Spectacular Tour: Jerusalem Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock
- Duration
1 day - Departure days
Wed - Languages
English
Overview
At the beginning of the tour, we’ll travel to Mount of Olives to watch the impressive view of the ancient city with its domes, fascinating old structures and amazing mountains. Next, will tout the Kidron Valley with many of its churches and other impressive monuments scattered in the area that lies among the Mount of Olives and the Old City walls: Benei Hezie Tomb and Zechariah Tomb from the 1st century.
Next, we enter the Old City through the Dung Gate that was built in the 16th century and going to the most sacred site acknowledged by all three major religions. The First Temple stood here before its demolition in 587 BC. The Second Temple stood on the same mountain during the period of 516BC-70AD. The then commandments were kept in the Ark of the Covenant within the temple. Nowadays it houses the Dome of the Rock, built in 687AD and the Al-Aqsa Mosque which is sacred for the Islam. While visiting, you’ll hear various stories about the place through all of its transformations. In case the area is closed to visitation, the tour changes to include a visit to the Tower of David, a fascinating site in its own right.
The last, but not least exciting stop is the Davidson Center, an archaeological site located next to Temple Mount, where old buildings’ remains were later exposed, giving us a glimpse to many periods in history, including First and Second Temple, Muslim reign, Crusades periods and the Byzantine. The discoveries include walls, a whole street, steps that led to Temple Mount, ritual baths. After all these explorations, we go back to your respective hotel.
Available Languages: English.
Highlights
- We pick you before the tour right from your hotel and return you there by the end of the day.
- Professional tour guides and tourism specialists will accompany you the whole tour.
- We’ll take you to ancient Jewish tombs from the Second Temple era, the Kidron Valey site.
- Get to the Old City through the Dung Gate.
- Get to the Temple Mount – where the Holy Jewish Temple once resided and currently is the place of the Dome of the Rock and Aqsa Mosque.
- In some cases, Temple Mount won’t be open for visitors – in this case; we will take you to the Tower of David instead.
- The Davidson Center offers us to see newly-discovered First and Second Temple era structures and museum exhibition dedicated to these periods.
Itinerary
First, we pick you from your hotel and take off to the Mount of Olives to enjoy a panoramic view of Jerusalem. Next, we’d go down on the Kidron Valley and explore impressive old Jewish tombs, on our way to the Old City (which we’ll enter through the Dung Gate). The next stop is the Temple Mount. If the Temple Mount is not open for visitation, the schedule changes to visiting Tower of David. The last stop of the tour is Davidson Center Museum, with its impressive new excavations and exhibition. Afterward, we take you back to your hotel.
What to bring and wear
- The tour requires plenty of walking (from the Kidron Valley and through the Old City). Make sure you’re fit for it.
- The holy sites require proper dressing – closed shoes and clothes (no thin-strapped tops and shorts).
Departure times
- Jerusalem: 8:30 am
- Tel Aviv: 7:15 am
- Herzliya: 7:00 am
- Netanya: 6:30 am
TOUR LANGUAGES BY DAY
PICKUP CITIES AND PRICES
Special notes
- The tour does not include food and drinks
- The tour does not include the fees for entering the sites
- The tour would take place only if a minimum group of people booked it.
- Temple Mount is heavily secured site and requires to pass specific checks.
- No religious objects (Bible included) are allowed in the Temple Mount compound, as well as weapons of any kind.
- Dome of the Rock is open for Muslim visitors only.
- Age: 4+
Cancellation Policy
- Two days in advance – 4% cancellation fee
- One day in advance – 25% cancellation fee
- Day of the tour – 100% charged.
- Failure to show up on time for the pick-up – 100% charged
Have any questions about this tour?
FAQ About Spectacular Tour: Jerusalem Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock
Can I bring along my luggage on the tour?
Yes, you can bring your luggage with you on the tour for no additional cost, it will be stored in the trunk of the van or bus during the tour.
Please be advised as we do not take any responsibility for any damage or loss of luggage.
It is recommended that you let us know that you are travelling with luggage.
Can I be dropped off in a different city from where I was picked up?
Yes, when booking you can select a different drop-off location when booking, though there maybe an additional fee depending on where you need to be dropped off.
Can I get picked up and dropped off at my hotel?
Yes. When booking, you can select the hotel where you will be staying at, for pick-up and drop-off.
If you are not staying at a hotel, you can choose the hotel closest to you on the list provided, when booking.
What languages is the tour in, and how do I choose?
The language the tour is in is English.
When booking, you are able to select the language you want, and it will show you which days it is available.
What choices do I have for lunch?
The options are:
- You can bring money to buy lunch and snacks during the tour.
- You may bring your own lunch, but we would recommend that you keep the food in a cooler bag, as it can be warm on the tour.
Is there a tour discount for children or students?
Yes, for both children under the age of 12, and students (with a valid student card) receive a 10% discount. This is automatically applied when booking.
How long will the day tour take?
The tour is approximately 10 hours long.
What should I do if I don't receive a confirmation email?
We work hard to make sure that you receive a confirmation e-mail after booking, but on the off-chance, you don’t receive it:
- Please check your Spam or Promotional folder.
- If you still don’t find the email confirmation, there may have been a mistake in your email address. Please double-check by contacting our customer support team at the following number or email.
Telephone: +972-3-542-2000
Email: [email protected]