East-West Jerusalem Tour

Mon, Oct 23, 2023 (1 day) Limited space available.

Discover the beauty and complexity of life on the border of East and West Jerusalem.

The tour will be guided by Eliezer Ya’ari and Dr. Tareq Abu-Hamed.

Eliezer Ya’ari is a native of West Jerusalem and former head of the New Israel Fund. He recently wrote a book entitled “Beyond the Mountains of Darkness” about his experience of walking daily in neighboring Sur Baher village.

Dr. Tareq Abu-Hamed, from the village of Sur Baher, is the Arava Institute’s Executive Director.

• Cost: $TBD/person (12 person minimum)
• Includes: Transportation, lunch, English speaking tour guides
• Please note: This is a day trip. Riders will be responsible for the costs of their hotel, Ye-arim Hotel on Kibbutz Ma’ale HaChamisha (just outside of Jerusalem), on Monday night in addition to their tour cost.  The Israel Ride will reserve the room for you.

Immersive Experience at the Arava Institute

Tues, Oct 31 – Wed, Nov 1, 2022 (2 days, 1 night)

• Two-Day Tour, double occupancy: $TBD, single upgrade: $TBD

This is an exclusive opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture, academics, and peace-building curriculum of the Arava Institute. Participants will spend time with the Institute’s academic director, Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, and other Arava Institute faculty, participate first hand in a peacebuilding and environmental leadership exercise, meet with heads of the Institute’s research centers, meet students, attend classes, and learn about the practical projects students have created to address the region’s environmental challenges.

This unique program offers unparalleled access to the Arava Institute. It was developed exclusively for Israel Ride participants.

Tentative Highlights, subject to change:

• Join an Arava Institute class.
• Lunch with staff and/or students in the dining hall of the kibbutz
• Walk through the sand dunes to the Jordanian border, the backyard of the Arava Institute, past the 40-megawatt solar field and the experimental orchard
• Tour of Off-Grid village
• Learn about the Arava Institute’s Plans for Growth including the New Campus
• Site Visit the Agrivoltaics Research Farm, the first in the region

Petra & Wadi Rum, Jordan

2-Day Tour, Tues, Oct 31 – Wed, Nov 1, 2022 (2 days, 1 night)

Once in Jordan, you will take a bus to Petra itself – the drive is just over 2 hours. The tour takes in the most popular highlights of Petra beginning with the Treasury and the Siq Canyon and heading right through the main center of the site. Please note that we do not provide kosher food on the trip, but there are plenty of vegetarian options available. Wednesday covers the highlights of Wadi Rum. Having arrived at the village of Rum inside the nature reserve, you will board 4X4 jeeps driven by professional Bedouin drivers and journey to the sandstone area of Wadi Rum. Here, you will go off-road into the unique landscape and get right off the beaten track to explore rarely traveled ancient merchant routes. You will cross red sand dunes and explore the beautifully eroded pillars of sandstone rock. Wadi Rum’s beauty remains intact and its breathtaking scenery is still an inspiration to those who travel there. Lunch is enjoyed en-route in the great outdoors. The tour includes the Seven Pillars, Khaz Ali canyon, and Jabel Um Asharim.

You will leave Wadi Rum around 2:45 pm.

Includes: bus to the border, bus in Jordan, entrance to Petra and other sites, jeep tour in Wadi Rum, English-speaking guide, lunches, large water bottle at the border, overnight at 3* Petra Palace hotel

Not included: insurance, personal expenses, drinks during lunch

Payment:

• 2-Day Trip Cost: $TBD
• Visa: $125.00
• Border Tax and Tips: $65
• Visa and border tax and tips are not included in this price and are to be paid at the border.
• Deposit: $100 (non-refundable)
• Full payment due August 31st