Jerusalem, Masada, Bethlehem & Jericho — Self-Launched 3-Day Holy Land Circuit
3 days · Israel & Palestinian Territory
Bein Harim Tourism Services charges £490
No-markup version: ~£168 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Bein Harim's 3-day Jerusalem, Masada, Bethlehem & Jericho coach tour. Instead of a fully guided group bus with hotel pick-ups, fixed restaurant stops and souvenir-shop detours, you base yourself in a Jerusalem hostel or budget guesthouse and use sheruts (shared taxis), local Arab buses and one booked day-trip to reach the same sites: the Old City's Via Dolorosa, Western Wall and Holy Sepulchre, Yad Vashem, Jericho and the Jordan River, Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, and Masada plus a Dead Sea float. Independence gives you more time at the places that matter, no waiting at collection points, and roughly half the operator price. Note that transport into the West Bank (Bethlehem, Jericho) and around the Dead Sea is by shared taxi/bus, and you should check current travel advice from your government before travelling.
Day-by-day
Old City of Jerusalem on foot — Mount of Olives to the Holy Sepulchre
Jerusalem
Start early on the Mount of Olives for the classic panorama over the Old City from Mount Scopus and the Palm Sunday road — the free views replace the coach's panoramic stop. Walk down past the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations (free entry, modest dress), cross the Kidron Valley and enter the Old City via Lion's Gate. Do the Via Dolorosa self-guided using the free stations map from the Christian Information Centre, finishing at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Duck into the Jewish Quarter to see the Byzantine Cardo and the Hurva Synagogue, then walk the Western Wall (free, security screening). In the afternoon take the light rail or bus #1 to Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum (free entry, closed Fridays/Saturdays — book the free timed slot online in advance). Evening: wander the bazaar and eat hummus and falafel in the Muslim Quarter for under £6.
🚌Light rail and local buses Egged/Dan; all of Day 1 is walkable within the Old City. Day pass ~£4.
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in East/West Jerusalem (e.g. Abraham Hostel Jerusalem area, ~£25/night)
- →Mount of Olives & Mount Scopus viewpoint
- →Garden of Gethsemane & Church of All Nations
- →Via Dolorosa self-guided walk
- →Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- →Western Wall & Jewish Quarter/Cardo
- →Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum (free timed entry)
Jericho, Qasr al-Yahud and Bethlehem — West Bank day by shared taxi
Jericho & Bethlehem
Take the Arab bus or a shared taxi (sherut) from East Jerusalem's Damascus Gate/Nablus Road to Jericho (~£2-3, about 45 mins). Explore Tel es-Sultan (ancient Jericho) and the sycamore tree, then hike or take a local taxi to the Mount of Temptation monastery and the cable car if you want the view (cable car ~£10). Continue to Qasr al-Yahud baptism site on the Jordan River — check opening days and access, it's a short taxi ride from Jericho and, if open, take a dip. Return to Jerusalem and catch a bus #231 from Damascus Gate to Bethlehem (~£1.50, 30 mins), walk to Manger Square, the Church of the Nativity and St Catherine's Church (free; the Grotto can have long queues — go early or late). If time allows, see the Banksy/Walled Off Hotel wall art on Caritas Street, which the operator tour doesn't cover. Return to Jerusalem before dark; note crossing checkpoints can slow you down.
🚌Arab buses/shared taxis Jerusalem–Jericho (~£3), local taxis in Jericho (~£5), bus #231 Jerusalem–Bethlehem (~£1.50) and back (~£1.50).
🛏Same Jerusalem hostel/guesthouse, ~£25/night
- →Jericho Tel es-Sultan & Zachaeus' sycamore tree
- →Mount of Temptation cable car / monastery hike
- →Qasr al-Yahud Jordan River baptism site
- →Church of the Nativity & Manger Square, Bethlehem
- →Optional Banksy street art / Walled Off Hotel
Masada at sunrise and a Dead Sea float
Masada & Dead Sea
Get up very early: the cheapest independent option is the Egged bus #486 from Jerusalem Central Bus Station to Masada (~£7 each way, roughly 1h45), timed for sunrise, or join a shared day-trip booked via GetYourGuide/Viator for around £45-60 if you don't want to manage the buses. Entry to Masada National Park is ~£8 with the Israel Pass discount; take the Snake Path up if you're fit (free, ~1 hour) or the cable car (~£10 each way) to tour the palace-fortress, Herod's northern palace and the Roman siege ramp. Afterwards, take the same bus or a short taxi to Ein Bokek on the Dead Sea for a free public beach float — bring flip-flops, and rinse off immediately as the salt stings. Optional stop at Ein Gedi nature reserve (~£7) or Qumran caves (~£5) on the way back to Jerusalem. Return to Jerusalem by late afternoon bus, or continue to Tel Aviv by bus (~£5, 1 hour).
🚌Egged bus #486 Jerusalem–Masada/Dead Sea (~£7 each way) or a booked shared day-trip (~£50 including entry assistance); return bus to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv (~£5).
🛏Return to Jerusalem hostel or onward bus to Tel Aviv (hostel ~£28/night)
- →Masada sunrise hike or cable car & palace-fortress tour
- →Dead Sea float at Ein Bokek public beach
- →Optional Ein Gedi nature reserve
- →Optional Qumran caves stop
Self-launched vs. Bein Harim Tourism Services
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Bein Harim Tourism Services | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£168 | £490 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £322 per person (66%) | |
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.~£168
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 Jerusalem, Masada, Bethlehem & Jericho — Self-Launched 3-Day Holy Land Circuit cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £168 per person for 3 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 Bein Harim Tourism Services?+
Yes — Bein Harim Tourism Services charges around £490 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £168 — a saving of roughly £322 (66%) per person.
How long is the Israel & Palestinian Territory trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 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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