1. From Tel Aviv: Jericho, the Jordan River and the Dead Sea
Visit the city of Jericho, the most ancient city in the world, the city in the Bible where Joshua and his troops caused the city walls to fall in the Battle of Jericho. See the ancient sycamore tree that features in the Biblical story in the Book of Luke, where Zacchaeus climbs a sycamore tree to see Jesus over the crowds that had come out to greet him as he entered Jericho. Tour Elisha’s Spring, which supplied the city with fresh water over the course of thousands of years. Marvel at the spring, without which people would not have been able to survive in this harsh environment. Travel 2 km from Jericho to the archaeological mound of Tel Jericho, the site of the original Jericho settlement, where archaeologists have uncovered 23 layers from previous settlements in Jericho dating back to 9000 BC. See one of the most fascinating finds, a Neolithic watchtower dated c. 8000 BC. Continue the tour to the Mount of Temptation, where the devil tried to tempt Jesus to forsake God. Go up to the top of the mount by cable car and take in the stunning views, and see the Greek Orthodox Monastery seeming to defy gravity by clinging to the cliffs. Make a stop at Qasr el Yahud, a site on the Jordan River where John baptized Jesus, where the Jordan River has been made accessible to visitors who want to be baptized here., and which may also be where the Israelites crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land. End off a perfect day with a stop to the Dead Sea, to float in the water that is 8.5 times saltier than the ocean; lather skin with mineral-rich Dead Sea mud, and soak up the sun on the beach.