{"product_id":"orthodox-monasteries-mar-saba-bethlehem-private-tour","title":"Mar Saba \u0026 Orthodox Monasteries Private Tour","description":"\u003c!-- grotto-note --\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"border:1px solid #d9b96b;background:#fdf6e3;color:#5c4a1a;padding:12px 16px;border-radius:6px;margin:0 0 16px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlease note:\u003c\/strong\u003e The Grotto of the Nativity is undergoing major restoration, so access to the Grotto itself may be limited or closed during your visit through 2026. The Church of the Nativity and the rest of the tour remain fully open.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTour Overview\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Orthodox Bethlehem and Desert Monasteries Private Tour is a full-day Orthodox pilgrimage from Bethlehem into the Judean Desert and back to the holy sites of the Nativity, led by a licensed local guide. Pickup is from your hotel, and the day moves at a private, unhurried pace built around veneration and prayer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonastery of St Theodosius (Deir Dosi)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMar Saba, the Holy Lavra of St Sabbas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrthodox Shepherds Field, Beit Sahour\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChurch of the Nativity, Bethlehem\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOlive wood factory and Cooperative Souvenir Store\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe morning begins in the desert east of Bethlehem at the Monastery of St Theodosius the Cenobiarch, the 5th century house where communal monasticism in the Holy Land began, with the cave remembered as the shelter of the Magi. From there the road climbs to Mar Saba, the Holy Lavra of St Sabbas the Sanctified, which has clung to the cliffs of the Kidron Valley for more than fifteen centuries and still guards the incorrupt relics of St Sabbas. Mar Saba is a living monastery that men may enter, while women take in the monastery and gorge from the Women's Tower and have full access to every other stop on the day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReturning toward Bethlehem, you stop at the Orthodox Shepherds Field in Beit Sahour, where tradition holds the angels announced the birth of Christ, with its cave church and gardens. You then enter the Church of the Nativity, built over the grotto revered as the birthplace of Jesus. The day closes in Bethlehem at a family olive wood workshop and the Cooperative Souvenir Store, where you watch Christian artisans carve by hand and can choose a blessed piece to carry home, supporting the families who keep this craft alive in Bethlehem. The itinerary is a proposal and can be customized for your private group.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Elijah Tours","offers":[{"title":"From Bethlehem \/ Up to 3 People","offer_id":56679336870054,"sku":null,"price":400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"From Bethlehem \/ Up to 6 People","offer_id":56679336902822,"sku":null,"price":500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"From Bethlehem \/ Up to 18 People","offer_id":56679336935590,"sku":null,"price":700.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"From Jerusalem \/ Up to 3 People","offer_id":56679336968358,"sku":null,"price":550.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"From Jerusalem \/ Up to 6 People","offer_id":56679337001126,"sku":null,"price":700.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"From Jerusalem \/ Up to 18 People","offer_id":56679337033894,"sku":null,"price":1050.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"From Tel Aviv\/Ashdod\/Netanya \/ Up to 3 People","offer_id":56679337066662,"sku":null,"price":850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"From Tel Aviv\/Ashdod\/Netanya \/ Up to 6 People","offer_id":56679337099430,"sku":null,"price":920.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"From Tel Aviv\/Ashdod\/Netanya \/ Up to 18 People","offer_id":56679337132198,"sku":null,"price":1550.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0335\/8985\/4253\/files\/bethlehem-monasteries-full-day-private-tour-tours-653_33c50d33-9610-42ee-a00c-92230cf35c76.webp?v=1781861377","url":"https:\/\/elijahtours.com\/products\/orthodox-monasteries-mar-saba-bethlehem-private-tour","provider":"Elijah Tours","version":"1.0","type":"link"}