Holy Land Self-Launched Pilgrimage: Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (8 Days)
8 days · Israel & Palestinian Territory
Click Tours charges £1,850
No-markup version: ~£595 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Click Tours' 8-day Holy Land Christian pilgrimage, rebuilt around Israel's excellent public transport (buses, sheruts and the coastal train) and budget guesthouses instead of a coach tour. You'll cover the same sites — Caesarea, Megiddo, Acre, the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Masada and the Dead Sea — at your own pace, booking day tours only where the logistics genuinely demand it (Masada/Dead Sea, Bethlehem). Costs are rough estimates for a solo backpacker in GBP and exclude flights and travel insurance. Check FCDO travel advice for Israel and the Palestinian territories before booking, and note that some sites (e.g. parts of the Old City, Bethlehem) require crossing checkpoints or careful timing.
Day-by-day
Arrive Tel Aviv – Jaffa Old Town & beach
Tel Aviv
Land at Ben Gurion and take the Israel Railways train to Tel Aviv HaHagana (~₪18/£4) or the shared sherut if it's late. Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel in the Florentin/Kerem HaTeimanim area. Spend the afternoon wandering Jaffa's old port, St Peter's Church and the zodiac fountain, then watch sunset on the beach. Buy a Rav-Kav card today (₪5 card + load credit) — it's the key to cheap buses and trains for the rest of the trip.
🚌Train Ben Gurion → Tel Aviv HaHagana ~£4
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Tel Aviv (dorm £22–30, private budget room £45+)
- →Jaffa Old Town & port walk (free)
- →St Peter's Church, Jaffa
- →Tel Aviv beach sunset
- →Buy Rav-Kav transit card
Caesarea, Muhraka & Megiddo to Acre
Acre (Akko)
Head north by train from Tel Aviv to Caesarea–Pardes Hanna (~£5) then a short local bus to the national park. Walk the Roman theatre, hippodrome and aqueduct. Continue by bus/train to Megiddo (~£4) to see the archaeological tel and the famous water tunnel. If you have time and a car-share or taxi, Muhraka (Mount Carmel) is a 20-minute detour for Jezreel Valley views — otherwise skip it and press on to Akko. Overnight inside or just outside the old city walls.
🚌Train Tel Aviv → Caesarea ~£5; local buses ~£4; Caesarea → Acre ~£6
🛏Guesthouse/Arabic-style hostel in Acre Old City (£25–35 private, dorm £18–22)
- →Caesarea Roman theatre & aqueduct
- →Megiddo tel & water tunnel
- →Optional Muhraka viewpoint
- →Acre Old City evening wander
Acre Old City, then on to Tiberias
Sea of Galilee / Tiberias
Morning exploring Acre's UNESCO-listed old city: the Crusader crypts and Knights' Halls (₪49 entry), the sea walls, the souk and the fishing harbour. Eat lunch at Hummus Said in the market. Mid-afternoon take the bus to Tiberias (~£4, about 1 hour). Check in and walk the lakefront promenade at sunset.
🚌Bus Acre → Tiberias ~£4
🛏Budget guesthouse in Tiberias (£25–35)
- →Acre Crusader City & crypts
- →Acre sea walls & harbour
- →Acre souk
- →Tiberias lakefront promenade
Sea of Galilee loop: Capernaum, Tabgha, Beatitudes, Banias
Sea of Galilee / Tiberias
Rent a bike in Tiberias from a local shop (~£20/day) or use the sporadic local buses; a shared taxi with other hostel guests is often the cheapest way to string these sites together (~£10 each). Loop the north shore: Yigal Alon Center's 'Jesus boat' (₪30), Capernaum synagogue and St Peter's house (₪10), Tabgha's Church of Multiplication mosaic (free), and the Mount of Beatitudes. Finish at Banias Nature Reserve (₪30) at the foot of the Golan Heights if you have wheels and daylight. In the evening, a short boat trip on the Sea of Galilee from Tiberias marina is ~₪50.
🚌Bike hire ~£20 or shared taxi ~£10 pp
🛏Budget guesthouse in Tiberias
- →Yigal Alon Center 'Jesus Boat'
- →Capernaum synagogue
- →Tabgha Church of Multiplication
- →Mount of Beatitudes
- →Banias Springs & Golan Heights
- →Optional boat ride on the Sea of Galilee
Nazareth & Cana, then bus to Jerusalem
Nazareth → Jerusalem
Take the morning bus to Nazareth (~£4). Visit the Basilica of the Annunciation (free), Joseph's workshop and Mary's Well, then catch a local bus to Cana (~£2) for the Wedding Church. If you're keen on a Jordan River baptism, Yardenit is on the route south — otherwise go direct. From Afula or Nazareth take a bus to Jerusalem (~£7, 2 hours). Dump your bag at a guesthouse in East Jerusalem (near Damascus Gate) or the German Colony.
🚌Bus Tiberias → Nazareth ~£4; local bus to Cana ~£2; bus Nazareth → Jerusalem ~£7
🛏Guesthouse in East Jerusalem or German Colony (£28–40 private, dorm £20–25)
- →Basilica of the Annunciation
- →Joseph's workshop & Mary's Well
- →Cana Wedding Church
- →Optional Yardenit baptismal site
Jerusalem Old City pilgrimage walk
Jerusalem
A full walking day, all on foot and free. Start on the Mount of Olives for the panorama, walk down past the Church of All Nations (Gethsemane), enter the Old City at Lion's Gate, and follow the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. On Mount Zion see King David's Tomb and the Room of the Last Supper, then walk the Cardo, the Jewish and Christian quarters and the Western Wall plaza. End at the Garden Tomb (free, donations welcome). Buy lunch from the falafel shops in the Muslim Quarter for £5–6.
🚌On foot; local tram/bus if needed ~£2
🛏Guesthouse in East Jerusalem
- →Mount of Olives panorama
- →Church of All Nations / Gethsemane
- →Via Dolorosa
- →Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- →King David's Tomb & Last Supper Room
- →Cardo, Jewish & Christian Quarters
- →Temple Mount viewpoint
- →Garden Tomb
Ein Karem, Yad Vashem, Israel Museum & Bethlehem
Jerusalem & Bethlehem
Take the light rail/bus to Ein Karem for the Church of the Visitation (free), then bus to Yad Vashem (free, closed Saturdays). The Israel Museum and Shrine of the Book with the Dead Sea Scrolls is ~₪54, and the Second Temple model is in the same grounds. In the afternoon, cross into Bethlehem via the checkpoint at Bethlehem 300/Checkpoint 300 (bus 231 from Damascus Gate ~₪5) — bring your passport. See Shepherds' Field and the Church of the Nativity, then take a shared taxi back to Jerusalem before dark.
🚌Local buses/light rail ~£4; bus 231 to Bethlehem ~£1.50
🛏Guesthouse in East Jerusalem
- →Church of the Visitation, Ein Karem
- →Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial
- →Israel Museum & Shrine of the Book
- →Second Temple model
- →Shepherds' Field, Bethlehem
- →Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem
Masada, Dead Sea float & departure
Dead Sea → Jerusalem / Tel Aviv
The one day worth booking as a group: a GetYourGuide or Klook Masada + Dead Sea day tour from Jerusalem (approx £55–70 including cable car and mud/mineral beach entry) — it's far cheaper and easier than private transfers, as public buses to Masada leave very early and return awkwardly. Bring water, a towel and old swimwear. You're back in Jerusalem by early evening; take the bus or train to Ben Gurion for your flight, or stay one more night if you've got a late departure.
🚌Day tour coach included; return train/bus Jerusalem → Ben Gurion ~£5
🛏None if departing; add a hostel night in Jerusalem (~£25) if needed
- →Masada cable car & fortress
- →Herod's Palace and water cisterns
- →Qumran caves viewpoint
- →Dead Sea float & mineral mud
Self-launched vs. Click Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Click Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£595 | £1,850 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,255 per person (68%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Click Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£595
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 Holy Land Self-Launched Pilgrimage: Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (8 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £595 per person for 8 days in Israel & Palestinian Territory. 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 £1,850 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £595 — a saving of roughly £1,255 (68%) per person.
How long is the Israel & Palestinian Territory trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Israel & Palestinian Territory.
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, budget, backpacker trip through Israel & Palestinian Territory, 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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