This unique tour combines the 4 day Oriental Dance Festival, held annually in the Red Sea town of Eilat, with 3 days of cultural-political tours in Jerusalem, Ramallah, Hebron and Bethlehem.

The trip begins with Israeli and Palestinian guides who will give you an intense and rich experience packed into three days. You’ll see four cities, meet dozens of Israelis and Palestinians, and be provided with a huge amount of information about the region’s history, culture and the Occupation.

Your overnight stays will be at a family home in Beit Sahour, a suburb of Bethlehem. Unless you come with a friend you will share a room with another person who is taking the tour. If it is a small tour then single rooms may be an option. If you would prefer a little more privacy then you have the option to stay at a hotel in Beit Sahour for a small additional fee.

Day 1 – Sunday 23 February – Greater Jerusalem and the Old City

09.00am. A representative of Green Olive will meet you at the Jerusalem Hotel Cafe. There will be a briefing with maps and an intensive 3-hour walking tour of Jerusalem’s old city, taking a look at the Western Wall, enjoying views of the Dome of the Rock, and seeing the Israeli settler homes that have been sprouting in the Muslim Quarter.

After lunch you will go on the road for a tour of some of the suburban Jerusalem settlements, Palestinian neighborhoods, the Separation Barrier, and segregated roads. These may include the likes of Nof Zion, Pizgat Ze’ev, Har Homa, Beit Hanina, and Anata.

You’ll also get incredible views of Jerusalem, the desert and Ma’ale Adumim, one of the largest settlements in the West bank (pop. 35,000).

Then off to Beit Sahour to meet your host family after a busy and intense first day.

Day 2 – Monday 24 February – Hebron and Ramallah

From Bethlehem you’ll drive around the east of Jerusalem through the Judean Desert to Ramallah. You’ll see many Jewish settlements en-route and enter the city through a checkpoint into the neighborhood of Kufr Akab. The Separation Wall divides the neighborhood from Jerusalem although it is part of the municipality and the residents pay city taxes. You’ll visit Arafat’s Tomb and walk the streets of this bustling city, now the de-facto Capital for Palestinians in the West Bank

After lunch you’ll drive to Hebron and visit Abraham’s Tomb and the Old City where Israeli settlers live in close proximity to the local Palestinians. You’ll visit a local family and a glass blowing workshop that recycles glass from the city, crafting beautiful objects.

Day 3 – Tuesday 25 February – Bethlehem

Today you’ll begin by driving out into the desert to see the Mar Saba Monastery, which has been clinging to a cliff of the Kidron Valley since the 4th Century. It still houses monks to this day.

Next, you’ll visit the Aida Refugee Camp, and have a discussion with a representative of an organisation there. You’ll learn about the work they do and the difficult conditions in the camp. Nearby you can also see the Separation Barrier up close, and the famous Bansky Graffiti.

You’ll then drive into the old city of Bethlehem for lunch, and of course to enter the Church of the Nativity, built over the site where tradition holds Jesus was born. After exploring Manger Square you’ll return to the homestay to rest and enjoy dinner with the family. That evening you could enjoy an optional drink in Banksy’s Walled Off Hotel, or head into Bethlehem to smoke a traditional water pipe.

Day 4 – Wednesday 26 February – Dead Sea, Eilat, and opening of the festival

Today you’ll be picked up early in the morning and travel down the lowest road in the world. You can stop for a float in the salty waters of the Dead Sea, before continuing south through the Arava Desert.

You will arrive at Israel’s southern-most city, Eilat in the early afternoon. You can enjoy a welcome brunch on the deck of the Isrotel Sport Hotel and check into your new home for the next 4 days where the festival will take place. The festival sees Israeli, Palestinian and international dancers strut their stuff and teach all comers a diverse array of dance styles.

Days 5, 6 and 7 – Thursday 27, Friday 28 and Saturday 29 – Eilat Oriental Dance Festival

Four action packed days of performances and classes from a wide variety of dance styles. You can learn Israeli folk dancing or Palestinian dabke, and also dance with people from across the political divide. The resort is all inclusive with accommodation, meals and drink all part of the package.