

Straight Talk

We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.

Israel Bike Tour