We offer two tours. The first, featured here, explores the West Bank, where you will see the wall and checkpoints, meet with Palestinian and Israeli politicians, discuss the realities with Palestinians whose lives are blighted by occupation, and learn about the impact of Israeli settlements.
Our programme for tours
We stay in Bethlehem, a wonderful historic town with a good choice of street food and restaurants. Other highlights include the museums and Banksy’s Walled Off Hotel. We enjoy a packed itinerary, including expert briefings, seeing the Israeli Wall, checkpoints, and visiting communities struggling under the pressure of occupation. We visit many of the important Palestinian cities: East Jerusalem, Nablus, Jericho and Hebron are all places we’ve visited as part of our tours.
Day 1: arrival and welcome
Flight to Tel Aviv, transfer to hotel
Welcome dinner in Bethlehem
Day 2: Jerusalem and Bethlehem
Walk through a checkpoint
Guided tour of Jerusalem’s Old City on foot
Expert briefing on Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza
Walk through West Jerusalem
See the Israeli Wall in Bethlehem
Relax at Banksy’s ‘Walled-Off’ Hotel
Day 3: Exploring Hebron
Guided tour of Church of the Nativity
Explore Hebron’s Old City with Palestinian guide
Briefing from former Israeli soldiers
Visit Abraham’s tomb
Day 4: Palestinian refugees and village at risk
Briefing on Palestinian children in Israeli prisons
Visit a refugee camp and Palestinian school
Explore Yasser Arafat museum and bunker
Meet Palestinians in village at risk
Dinner with Palestinian activists and politicians
Day 5: Tour of settlements and farewell
Tour of settlements around Jerusalem by bus
Farewell lunch
Wrap-up briefing and return flight
Update on travel arrangements
You still cannot travel to Israel as individuals or organise your own visit. You have to travel with an Israeli tour company and you all have to catch the same flight out and the same flight back at the end of the tour. There can’t be any ‘off-tour’ additional days.
Unfortunately this has meant we have had to postpone our tours due to start on Sunday October 31st 2021 and Sunday November 7th 2021.
We are working on arrangements to make this possible for our groups next year. However, we hope – in any case – these restrictions will soon be lifted and independent travel will be possible to Israel and Palestine again soon.
We have tours scheduled on Sunday 30th January and Sunday 29th of May and very much hope and expect they can continue as scheduled.
We will contact everyone on our mailing list as soon as restrictions are lifted – or alternatively we are able to put on a tour with an Israel-registered tour operator.
We appreciate that people need time to make arrangements and book time off and we will offer a choice of dates as soon as we are able to do so. We will return deposits if people are unable to find a suitable date.
Here is the advice from both the UK and Israel.
UK Travel advice: “The FCDO advises against all travel to Gaza and all but essential travel to the remainder of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (beyond East Jerusalem) based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.” https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel
Israeli travel restrictions: “As of September 19, 2021… tourists can now visit Israel as long as they are traveling in a group of 5 or more people, arriving and departing together, and are fully vaccinated….
Currently, tourists cannot enter Israel as individuals, unless they are coming to visit a first degree relative or have other special permission…
The re-opening of Israel for individual tourists not traveling in a group is currently not scheduled.” https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel
Dates of our forthcoming tours of Palestine
| Departure date | Tour | Days | Price | check availability |
| 30 January 2022 | Encounter Palestine | 5 | £690+ | More details |
| 29 May 2022 | Encounter Palestine | 5 | £690+ | More details |
| 28 August 2022 | Encounter Palestine | 5 | £690+ | More details |
| 30 October 2022 | Encounter Palestine | 5 | £690+ | More details |