Best of the West Bank Tour from Jerusalem: Ramallah, Jericho and Bethlehem

The $156 per person price covers transport from Jerusalem, a local guide, an Arab-style lunch and a local dessert. Groups run to a maximum of 20 travellers, smaller than most coach days in this comparison, and the guide is local. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start.

The listing states no entry fees as extra, so the stops on the route carry no additional tickets as far as the listing goes.

You meet in the lobby at Ha-Nevi'im St 67 in Jerusalem, with the start time shown at checkout. The day ends back in Jerusalem after about 10 hours. Infant seats are available and the trip is suitable for all fitness levels.

Public transport options sit nearby if you are not staying within walking distance.

What to bring and the dress rules

• An original passport, not a copy
• Hat, sunscreen and drinking water
• Comfortable shoes
• A scarf or shawl
• No sleeveless shirts, shorts or short skirts at the holy sites

The day opens in Ramallah, the city the listing calls the modern cultural capital of the West Bank. You get 90 minutes there, spent walking through the city and visiting the tomb of Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader. No other day trip in our comparison goes to Ramallah, which is the single biggest reason to pick this listing over the cheaper Bethlehem and Jericho combinations.

Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the West Bank, in an area administered by the Palestinian Authority. The stop is a walking one, so the same comfortable shoes you bring for Bethlehem will serve you here. The guide sets the pace and handles the route through the city.

If access is restricted

Access to Ramallah can be restricted. In that case the tour does not run the stop at all. It adds extended time and additional content in Jericho and Bethlehem instead, so you still get a full day in the West Bank.

The listing also says the order of the cities may change based on the guide's discretion, local conditions and special events.

Jericho gets 2 hours. The listing calls it the oldest city in the world, and the record backs the claim: more than 20 successive settlements have stood there, the first about 11,000 years ago, and the old mound at the centre was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023. The Bible calls Jericho the city of palm trees.

The town sits about 258 m (846 ft) below sea level, under the Mount of Temptation, which the tour views from below. That is where the biblical story of the defeat of the Devil is set.

From Jericho the route runs 45 minutes at Qasr al-Yahud, the ancient baptism site of Jesus on the banks of the Jordan River. The site lies in Area C of the West Bank and is run as part of a national park. Across the river is Al-Maghtas, the Jordanian side known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan.

Background on the baptism site is on Qasr al-Yahud on Wikipedia.

Bethlehem is the longest stop at 3 hours, and the most layered. The tour visits the Church of the Nativity, built over the grotto Christians hold as the birthplace of Jesus. First built around 330-333 after Constantine's mother Helena visited the site, rebuilt by Justinian in the 6th century and largely unchanged since, it is the oldest major church in the Holy Land and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Be aware that entry to the birth grotto itself depends on crowd levels on the day.

You then walk through the Old City with its market, and along the separation barrier that cuts through the city, where you see the Banksy works painted on the wall. The listing also names a stop at Aida refugee camp, which lies 2 km (1.2 mi) north of central Bethlehem right next to the barrier and Checkpoint 300. Modest dress matters here: no sleeveless shirts, shorts or short skirts inside the holy sites.

The one rule that decides bookings is nationality. Israeli passport holders cannot join this trip, even if they hold an additional passport. Every traveller needs an original passport, not a copy.

Bethlehem, Jericho and Ramallah are Palestinian cities in areas administered by the Palestinian Authority, and this listing, like all trips that enter them, states that rule plainly. Bring the scarf or shawl for the churches, and water and sun protection for the day.

Cancel for free up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure for a full refund. That matches the standard across most of this comparison, and it is far looser than the 3-day deadline on the two-day Petra trip. If you are travelling with small children, request an infant seat when you book.

Practical notes

• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start
• Infant seats available
• Suitable for all fitness levels
• Start time shown at checkout
• The site order can change with local conditions

What the UK travel advice says about Bethlehem, Ramallah and Jericho is set out in is Bethlehem safe to visit.

Two catalog trips cover Bethlehem, Jericho and the Jordan River in one day. They differ in who guides you, who eats and how big the group is. The figures come from both listings.

How to decide

For $6 more this tour adds a guide for the whole day, lunch and a smaller group. The Bethlehem, Jericho and Jordan River Day Tour from Jerusalem suits travellers who mainly want the Christian sites and are happy to read up on Jericho themselves.

Against the other trips in our comparison, this listing is the only one into Ramallah and the only day trip with lunch in the ticket. It costs $156, more than the $150 Bethlehem, Jericho and Jordan River day, but you get a guide for the whole route rather than Bethlehem alone, and lunch on top. The half-day Bethlehem trip is the budget pick if you only care about the Church of the Nativity.

The Masada and Dead Sea days skip the Palestinian cities entirely and go for desert and water instead. Figures current for Q4 2026.