Self-Launched Pilgrimage: Israel & Jordan in 11 Days
11 days · Israel & Jordan
Click Tours charges £2,200
No-markup version: ~£1,310 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on the classic 11-day Holy Land pilgrimage: Tel Aviv, the Galilee and Nazareth, Jerusalem's Old City, Masada and the Dead Sea, then across the border to Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and Madaba. Instead of a 35-person coach and fixed 4-star hotels, you'll use sheruts (shared taxis), Egged buses, the Allenby Bridge / Sheikh Hussein crossing and local day tours booked through GetYourGuide or directly with Petra/Wadi Rum operators. Everything here is independently bookable, and the whole loop should land around £1,200-1,400 per person (excl. flights) versus roughly £2,200 for the escorted version.
Day-by-day
Arrival in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Fly into Ben Gurion (TLV) and take the direct Israel Railways train to Tel Aviv HaHagana or HaShalom (~25 min, ₪14/£3) — no need for the tour's shared airport transfer. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the Old North or near Carmel Market. Spend the afternoon on Gordon/Frishman beach and eat your way through Carmel Market (shakshuka, sabich, hummus for £6-9).
🚌Airport train to Tel Aviv ~£3
🛏Hostel private double or budget guesthouse, Tel Aviv (£35-50/night for a twin; dorm £18-25pp)
- →Beach afternoon at Frishman/Gordon
- →Carmel Market food crawl
- →Optional: Jaffa old town sunset walk
Jaffa, Caesarea, Megiddo and on to Tiberias
Tel Aviv → Galilee
Start early with a self-guided walk round Old Jaffa (free) — the port, St Peter's Church and the House of Simon the Tanner are all clustered together. Then take a train or bus north to Caesarea (train to Caesarea-Pardes Hanna + local bus, or Egged 910 towards Haifa), and visit the Roman amphitheatre and aqueduct (~₪40/£9). Continue by bus to Megiddo (Armageddon) national park (₪28/£6). Overnight in Tiberias, the base for the Galilee — Egged buses connect Afula/Tiberias regularly.
🚌Train + Egged buses, ~£10-12 total
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Tiberias (£30-45 twin)
- →Old Jaffa walking route (self-guided, free)
- →Caesarea archaeological park
- →Megiddo national park
Sea of Galilee: Capernaum, Tabgha, Beatitudes, Banias
Tiberias / Golan Heights
Hire a bike or take local buses/taxis around the lake. Capernaum (₪10), Tabgha's Church of Multiplication, the Church of the Primacy of St Peter and the Mount of Beatitudes are all within a few km of each other on the northwestern shore. In the afternoon continue north to Banias/Caesarea Philippi nature reserve (₪29/£6.50) at the foot of Mount Hermon, and stop at Yardenit baptismal site on the way back (free entry).
🚌Local bus/bike + shared taxi, ~£12
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Tiberias (£30-45 twin)
- →Capernaum synagogue and St Peter's house
- →Tabgha churches
- →Mount of Beatitudes viewpoint
- →Banias nature reserve
- →Yardenit baptismal site
Nazareth, Beit Alpha and into Jerusalem
Nazareth → Jerusalem
Morning bus to Nazareth (Egged 431/432, ~45 min, ₪15). Visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, Mary's Well and St Joseph's Church — all walkable and free/cheap. Optional 30-min boat ride on the Sea of Galilee if you're still by the lake (₪40). En route south, stop at the Beit Alpha synagogue with its famous zodiac mosaic near Beit She'an (₪22/£5), then take the bus or train down to Jerusalem. Check into a hostel in the Old City or Musrara.
🚌Intercity buses/train ~£12
🛏Hostel private or budget guesthouse, Jerusalem (£35-50 twin; dorm £20-28pp)
- →Basilica of the Annunciation
- →Mary's Well and St Joseph's Church
- →Beit Alpha synagogue mosaic
- →Optional Sea of Galilee boat ride
Masada, Dead Sea and Qumran
Jerusalem → Dead Sea
Book a GetYourGuide or direct day tour to Masada and the Dead Sea (~£55-75 including entries), or DIY it: Egged 486 from Jerusalem to Masada (~₪40) plus the cable car up (₪45/£10) and the fortress walk — Herod's palace, synagogue and bathhouse. Continue to Ein Bokek or Kalia beach for a Dead Sea float (₪50-80 entry) and stop at Qumran caves and the Dead Sea Scrolls site (₪29) on the way back.
🚌Egged 486 or day-tour minibus, ~£15
🛏Hostel private or budget guesthouse, Jerusalem (£35-50 twin)
- →Masada fortress and cable car
- →Dead Sea float
- →Qumran Caves
Ein Karem, Yad Vashem, Israel Museum and Bethlehem
Jerusalem / Bethlehem
Take the light rail and local buses round the sites independently. Start at the Israel Museum for the Shrine of the Book (Dead Sea Scrolls) and the Herodian Jerusalem model (₪54/£12). Then Ein Karem's Church of the Visitation and St John BaHarim, followed by Yad Vashem (free, book ahead). Cross into Bethlehem by shared taxi or bus 234 (~₪10) for the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square — go with your passport and be prepared for a check at the wall crossing.
🚌Light rail + shared taxi/bus, ~£8
🛏Hostel private or budget guesthouse, Jerusalem (£35-50 twin)
- →Israel Museum and Shrine of the Book
- →Ein Karem churches
- →Yad Vashem (free)
- →Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem
Old City Jerusalem: Western Wall, Via Dolorosa, Mount of Olives
Jerusalem
A big self-guided walking day entirely on foot. Enter the Old City via Jaffa Gate, walk the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, visit the Western Wall, and join the (free) queue for Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif — closed to non-Muslims Fri/Sat afternoons and prayer times, so check hours. Afternoon: Mount Zion (King David's Tomb, Room of the Last Supper) then up the Mount of Olives for the Garden of Gethsemane and the classic skyline view.
🚌All walking, ~£3
🛏Hostel private or budget guesthouse, Jerusalem (£35-50 twin)
- →Western Wall
- →Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- →Via Dolorosa walk
- →Temple Mount (timed entry)
- →Mount of Olives and Garden of Gethsemane
Cross into Jordan: Jerash and Amman
Jerusalem → Amman
Cross at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge (shared taxi from East Jerusalem to the crossing ~₪60, exit fee ₪110/$30, Jordan visa on arrival for most nationalities ~JOD 40 or free with the Jordan Pass if you buy it in advance). Shared taxi or JETT bus from the bridge to Amman. Drop bags, then take a JETT bus or shared taxi north to Jerash (~45 min) for the Roman city — Hadrian's Arch, the Oval Plaza and the colonnaded cardo (₪/JOD 10, included in the Jordan Pass). Evening back in downtown Amman for hashemite falafel and knafeh.
🚌Allenby crossing + shared taxi/bus, ~£35 including exit fee
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Downtown Amman (£20-32 twin)
- →Jerash Roman ruins
- →Amman downtown evening food walk
Mount Nebo and Petra
Amman → Wadi Musa
Pick up the Jordan Pass if you haven't (JOD 70-80, includes Petra and Jerash plus visa waiver). Morning stop at Mount Nebo for the Moses viewpoint and mosaics (JOD 2 if not on the Pass). Then the JETT bus from Amman to Wadi Musa (~3h, JOD 10-12, one daily departure — book the day before) or a shared taxi. Enter Petra in the late afternoon for a first look at the Siq and the Treasury (₪/JOD 50 one-day, JOD 55 two-day — worth two days). Overnight in Wadi Musa.
🚌JETT bus or shared taxi ~£13
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Wadi Musa (£20-35 twin)
- →Mount Nebo
- →Petra first entry: Siq and Treasury
Petra full day and Wadi Rum jeep safari
Wadi Musa → Wadi Rum
Start Petra early to beat the heat and walk up to the Monastery via the 800 steps, plus the Royal Tombs, the altar and the obelisks (or hire a donkey/local guide direct). Mid-afternoon transfer to Wadi Rum village (shared taxi/minibus ~JOD 10-15 or your camp's pickup). Book a 2-hour jeep safari through a local camp direct (~JOD 25-35) covering Lawrence's Spring and Khazali Canyon, then overnight in a desert camp.
🚌Shared taxi + jeep safari ~£20
🛏Bedouin desert camp, Wadi Rum (basic tent £18-30pp; bubble tent more)
- →Monastery and Royal Tombs hike, Petra
- →Wadi Rum jeep safari
- →Lawrence's Spring
- →Khazali Canyon inscriptions
Madaba mosaics and departure
Wadi Rum → Madaba → Amman/Tel Aviv
Bus or shared taxi from Wadi Rum to Madaba (~3h). Visit St George's Byzantine church and the 6th-century mosaic Holy Land map (JOD 2), plus the Madaba Archaeological Park. From Madaba it's a 30-min taxi to Amman or the airport for your flight home — the tour ends back at Tel Aviv, so if you're flying out of TLV either book an Amman-Tel Aviv flight (~£60-120) or cross back at the Allenby Bridge and take a shared taxi to the airport (~£40).
🚌Bus/shared taxi to Madaba + onward transfer ~£20-40
🛏None (departure day)
- →St George's Church mosaic map
- →Madaba Archaeological Park
Self-launched vs. Click Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Click Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,310 | £2,200 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £890 per person (40%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Click Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,310
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 Self-Launched Pilgrimage: Israel & Jordan in 11 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,310 per person for 11 days in Israel & Jordan. 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 Click Tours?+
Yes — Click Tours charges around £2,200 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,310 — a saving of roughly £890 (40%) per person.
How long is the Israel & Jordan trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Israel & Jordan.
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, hiking trip through Israel & Jordan, 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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