THE REDHEAD DIGS
Amanda Hope Haley, a crazy-fun Scripture-loving author and speaker who studied biblical archaeology at Harvard (what?!), invites you to jump head-first into adventure! You’ll enjoy this redhead’s lively way of helping you to think critically, frame the Bible’s historical events, and live life in fuller context. We’re all looking for memorable ways to grow, and that begins with rolling up our sleeves and getting in the dirt. So let’s get going!
Day 1 – Thursday, 11 May 2023
Arrival in Israel. Overnight at the Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv–Beach.
Day 2 – Friday, 12 May 2023
Visit the Eretz Israel Museum.
Tour the port city of Jaffa, one of the world’s oldest cities, and its Flea Market.
Enjoy a Walking Tour of the White City of Tel Aviv.
Dinner and overnight at the Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv–Beach.
Day 3 – Saturday, 13 May 2023
Visit Ashkelon National Park.
Visit the ancient city of Lachish, which was destroyed by the Assyrians and later the Babylonians.
Dinner and overnight at the Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv–Beach.
Day 4 – Sunday, 14 May 2023
Dig-for-a-Day with Archaeological Seminars at the Beit Guvrin-Maresha (3 hours).
Travel to Tel Beer Sheva, where archaeologists have uncovered two-thirds of a city dating from the early Israelite period (10th century BCE).
Visit Tel Arad‘s remains of a fortified Canaanite city and fortresses from the time of the Kings of Judah.
Dinner and overnight at the VERT Dead Sea Hotel.
Day 5 – Monday, 15 May 2023
“Climb” to Masada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.
Enjoy a bob in the Dead Sea, or book yourself a spa treatment (not included).
Dinner and overnight at the VERT Dead Sea Hotel.
Day 6 – Tuesday, 16 May 2023
Tour Bet Shean National Park and the exhibit, Archaeology and the Impact on Urban Planning.
On a Golan Heights Winery vineyard tour, take a 4WD off-road trip through the unique terroir of the Golan Heights.
Dinner and overnight at The Magdala Hotel in Tiberias.
Day 7 – Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Visit the Jesus Boat museum.
Drive to Capernaum – the main center of Jesus’ teachings – to see “Peter’s house” and enjoy a picnic lunch on the Mt. of Beatitudes.
Tour the ancient city of Migdal (Magdala).
Dinner at Magdalena Restaurant.
Overnight at The Magdala Hotel in Tiberias.
Day 8 – Thursday, 18 May 2023
Hike the Tel Dan nature reserve, a beautiful riverside paradise that lies among the ancient ruins of the biblical city of Dan.
Tour Armageddon – Megiddo National Park.
Dinner and overnight at the VERT Jerusalem Hotel.
Day 9 – Friday, 19 May 2023
Begin your day with a visit to the City of David including Hezekiah’s Tunnel and the Pool of Siloam.
Tour the nearby Western Wall and excavated tunnels underneath the Temple Mount.
Dinner and overnight at the VERT Jerusalem Hotel.
Day 10 – Saturday, 20 May 2023
Ascend the Mt. of Olives for a view of Jerusalem. Visit the Garden of Gethsemane, where the ancient olive trees are believed to date back to the time of Jesus, and the Church of All Nations.
Enjoy a walk through the colorful Arab bazaar, and eat lunch in the local market.
Visit the Garden Tomb.
Dinner and overnight at the VERT Jerusalem Hotel.
Day 11 – Sunday, 21 May 2023
Leaving Jerusalem, we’ll head south into the hills of Judea, arriving in H2, the Israeli controlled area of Hebron (the largest city in the West Bank) in a bulletproof public bus. We’ll visit the synagogue-side of the Tomb of the Patriarchs, before touring the Jewish “settler” neighborhoods of the city and the hilltop Tel Rumeida – site of a Bronze Age archaeological site, 20th-century army base, and the tomb of Ruth and Jesse.
Crossing over into H1, we’ll be met by a Palestinian guide and enter the bustling city center. After lunch with a Palestinian family, we’ll climb on top of a family home for a rooftop view of the city, learn about the difficult conditions of Palestinian residents and shop owners, and visit the mosque-side of the Tomb of the Patriarchs.
Dinner and overnight at the VERT Jerusalem Hotel.
Day 12 – Monday, 22 May 2023
Tour Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center.
Eat a farewell luncheon at Machane Yehuda outdoor market.
Transfer to Tel Aviv International Airport.