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Bethlehem Tours
Monasteries of the Judean Desert Private Tour
5

Monasteries of the Judean Desert Private Tour

By Michael Tours
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It's a full day tour with a private guide focusing on the only 4 remaining monasteries that still exist in the Judean desert from the 4th century. You will enjoy the view of the desert and amazingly built monasteries and you will leave about the history and the culture region as well as the history and the stories behind these monasteries.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-120
Duration: 7–8 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More


  • Visit of 4 monasteries
  • Bottled water
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Pickup from Bethlehem 300 Checkpoint or your hotel inside Bethlehem
What's not included
  • Lunch
  • Gratuities
  • Cable car fees
  • Public transportation to the meeting point
  • Entry/Admission - Jericho


Start:
  • Checkpoint 300/Bethlehem Road, Jerusalem
    Once you get off the bus or the taxi, walk through the checkpoint building (Follow the sign) to cross to Bethlehem's side where I'll meet you. Everyone there is either crossing to Bethlehem or coming from Bethlehem so it's easy to find your way. You can always ask anyone for help if you need it.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 8676P15

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 8676P15

    From
    $512.83
    per group (up to 4)
    Select date and travelers

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    • Jerusalem
      Once you get off the bus or the taxi, walk through the checkpoint building (Follow the sign) to cross to Bethlehem's side where I'll meet you. Everyone there is either crossing to Bethlehem or coming from Bethlehem so it's easy to find your way. You can always ask anyone for help if you need it.
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      Bethlehem
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Michael Tours
      245
      Palestinian Territories
      Joined in May 2016
    • RobinCressage
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A delightful and insightful tour
      Georgette looked after us for the day on what was quite a full agenda (proposed by us!). She and the amazing driver (in a spotless car) drove us to each location, allowed us plenty of time to look at everything whilst providing really usefully information. Just as importantly she gave us an insight into the culture and people of the West Bank. We topped off the day with a delightful meal with a local family which gave us even more of an insight.
      Written October 6, 2023
    • G375ACmarkr
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Michael Tours - Exceptional Knowledge & Service
      My wife and I had the pleasure of spending 4 full days with Michael & Georgette on various tours, they were the perfect choice for getting acclimated during our first week in Palestine & Israel. Preferring to go with Private Guides on most of our vacations, the husband-and-wife team were some of the best guides we have ever used, anywhere! Whether its Culture, Religion, History, Food, Local Day to Day Life…they have got you covered. They are true professionals and all-around wonderful people…their knowledge, kindness and flexibility was something that started with our initial planning and continued once we were on the ground in Bethlehem (their specifics on what time to leave our hotel to cross the checkpoint / border was spot on and made the logistics very easy). Our first tour was the full day Bethlehem Tour, with Georgette as our guide and her Dad as our driver we were able to cover all the main sights including the Nativity Church grotto and meet some wonderful people along the way. Also, as part of that tour we opted to have lunch with a local Palestinian family and how great that it was her own!!! Got to meet her Mom, Aunt and new baby boy...and of course the food was DELICIOUS. Our next day tour was with Michael and we hit Jericho, Jordan River and the Dead Sea, all the while Michael had such great historic insights and details that made it all come to life. The next day we had our full day Jerusalem City Tour and once again their knowledge allowed us to see and experience all the highlights in each of the respective Quarters, while also making the walk down Via Dolorosa very special. Finally, Michael customized a St George Monastery and Masada trip for us which was also executed perfectly…our driver for that day even pulled over at a scenic overlook by the Dead Sea and whipped up some Arabic coffee for us from his portable stove in the van. If you are planning a trip to this part of the world you will definitely see higher prices in Israel proper for Hotels, Tours, Food, etc. once you start doing your research … but with Michael & Georgette as our Palestine based guides their prices were extremely fair & competitive…You get what you pay for…and in this case Michael Tours is worth every penny! While we started our tour(s) as clients, we left Michael, Georgette and their families as true friends. Thank You both once again for making our visit to the Holy Land so special. M&M
      Written September 28, 2023
    • 801blj
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Recommended!!
      Thank you for the interesting and well-tailored tour. Also the kids enjoyed + we took very nice pics
      Written September 23, 2023
    • Navigator755231
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Personal Tour of Bethlehem
      My husband and I found Michael Tours through TripAdvisor and we spent the Day with Georgette and her Father Isa (spelling?). Isa is my husband’s age and Georgette our 2 daughter’s age. Georgette and Isa are natives to Bethlehem and born there. The personal touches and stories they provided of life in Bethlehem was so warm and friendly and loving, We were interested in seeing the important Christian sites, most importantly, the Church of the Nativity. Georgette was married there!!, here brother-in-law, is the pastor and she and. Isa even invited us to Georgette’s first son’s christening the following day!. As we toured the country-side on the way to the Jordon River where Jesus was baptized by St. John, they told us of local life and customs and recent joys and challenges as Palestinians. We saw Mary’s Church of the milk dedicated to new mothers (* Georgette is one! ). Which was really special to her and to us. We had lunch in a local cafe and met some of her friends and colleagues. She ordered for us so that we’d enjoy local food favorites (*which were awesome!). They drove us to the Dead Sea and waited for us after they advised us how to best enjoy the lowest point on earth!!. We shared stories of our families and our respective lives. They asked us questions about our culture and recent political events and we did the same. We learned so much from each other in a spirit of global humanity and love. We hugged and cried and learned things about Bethlehem and Palestinian culture we would never had learned had we not spent the day making father to father and mother to daughter connections. It was a day to remember for a lifetime. Not just sites of Christian and historical significance did we see. We made heart to heart connections with Georgette and her Dad Isa. In my opinion, this is why we travel, and so should you. To learn more, and to love more. Georgette and Isa showed us both. They will warm your hearts and make your trip!! Thank You Georgette and Isa!!
      Written September 9, 2023
    • Curiosity59143954792
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Simply the best!
      Michael is an absolutely fantastic guide - one of the best we've had throughout our travels - and we would gladly hire him again. From the outset, Michael took time to help customize our tour so that we could fit everything we wanted to see into our trip. He also did a great job coordinating before the tour and, during the tour, ensured we were comfortable and that we stayed on schedule, without making things feel rushed. We met Michael near Checkpoint 300 in Bethlehem and from there, after stopping for some roadside coffee, went onward to see religious and historic sights in Jericho and surrounds, stopped for a dip in the Dead Sea, and then ended the day seeing sights in Bethlehem. Throughout, Michael made us feel welcome and shared his knowledge of the area's history, religious sites, and daily life. Michael is truly a first-class guide with unmatched hospitality, expertise, and openness. Thank you, Michael!
      Written September 8, 2023
    • Diane D
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Michael's Tour was awesome!
      So thankful to been able to work with Michael. He arranged for a van to pick us up in Tel Aviv and bring us to Bethlehem for his tour, which is not easily done, and then take us to our hotel in Jerusalem. Very special! Book with him. Excellent communication. Excellent guide.
      Written August 27, 2023
    • Mark71111
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      The Best, Will not disappoint!
      This was our second time with Michael. We had booked a day tour of Bethlehem and the Desert Monasteries back in September 2019 and enjoyed our time with him. We had the opportunity to return to Jerusalem this August 2023 and Michael was our first choice as a guide. We booked 2 separate tours with him, both private. First was a walking tour of Jerusalem. We walked the walls and streets of Jerusalem, saw many churches and other sites. And walked the Via Dolorosa. Our second tour was a 2-day tour of Bethlehem, Hebron, Herodion, St George Monastery and Jericho. The first day was all the sites outside of Bethlehem: the monasteries, Herodion and the Monastery of Temptation in Jericho. The second day was filled with the sites of Bethlehem, from the Church of the Nativity to the Sheperd’s Field. All this while Michael described the history of what we were seeing and letting the stories from the Bible come to life. As he would say the Fifth Gospel is the Holy Land itself. We even asked to spend an evening with a local family in Bethlehem for dinner. We spent a wonderful evening with his parents and family. The food was delicious and the company even better. Thank you and your family for your hospitality. I highly recommend Michael. You will not be dissatisfied. Thanks again Michael!
      Written August 27, 2023
    • T2404YUseanm
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great tour and great guide!
      Michael did a great job from pick up to drop off. He was very informative throughout the tour about Israel, Palestine, the history and importance of the places we saw. He never rushed us, took us for a great meal, his English is excellent, and he really knew the details of the holy sites. Thank you Michael for a great tour!
      Written August 11, 2023
    • Culture38354896346
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      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Nice tour with a good guide!
      We where blessed to have Michael as our guide for a full-day-tour to Jericho, Bethany and Bethlehem. A good guy with lots of knowledge and flexibility. All was arranged with professionality and to the best for our 12 pax family-tour. Hans Markhus, Norway
      Written July 30, 2023
    • Z6228GNwendyg
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      An Israel experience
      Micheal was amazing his knowledge was fantastic his manner kind and generous the experience was truly incredibly unforgettable.
      Written July 22, 2023
    • JBF0917
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      A historical and cultural “masterclass” of a tour
      Michael is a true local and fantastic guide. We met him in Bethlehem and he took us to the Church of the Nativity, Saint Jerome's Courtyard and Caves, Saint Catherine Church, and the Church of Milk Grotto. His car was super clean and comfortable and had a couple bottles of water stocked for us (he pays attention to the details). His pace was perfect for us as we worked our way through the tour. There was a good mix of walking, resting, and talking that made this one of the more relaxing tours we took in Israel. Would definitely hire Michael as a guide again.
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    • ku971
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      The perfect guide and tour
      Michael is the perfect guide: he is highly knowledgeable, professional, helpful and covered everything that I wished to see. My tour with him was excellent.
      Written July 16, 2023
    • Happiness162535
      0 contributions
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      Excellent Bethlehem and Hebron tour
      Michael is a knowledgeable tour guide. He showed us a lot of places on the Hebron and Bethlehem tour. He provided bottled water and ensured that we were comfortable on the tour.
      Written June 29, 2023
    • Dianne C
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great Biblical Adventure
      We are a pastor and wife from Grand Rapids Michigan. We hired Michael for the day and had a wonderful time with him. He is warm, personable, and very wonderful. His knowledge and understanding of the Bible and history helped our ministry in great ways. We highly recommend him.
      Written June 21, 2023
    • elliottl144
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Michael's Tours delivers a full and humanistic experience of this part of the ancient world.
      Michael was both a terrific guide and an engaging person. He gave us exactly what we wanted, which was an in-depth exploration of the history and ethnology of this ancient hub of religions and civilizations. He also adapted the tour to us specifically: We had no desire to float in the Dead Sea, so he showed us St. Gerassimus' Monastery instead. He skillfully worked around the tour groups (which tend to obstruct individual visitors because of their numbers), giving us a full and intimate experience of each site. We recommend Michael's Tours without hesitation!
      Written June 6, 2023
    See all 245 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles3 reviews
    Excellent
    3
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    Elizabeth K
    San Francisco16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2022
    I have traveled all over the world and have to say that the day my husband and I spent with Michael was one of the most memorable, informative, and enjoyable days of my life. Michael has an encylopedic level of knowledge about the region's history and of the evolution of the various religions (and by extension, politics) of the region and we learned so much. He let us customize our tour by swapping out Mar Saba (which I can't go in anyway because I'm female) for Hisham's Palace, and I am so glad we did that. The mosaic remains at Hisham's Palace are incredible and unlike anything I've seen anywhere else. (We did still stop by to see the outside of Mar Saba so I don't feel like we gave anything up to do that!).

    Michael was so open to all of our questions and is just a kind, open-hearted person whose company we genuinely enjoyed. My husband is hard to wow, and he was wowed by our day with Michael.

    Michael, wishing you all the best with your wedding and hope your honeymoon is wonderful!
    Written July 23, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Elizabeth, I am happy to hear your feedback and how much you enjoyed the tour. I hope to see you once again and thank you for visiting my country and choosing Michael Tours.
    Written October 23, 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Alfredo I
    Rio de Janeiro2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sep 2023 • Friends
    Michael is an excellent guide, fully knowledgeable on the history and geography of the Judean Desert and the West Bank in general. He has carefully chosen the places to visit, to stop, etc. He gives very useful information, but to the point, without excesive chatter. The whole trip was an extremely enjoyable experience. I emphatically recommend him.
    Written September 27, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    William Eugene F
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2023 • Solo
    Fantastic tour. The best. I would highly recommend taking this tour with Michael Tours. The sights you see are incredible. The information that Michael provides is extensive. He is one of the best tour guides I have experienced in my life. And super nice person. Everything about the tour is completely professional, safe, and comfortable.
    Written July 28, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    Monasteries of the Judean Desert Private Tour provided by Michael Tours

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