Day 1: Arrival Day

Welcome to your Agriculture Tour …. And Israel! Our trusted travel representative will be waiting for your arrival at the Ben Gurion International Airport. Once customs formalities are completed, you will be transferred to your hotel in Jerusalem, in your private, air-conditioned vehicle.

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Day 2: Volcani Center, Weizmann Institute & Old Jaffa

Your tour starts with an in-depth visit to the Volcani Centre, part of the Agricultural Research Organization in Beit Dagan. This is the state research institute in agriculture and an organization that carries out industry-leading studies. Volcani is considered one of the best agricultural institutes in the world and a guided visit makes for the perfect start to your tour. Here, you will learn about the various new methods being discovered through the study of water, plants, and soil and enjoy a thoroughly educational tour. We shall then continue on to Rehovot University, where we’ll find the esteemed Weizmann Institute of Science, a multidisciplinary facility involved in the study of exact and natural sciences. Explore the museum and its interactive displays and enjoy a truly stimulating experience. In the afternoon, we’ll take a more touristic approach, on a visit to Old Jaffa, an 8000-year-old port city and now a charismatic neighborhood filled with art galleries, theatres, and excellent restaurants. Discover the remnants of ancient worlds and explore the beautifully restored quarter of the dedicated artists who created this incredible place. We shall then drive to Tel Aviv, where you will enjoy your overnight accommodation.

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Day 3: Northern Kibbutzim

Today’s tour of discoveries will be solely dedicated to the pioneering kibbutz in northern Israel. This is the region where collective and sustainable farming was first created in our country. You will pay a visit to Degania, the oldest kibbutz in Israel, and learn all about the fascinating history of this ancient settlement, which pre-dates the Ottoman era. Throughout Israel’s complicated and hard-fought growth and evolution over the last century, Degania has continued to grow its produce, unperturbed. Today, it has evolved to now includes two interesting factories. A guided tour is always part agriculture and part history, and always immensely rewarding. Discovering pesticide-free farming is another excellent way to learn more about kibbutzim, so we’ll make sure your day includes visits to specialized settlements, like Eden Farms, that farm via the use of hydroponics. Tonight, enjoy a wonderful stay in a unique kibbutz hotel in Galilee.

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Day 4: Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu

We’ll spend today in the beautiful Jordan Valley, visiting the Sde Eliyahu kibbutz and learning more about organic farming in Israel and the intricacies of communal living. Sde Eliyahu is an outstanding, well-established community, with its synagogue and day school providing for the everyday needs of its residents. You’ll learn about the farming and production of dates, grapes, pomegranates and so much more. If you’re a lover of all things organic and incredibly unique ideas, you will absolutely love this place. Tonight, we will drive back to Jerusalem where you will stay overnight.

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Day 5: Jerusalem Old and New City Tour

Today's journey starts with a tour of Old Jerusalem. We’ll explore the enchanting Armenian and Jewish quarters, enjoy a stroll along the Byzantine-era colonnaded Cardo avenue and explore the remains of the ancient perimeter wall of Jerusalem. Continue to the Western Wall (Kotel) and take your time exploring the intricate alleyways of the Christian Quarter. Walk along the Via Dolorosa, the processional route that showcases the Stations of the Cross, all the way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, before continuing to the New City. Our first stop here is the Knesset (the Israeli Parliament building) before taking a very moving tour of Israel’s official Holocaust homage: the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. Should today fall on a Saturday or Jewish holiday, we will make alternative plans and visit the Tomb of King David, the Dormition Abbey, and the Room of the Last Supper. You will spend another lovely evening and night in Jerusalem.

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Day 6: The South

Today, it is time to explore the south! You’ll visit Naan-Dan Jain, one of the world’s leading producers of irrigation systems, and learn all about the latest measures to farm effectively whilst using unique methods of water conservation. After our insightful visit, we will head to the Arava Center for Environmental Studies where cooperation is the name of the game. In collaboration with Israel’s neighbors, the center aims to solve pivotal environmental issues, without letting politics, or anything else, get in the way. We will then explore the region further, visiting modern date plantations, before finally settling near the Dead Sea for overnight accommodation.

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Day 7: The Dead Sea Region

Exploring the Dead Sea region is always a highlight on our Agriculture Tours in Israel. In the morning, we’ll visit Qumran and explore the enigmatic caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We’ll then pay a visit to the beautiful Ein Gedi Botanical Garden, a revered haven for Baobab and African sycamore-fig trees – we’ll head to some exceptional lookouts so you can enjoy breathtaking views and the chance to spot endemic and migratory birds. We will then head to the Salad Trail (Shvil Hasalat), perhaps Israel’s most delicious destination. On this immersive farm experience, you are free to pick your own fresh fruits and vegetables (don’t miss the Israeli-invented cherry tomatoes!) and feast on them right there and then. This farm-to-mouth visit will teach you the true tastes of organic produce and you’ll be absolutely amazed at the luscious produce grown in this arid part of Israel. Unforgettable! Afterward, you will not want to miss your chance for a therapeutic bathing experience in the Dead Sea – cover your whole body in mud, lie back and enjoy the sensation of floating on air, on one of the world’s saltiest bodies of water. We will drive back to Tel Aviv, for your last night’s stay.

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Day 8: Departure from Ben Gurion Airport

This morning, it will be time to say goodbye! You will be transferred to the airport in your private vehicle. At Mazada Tours, we thank you for planning your Agriculture Tour in Israel with us and eagerly await your next visit!