Tours to Israel » Excursions » Tour “Jerusalem — The Temple Mount & Islamic Holy Sites”
Clothing should be comfortable and appropriate for the weather. Comfortable walking shoes are especially important.
Visits to religious sites, mosques, and holy places are permitted only in modest clothing that covers the shoulders, back, and knees. Women may wear loose-fitting trousers covering the ankles.
Visible symbols or attributes of any religion other than Islam — including crosses, Stars of David, icons, or candles — are not permitted on the Temple Mount / Al-Haram al-Sharif.
It is also prohibited to bring sacred books of any religion other than Islam onto the site.
The excursion takes place on the territory of the Temple Mount. Entry into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock (Qubbat as-Sakhra) is permitted only for Muslims. After the excursion, Muslim visitors may remain on the Temple Mount and enter the mosques.
During national and religious Muslim holidays, as well as on Fridays, Saturdays, or due to special police instructions, changes to the excursion schedule may occur.
Alongside the pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, many devout Muslims undertake a ziyārah (pilgrimage visit) to the Al-Aqsa Mosque (“The Farthest Mosque”) in the sacred city of Al-Quds — Jerusalem. It is considered the third holiest site in Islam, and every Muslim is encouraged to visit the Sacred City and the Sacred Mosque.
According to Islamic tradition, a person who enters into the state of ihram at Al-Aqsa Mosque for Hajj or Umrah is purified of sins like a newborn child.
Our excursion begins with a visit to the Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif), including the sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock (Qubbat as-Sakhra), from where, according to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven during the Mi‘raj.
During the tour, we will also visit sites traditionally associated with the prophets Dawud (David), Isa (Jesus), Musa (Moses), Zakariya (Zechariah), and Bibi Maryam (Mary).
We then ascend the Mount of Olives (Jebel Zaytun), from where pilgrims can once again admire panoramic views of the Old City of Jerusalem and the sacred sanctuary with the mosques of Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock.
The Mount of Olives is traditionally associated with the ascension of the Prophet Isa (Jesus). We will visit the tomb traditionally linked to Salman al-Farsi, as well as the burial site of Rabia al-Adawiyya and several historic mosques on the mountain.
We will also see the cave associated in local tradition with Bibi Maryam, and the Garden of Gethsemane, connected with the attempted arrest of Prophet Isa and home to some of Jerusalem’s most ancient olive trees.
The excursion also includes a visit to the traditional birthplace of Bibi Maryam. From the summit of the Mount of Olives, visitors can enjoy a magnificent panorama over the Kidron Valley, traditionally associated in religious belief with the Day of Judgment.
To conclude the tour, we will stroll through the lively Arab market with its many shops and stalls in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.