Caesarea, Galilee & Golan: 3-Day Self-Launched Version
3 days · Israel
Bein Harim Tourism Services charges £465
No-markup version: ~£385 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Bein Harim's 3-day Caesarea, Galilee & Golan group tour: same coastal Roman ruins, Baha'i Gardens, Rosh HaNikra sea caves, Crusader Acre, Golan viewpoints, Banias springs and Safed — but done on public buses, sheruts and self-guided site entry instead of a guided coach. Base yourself in Tel Aviv for night one and a Galilee guesthouse for the rest, using Israel's excellent intercity bus network (Egged/Kavim, ~£5-10 per hop) and cheap local day-trips. Costs are rough per-person estimates in GBP; Israel is not a budget destination, so food and entry tickets add up.
Day-by-day
Caesarea, Haifa Baha'i Gardens & Rosh HaNikra by train and bus
Tel Aviv → Caesarea → Haifa → Rosh HaNikra → Acre
The tour starts at 06:30 from Tel Aviv hotels — you can start later. Take the Israel Railways train from Tel Aviv Savidor or HaHagana north to Caesarea (Binyamina) or directly to Caesarea-Pardes Hanna station, then a local bus or a ~20-minute walk/cycle to Caesarea National Park. Spend 1.5-2 hours wandering the Roman amphitheatre, aqueduct and harbour ruins (entry ~£10-12). Continue by train to Haifa and take bus 136 or 115 up to the Baha'i Gardens terraces (free gardens walk, guided tours bookable in advance). Late afternoon, take the train to Nahariya then bus 31 to Rosh HaNikra for the white sea caves and cable car (~£10). Overnight in Haifa or Akko (Acre) — Akko is cheaper and more atmospheric. Total travel ~2.5 hours of sitting on trains and buses, not a minibus tour.
🚌Israel Railways Tel Aviv → Caesarea/Binyamina (~£6), train Haifa → Nahariya (~£5), bus 31 to Rosh HaNikra (~£2), final train to Akko (~£2)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Akko/Acre old city (~£28-35/night)
- →Caesarea National Park self-guided audio tour
- →Baha'i Gardens terraces walk in Haifa
- →Rosh HaNikra sea caves by cable car
Crusader Acre, then north to the Sea of Galilee and Golan edge
Akko → Tiberias → Katzrin / Golan
Morning in Acre's UNESCO-listed old city: Knights' Halls, the Templar tunnels, Al-Jazzar Mosque and the sea walls (combined ticket ~£12). Late morning catch a bus (Egged 500 or similar via Haifa) to Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee — around 1.5-2 hours, ~£5. Drop your bag at a Tiberias or Kibbutz guesthouse. Afternoon: local bus or sherut to the Shalom Observatory viewpoint over the lake, or head further north to Katzrin to see the Talmudic village and Golan Antiquities Museum (~£6 entry). If you have energy, bus/shared taxi on to Mount Bental for the abandoned bunkers and view into Syria (free). Note public buses on the Golan run less often on Friday afternoons and Saturdays — check Kavim/Egged schedules the night before.
🚌Bus Akko → Tiberias (~£5), local bus Tiberias → Katzrin (~£3), shared taxi/sherut for Golan hops (~£5-8)
🛏Kibbutz guesthouse or budget hotel in Tiberias/Katzrin (~£32-40/night)
- →Acre Old City Crusader halls and Templar tunnels
- →Katzrin Talmudic village and Golan Antiquities Museum
- →Mount Bental bunkers and viewpoints
- →Optional Hamat Gader hot springs (~£18)
Banias waterfalls, a kibbutz lunch and Safed's synagogues
Golan → Banias → Safed → Tel Aviv
Get an early bus or shared taxi to Banias Nature Reserve at the foot of Mount Hermon — the walk to the waterfalls and Hermon stream pools takes 1.5-2 hours and entry is ~£7. Nearby are the remains of Nimrod Fortress or the Banias Crusader-era fortifications if you want a second site. For lunch, stop in a Druze village such as Mas'ade for a cheap, huge Druze mezze plate (~£10-12) — the optional add-on on the guided tour becomes your main meal of the day. Early afternoon take a bus southwest to Safed (Tzfat) — around 1 hour — and walk the old town's ancient synagogues (Abuhav, Ha'Ari), artists' quarter and candle shop. Late afternoon catch the direct Egged bus from Safed to Tel Aviv (approx 3 hours, ~£9), arriving evening instead of the tour's set 18:00-19:00 drop-off. Add a night in Tel Aviv if you'd rather not travel tired.
🚌Shared taxi to Banias (~£4), bus Banias/Mas'ade → Safed (~£4), Egged bus Safed → Tel Aviv (~£9)
🛏None included — final night in Tel Aviv hostel (~£30-35) if needed
- →Banias Nature Reserve waterfall trail
- →Druze village lunch stop (Mas'ade)
- →Safed old town synagogue and artists' quarter walk
Self-launched vs. Bein Harim Tourism Services
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Bein Harim Tourism Services | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£385 | £465 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £80 per person (17%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Bein Harim Tourism Services-style trips? Check them out here.~£385
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Caesarea, Galilee & Golan: 3-Day Self-Launched Version cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £385 per person for 3 days in Israel. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Bein Harim Tourism Services?+
Yes — Bein Harim Tourism Services charges around £465 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £385 — a saving of roughly £80 (17%) per person.
How long is the Israel trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 day-by-day stops through Israel.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, foodie trip through Israel, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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