APAN Study Tours

What to expect from an APAN tour

A different kind of travel – An APAN study tour gets you beyond the headlines. Meeting extraordinary people in extraordinary places, you get to ask your own questions, debate and make up your own mind.

Our groups are small, averaging 8-12 people, allowing you the time and space to engage with the people and the issues, providing a more enriching travel experience.

You don’t need to be an expert in politics or foreign affairs to join us. APAN study tours are working tours designed for people with an active interest in Palestine, the Palestinian people and peace in the region. We provide pre-tour briefings and useful reading lists to help you get the most out of your experience.

We plan and operate all our tours – We don’t rely on destination tourist companies to do our work. We explore, research and set up all our own tour activities, and our expert consultants can help you get to wherever you wish to go in the region.

Value for money – APAN study tours are run at cost and come at one low fee. The tour fee includes your international economy-class airfare, in-country accommodation in your own single room (4 star bed & breakfast hotels), in-country transport, most meals, pre-departure briefing and information booklet, and access to the experts and experiences other tours don’t visit.

DATES:  Dates for 2024 currently under consideration

DESTINATIONS: Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Amman (Jordan)

DURATION: 7 day tour

MAXIMUM PARTICIPANTS: 14

INCLUDED:

• Accommodation (single room with breakfast)
• Local transportation in-country
• Most meals
• Visas & departure taxes
• Pre-departure briefings

COST: To be advised

For further information or to register your interest, please contact APAN’s study tour coordinator – [email protected]

TOUR SCHEDULE:

APAN study tours are focused on the contemporary situation for Palestinian communities in the Middle East. APAN offers a selection of study tour schedules, which can include visits to Palestinian refugees camps in Lebanon, as well as Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank and inside Israel proper. Unfortunately it is not possible to visit the Gaza Strip at this time.

The study tour schedule is focused on the current affairs and politics of the Palestine-Israel situation through meetings and field trips with leading political analysts, experienced local guides, as well as local communities and people on-the-ground. The study tour does not include any general touristic sight-seeing, such as historical or religious sights, which are often of significant interest to delegates. If you wish to do some general tourism, we’d recommend arriving earlier before the study tour or staying on later after the study tour. Please note that the dynamic nature of the local situation at the time of travel may require the tour schedule to be adjusted with minimal notice.

REVIEWS:

“It doesn’t matter how much is read or seen on television, visiting Palestine and seeing the situation with one’s own eyes is without parallel.” – Claudia

“I couldn’t think of a better introduction to the ‘on the ground’ realities faced in Palestine.” – Peter

“The tour immersed us within the situation and gave us valuable time to meet face to face with local communities and professionals. An unforgettable experience.” – Miguel

“Seeing first-hand the difficulties that people face daily in their lives… I feel better equipped now to speak about what life is like for those who don’t share the freedoms that we enjoy.” – Liz

“I thought I had some idea about this situation but the actual lived experience of Palestinians and having first-hand experience makes it far more real for me.” – Margaret

“The quality of our speakers was remarkable and inspirational. Getting into Gaza was miraculous. It exceeded my expectations, many fold.” – Mary

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS:

SAFETY

When you join an APAN Study Tour your safety is our priority. Our tours seek to understand the root causes of violence in Palestine/Israel, but we do not seek it out. We monitor the security situation and maintain regular contact with Palestinian and Israeli partners, our licensed local guides are experts in understanding the local security situation, and our leaders are experienced and equipped to deal with any situation.

APAN Study Tours have run since 2014 without a major safety incident. We travel on established airlines and air-conditioned mini-buses or 4WDs with professional drivers. Our experienced Tour Coordinator has hosted over 160 people on 18 delegation tours since 2010. We focus on safety so you can focus on learning, connecting, and building solidarity.

VISAS AND PASSPORTS

Travellers on an Australian passport will receive a visa-on-entry when entering Israel and Jordan; advice will be sought for other passport holders. Your passport must be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into each country. Evidence of a previous visit to another country in the region like an entry/exit stamp in your passport does not normally prevent entry into Israel, although it may lead to additional questioning at the border. It is for the Israeli authorities to determine the right of entry into Israel.

Does Israel stamp my passport?
Israel no longer stamps travellers’ passports. Your visa will be issued on an entry ticket at immigration which you need to keep with your passport until you leave the country.

Australian Government SMARTRAVELLER ADVICE
Tour participants are advised to review the Smartraveller advisories issued by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories and Jordan to inform their travel decisions, in additional to the Global COVID-19 Health Advisory. At times, DFAT may advise against all travel or all but essential travel to particular countries or parts of particular countries; similarly, DFAT may withdraw any such previously given advice. Where the DFAT issues such advice, we may as a result cancel your tour or make changes so as to avoid the area concerned. Alternatively, we may ask you to sign a form prior to departure confirming that you wish to proceed with the tour notwithstanding the DFAT advice.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel insurance at their own cost. At the very least, we recommend that you are covered for flight changes or cancellations, damage/loss/theft of luggage and personal belongings, damage/loss/theft of electrical goods and mobile phones, and health/medical emergencies. There will be no organised participation in “extreme sports” or motorbike riding on the tour, if that question arises (it sometimes does!). The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) does not take responsibility for your personal belongings or health concerns while on the Study Tour. Please see your travel agent for advice on a travel insurance policy suitable to your needs.

MEDICAL ADVISORIES

Advice on health requirements may be obtained from your GP, or alternatively from the Travel Doctor-TMVC – see their advisories for Israel, Jordan. Tour participants are responsible for their own personal health concerns during travel.
COVID-19 – APAN and APAN tour participants are expected to follow all the relevant COVID-19 advisories and requirements in place at the time of travel.