Private Day Tour: St. George's Monastery, Wadi Qelt, Mar Saba, and Bethlehem | La Vacanza Travel

Private Day Tour: St. George's Monastery, Wadi Qelt, Mar Saba, and Bethlehem

Duration: 8 hours
Destination: Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Bethlehem
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Check Availability

  • 8 hours
  • Bethlehem
  • E-Voucher
  • Lowest Price
  • Not-Cancellable

Overview

Enjoy a comprehensive overview of historic Bethlehem and around on this 8-hour private tour. You'll visit religious monuments, including St. George's Monastery, Mar Saba Monastery, the Church of the Nativity, the Church of St. Catherine, the Milk Grotto Shrine, the Cave of St. Jerome, and Shepherd's Field, where the angel appeared to the shepherds. Along the way, enjoy a falafel lunch and see some of Banksy's graffiti art.

Greet your private guide-cum-driver at 8am your Bethlehem hotel or the Bethlehem side of Checkpoint 300 if coming from Jerusalem: Checkpoint 300 is about 30 minutes from Damascus Gate by bus. Women should dress modestly and bring a scarf to ensure admission to St. George's Monastery.

Relax in air-conditioned comfort as you drive for around 45 minutes to St. George's Monastery in Wadi Qelt. Along the way, you'll pass by various religious sites: St. Theodosius' Monastery, where some believe the wise men hid from Herod the Great after they visited the baby Jesus in Bethlehem, and al-Eizariya, which many believe to be Lazarus' Bethany village.

Stroll a short way down Kidron Valley to reach the monastery, which dates back to the fourth century, when monks first settled in the desert. They believed the site was where the Prophet Elijah was fed by ravens. Explore the complex with your guide, before driving a few minutes towards Bethlehem to Mar Saba.

The largest monastery in the Jerusalem Wilderness, Mar Saba Monastery dates back to the fifth century AD, and perches amid the southern cliffs of the Kidron Creek. Founded by Saint Sabas (Mar Saba in Arabic), it's been extensively expanded and fortified over the years. Please note: women are not allowed to enter the monastery. Everyone will enjoy a panoramic view of the site, but only men will be allowed to go inside and tour the monastery.

Your next stop is Beit Sahour, considered the city of the shepherds. Visit the Shepherd's Field, where the angel appeared to the shepherds and told them about Jesus' birth, then drive to a local restaurant for a classic falafel lunch.

From here it's not far to Bethlehem proper, where you'll start at the famous Church of the Nativity,  a UNESCO World Heritage Site that's built on the spot where many believe Jesus was born: it's the world's oldest church in regular daily use. You'll also visit the Cave of St. Jerome, below the church, where many believe he translated the bible.

Finally, you'll visit the Church of St. Catherine and the Milk Grotto shrine, and see Banksy's graffiti pieces, before you drive back either to Checkpoint 300 or your Bethlehem hotel, where your tour will finish at 4pm.

Inclusions
  • Driver/guide
  • Private tour
  • Pickup from Checkpoint 300 or Bethlehem hotel
  • Drop-off at Checkpoint 300 or Bethlehem hotel
  • Entry/Admission - Cave of St. Jerome
  • Entry/Admission - Milk Grotto
  • Entry/Admission - Shepherd's Sanctuary
  • Entry/Admission - Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria
  • Entry/Admission - Church of the Nativity
  • Entry/Admission - St. George's Monastery

Exclusions
  • Gratuities
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Food and drinks
  • Public transportation to the meeting point
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
  • Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
  • Walking is involved
  • Near public transportation
  • Infant seats available
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Departure Point

Checkpoint 300/Bethlehem Road, Jerusalem


Return Details

Returns to original departure point

Voucher info

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

Duration

8 hours


User's Reviews

Dianne C

21 Jun, 2023

We are a pastor and wife from Grand Rapids Michigan. We hired Michael for the day and had a wonderful time with him. He is warm, personable, and very wonderful. His knowledge and understanding of the Bible and history helped our ministry in great ways. We highly recommend him.

863strahinjas

20 Apr, 2023

Thank God who led us to our brother in Christ Michael, he is full of life and I highly recommend his tour, his knowledge is paved with historical and biblical facts that can only strengthen your faith and knowledge depends what are you seeking for. We saw everything that was part of tour and if time allows Michael will stop at additional places if you are interested in something extra. Thanks for everything God bles you and your family, thanks for quickies we are waiting for recipe. 🤣🙏🏻

X6608COalisonm

18 Mar, 2023

What an amazing experience of Bethlehem and the monasteries of the Judean desert. Michael even adjusted the tour for some closings to include the Herodion. Michael has an intimate knowledge of these sites, a wonderful appreciation of them and he is personally connected with the entire region. What a gift to have found him! We not only had a day of wonderful and meaningful experiences, but gained an insight into the region that we never would have acquired without him.

N137NRpeterc

14 Mar, 2023

Michael was an EXTRAORDINARY tour leader - ESPECIALLY MEETING MY REQUIREMENT TO 'WALK ON THE JERICHO ROAD'. Starting at St. George Monastery , I was able to walk both directions up to Jerusalem and the opposite direction down to Jericho along the often narrow original trail between the ancient cities. FIVE other tour agencies said NO - Jericho Road was dangerous they said, stay away. ABSOLUTELY not true. Michael clearly demonstrated Road VERY safe and accessible for hiking - met several other hikers on the Jericho Road. His recommendations on local bus travel to/from West Bank/Bethlehem were perfect - no time wasted. Michael was without question the FINEST and most professional guide I've had over many years of travel to Middle East.

John T

11 Mar, 2023

I toured Israel in a rental car for a couple of weeks, but decided it would be much easier to hire a guide for a day in the West Bank. It wound up being one of the highlights of my trip. Michael was incredibly personable and eager to tailor our day to what interested me - even working with me to swap one destination for another on the fly. He had a very broad range of knowledge (historical, political, and Scriptural, depending on what interests you) on every site. If I had known how good Michael’s tour was, I would’ve rearranged my whole itinerary to spend more days with him. Highly, highly recommended.

User's Picture Gallery

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Great Biblical Adventure

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Pearl of the Judean desert ☦️

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Do NOT miss the opportunity of touring with Michael! He is fantastic!

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Excellent Tour of the Monasteries and Bethlehem with Michael

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Great tour of the West Bank with Michael! Fully recommended

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Well coordinated

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Fantastic Experience.

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Michael is a super knowledgeable & passionate tour guide!

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An epic day

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Excellent private tour

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Bethlehem and surrounding area with Michael Jackaman is a MUST!!

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Excellent day with Michael

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Simply the best!

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An absolutely wonderful day in Palestine

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