Be’er Sheva Tour

Be’er Sheva (or in English – Beersheba) was founded almost 4,000 years ago by none other than Abraham from the Bible. He dug a well in the middle of the desert and planted a tree and began hosting guests. This little oasis in the desert eventually grew to become the city of Be’er Sheva. Today Be’er Sheva is one of the largest cities in Israel with a population of over 200,000. This tour of Be’er Sheva takes you from Biblical times through the Ottoman Era, the British Mandate and Israel’s War of Independence to the modern Israeli city and its bright future as a world high-tech center.

What you will see:

Tel Be’er Sheva – Biblical Be’er Sheva

One of the most impressive archaeological sites in Israel! At Tel Be’er Sheva you will see the walls of a city built in the times of the Kings of Israel complete with storehouses where the taxes were gathered, a viewing tower with a panoramic 360 degree view of the area and an impressive underground water system which provided this desert city with water 2,800 years ago.

Tel Beer Sheva

Abraham’s Well

There are dozen’s of ancient wells around the area of Be’er Sheva, but the local Bedouin have retained a tradition about one particular well being the original well dug by Abraham. We’ll visit the Abraham’s Well International Visitor’s Center with it’s excellent multimedia presentation and 3-D movie which ends with seeing the actual well.

Abrahams Well

Walking Tour of the Old City of Be’er Sheva

Over 100 years ago the Ottomans built a new Be’er Sheva as a hub to unite the different Bedouin tribes of the area. On the walking tour we’ll see the Saraya government building (today the IDF Southern Command building), the Mosque (today a museum of art), the Governor’s residence and Allenby Park with a statue of General Allenby who conquered Be’er Sheva for the British in WWI.

Allenby Park Beer Sheva

Lunch at one of the Be’er Sheva’s legendary Hummus Restaurants.

Or many other options if for some strange reason you don’t like hummus 😉

Hummus in Be’er Sheva

Gateway to the Negev Visitor’s Center

This impressive state of the art center tells the story of the future of the Negev with several rooms of multimedia displays and activities.

Gateway to the Negev Visitors Center

ANZAC Memorial Center – ANZAC Cemetery

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. These are the troops who conquered Be’er Sheva from the Ottoman’s in WWI. Those troops who fell in the battle were buried in a special military cemetery near the Old City of Be’er Sheva. In 2017 Australia, New Zealand and Israel celebrated the 100th anniversary of these events with great fanfare including the opening of a new visitors center which tells the story of the battle for Be’er Sheva – the last great cavalry battle in world history!

ANZAC Memorial Beer Sheva

Negev Brigade Memorial

This is much more than just a memorial to the Israeli troops that fell liberating the Negev in the War of Independence. It’s a beautiful work of modern art and a breathtaking viewpoint over the modern city of Be’er Sheva. One of the best places to watch the sunset in Israel!

Negev Brigade Memorial

Sunset at the Negev Brigade Memorial

Other Options

This is a typical Be’er Sheva itinerary to get you started. When you book a tour with me, I’ll customize it to fit your group.

Here are some other options that could be mixed and matched with a tour to Be’er Sheva:

• Tel Arad – Ancient Israelite Fortress from the time of Solomon
• Yatir Winery – One of the best wineries in Israel
• Hatzerim Airforce Museum – See dozens of planes from Israel’s wars.
• Negev Zoo
• Swim in a Natural Spring at Nahal Habesor
• Visit one of the Ancient Nabatean Cities like Avdat or Mamshit
• Do a beautiful nature hike at Ein Avdat
• Tomb of Ben Gurion – Overlooking the Nahal Tzin, the southern border of Biblical Israel
• Jeep Ride in the Ramon Crater
• Camel Riding
• Visit a Bedouin Tent

How much does it cost?

See my rates page for pricing with or without transportation.