International Youth Exchanges

Information about travel costs and travel dates under “Registration travels 2023/24” (as of 01.01.2023)

Preliminary remarks:

The extremely favorable price-performance ratio of all trips is only possible due to – varying amounts of – public subsidies. Special requests such as single rooms are partly possible on request, but have to be paid extra (approx. 25 € per night). All trips take place during the NRW school vacations.

We reserve the right to make changes to outbound and return flight times within the vacation periods as well as to the program and price! All trips will only take place if the requested subsidies are granted.



If a trip is cancelled due to force majeure, the entire participant fee will be refunded.

Trips to St. Petersburg and Moscow (17 – 31.07.22 + 25.06. – 09.07.23) incl. Return visits to our country in June 22 and 23 cannot be carried out until further notice due to the war in Ukraine.

 

The trip to Tanzania-Zanzibar (17.07. – 06.08.23) incl. A return visit to us in September 23 cannot be offered at the moment either due to major problems of our partner organization caused by Corona and therefore a lack of subsidies at the moment.

Registration

 

Registration for the trips is only possible online via the registration form.

Registration JIK trips

 

Travel

1st trip to Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Number of participants: 16 (incl. approx. 2 persons of the tour guide)

The planned program

Since, among other things, the flight schedules to Tel Aviv are not yet fixed, a more detailed program with all program points and time schedule can only be prepared afterwards. The final program is then worked out together with the participants of the group.

During the whole time we have a minibus of the driver Husam Moner at our disposal.
We will stay in monasteries, hostels, Bedouin tents among others in Kfar Hanokdim and Wadi Rum, hotels, but also private accommodation in Palestine. HP, except for 3 evenings.

Services (included in the price)

  • Roundtrip flight from Cologne/Düsseldorf to Tel Aviv (1 stopover), all travel by minibus (16 seats), bus and public transportation during the trip, all entrance fees at sights, national parks etc. (incl. all guided tours)
  • 15 nights of which 11 with half board (see below)
  • Travel cancellation insurance (100%) and international health insurance for JIK members
Not included in the price
  • Pocket money (recommendation): Approx. 400 € pocket money for lunch, drinks, souvenirs etc. In addition, 250 € for tips to guides in Jordan, Bedouins, bus drivers, etc. and for new extra visa fees at the Israeli border crossing Araba to Jordan must be paid directly at the start of the trip.
  • Optional: Balloon flight over Wadi Rum (1 hour for 100 € per person)

Planned program (subject to change on site)

Youth meetings of several days take place at the international youth meeting place Tent of Nations of Daoud Nassar near Bethlehem, in Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Ramallah (with several school visits), but also in Jordan (among other things also visit of the SOS Children’s Village and project with young people as well as a Bedouin school).

We conduct projects or workshops on several days (topics still to be worked out, but include experiential elements) with young people in Bethlehem, Ramallah and Aqaba (Jordan). In addition, we visit the peace village Neve Shalom, the Christian kibbutz Nes Ammim (conversation with director Dr. Tobias Kriener about the interreligious dialogue), the Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem (talk about medical care in Palestine), the University in Bethlehem (talk with German volunteer and students about studies and future prospects in Palestine), the Israeli settlement Neve Daniel in Palestine right next to the Tent of Nations (talk with the German Nethanel Boxberg about the Israeli settlement policy).

In Jerusalem, we will visit the Kol HaNeshama Reform Synagogue (talk with a rabbi), the Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria Foundation Meeting Center (talk with the responsible provost of the Protestant Church in the Holy Land), the Dormitio Abbey on Zion Hill in Jerusalem, talk with a German Benedictine priest about the position of Christians and interreligious dialogue in the Holy Land, and the Yad Vashem Shoa memorial with guided tour.

Other cultural/touristic highlights

1. Israel-Palestine

Sightseeing of the Old City of Jerusalem (with guided tour), visit among others. of Tel Aviv (small city tour), Jaffa, Caesarea, Sepphoris (with guided tour), Haifa (Bahia Garden) Rosh Hanikra (limestone rock with water washed grottoes on Lebanese border), Akko (underground Crusader city), Golan Heights (UN blue helmet soldiers on Syrian border) with Banias (waterfall + Pan sanctuary) and drive through Druze villages, Sea of Galilee with Christian sites (Tabgha, Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, etc.).), Tiberias, Jericho (oldest city in the world, 300 m below sea level), Qasr El Yahud (baptism site of Jesus), Bedouin tent city Kfar Hanokdim (with camel ride, campfire and Bedouin music + dance), Eilat on the Red Sea (border with Egypt), Masada (Herod’s fortress), Qmran (Dead Sea Scrolls), En Gedi (Botanical Garden), Bethlehem (incl.Church of the Nativity + Suq), Hebron (Abraham Mosque) and Ramallah (capital of Palestine).

2. jordan

Wadi Rum (2-hour camel ride, 4-hour jeep tour in the footsteps of Laurence of Arabia through the desert + balloon flight, campfire, music and dance with Bedouins), Petra (walking tour through ancient Nabataean city, 2nd place of the new 7 wonders of the world), Aqaba on the Red Sea (border with Saudi Arabia).

Preparation for the ride

As soon as the number of participants is fixed, the detailed program of the trip will be worked out together at about 3 preliminary meetings, including the planned projects (see above). The participants will also receive information on history, culture, religion, the current political situation in Israel-Palestine and Jordan, as well as on luggage and safety instructions and rules of conduct during the trip. Room distribution and allocation to host families will be arranged according to the wishes of the participants.

The latest valid program version with all dates will then be distributed to everyone at the start of the trip.

Weather and bathing possibilities

In October and early November it is still very warm in the Middle East (especially in the desert) – except at night and e.g. in Bethlehem (almost 900 m high) – so that we can swim and snorkel in Tel Aviv in the Mediterranean Sea (10 km long sandy beach), in the Sea of Galilee, maybe also in the Jordan River, in the Dead Sea (Qmran) and Red Sea (Aqaba and Eilat), among others.

2. trip to Tanzania Zanzibar

Number of participants: 7 (incl. 1 person of the tour guide)

The final program is worked out together with the participants of the group.

We carry out projects or workshops (creative projects in the fields of music, theater, dance, video production) with local youth groups – mainly at the Interface Center in Zanzibar – as well as in Dar es Salaam on about 14 days.

In addition, we will of course – partly together with the young people there – visit various national parks under expert and English-speaking tour guide.

Program excerpt

Workshops at the Interfaith Center with theater, music, dance, art + painting activities, Zanzibar: guided tour of Stonetown, spice and rain forests, Daressalaam: intercultural workshop at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, workshops in the artists’ quarter, etc.

Services (included in the price)

  • Roundtrip flight from Cologne/Düsseldorf to Zanzibar/Daressalaam (1 stopover), all travel by minibus, bus and public transport during the trip, all entrance fees at sights, national parks etc. (incl. all guided tours), visa fees etc.
  • 19 x overnight + half board in hostel, monastery, host families
  • Travel cancellation insurance (100%) and international health insurance for JIK members
Not included in the price
  • Pocket money (recommendation): Approx. 350€ pocket money for lunch, drinks, souvenirs etc. In addition, 200€ for tips to guides, drivers, etc. are to be paid directly at the start of the trip.

Preparation for the ride

As soon as the number of participants is fixed, the detailed program of the trip will be worked out together at regular preliminary meetings, including the planned projects (see above). The participants will receive information about history, culture, religion, current political situation of Tanzania-Zanzibar, but also about the luggage (clothing!) and rules of conduct during the trip.

There are also vaccination recommendations (e.g. malaria etc.), with a yellow fever vaccination being mandatory for entry.

Room distribution and allocation to host families will be arranged according to the wishes of the participants.

The latest valid program version with all dates will then be distributed to everyone at the start of the trip.

Weather and bathing possibilities

Winter time prevails in summer. Nevertheless, it is about 30 degrees warm, a little cooler at night. We will have several opportunities to swim in the Indian Ocean.

Program of the last trip to Tanzania Zanzibar 2019 PDF file



Program of the return visit from Zanzibar 2019 PDF file

3. trip to Saint Petersburg-Moscow

Number of participants: 12 (incl. 1-2 persons of the tour guide)

The planned program in Saint Petersburg and Moscow

The final program is worked out together with the participants of the group. We will carry out projects or workshops (creative projects in the fields of music, theater, dance, video production) with youth groups in both cities on 3 days each in cooperation with the respective cultural centers. In addition, we will of course – partly together with the Russian youth – visit central cultural monuments or sights in St. Petersburg, Moscow and the surrounding area under expert and German-speaking tour guides.

Services (included in the price)

  • Visa fees, outbound flight from Cologne/Düsseldorf to St. Petersburg, return flight from Moscow to Cologne/Düsseldorf, express train from St. Petersburg to Moscow, all trips by cab, minibus, metro etc., guided tours, entrance fees to museums and partly also evening events (such as folklore events, visit to the world-famous Bolshoi Theater), 15 nights in hotels or hostels with half board
  • Travel cancellation insurance (100%) and international health insurance for JIK members
Not included in the price
  • Pocket money (recommendation): Approx. 350€ pocket money for lunch, drinks, souvenirs etc. In addition, 100€ for tips to guides, drivers, etc. must be paid directly at the start of the trip.

Program excerpt

Workshops with theater, music, dance; highlights in Moscow: Red Square with St. Basil’s Cathedral, Bolshoi Theater, the fashion mecca with department stores GUM u. TSUM, Christ the Savior Cathedral – Russia’s largest Orthodox church, Moscow Kremlin, Gorky Park, Church of the Resurrection in Kadashi, New Virgin Monastery (UNESCO World Heritage Site), boat trip on the Moskva River, artists’ quarter Arbat, etc., folklore event

 

St. Petersburg: visit to Peterhof Park, Pushkin Palace and Park, Smolny Monastery, Church of the Blood, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Nevsky Prospect, Palace Square, visit to the Hermitage (Catherine Palace with Amber Room), boat trip, metro cathedrals, Vasilyevsky Island etc., visit to musicals

Preparation for the ride

As soon as the number of participants is fixed, the detailed program of the trip will be worked out together at approx. 2 preliminary meetings, including the planned projects (see above). The participants will also receive information about history, culture, religion, current political situation in Russia, but also about the luggage and the distribution of the group to the rooms (if possible according to the wishes of the participants). All passports will be collected, as visas must be applied for all non-Russian TNs. The latest valid program version with all dates will be distributed to everyone at the start of the trip.