Visiting the Middle East can be disappointing for anyone hoping for "A Whole New World" type of adventure, once they see all the skyscrapers, beach resorts and, of course, gigantic Eurotrash discos.

Fortunately for those in search of a vacation with more desert sand dunes and travel by camel, Israel has plenty of back-in-time experiences like the Mamshit Camel Ranch.

Set in the middle of Israel's Negev Desert, Mamshit offers day-long camel tours, Bedouin-style group meals and overnight stays in "the Million Star Hotel," an assortment of sheep wool and goat hair tents. The whole thing is a little more Disney-Middle East than genuine experience, but what are you gonna do? Even the Bedouins live in houses now.

Related Stories:
· Mamshit Camel Ranch [Official Site]
· Israel Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> BS 2008-08-01T13:05:03-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/30/17436/3506

One of Israel's most scenic attractions, the Arbel Cliffs, rise 400 meters above the Sea of Galilee in the northern part of the country. The steep climb up to the highest peak--Mount Arbel--is worth it for the panoramic views of the countryside below.

And like most places in this country, there's some history when you get to the top. The Arbel Fortress, an ancient three-story castle, is carved into the face of the mountain and features a maze of connecting cliffs and caverns.

Check out Mount Arbel now, before part of it is turned into--and we're not kidding--a golf course.

Related Stories:
· Israel Parks Authority [Official Site]
· Hiking Israel: Hezekiah Tunnel [Jaunted]
· Hiking Isreal: Masada [Jaunted]
· Israel Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> BS 2008-07-31T13:00:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/30/9944/70160

Israel's most claustrophobic hiking trail, Hezekiah's Tunnel is an ancient narrow path below the City of David in Jerusalem. Built in 701 BC, the tunnel was constructed as an aqueduct to bring water to Jerusalem residents while the city was under siege by the Assyrians.

Today, visitors can hike through the S-shaped tunnel, also called Warren's Shaft, after explorer Charles Warren, who discovered the tunnel in 1867.

Crouching below the stone ceiling while wading through the water in the complete dark, it's hard to imagine how the 1,750-foot tunnel was even completed 2,700 years ago, let alone used as a functioning aqueduct. You can bring a flashlight, but it's more fun to use your hands as a guide and do it in the dark.

Related Stories:
· City of David [Official Site]
· Israel Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> BS 2008-07-30T13:30:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/28/22310/1426

Israel packs deserts, mountains, volcanoes, canyons and seas into an area the size of New Jersey, which makes for some pretty spectacular hiking. And the country's most popular route is the trip up Masada, the isolated rock plateau on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert.

One of the most important sites in ancient Jewish history, the barren desert mesa is the site where a band of Jewish rebels made their last stand against Roman warriors in the first century AD. The 2,000-year-old ruins at the top of the plateau are the main draw for history and religion buffs, while the 1,800-foot climb and view overlooking the Dead Sea attract a wide array of tourists.

The problem with visiting this mountain in the middle of the desert, of course, is the intensity of the sun, which is why many summertime visitors choose to hike up before dawn, catching the sunrise and beating the heat. If that still sounds like too much, there's always the cable car to the top.

Related Stories:
· Masada National Park [Official Site]
· Oh Lord, What a Hike [Jaunted]
· Israel Travel Coverage [Jaunted]]]> BS 2008-07-29T09:30:24-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/28/8552/51747

Jerusalem isn't the first place you think of to explore under-the-radar nightlife scenes, but everyone's favorite holy city has a surprisingly diverse party circuit, from gay clubs to street punks to wine-and-cheese bars.

And, like just about any other city in the world, you can always find some Bob Marley heads if you look hard enough. The Cube Bar, set inside the Mehane Yehuda market in central Jerusalem, is Israel's gathering place for the dreadlocked, shoeless, hippy dance crowd.

This laid-back, open-air bar is a casual spot for downing a few local Goldstar brews while chatting with a mix of Israeli reggae heads and American and Euro ex-pats. The parties get under way on Friday afternoons in the summer, when live reggae bands start playing at 4 pm. (Like most of the rest of Jerusalem, the party shuts down by sundown to observe Shabbos).

Related Stories:
· Israel Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Music Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> BS 2008-07-28T11:30:25-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/7/21221/26407

Wherever there is a publicity-hungry expert, Bruno is there! Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen wreaked havoc earlier this year at a Kansas airport in character as a gay Austrian fashionista, his follow-up to Borat. Recently, an Israeli defense expert was taken in by the comedian's wiles.

Yossi Alpher thought he was conducting an interview on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Instead, he was interrogated about the terrorist potential of hummus and Brad Pitt's love life. Apparently someone hasn't been to the movies recently!

What we want to know is whether this movie--allegedly titled "Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt"--do for tourism in Austria what "Borat" did for Kazakhstan?

Related Stories:
· Bruno Is the New Borat in Kansas [Jaunted]
· Sacha Baron Cohen Goes Back To Pranks [ICYDK]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: filmonic.com]]]> egw 2008-07-08T08:45:13-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/2/112326/4767

Ever wished for divine intervention amidst a particularly hard climb? Such invocation isn't required to hike a new path following the footsteps of Jesus Christ in Israel; on holy land all bets are off.

The 65-kilometer Jesus Trail in northern Israel takes hikers to New Testament landmarks from Nazareth to the Mount of the Beatitudes and the Jordan River over four hot days. What gives this the edge is not only the desert heat but also the schlepping: Organizers suggest carrying 5 liters of water per person, per day.

Follow the Jesus Trail by yourself with GPS directions or use one of the suggested tour guides.

Related Stories:
· Suggested Itinerary [Jesus Trail]
· Windsurfing Where Jesus Walked [Forbes]
· Swimsuit Issue Travel: Is '08 The Year For Israel? [Jaunted]
· Summer Vacations with an Edge coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: B & R Folsom]]]> egw 2008-07-02T12:46:34-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/