Ten days is the sweet spot for a complete first trip to Israel — enough to travel the country from the northern hills to the Red Sea without rushing. This route loops from Tel Aviv up through the northern coast, across the Galilee and Golan, down to Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, and finishes in the south at Eilat with a Petra day trip across the Jordanian border. Shorter on time? See the 5-day and 7-day versions, or compare all three in the 5 vs 7 vs 10 days guide.
The big logistical decisions are two: rent a car for the northern loop (days 3–5) where transit is thin, and fly rather than drive to Eilat (day 9). Everything else runs on trains, taxis and guided day trips. Watch Shabbat — Friday afternoon to Saturday evening shuts the train and most non-tourist transport — and slot a beach or driving day there if your dates overlap.
Before You Go: The Practical Frame
Airport & intercity transfers. The high-speed train links Ben Gurion to Tel Aviv (~20 min, ₪18 / $5) and Jerusalem (~30 min, ₪18), every 30 minutes Sunday–Thursday, pausing for Shabbat. Buy a Rav-Kav card (₪5) or tap with Hopon/Moovit.
Car for the north. Pick up a rental in Tel Aviv for days 3–5 (₪200–320 / $55–90 a day; book ahead via DiscoverCars or a rental search). You need it for the spread-out Galilee and Golan; return it before Jerusalem, where parking is a headache and the light rail covers the centre.
Flying to Eilat. A domestic hop from Tel Aviv to Eilat–Ramon (about 1 hour, $50–110) beats the 4–5 hour drive or bus. Book early for the best fares.
Where to stay (by base). Tel Aviv (2 nights), Haifa or the Galilee (1 night), the Sea of Galilee/Tiberias area (1 night), Jerusalem (2–3 nights), Eilat (2 nights). Mid-range hotels run ₪450–800 ($130–220); the Galilee has lovely kibbutz guesthouses and zimmer B&Bs at the lower end.
Days 1–2 — Tel Aviv & Jaffa
Day 1. Arrive at Ben Gurion and train into Tel Aviv (~20 min, ₪18). Ease in along the Tayelet beach promenade and ancient Old Jaffa — flea market, harbour, skyline lookout. First Mediterranean swim is free. Dinner in Neve Tzedek or Florentin (₪70–130).
Day 2. Morning Bauhaus White City walk around Rothschild Boulevard and the Carmel Market; afternoon at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art (₪50 / $14, closed Sundays) or the beach; nightlife in Florentin. Stay: Tel Aviv (2 nights). Spend: ~$120–220 over two days plus hotels.
Day 3 — The Northern Coast: Caesarea, Haifa & Akko
Morning. Pick up your rental car and drive north (~1 hour) to Roman Caesarea national park (₪41 / $12) — harbour, amphitheatre, aqueduct beach.
Afternoon. Continue to Haifa for the terraced Bahá’í Gardens (free; upper-terrace and shrine times are limited and modest dress is required — check the day’s window) and the German Colony below. Then the Crusader old city of Akko — the Hospitaller halls and Templar tunnel (combined ticket ~₪49 / $14).
Evening. Overnight in Haifa or push on toward the Galilee. Stay: Haifa/Galilee (1 night). Spend: ~$60–110 plus car and hotel.
Day 4 — The Galilee
All day. Loop the Sea of Galilee. The Christian-pilgrimage cluster sits on the north shore: Capernaum (₪10), the Mount of Beatitudes and the baptismal site at Yardenit (free to view; baptism robe rental extra). Lunch on St Peter’s fish in lakeside Tiberias. With time, climb to the mystical hill town of Tzfat (Safed) for the artists’ quarter and old synagogues.
Stay: Tiberias / Sea of Galilee (1 night). Spend: ~$40–80 plus car and hotel.
Day 5 — Golan Heights & Nazareth
Morning. Drive up the Golan Heights: the Banias waterfall (₪29 / $8), the Nimrod Fortress (₪22 / $6), and the Mount Bental viewpoint over the Syrian border (free), with a Golan winery stop if you like.
Afternoon. Loop back via Nazareth and the Basilica of the Annunciation (free). Return the rental car and transfer toward Jerusalem — by train (via Tel Aviv) or a pre-booked transfer. Stay: Jerusalem (night 1). Spend: ~$50–100 plus final car day.
Days 6–7 — Jerusalem
Day 6. The Old City: the Western Wall (24h, free), the Holy Sepulchre (from 04:00, free), the Temple Mount platform (Sun–Thu non-Muslim windows ~07:30–10:30 and 12:30–13:30, free) and the Via Dolorosa. A guided Old City walk or Western Wall Tunnels tour (₪40–69 / $12–20) is the best add-on.
Day 7. Yad Vashem (free, closed Saturdays, three hours, under-10s not admitted), the Israel Museum (₪64 / $18) for the Dead Sea Scrolls, and an evening in the Mahane Yehuda market bar alleys (₪90–160 dinner). Stay: Jerusalem (2–3 nights). Spend: ~$120–200 over two days plus hotels.
Day 8 — Masada & the Dead Sea
Pre-dawn. Sunrise climb of Masada (Snake Path ~1h, or cable car from 08:00; park ₪31 / $9, cable car ₪48 / $14 each way).
Late morning. Waterfall hike at the Ein Gedi oasis (₪29 / $8), then a float in the Dead Sea — mineral mud, free rinse showers, sandals essential. Run it as a guided day trip from Jerusalem ($95–120, back by mid-afternoon) or as a self-driven leg en route south. Stay: Jerusalem or southbound. Spend: ~$110–140.
Day 9 — Eilat & the Red Sea
Travel. Fly Tel Aviv → Eilat (~1h, $50–110) or take Egged bus 444 from Jerusalem (~4.5h, ₪70 / $20).
Afternoon. Eilat is Israel’s Red Sea resort. Snorkel or dive the Coral Beach nature reserve (entry ~₪35 / $10; some of the best reef in the region), visit the Underwater Observatory (₪124 / $35), or head into the desert at Timna Park (₪49 / $14) for the rock arches and copper mines. Stay: Eilat (2 nights). Spend: ~$50–120 plus flight and hotel.
Day 10 — Petra Day Trip
All day. Cross into Jordan at the Yitzhak Rabin / Wadi Araba border (north of Eilat) for the unmissable day trip to Petra. An organised tour handles the crossing in both directions, the Jordan visa and entry fees, and the 2-hour drive each way — typically $200+ all-in (Petra ticket alone is JOD 50 / about $70 for a one-day visit; a JordanPass can fold the visa fee in). An overnight in Wadi Musa is better if you can spare it, letting you see the Treasury at first light and reach the Monastery. Read the border crossings guide first and carry your passport.
Departure. Fly home from Eilat–Ramon or back via Tel Aviv. Spend: ~$200–260 plus onward travel.
What This 10-Day Trip Costs
Per person, excluding international airfare:
| Item | Budget | Mid-range |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (9 nights) | $270–410 | $1,170–1,980 |
| Food (10 days) | $180–280 | $350–550 |
| Northern car rental (3 days) | $165–270 | $200–330 |
| Eilat flight (one-way) | $50–80 | $80–150 |
| Local transport, trains, taxis | $45–75 | $70–120 |
| Masada & Dead Sea tour | $95–120 | $95–120 |
| Petra day trip | $200–240 | $220–280 |
| Other tours, entries, walks | $60–120 | $150–280 |
| Total | ~$1,065–1,595 | ~$2,335–3,810 |
See the full Israel cost & budget guide for per-city deltas and savings tactics.
Make It Your Own
Prefer to go deeper rather than wider? Drop Eilat and Petra and spend two slow days in the Negev desert around Mitzpe Ramon and the Makhtesh Ramon crater, or add a night in the Galilee and a day in Bethlehem. Tight on time? The 7-day itinerary trims the south. Plan costs with the budget guide, check the best time to visit, and start with the first-time-in-Israel guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
The FAQ entries above answer the most common questions about a ten-day Israel trip — whether it’s enough time, whether you need a car, how to reach Eilat, and what it all costs. The schema-driven FAQ block at the bottom of this page surfaces these to search engines so travellers find them directly from a Google result.
