Day trip

From Jerusalem: Hebron and West Bank Dual Perspective Tour

4.3 / 5

45 reviews

Activity provider: Abraham Tours
Day trip

From Jerusalem: Hebron and West Bank Dual Perspective Tour

Activity provider: Abraham Tours

From US$ 121 per person

Join an unforgettable tour to the ancient city of Hebron, one of the four holy cities in both Judaism and Islam, south of Jerusalem in the southern West Bank.

About this activity

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Duration 12 hours
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Live tour guide
English

Experience

Highlights
  • Explore both the Palestinian and Israeli sides of Hebron, one of the four holy cities for both Judaism and Islam
  • Visit the divided Tomb of the Patriarchs
  • Understand two very different narratives of this ancient and very contested city
Full description
Take a full-day tour to explore Hebron, the largest city in the West Bank, and the most contested. See the sites and meet people from both sides of the Old City, Israeli and Palestinian, both within "H2", the Israeli controlled side of Hebron. Starts with a guided tour of the Jewish "settler" neighborhoods of Hebron, beginning at the hilltop Tel Rumeida, with a Bronze Age archeological site, army base, and tomb of the Biblical Ruth and Jesse. From there we will visit the Beit Hadassah museum about Jewish life in Hebron until the riots of 1929, the "Shavei Hevron Yeshiva" in Beit Romano and the Avraham Avinu quarter and restored synagogue. Visit the Israeli/Jewish side of the divided Tomb of the Patriarchs, known as Maarat (the Cave of) HaMachpela with the symbolic tombs of Abraham, Sarah, Jacob and Leah, all said to be buried in the cave beneath. Crossing over into the Palestinian side, start at the Muslim side of the Tomb of the Patriarchs, known as Ibrahimi (Abraham's) mosque, led by a Palestinian guide. Inside, discover the Mameluke era mosque and minbar- raised wood platform, and tombs of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca. Then, walk through the colorful Old City "Casbah" market and have a home-cooked lunch with a Palestinian family. Climbing on top of a family home for a rooftop view, learn about the difficult conditions of Palestinian residents and shop owners living in close proximity to the nearby settlements. Going through the busy city center, cross a checkpoint and end the tour back at the top of the closed "Shuhada" street. This is a unique tour: it will present two very different narratives of one ancient, very contested city, Hebron. This is the only tour with two guides, Israeli and Palestinian, each showing half of the divided old city. The tour is political but objective, with each participant free to form their own opinions.
Includes
  • Guided tour
  • Transportation in air-conditioned vehicle
  • Food and drinks

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Participants

Date

Meeting point

Please meet at the lobby of Abraham Jerusalem Hostel.

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Important information

What to bring

  • Passport

Not allowed

  • Shorts
  • Sleeveless shirts

Know before you go

  • Things to bring: passport, hat, water, modest clothes.
  • Please note: You will need to enter your passport number. After clicking on the "Book Now" button a booking form will show up. After you filled-in all the necessary information enter your passport number in the field "remarks for the local operator".
  • NB: This tour is not available for Israeli passport holders
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.3 /5

based on 45 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.6/5
  • Transportation
    3.9/5
  • Service
    4.3/5
  • Organization
    4.1/5

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It was an amazing experience to listen to the experiences and perspectives from both sides of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. I did this tour on Christmas Day and left with a pit in my stomach for the people of Hebron and the difficult life they live there because of years of conflict and the coercive control now inflicted on the Palestinian people and that the Israelis army deems to be necessary. It seems pretty extreme on all counts. I especially feel very concerned for the generational trauma and toxic stress that the children of Hebron must experience as a result of just living there. I left there feeling helpless but so glad I went because the education was very worthwhile. What both guides (Eli and Tariq) are doing by giving these tours is truly revolutionary for those wanting to understand more about the history and ongoing life in Hebron and the Palestinian regions in general.

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January 11, 2023

Great tour, great guides. I highly recommend this tour to those that are interested in and willing to sit through lots of political explanations. It was what they promised and beyond, well worth my money. Again, it helps to have some cultural and political background knowledge to get the most out of this tour.

November 20, 2022

This was a fantastic day - full of education and thought-provoking discussion. It's a long day (eleven hours from departure to return), but full of content. There is a good amount of walking. Looking back on the day, I think this tour does an excellent job of helping to understand a very historic and very complex city.

October 21, 2019

Product ID: 23582