• Full-day or Half-day tour to explore the Tzipori stream communities and the antiquities along the route. 
• Visit the Tzipori archaeological site with its numerous mosaics and ancient synagogue.
• Learn about the various Bedouin groups in the area and visit a mosque.
• Meet the Al-Khaldy family for a traditional Arabic lunch and hear about their life as the last house in what was once a thriving village.
• Tour of “A Lost World” studio where to see the beautiful wood carvings of Bedouin artist Saleh Alesat.

A short drive from Haifa port is the Tzipori stream that flows year-round from the outskirts of Nazareth to the sea. On this full-day tour (approximately 6 hours), we will visit the spectacular ruins of the Roman-era town of Tzipori (Sephoris) that is renowned for its dozens of intact mosaics and meet some of the lesser-known Bedouin Arab communities that live along this stream.  

After a forty-five-minute drive, we reach the ruins of Tzipori. Dating back to Biblical rimes, the town grew into a city in the Roman era and was the regional hub for the area. According to Christian tradition, it was in this town where Jesus’ grandparents Joachim and Ana lived, and he was undoubtedly a regular visitor to the town. 

Built in the classic Roman city design in a grid pattern, ancient Tzipori boasts the greatest concentration of mosaics of anywhere in Israel. Divided into a lower and upper town, or acropolis, it contains the remains of a villa with a mosaic known as the Mona Lisa of the Galilee, a synagogue with a mosaic of astrological signs, and even a mosaic with Amazon warriors. 

From here, we continue to the Bedouin village of Zarzir farther down the river to visit a small mosque and learn about the village and why it is an amalgamation of various tribes. A local member of the village will explain Islamic prayer traditions and answer any questions you may have about Islam. 

From here, we drive to “Hermit’s Mill” along the banks of the river which was built in the Ottoman period as a flour mill. Close by, we will stop for lunch at the Khaldy ranch, which is the last remaining house of a village that was once situated at this location.

Before eating a traditional Bedouin meal, we will participate in a short culinary class where we will learn how to stuff grape leaves and prepare Arabic salads. During our meal, we will hear the story of the “lost village” and what it is like being the last family remaining in a long-abandoned town. 

After lunch, we will drive up to the home of Saleh Alisat in Basmat Tabun. A Bedouin and former officer in the Israeli Defense forces, Saleh has dedicated himself to the traditional Bedouin craft of woodworking. Saleh will recall the cultural changes since his childhood growing up along the Tzipori River in a tent as a shepherd to his military service and current life in the house that he built.