Day 1: 18:00 meeting at your hotel near Jerusalem, for introductions, technical briefing, and dinner. D
Lodging: Hotel Kessem Hadafna, Ein Karem, Jerusalem.
Day 2: Walking in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is (and always was) a small town by international standards, but 75% of humans round the globe have heard its name; people who never heard the names of New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, Rome or Beijing know something about the city that endured 87regime changes – two thirds of them by battle. Your guided tour in Jerusalem is an essential introduction for those whose knowledge of Israel’s history is not complete. In the morning you will visit observation points round the city, then will visit the old city to see the important sites that draw the attention of millions of tourists, pilgrims, poets, artists, philosophers, politicians, worriers, and media correspondents over the ages. In the afternoon you will see the caves of David’s City. B
Lodging: same as last night
Day 3: 30 km/19 mi. of cycling; one medium ascent (4 km/2 mi. 200 meters vertical); the rest – flat or descents! Today you will transfer from Jerusalem (elevation – 800 meters ASL) to the "flat land" or "Eretz Pleshet" as it is named in the Bible (250 meters ASL). You will see the Judea Mountains – and descend to "Emek Ha'Ella" ("The Goddess' Valley") where young David defeated Goliath some 3000 years ago. You will spend part of the morning visiting the Roman City of Eleutropolis, wandering through breath-taking man-made caves of Tel Maresha, and taking pictures in the famous Bell-Shaped caves of Beith-Guvrin. After emerging to light again, you will descend by bike from the Southern tip of the Judean Mountains straight into the Judean Desert, and to the desert town of Arad. Today’s highlights include Beit Guvrin, Amatsiya, caves, natural and manmade, a ride along the Tefer, views of Arab and Jewish villages, forests, Yattir forest, Sussiya, beautiful views of the Judaean desert, and the ancient ruins of Tel Arad. BL
Lodging: Boutique Hotel Yehelim or Hotel Margoa Arad, Arad.
Day 4: Cycling: 60 km/37 mi. flat or descent; 2 hours in Masada on foot; 2 hours at Mount Sodom by foot. Optional: 67 km /42 mi. of cycling including the great descent from Arad to Ein Bokek (22 km essentially downhill!) Masada is a fascinating archaeological site. It has breath-taking views, and a heroic story to tell; it inspires an ideological debate, and it has a lot to do with the spirit that made Israel exist. You will enjoy an awe-inspiring early-morning ride from Arad to Masada, then can climb up Masada via the Roman ramp, see the lately found and reconstructed sites, and enjoy spectacular views of the Dead Sea, Ein Gedi, the Moab mountains, and Jordan across the African Rift Valley. You can descend from Masada on foot or by cable car, to Ein Boqeq on the Dead Sea below, where you can have a light lunch at a lovely private spa, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the water’s healing power, and to laugh in the amazing experience of buoyancy. Enjoy a relaxed ride from there to Idan and Hatzeva – both kibbutz villages on the Jordanian border, both surviving well on agriculture, but both struggling to persuade their second and third generations to stay put. Dinner possibilities include Fata Morgana (historically an Arthurian enchantress, but in this case a mirage) and your unique moshav. BLD
Lodging: Ya'arat Hade'vash Hatzeva or Lilach Gottfeld Hatzeva
Day 5: Cycling: 134km/83 mi. Flat morning & a very hilly afternoon. This morning you can challenge the Akrabim (Scorpion’s) Ascent where biblical and Roman roads crossed the mountains. This is Israel’s steepest road with a 1 in 10, 500 meter climb over 5km. Of course, you can take the support vehicle if you prefer! You will then cycle through the odd geological formation – the Machtesh (that resembles a giant crater, only it's not a volcano…). If time permits before sunset, you can pay a short visit to the beautiful mosaics and wall painting of Byzantine Mamshit. BLD
Lodging: The Ramon Inn, Mitzpe Ramon.
Day 6: Cycling: 83 km/52 mi. The Mountains of the Negev and across the desert. Early morning optional hike on the edge of the cliff will let enthusiastic nature lovers see the 1500ft. cliff at sunrise, with a good chance of meeting the wild ibex and soaring griffons. The cycling begins with a magnificent descent from the hotel into the Machtesh Ramon crater, followed by a wonderful road through the Eilat Mountains Nature Reserve. This fabulous ride through wide open Uvda wilderness is real des real desolation, and real cycling in a wonderful landscape. BLD
Lodging: Kibbutz Ketura, Hevel Eilot or Kibbutz Lotan, Arava Valley.
Day 7: 60 km/37 mi. Take an early morning optional camel ride in the desert, then cycle through the southern portion of the outstanding Eilat Mountains Nature Reserve. The colors of the granites and sand stones look as if an uncensored hallucinating artist painted them. Ancient Copper miners left their camps, shrines, melting work-shops and mysterious rock engravings here. You can ride through all these, pushing your pedals towards Eilat where we will have a luxurious last night. BLD
Lodging: Royal Beach or Le Meridien, Eilat.
Day 8: Snorkelling, transfers and farewells. Sleep in late or wake early with an option to snorkel and explore some of the most beautiful reefs of the world. The narrowing of the red sea rift valley makes for a spectacular natural wind tunnel, perfect for wind surfing. Finish after lunch, in time for afternoon flights back to the center of the country, some 300km north, where your Freewheeling Adventure started. BL
Start: Hotel Kessem Hadafna, Ein Karem near Jerusalem, 18:00, day one. (One hour by taxi from Ben Gurion (Tel Aviv) airport.) We recommend arriving before noon Friday or after dusk Saturday, to avoid public transport shortage and other inconveniences associated with Shabbat.
Finish: Eilat, 13:00, day eight, on the Red Sea in Southern Israel, a short plane hop back to Tel Aviv.
