Bethlehem & Monasteries Full Day Tour

The Bethlehem and Monasteries Full Day Tour is a full-day group tour from Jerusalem or Bethlehem that pairs a guided visit to Bethlehem's main Christian sites with a drive into the Judean Desert to view its historic monasteries. You travel with a professional guide in Bethlehem, then continue with the driver only to the monasteries and the Mount of Temptation.

• Shepherds' Field
• Milk Grotto Church
• Church of the Nativity
• Olive Wood Factory and Community Store
• Saint George Monastery
• Mar Saba Monastery
• Mount of Temptation

The day begins in Bethlehem, where your guide leads you through the Shepherds' Field, the Milk Grotto Church, and the Church of the Nativity, sharing the biblical and historical background of each site. You also stop at an olive wood factory and community store to see traditional craftsmanship that supports local families. Visit durations are approximate, and access to the grottoes inside the Church of the Nativity (Birth, Jerome, and Joseph) is not always possible due to long waiting times, Sunday mornings, and religious holidays.

After Bethlehem, the journey continues into the Judean Desert with the driver only. You pass Saint Theodosius Monastery on the way to Saint George Monastery, then drive to Mar Saba Monastery, the largest sanctuary in the Judean Desert, dating back to the fifth century AD, where only a few monks live and women are not permitted to enter according to the monastery's tradition. The route ends at the Mount of Temptation near Jericho. Monasteries are not always open to the public, so some stops may be viewed from outside depending on conditions.