Israeli Yoga Journey

 Israeli Yoga
Journey
Mind - Body - Culture
Tour Overview Puzzle Israel invites you to find spirituality beyond the four corners of your mat. Join Puzzle Israel and a variety of yoga instructors for eight days of physical and spiritual experiences in the setting of Israel’s finest landscapes. While inhaling the clean air of the Mediterranean Sea, overlooking the magnificent desert view or a vast crater, skilled instructors will guide you through yoga poses and mindfulness meditation. Discover Israel’s most magical spots, which will fill you with good energy and vitality. Learn how to incorporate Yama (self­control), Niyama (personal observance), Asana (practice) and Pranayama (breathing) as a Yogi in the modern world. We believe that the outdoors bears an uplifting effect, leaving you with long­lasting memories and friendships. Day 1 Monday Heading South to Begin Our Journey *The itinerary for the day will be adjusted according to the time of arrival. ● Pick up at the airport and head south to the Negev Desert ● Stop on the way for lunch at a goats farm for some cheese and bread (included) ● Stop for a nice welcoming yoga practice overlooking the mesmerizing desert from the top of Ma’ale Akrabim (the famous Scorpion Climb) ● Check into our accommodation in the middle of nowhere ● Enjoy dinner cooked around the fire, together with our new family (included) ● Accommodation at ​
Moa Oasis​
Resort Days 2 Tuesday The Wide Desert Land and Heading to the Most Southern Tip of Israel ● Morning meditation session ● Breakfast at Moa Oasis ● Drive to the Ramon Crater and meet our jeep driver and go off the main roads and see some cool desert rocks and search for water sources to cool down! ● Cooking workshop with The Puzzle Chefs (this will be lunch ­ included) ● Travel back to Moa Oasis and visit Kibbutz Neot Smadar on the way for a fun workshop ● Dinner at Moa (not included) ● Accommodation at ​
Moa Oasis​
Resort Day 3 Wednesday To the Lowest Place on Earth and up to Jerusalem ●
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Breakfast at Moa Oasis Drive to the Dead Sea Morning yoga session at the beach Optional:​
Explore an amazing oasis in the middle of the desert while hike along the Nachal David Nature Reserve Picnic lunch on the way back to Jerusalem (included) Optional, choose one of the following​
: ○ Visit Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum​
(extra $15 pp) ○ Tour Mea Shearim ­ the Ultra Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem to get a close insight of this special community Visit ​
Machane Yehuda ​
­ the largest open market in Israel and enjoy some shopping time and dinner (not included) Accommodations at the ​
Arthur Hotel, Jerusalem Day 4 Thursday From Complexity to Relaxation ● Breakfast at the hotel ● Tour of Gaza Strip and visit at the local Israeli towns around the border to understand better the complexity of the situation in the area ● Visit a local organic farm ​
(Shvil Hasalat)​
and pick your own veggies for lunch (included) ● Enjoy and evening yoga session in the middle of the forest in the hills surrounding Jerusalem ● Dinner at a local Arab village (Abu Gosh) and experience their variety of delicious authentic dishes (not included) ● Free time to explore the city center and bars ● Accommodations at​
Arthur Hotel​
, Jerusalem Day 5 Friday 101 Layers to Jerusalem ● Breakfast at the hotel ● Open air yoga session overlooking the high mountains of Judea ● View­point tour of the city from the top of Mt.of Olives ­ learning what makes Jerusalem such a powerful center of spirituality and faith ● Visit the Old City and walk through the narrow streets of this ancient city ● Lunch at a local restaurant in the Old City (included) ● Some free time to walk around the Jewish Quarter of the Old City to absorb the special feel of Friday’s preparations for the Shabbat ● Have a Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony and dinner at the Barneis’s residence and meet Yemina and Reuven and learn about their fascinating story of what they do and where they live (dinner included) ● Accommodations at​
Arthur Hotel​
, Jerusalem Day 6 Saturday The Coastline, Mountains and Valleys ● Breakfast at the hotel ● Head up north along the coastline and stop for a morning yoga session on the most beautiful beach of the Mediterranean Sea (Hof Dor) ● Climb up the carmel Mt. and visit the Muchraka overlooking the Northern Bay and valleys ● Stop for some local Druze hospitality in Dalit El Carmel (included) ● Drive to Kfar Yehoshua to experience a fun and challenging Circus workshop ● Optional​
: Choose your horse and go galloping into the sunset (extra $30) ● Dinner at ​
Vered Ha’Galil Farm ● Accommodations at​
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Vered Ha’Galil Farm Day 7 Sunday The Mysteries of the North
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Morning yoga session Breakfast at the Ranch Drive up to the city of Tzfat and tour the mysterious Old City Free time for shopping at the Artist Colony Visit Dalton Winery and taste Israeli wines and local cheeses (this will be our lunch ­ included) ● Climb up Mt.Meron, the second highest mountain in Israel and get ready to be memorized by the spectacular view from the top ● Cooking workshop with The Puzzle Chefs (this will be dinner ­ included) ● Accommodations at​
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Vered Ha’Galil Farm Day 8 Monday The Many Colours and Flavors of Tel Aviv
*The itinerary for the day will be adjusted according to the time of the flight home. ● A breakfast at the hotel ● Morning yoga session ­ try some new Yoga styles ● Drive to Tel Aviv ● Enjoy some free morning for shopping on Dizengoff Street and lunch (not included) ● According to the amount of time we have, we will enjoy a tour of the Old City of Jaffa and Neve Tzedek to learn about how Tel Aviv was founded ● Goodbye dinner together at the​
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Nana Bar​
in Neve Tzedek (included) ● Drive to the Airpor Pricing For the November 2015 tour: Early birds discount! register by September 1st
2015 and get a $400 discount!
Register by Jan 1st 2016 and get a 200$ discount! ​
6­9 participants 10+ participants 15+ participants $3,890 $3,465 $3,250 Notes on pricing ● Single supplement: $600 per person for the entire trip ● Person in a triple room: 100$ reduction ● Child under 12 sharing parent room at 20% reduction Meeting and Departing ● We suggest that you arrive at least one day prior to the tour start, which will enable you to adjust to the time zone and minimize the risk of missing the tour’s first day due to flight­related delays. ● If no flights arrive a day before the beginning of the tour, arrival time should be no later than 8.00 AM. Participants arriving in Israel on the starting day of the tour will be picked up directly from Ben Gurion international airport. Terms of Payment for Land Service ● Reservations can only be confirmed once the non­refundable deposit of $350 per person has been paid ● Submit payment by check payable to Puzzle Israel and send to: Deb Zaluda Puzzle Israel 1513 W. Montana St Chicago, IL 60614 ● Should you choose to pay via credit card, please advise and we will provide paypal link or you can provide your credit card information to us via phone, at an additional 3.2% charge. ● Payment accepted by wire transfer ● All above prices and all payments must be made in US dollars Cancellation Policies ●
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A $350 per person down payment ­ non refundable Full payment is to be made 60 days prior to arrival Full refund (other than deposit) up to 30 days prior to arrival 80% refund (not including deposit) up to 15 days prior to arrival 50% refund (not including deposit) up to 7 days before arrival If cancellations are made after 7 days prior to arrival, refunds will only be made for bookings that can be cancelled ● In cases of cancellations due to security reasons in Israel, there will be a full refund (not including deposit), even if the trip is cancelled after 7 days prior to arrival Touring Services Include ● Meeting / assistance upon arrival. Puzzle driver will await you as you exit customs ­ if the number of participants and/or rooming arrangements and/or flights schedules is changed, an additional supplement may apply. ● Transportation services for all tour sites and destinations per itinerary ● 8 days touring with a professional English speaking tour guide ● All tour coordination services ● All entrance fees to national parks, museums and visiting centers except mentioned otherwise on the itinerary ● Specified activities and attractions as listed in the itinerary ● Transfer to and from Ben Gurion International Airport by van/bus with plenty of space for luggage ­ if the number of participants and/or rooming arrangements and/or flights schedules is changed, an additional supplement may apply. Accommodations ● As listed in itinerary Food and Beverages ● There will be bottles of mineral water for the participants on the bus each morning ● All meals listed as included will be arranged OR catered by ​
Margolis Catering ​
lead by Chef Nir Margalith (these meals include beverages i.e. wine and/or soda depending on the meal) ● Meals which are listed as not included will be at your own expense ● Approximate meal prices: ○ Lunch $20­$30 per person ○ Dinner $30­$40 per person Please Note ● The above­suggested program includes many elements that have not yet been booked. They are pending final booking and confirmation. As such, there may be slight changes in the final program. ● The above cost is subject to change at any time as per notice from hotels and other suppliers of services. ● If the number of participants and/or rooming arrangements and/or flights schedules is changed, an additional supplement may apply. ● Changes can be made to the above set schedule ​
ONLY​
for a pre­organised group of 10+ people​
. Note that the final price can change according to changes in the schedule Tour in Israel DOES NOT include ● Flights ● Any expenses of a personal nature ● Gratuities ● Spa treatments or Spa packages not listed (these can range from 250 NIS to 600 NIS per person depending on the treatment or package) ● Overtime for the driver or mileage beyond what has been allotted for the day ­ a rate of $30 US per hour for a 4 person taxi or $50 US for an extra hour’s usage of the van $80 US for an extra usage of a bus ● Any guests other than the participants in the party ● Insurance for baggage, personal items, health coverage,trip cancellation and interruption is not included, but is highly recommended you have it. We suggest obtaining coverage through your local travel agent The Tour Day The above proposal has been quoted based on the itinerary, mileage and hours designated per day, and the other touring elements noted above. The base tour day is based on a maximum of ten hours per day. Any additional charges will be billed to the customer’s credit card at the end of the trip and must be settled locally prior to departure from Israel. Should you decide to extend your stay at the end of the program and require a taxi we will arrange and book the hotel. Extra costs may apply. Gratuity in Israel It is customary to tip your Israeli guide around $30US per day, per guide (this sum depends on the size of the group and the number of guides assigned. The usual policy is 1 guide per 20 participants). It is also customary to tip your airport drivers, bellboys, hotel staff and waiters. This, of course, is left to your discretion. Local customary tip at restaurants is 15% of the bill. Hotel maids at $15 for your entire stay is customary. Passport Validity All passports must be valid for at least six months from the date of return to your home country. NEW VAT TAX REGULATIONS Please be aware that according to the new Israeli tax laws, being strictly enforced by all hotels, all guests holding Israeli citizenship, even those with dual citizenship/passports both for individual travelers and guests part of a group, or invited local guests, will be charged the applicable VAT tax. Therefore the necessary documentation must be received from the participants within 14 days prior to arrival in order to finalize the bill. Should this information not be provided in a timely manner, we reserve the right to charge the VAT accordingly. Responsibility ● Puzzle Israel (hereinafter called the Tour Coordinator), acts only as an agent for the various companies, owners or contractors providing the means of transportation, accommodation and other travel services. ● All exchange orders, coupons and tickets are offered subject to the Terms and Conditions under which such services are offered or provided. ● The issuance and acceptance of such tickets shall constitute your acceptance of the terms and conditions as set out. ● The airline and transportation companies concerned are not to be held responsible for any act; omission or event during the time passengers are not on board their planes or conveyances. ● The Tour Coordinator reserves the right to cancel/alter any part of the itinerary above as may be found desirable for the proper execution of the tour and the safety and comfort of the passengers. This without penalty to the Tour Coordinator itself. ● The Tour Coordinator reserves the right to change any hotel/s listed and replace with a property of a similar category if circumstances necessitate. ● Additional expenses, if any, shall be borne by the passenger/s. ● The right is reserved to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of any group at any time should they require services beyond those which can be provided. ● If room requirements are altered due to cancellation of one or more passengers, the passengers still travelling must pay the applicable rate for the accommodation to be occupied. ● If you must leave the tour early, regardless of reason, no refunds will be granted for unused services. ● Participants should expect to pay extra for the use of facilities such as sauna, health clubs, safety deposit box, etc. ● Regardless of the flight arrival or departure time, most hotels have a check in between 1 PM – 4 PM. Requests for immediate check in outside of the normal check in hours will be subject to additional fees levied by the hotel. ● Prices quoted are based on current tariffs and rates of exchange and are subject to change without prior notice. ● We reserve the right to cancel a departure should there be an insufficient number of participants to make the tour viable. Important Resources for Staff and Families ●
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Puzzle Israel website for sample itineraries, ideas, testimonials and pictures ​
www.puzzleisrael.com Phone: 215 764 6412 is an American number that will connect to our Israeli phones at no cost to you, the caller Don’t hesitate to be in touch with any questions, concerns or trip ideas. In addition, we’re happy to connect you with our past participants so that they can share their wonderful experience We look forward to sharing this adventure with you! The Puzzle Israel Team