The 12 Best Shore Excursions in Israel

1.Ashdod Shore Excursion: Jerusalem and Bethlehem – for cruise ship guests only

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 149 reviews · from $115Our pick

From Ashdod Port, spend 7 to 10 hours visiting Jerusalem and Bethlehem by air-conditioned minivan. See the Mount of Olives, Western Wall, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Church of the Nativity. Guides vary, with Ryan, Nicola, Anet, Avi, and Doron earning especially warm praise. Expect crowds, hills, security checks, and a fast pace.

“Amazing experience. Highly recommend!! The entire tour was outstanding!!We were able to visit every Holy site !!”

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2.Haifa Shore Excursion: Nazareth and the Galilee – for cruise ship guests only

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 109 reviews · from $115

Spend about nine hours touring Nazareth, the Jordan River, Capernaum, Tabgha, and the Mount of Beatitudes from Haifa Port. You’ll ride in an air-conditioned van with a licensed guide, visit major Christian sites, and return to your ship. Guides such as Ryan, Abbey, Alex, and Micky have earned especially warm praise, though timing and guide quality can vary.

“Another wonderful day with our tour guide Ryan in Nazareth and Galilee (April 20, 2023) after a great day in Jerusalem. His wide knowledge of history and Christianity amazed us. He gave us a bonus visiting spot of a Greek Orthodox Church whilRead more”

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3.Ashdod Shore Excursion: Jerusalem and Dead Sea – for cruise ship guests only

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 104 reviews · from $125

From Ashdod Port, you’ll visit Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, Mount Zion, the Western Wall, Via Dolorosa, the Holy Sepulchre, and an Arab market before floating in the Dead Sea. Guides such as Maralite, Dikla, Erez, and Ryan have led this long, fast-moving day. Expect major walking, limited time, and about $12 extra for beach access.

“The tour guide Annas talked about religious too much and spent too much time in one place, ran out of time for dead sea. She even asked us to pay for dead sea entrance fee but that was not part of the package deal. She didn't even pay for the entrance fee why asked us to pay her?? Also her mouth breath was so bad that it was suffocating to sit near her.”

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4.Haifa Port Shore Excursion: Nazareth and Sea of Galilee Day Tour from Haifa Port

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 36 reviews · from $120

From Haifa Port, you’ll visit the Annunciation and St. Joseph’s churches in Nazareth, then follow the Sea of Galilee to the Beatitudes, Tabgha, Capernaum, and Yardenit. Guides such as Alona, Omry, Jonathan, and Thelma have led this route. Plan for 8 to 9 hours, a group of up to 45, and lunch at your own cost.

“Our guide, Dortic (I'm sure I spelled her name wrong! :-)) was great. Passionate, knowledgeable and very good communicator! She brought the sites to life.”

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5.Ashdod Port Shore Excursion: Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tour from Ashdod Port

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 31 reviews · from $120

Spend about nine hours traveling from Ashdod Port to Jerusalem and Bethlehem with an English-speaking guide and air-conditioned transport. You’ll see Mount Scopus, the Cardo, the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Church of the Nativity. Guides such as Dan, Avi, Udi, and Tomer have led past departures.

“The ship was running late so I called the tour company to let them know. I was told by the tour agent that the tour was canceled and that there was no tour from the port that day. When I finally got through to Viotor I was told that the tour was cancelled on March 5th due to iRead more”

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6.Ashdod Port Shore Excursion: Masada and the Dead Sea Day Tour from Ashdod Port

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 29 reviews · from $120

From Ashdod Port, you’ll ride a cable car to Masada’s mountaintop ruins, hear the story of Herod and the Jewish rebels, and visit the Masada Museum. Then spend about two hours at Ein Bokek Beach floating in the Dead Sea. Guides such as Ziv, Ben, Michael, and Benjamin have led this shared tour.

“My companion and I were delayed (with the rest of the passengers) and this tour left without us, despite several messages letting them know that there were issues with our ship passing through customs. Ashdod port is not a hospitable or interesting place on its own, and Read more”

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7.Ashdod Shore Excursion: Private Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 19 reviews · from $500

Spend 8 to 10 hours with a private guide and air-conditioned vehicle, traveling from Ashdod Port to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. See the Mount of Olives, Western Wall, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Manger Square, Church of the Nativity, Milk Grotto, and St. Catherine’s Church. Guides may include Avi, Moshe, Rom, Eli, or Offer.

“The is a great way to quickly get into Jerusalem without the issues of a larger group. Our guide, Rom, provided a nice agenda and gladly accommodated changes based upon our preferences. He provided a balanced mix in explaining historical points, cultural differences, and political background. Highly recommended for visiting this "bucket-list level" destination.”

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8.Ashdod Shore Excursion: Private Jerusalem and Dead Sea Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $550Top rated

From Ashdod Port, your private guide takes you to the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem’s Old City and the Western Wall, then through the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea. Guides such as Yoav Malachi and Ahmed have earned strong praise for clear local insight. Plan for modest clothing, walking shoes, swimwear, and extra fees.

“Our day with YOAV was wonderful! He is terrific and we learned so much from Him. A great representative of Viator! He went above and beyond to provide us with as much information as we could absorb - and more! We will return to Jersulaem again.”

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9.Ashdod Shore Excursion: Private Jerusalem Tour Including Western Wall

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7 reviews · from $480

You’ll leave Ashdod Port in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with a guide such as Raz or Roz, then spend a full day in Jerusalem. Expect Mount of Olives views, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Old City’s four quarters, the Via Dolorosa, Western Wall, and Mahane Yehuda Market. Modest clothing and good walking shoes are essential.

“Our guide, Raz, was professional and very knowledgeable about the sites. He knew the best places for photos and planned an efficient tour of this very busy place that enabled us to see the most important sites during our limited time. He was also friendly and I appreciated that he took photos during our tour that he shared with us at the end.”

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10.Haifa Shore Excursion: Private Nazareth and Sea of Galilee Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7 reviews · from $680

From Haifa Port, you’ll spend about 10 hours with a private guide and air-conditioned vehicle visiting Nazareth’s basilicas, bazaar, Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee, and Yardenit. Guides such as Eli and Eric have earned praise for clear local insight and flexible planning. Modest dress is required, and entrance fees, meals, parking, and tolls cost extra.

“The guide was good, but arrived late to the port, tour beautiful.”

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11.Haifa Shore Excursion: Private Jerusalem and Dead Sea Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5 reviews · from $750

Travel from Haifa Port to Jerusalem and the Dead Sea with a private guide and air-conditioned vehicle. See the Old City from the Mount of Olives, walk its four quarters, visit the Western Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre, then relax in the Dead Sea. Guides including Yaron and Yosef have led this route.

“We had good experience with Yaron. He is knowledge and kind. I forgot my phone in the car and he drove back to give the phone to me. He is so kind.”

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12.Haifa Shore Excursion: Private Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 4 reviews · from $700

Travel from Haifa Port to Jerusalem and Bethlehem in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with a professional guide. Walk the Old City’s Christian, Jewish, Armenian, and Muslim quarters, see the Western Wall and Via Dolorosa, then visit Manger Square, the Church of the Nativity, Milk Grotto, and St. Catherine’s Church. Guides have included Benny, Moshe, and Tamar.

“Benny was a great tour guy. He gave us a lot of history, current political climate, and took us to some very interesting spots. Answer our questions and got us back to the cruise ship on time. Would recommend this tour.”

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