Bethlehem Tour from Jerusalem
4
Bethlehem Tour from Jerusalem
By Abraham Tours
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About
Meet your guide at the sacred Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem for a half-day tour of Jesus’ birthplace. In addition to the UNESCO World Heritage site, you’re introduced to other Christian religious sites of significance in the ancient city. Travel easily to Bethlehem aboard a 15-passenger shuttle from central Jerusalem, just a 30-minute drive away.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 50 per group
Duration: 5h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Written guide: English
Print or digital reading material such as a guide, map, brochure, etc.
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Highlights
- See prominent sites of significance to Christians in Bethlehem
- Visit one of the oldest churches in the world, also a World Heritage site
- Learn from the expertise of your guide, a West Bank local
- Half-day tour departs from a central location in Jerusalem
- Guided tour
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Entry/Admission - Church of the Nativity
- Entry/Admission - Bethlehem
- Entry/Admission - Milk Grotto
What's not included- Food and drinks
- Entrance fee to Walled Off hotel (20 ILS)
- Entry/Admission - Bethlehem
- Start:
- Abraham Jerusalem, Ha-Nevi'im St 67, Jerusalem, 9470211, IsraelUpon arrival, please enter the lobby of Abraham Jerusalem (Abraham Hostel).
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6540P14- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Israeli Citizens: Please note that this tour is not available to Israeli passport holders (Even if you hold an additional passport).
- Valid Passports (Original, not a copy), Hats, Sunscreen, Comfortable Shoes, Scarfs/Shawls and Drinking Water are required.
- Included in this tour are visits to sacred sites. Please avoid wearing sleeveless shirts, shorts and short skirts.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers
- 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: 6540P14
From
$53.00
per adult
Select date and travelers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- Ha-Nevi'im St 67, Jerusalem, 9470211, IsraelUpon arrival, please enter the lobby of Abraham Jerusalem (Abraham Hostel).
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- E3517HYmarkc0 contributionsTour was cancelled, agreed to refund tour cost, now there's no refund and no contact.This was the tour that wasn't. Booked this as a follow-on to an Israel trip, then October 2023 happened. Israel tour was cancelled, Abraham Tours was cancelled...not a problem, should get a refund. NOPE!!!! Numerous e-mails back and forth, they said they would issue a refund, it has not happened and now they don't reply to anything. Are they still in business? Are they just keeping the money? Better think 2x or 3x before giving them your money. If they're having problems, the professional thing would be to reply to their clients.Written June 13, 2024
- 619jeffry0 contributionsNaked experience in Dead SeaBest naked in the Dead Sea experience, you can float in mud and enjoy yourself, it's a float experience.Written January 2, 2024
- 619jeffry0 contributionsRocky desert has numerous ancient sitesJourney across the rocky Judean Desert from Jerusalem. Apart from an adventure, you will see the cave where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by a Bedouin shepherd boy. Apart from the numerous caves, there are many ancient monastic ruins dating back to the early Christian period.Written November 2, 2023
- katepN3611ER0 contributionsExcellent tour and well informedEliyahu was a fantastic tour guide and answered all questions I had. It was a unique experience and I will be forever grateful I had the opportunity to visit such an important part of the world. The tour was eye-opening to the reality of the Israel-Palestine conflict and definitely gave me a well informed view of the realities of the situation. A special thank you to the woman in Netiv HaAsara who welcomed us into her home and gave us her experience of living on the border.Written October 19, 2023
- rohitmarathe0 contributionsMultiple Tours - Professionally conducted - Highly recommend!Was part of multiple day tours with them starting with the Jaffa walking tour, Mount of Olives Tour, Holy City Tour, Gaza Reality Tour, Hebron Dual Narrative Tour, Best of West Bank Tour & Masada, Ein Gedi & Dead Sea - Sunrise Tour ... all from Jerusalem. Few more were planned, but, unfortunately, were cancelled in wake of the current scenario. They promptly refunded the amount for the cancelled tours! All tours were professionally conducted & they have great tour guides. Special mention of Shakhav (hope am spelling the name right) & Eliyahu McLean (passionate & insightful tours of Gaza & Hebron). Would love to cover the balance itinerary with them albeit at a more peaceful time. Lovely, helpful team. Wishing them courage & safety in the current times!Written October 16, 2023
- carinamerlo0 contributionsAmazingI did the two day tour and had a great time but if I knew better, I would probably had done the three day instead just because Jordan was amazing and two days wasn't enough! Crossing the border was easy and our guide, Ali was the best! Great food, definitely worth it.Written October 14, 2023
- carinamerlo0 contributionsAbraham Tours is AwesomeI had an amazing experience with Abraham Tours and its great staff members, always friendly and helpful. The price is fair, it’s always on time and there is no hassle at all, totally worth it. There are many options and good deals!! Thank you Abraham Tours for making my trip memorable!Written October 13, 2023
- matthiashess0 contributionsInteresting and informativeVery interesting and informative tour. The guides are extremely kind and I recommend this tour to everyone. We learned a lot of perspectives on Jerusalem.Written October 13, 2023
- Melvin B0 contributionsAmazing tourI cannot describe how valuable the tour has been for grabbing a better understanding of the region, especially in light of current events. Eliyahu was an excellent guide. It was really interesting visiting the border and hearing about it’s history.Written October 9, 2023
- danitravels000 contributionsNot balanced - guide dismissiveI have to agree with Diana H a bit further down. Though advertised as a "dual narrative" tour, it is that perhaps only in name. The first half of the day is with a Palestinian tour guide, the second half with the Israeli. Eli - the Israeli guide - is also in the car supposedly explaining the context on the drive over. In short - Eli spent the second half of the tour essentially discrediting everything Marwa, our wonderful Palestinian guide, had explained. He was condescending and dismissive, sometimes even smirking at comments other people on the tour mentioned she had said. He would mention crimes against settlers but gave absoloutely zero context - if we asked for details, he said we didn't have time. For example, we walked down a street that used to be a bustling shopping street with thriving Palestinian business but is now inaccessible to Palestinians AT ALL. The Israeli military shut it down. Eli's explanation was that there was too much violence - I was absoloutely stunned that our supposed guide would just state this as fact, with no context or explanation. No mention of Palestinian history, no mention of al-Nakba, no mention of the active violence of Palestinians that happens every single day. No mention of that fact that these settlements - and many towns across the land - are former homes of Palestinian families who were kicked out or built on flattened villages. If you actually want to learn about the settlements in Hebron/Al Khalil, I recommend Dena Takruri's documentary on YouTube. If you want to visit al Khalil, don't use this tour. Contact Marwa - the Palestinian guide - or other local companies. This tour is not 'balanced' or even halfway truthful at all. I'm stunned to know Eli also gives tours of the Gaza border and the history of 1948, I can't imagine the lies he spews there. My heart goes out to the Palestinian people, and especially those living in Al Khalil which is often referred to as the most occupied city in the West Bank. On a positive note, Marwa - our Palestinian guide - was wonderful. I was impressed in her ability to do this tour in her second language, and I can't imagine how emotionally draining it is for her to have to recount trauma again and again. The food we had at the Palestinian family's home was delicious, and I hold tight the souvenirs I bought from the women's co-op.Written October 5, 2023
- Josh C0 contributionsTel Aviv Dead Sea and MasadaTrip was what the advert says however other groups will meet up for transport and if one groups is late they will make the other tours wait for them to arrive. We waited in a stationary bus for an hour just so the business could save some money. I did this tour once before with another tour company and that was a much better experience. I recommend using someone elseWritten October 5, 2023
- colinrice10 contributionsGaza up close and personal!Our guide, Eliyahu, was extremely informative and impartial in his presentation of all sides. He provided an excellent and thorough history of the Gaza situation and conflict.Written October 1, 2023
- nurseMNB0 contributionsWadi Rum and Petra TourWow what an incredible experience! We joined a group of 13 other travels and we had the BEST time! Meeting new friends and seeing some amazing places! Pick up was smooth and instructions for crossing the border were given to us. We crossed easily and were picked up by our Jordan guide! Zee-en (not sure of spelling) took AMAZING care of us! He made sure we saw all the highlights and told us all the facts/history! Everything was amazing! Wadi Rum was so fun! Riding in the back of trucks through the dessert and taking a camel ride! When we finally made it to our camp it was already dark and we headed straight to dinner…which was delicious! We had paid extra for the bubble tent and wished we had arrived earlier in the day to enjoy it more because we got in late and left early in the morning. The bubble was VERY nice though! Nice shower and very comfortable bed. The breakfast was also delicious! HIGHLY recommend doing this tour!!!Written September 30, 2023
- joseluisgP9494PW0 contributionsMoving experiencieGood guide, good organization, and a very moving and recommended experience to discover unknown realities.Written September 27, 2023
- patsym7330 contributionsOld City Free Tour is a good starting pointWe did the free Old City walking tour. Our guide was excellent. At the end of the tour she gave us suggestions on where to eat and places to go. The tour is a good starting point.Written September 26, 2023
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.
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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.
Popular mentions
4.0
27 reviews
Excellent
17
Very good
4
Average
0
Poor
2
Terrible
4
Guess W
11 contributions
Dec 2022
I booked on the 23rd and canceled after a fe hours of feeling unwell. I tried to get some refund but the feedback was Im not entitled to any refund as the cancellation was less than 48 hours (ironically the booking was 30 odd hours before the tour. This speaks to greed and and an uncaring attitude. Much like the taxi drivers */10 times don't turn on their meters (the 2/10 merely after stern insistence), in order to charge excessive fees, The fact that the latter is endemic means that the authorities are complicit and willingly turns a blind eye.
These two experiences leave a bad taste, after an otherwise phenomenal time in the Holy Land.
These two experiences leave a bad taste, after an otherwise phenomenal time in the Holy Land.
Written December 28, 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.
Irena K
63 contributions
Great guide, very honest super happy to share experiences. Tour was also fantastic. We didn’t know if we should go to the Banksy museum but it ended up being a major highlight. Thank you for an amazing experience!
Written July 10, 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.
monika s
5 contributions
Jun 2023 • Couples
Ashraf was our guide. Fantastic day, Ashraf was very professional, very knowledgeable and proactive. The tour took us through star street which we felt was important introduction and created specific atmosphere. We felt Ashraf is pasionated about the history and shared interesting details with us. Thanks to Ashraf proactive management we avoided long waiting time and crowed at the church. Make sure Ashraf is your guide in Betlehem and you will not be disappointed!
Written June 10, 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.
PankajM
Mumbai, India24 contributions
The entire tour was much better than I expected. The professionalism and skills of the guide, Ashraf Shaheen were incredible. He smoothened out the entry process everywhere and he answered all our questions very patiently. Couldn’t have been better.
Written November 26, 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.
Steve
Tauranga, New Zealand1 contribution
Feb 2020
A terrific tour, no mucking about; Ashraf knows his stuff and ensures you get into the right places to get through lines quickly. Other tour guides defer to Ashraf; you’ll see what I mean when you visit the church if the nativity. Best value for money.
Written March 12, 2020
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.
sally A
46 contributions
This was a fantastic tour. We had Ashraf shaheen as our guide! He was extremely knowledgeable and educational about Israel and about Bethlehem. If I ever get to Israel again, I will see as much as possible with this guide. Very attentive and professional, learned so much from Ashraf. Went accompanied by my 36 yr old son. We both have strong interest in Bible. If your a Christian, this guide is one of the best!!
Written March 12, 2019
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.
Margie Donnelly
Vermont, South Africa2 contributions
Jan 2019 • Family
My daughter and I did this tour in January 2019 and it has to be the by far the worst tour we did in 3 weeks in Israel where the standard of tours is high. The tour guide did not give any more information than a cursory 3 minute read of your guidebook would provide and the tour itself was rushed with the majority of time spent queuing in the stifling stairway of the Church of the Nativity for a photo opportunity at the silver star where Jesus was born. Exceptionally disappointing - I would rather have caught the bus and explored Bethlehem independently...a waste of a half a day.
Written January 27, 2019
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.
Dear Margaretha,
The half day tour to Bethlehem is mainly a visit to the Church of Nativity, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Israel. Therefore there is almost always a long line to view the star where Jesus was born. We hope you can understand that this is unfortunately out of our control.
Please note as well that at the travelers center we are happy to provide information about traveling to Bethlehem independently.
If you have any further comments please feel free to send me a direct email at guestrelations@abrahamtours.com
Kind Regards,
Tay
Written February 6, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mascha Lacht
29 contributions
First of all, I have to say that it's not the tourguides fault. He was ok, it's the tour that's the problem. We had to get up crazy early, drive over to Bethlehem, then walk the Star Street to the Nativity Church and up to that point everything was fine. Prepare to stand in line inside the church for at least one and a half hours and to protect yourself and your place in the line from people trying to cut short in all unchristian manners. Inside the small chapel you have three minutes tops, then you are rushed out, have a quick run to the Milk Grotto and that's the whole trip. We found it a bit ridiculous and still pricey for that kind of experience.
Written May 23, 2018
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.
Florian H
Oxford, UK7 contributions
Mar 2018 • Solo
This tour does not live up to Abraham Tour's typical standard. It's standard is so low that even the tour seller in the Abraham Hostel eventually told me he knows this tour is bad!
Upside for some: Most efficient way to simply quickly pilgrimage into the church and back to Jerusalem.
Waste of time if, instead, you want to genuinely experience a West-Bank city.
Guide will tell you fairy tales of how Jesus touched a stone to change it into white stone (of which you could apparently now buy some), and he eventually drags the group into an expensive jewelry, where he explains details about the jewelry and claims that it would be good to buy something in this posh shop to support the locals!
Upside for some: Most efficient way to simply quickly pilgrimage into the church and back to Jerusalem.
Waste of time if, instead, you want to genuinely experience a West-Bank city.
Guide will tell you fairy tales of how Jesus touched a stone to change it into white stone (of which you could apparently now buy some), and he eventually drags the group into an expensive jewelry, where he explains details about the jewelry and claims that it would be good to buy something in this posh shop to support the locals!
Written March 18, 2018
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.
Hey Florian,
Thanks for the review.
I'm very sorry to hear about your experience on the tour, and would like to explain the situation:
At the last minute, our regular guide had a death in the family, and due to the high season, we were unable to use one of our other regular guides, thus forcing us to use a guide we had not used before, and of course following this review, we will not be using him again in the future.
We are sorry about this experience, and would like to offer you a full refund on the tour, which I will contact you directly about via email.
I hope you do not let this reflect your opinion of Abraham Tours, as this is below our standards by far.
Warm regards,
Ktoret
Written March 22, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Connector487921
2 contributions
Jul 2019
I met Ashraf the previous day on the tour to Mount Gerazim (Samaritans), Jacob's Well, Nablus and Jenin. The tour possibly changed my life. I went places I only read of and to be there and hear the knowledge was a life enhancing experience. g
Written August 7, 2019
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.
Thank you so much for the special mention of our tour guide Ashraf, he is indeed great!
Until hopefully, next time :)
Kind regards,
Brenda
Written August 8, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
If at the end of the tour we wish to stay longer, is it ok to just drop out and get back to Jerusalem on our own? I assume so? Thank you
Written February 1, 2019
I heard some people on the tour ask the same thing, they were told that it wasn’t allowed.
Written February 1, 2019
Is there a tour that includes pick up and drop off in Tel Aviv?
Written December 31, 2018
Is there a tour that includes pick up and drop off in Tel Aviv?
Written December 31, 2018
We are ng at the New Imperial Hotel and are interested in a December 21st Tour for 7 persons. It says there is an option to be piked up near the Jaffa Gate. How would we request that? What is teh exact location? Would the pick up still be at 8:15AM?
Written December 15, 2018
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