Arava Institute Study Tour

Global Leader in Socially Conscious Travel.

Friends of the Arava Institute Study Tour

Tour Dates:

October 10-20, 2026

Optional Extension Tour (Morocco): October 20-24

Registration Deadline: July 2, 2026

For more information, please contact Hannah at [email protected]

Price*: $4,995 USD per person (double occupancy) – Single room supplements are available for an additional $1,100 USD.

Registration/Payment Timeline:

By July 2: $300 refundable placeholder deposit.
July 2: 50% of fees due.
July 27: Remaining tour fee due.

This exclusive, small-group journey through Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan offers a rare, on-the-ground perspective on the region’s culture, politics, and environment.

Led by regional experts in environmental diplomacy and regional cooperation, including Ambassador Daniel Shek and Arava Institute Executive Director Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, this immersive experience goes beyond the typical tourist path, bringing you face-to-face with the complex realities shaping the Middle East today.

Throughout the Study Tour, you’ll engage with civil society and public sector environmental leaders, entrepreneurs, and other changemakers, as well as Arava Institute Israeli and Palestinian alumni and staff working at the intersection of sustainability and coexistence.

TRIP INCLUDES

10 nights’ accommodations based on double occupancy in comfortable 4-star hotels

1 English Speaking Guide in Jordan

Private airport transfers in Amman

Private bus transportation as mentioned in itinerary, including private and group arrival + departure airport transfers

Collective entry visa and Exit tax (Jordan)

Meals listed in the itinerary: 10 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 9 dinners

Water on bus throughout tour

Entrances and sites as listed in the itinerary

Dedicated pre-trip customer service and on-ground support

$4,995*

Per Person

TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE

International Airfare

Travel Insurance-HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Single Room Supplement ($1,100)

Meals not mentioned in the itinerary

Customary tips to drivers, guides, and hotel staff

Individual airport transfers outside of the group transfer

Anything not explicitly mentioned in the included section

About Your Group Leaders

These three group leaders have co-led study tours to the region regularly over the past three years.

Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed

Executive Director, Arava Institute for Environmental Studies

A Palestinian citizen of Israel from East Jerusalem, Dr. Abu Hamed received this year’s AAAS Science Diplomacy award. Dr. Abu Hamed is the co-chair of the regional cooperation and security task force of President Herzog’s Israel Climate Forum. He is an expert in regional environmental cooperation and and environmental diplomacy, recently at the UN COP29 Climate Conference in Baku.

Ambassador Daniel Shek

Arava Institute Board Member, Leader of the Institute’s Track II Forum for Environmental Diplomacy

A veteran of the Israeli foreign service, Ambassador Shek has served as Ambassador to France, Consul General in San Francisco, Director of European Affairs and Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry. An expert on public diplomacy, he is now a private consultant, teaches at Tel Aviv University, and continues to be a frequent guest on media outlets worldwide. Since October 7, he has led the diplomacy team of the Hostage and Missing Families Forum.

Rachel Kalikow

CEO, Friends of the Arava Institute

Currently based in Boston, Kalikow has worked with Friends of the Arava Institute for more than five years, serving as Director of Development and then Chief Development Officer before becoming CEO in 2024. She has studied, lived and worked in Israel and has extensive non-profit experience in development and community outreach, with organizations based in Israel and the United States.

Before you Register

Read through the Terms and Conditions. Deposits are refundable if the tour is cancelled due to low enrollment.

Invite your friends!

Do not book your flight until you receive the tour confirmation email from us. This tour requires a minimum number of travelers to run and we will send out the tour confirmation (and update this note on the webpage) as soon as we have met that number.

Check out travel insurance options.

Some plans and policies [Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) or coverage for pre-existing conditions] may only available for a limited time (approximately 2 weeks) following your date of deposit.

Tour Registration

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