Testimonials – Touring Israel – Luxury Private Tours

Traveler Testimonials

Touring Israel will arrange for you a truly custom tailored tour of Israel with the best guides and the highest levels of service in Israel. But don’t just take our word for it! Here are some of the nice things our past customers have felt compelled to share with you:

Touring Israel, led by Joe Yudin, is simply the best travel guide experience my family has experienced anywhere in the world. Joe's knowledge of not only Jewish and Israeli history, but Middle East history in general, is simply endless. The Touring Israel team really understands what a five star travel service is all about. Whether seeking recommendations for activities, changing flight and restaurant plans repeatedly, or seeking help for family left in Israel while the war with Iran rages, the Touring Israel team was always proactive and engaged and consistently making our experience better. If you are going to visit Israel and want an English-speaking, highly educated, extremely friendly and helpful travel guide program, and whether you are two people or 20, you should contact Touring Israel.

Exceptional departure service in Israel from TLV to Amman .. very professional and very secure. Thanks again Monica

We cannot express enough gratitude for the incredible support we received from Joe and Monica during a deeply stressful and emotional time for our family. Amid the current war in Israel, our son and his friend needed to leave the country urgently. Joe and Monica took care of every single detail with urgency, professionalism, and genuine compassion. They arranged all the transportation and accommodations, and most importantly, kept our boys safe every step of the way. They stayed in constant communication with both the boys and us, providing timely updates and reassurance when we needed it most. Thanks to their efforts, our sons were able to get out of Israel safely and return home. If you ever need a travel team you can truly trust, Joe and Monica are exactly who you want on your side.

I just got back from Israel and have the best things to say about Touring Israel, the owner Joe Yudin and the whole team there. We began our holiday in the north near Galilee, with our amazing guide Tom Doron, who already feels like a life-long friend. We proceeded from there to Haifa, Caesarea, Tel Aviv and then Jerusalem. We had a great time, and Touring Israel took care of everything we needed at every stop. But then the Israel-Iran War started, and that’s when Touring Israel really stepped up. The war began on Thursday night, June 12, our first night in Jerusalem. Ben Gurion Airport was quickly closed. We had an El Al flight home to New York scheduled for Sunday, and knew that it likely would be canceled, which it was by Saturday. In anticipation of this Monika at Touring Israel had already provided us with three viable options to get to places with open airports: (1) drive to Amman, Jordan; (2) drive to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt; (3) take a boat to Cyprus. The closest spot was Amman, so after reviewing the alternatives we booked flights for Monday on a local airline from Amman to Istanbul, Turkey, and then from there to New York on Turkish Airways. After we booked the flights, the normal border crossing near Jerusalem was closed, removing a relatively easy 2-hour trip as an option. We knew we would need to get to Amman on Sunday so that we could make our flight on Monday at noon. Overnight from Saturday to Sunday Monika located an Israeli driver for us who would take us to Eilat, in the southern tip of Israel, where a border to Jordan remained open. I literally was texting with Monika at 3:30 a.m. as we ironed this out. We knew we would need another driver on the Jordan side to take us to Amman, and that we would need a hotel in Amman, and I trusted Monika to get that all arranged on our way to Eilat. On Sunday morning a driver picked us up at our Jerusalem hotel at 8:30 a.m. and drove us about 4 hours through the desert to Eilat. On the way, Monika arranged for us to have an Israeli escort on the Israeli side of the border, a Jordanian escort on the Jordan side of the border, a driver and guide to take us from the south of Jordan to Amman, a hotel (the Ritz-Carlton) in Amman, and for the driver and guide to take us to the Amman airport the Monday morning. There is absolutely no way we could have arranged all of this on our own, and other than the Israeli escort, we really needed everyone to help us. We headed to the Amman airport at 8:30 am Monday morning, and when we arrived we learned Monika had also arranged for us to have an escort at the airport to take us through the check-in process. It turns out that we had to pay a tax to exit, and getting that sorted out was way easier with a local to help us. Although Jordan's airspace had been closed periodically due to their being in the line of fire for Iran's missiles, we left close to the scheduled departure time, made it through the Istanbul airport and got home on Monday night. From pick-up in Jerusalem to walking into our home was nearly 48 hours. What an odyssey! My deepest gratitude to Joe, Tom and Monika. They showed me how important it is to have local experts coordinating your travel plans, particularly when the unexpected can occur.

Nothing short of extraordinary. Hands on, personal, bespoke, warm, attentive, patient. Just a few words to describe Joe and team. If you need someone to trust to care for you and your family when aboard this is the tour group!

I do not have enough positive words to properly describe this company. Joe, Monica and the team went above and beyond to get our daughter safely home back to NY during this war. Despite their own safety concerns, they treated us with compassion and professionalism. They handled all the logistics and were unbelievably responsive. Without hesitation, I recommend Touring Israel. Thank you Joe!

Very good experience dealing with Touring Israel. Joe is an amazing tour guide. His ability to draw you in with his deep knowledge of history, patience and professionalism are unparalleled. Highly recommended. Yana.

Touring Israel is THE best of the best. Stop considering a trip to Israel and book one today with the wonderful Joe Yudin. His tour was my 7th in Israel and far surpassed all others.

Joe was our strategic handler for our trip to Israel. He assigned us one of his best colleagues, and made sure everything was perfect. I would use Joe again in a New York minute.

Unbelievable experience! We spent four days hiking through northern Israel. Every hill had a story and Joe knew them all. He brought together ancient history, recent history, and current events seamlessly. I’m going back every year.

Joe was our strategic handler for our trip to Israel. He assigned us one of his best colleagues, and made sure everything was perfect. I would use Joe again in a New York minute.

Thank you Touring Israel for providing the journey of a lifetime. You listened to our interests, built an amazing itinerary, matched us with the perfect guide, and paid attention the smallest detail. Ofer Zemach was an exceptional guide; knowledgable, collegial, and flexible. When he found out we were art lovers (a detail we failed to mention when our trip was being planned), he adjusted on the fly to include galleries in Tzfat and the Chagall windows in Jerusalem, two of the high points of our visit. His knowledge of Jewish, Christian and Israeli history enhanced our visit at every location, and his local food and wine expertise led us to wonderful dining experiences. We enjoyed all the hotels, but loved The Drisco in Tel Aviv. Lovely property, great staff, wow breakfasts, great proximity to the promenade and Jaffa. Lunch with the Druse family, IDF briefing at the Golan Heights, and meeting with journalist Khaled Abu Toameh were also highlights. Thank you Jonathan and Monika for all your work behind the scenes to create an amazing visit!

Touring Israel was truly an amazing find – we are grateful that we were able to see Israel with this company. Landing in Tel Aviv, our family of six was met by an agent who whisked us through special customs lines in no time and saw us to our car and driver who then delivered us to our hotel for our first restful night in Israel. We met our guide the next morning who took great care of us, even inviting us to a few family events which made us feel right at home. We were keenly interested in both history as well as current issues, and Daniel was well-prepared and knowledgeable beyond our expectations. — The planning stage for the trip was personal and thorough as the consultant asked us what our interests were so he could make suggestions as to what we should see and do. The resulting itinerary was perfect! Contact Touring Israel with Joe Yudin, you will have the trip of a lifetime – until the next one, that is!

Joe was our strategic handler for our trip to Israel. He assigned us one of his best colleagues, and made sure everything was perfect. I would use Joe again in a New York minute.

We recently returned from a weeklong family trip to Israel… my wife, our 13-year old son, our 10-year old daughter, and my wife’s parents in their early-70s. The occasion was for our son’s Bar Mitzvah, and our children and I had never been to Israel. We selected Joe and Touring Israel on the recommendation of a trusted friend, and after meeting with Joe personally in NYC. Our trip was extraordinary, and exceeded all of our expectations. Circumstances were such that we only had a week to see the country, but from our bases in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, we were able to accomplish A LOT. Joe and Rivka were meticulous in their planning, and customizing an itinerary to meet our interests. Some activities that we were initially skeptical of turned out to be real highlights of the trip. Joe also allowed for flexibility within the schedule itself, which was so helpful given the age gap in our group. Some activities we cut short, some we extended, some we canceled, etc. Joe (along with our excellent driver, Yuri) even managed to find us an express laundry/dry cleaning/pressing service in Jerusalem in a tight time crunch! I cannot recommend Joe Yudin highly enough. He was a tour guide, security guard, professor, and friend. His knowledge of the region’s history is voluminous. All of his personnel resources — the food-tasting guides, the Bar Mitzvah Rabbi, the helicopter pilot — were top-notch. Our trust in Joe was so absolute that despite our initial reluctance to take our children to Yad Vashem, we knew they would be ok with Joe as our personal guide. I almost cannot imagine seeing Israel without him, and look forward to returning again soon.

Touring Israel was definitely the way to experience Israel. Between organizing the trip, setting us up with an amazing guide, planning our hotels and providing a VIP service from start to finish, it was a great way to visit an amazingly rich and intense country.

Touring Israel with Joe Yudin was truly the trip of a lifetime! We are grateful to travel extensively with our children and in the last five years have been to Alaska, Italy, California, Texas, Florida, Vancouver, Hawaii, London, Quebec City and Nevis but NOTHING could have prepared us for the memories made on our week-long visit to Israel. We looked at many possible tour guides to help us plan a Bar Mitzvah trip to Israel for us, our two kids and parents and I am so grateful that we went with Touring Israel as the experience could not be duplicated by any other guide. From the moment we stepped off the plane and were ushered through the airport with VIP treatment, it was clear that Joe has spent over a decade cultivating relationships with the most knowledgeable, friendly and warm individuals who specialize in their areas of expertise. Every person we met, from the guides who took us for tastings through the food markets in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to the humorous and brilliant helicopter pilot who took us to the Golan Heights, we felt safe and comfortable and in the best hands at all times. Touring a group whose ages range from 10-70 is not for the faint of heart but Joe was always professional, flexible and kept a great sense of humor. I particularly appreciated that he gave us choices for activities and took the pulse of the group and adjusted for our energy level that day (e.g., taking the tram up to Masada instead of climbing). He thought of activities for us that we would have never known about but that turned out to be some of our favorite experiences such as meeting with a Canadian/Israeli journalist who had a unique perspective on the conflicts in the region. This meeting shifted our paradigm and will inform how we seek out current events information in the future. Joe has an encyclopedic knowledge of Israel/World Religions and his pride in the country is clear and infectious. The only negative thing I can say is that we had to come home!!!!

My husband and I spent two weeks hiking in the Negev supported by Touring Israel and Adam Sela. The highlight of the trip was a magical night we spent camping in the desert near the Nachal Mador. After a strenuous day clambering up and down cliffs in the desert guided by Evia, it was such a treat to walk into the camp — finding the tents set up, delicious refreshments and a camp fire. The stars are so clear and beautiful in the desert and Adam and his team provided everything for our comfort and enjoyment. We woke up the next morning to see the sun rise and then returned to the trail after a delicious shakshuka breakfast. Truly a memorable experience. A traveler from Arlington, Virginia

I have never once written a review for anything, but the trip and service we received from Joe Yudin, our tour guide, Bena, Rivka and the rest of the Touring Israel staff was so extraordinary, I would be remiss if I didn’t share our experience! Touring Israel did a phenomenal job expertly planning every aspect of our trip and designing a personalized itinerary that was suited to everyone — no easy feat for a group that ranged from age 6 to 80! They listened to us about what we wanted and they spent hours upon hours (and countless emails) to make sure our expectations were met. From the minute we stepped off the plane, we had days filled with awesome sights, thrilling, unique activities, a beautiful, memorable bar mitzvah at the Wall for our son and phenomenal restaurants and hotels. All of the logistics that can make traveling so frustrating – particularly with a large group – were expertly handled by Touring Israel leaving us to enjoy our trip. Our tour guide, Bena, was nothing short of incredible. He was a fountain of information, he kept things interesting for everyone, he worked tirelessly to make sure everyone was having fun and seeing what they wanted to see, and he was an absolute joy to be be around. He quickly became a member of our family, and there were many in the group who were in tears when we had to say goodbye. It is rare that I can honestly say ‘that was worth every penny and exceeded my wildest expectations.’ The trip we had with Touring Israel was that and more!

Our entire ten day experience with Touring Israel was exceptional and our guide Daniel was unbelievable. We arrived in September 2017 just weeks after our close friends were unable to visit Jerusalem due to tensions over security measures. Our security concerns were quickly dispelled by Daniel who has friends all over the Holy Land. He is fluent in both Arabic and Hebrew as well as English and moved easily throughout Israel and the West Bank. As an Arab Christian raised and educated in Jerusalem he provides a unique perpsective on the challenges facing Israel and her neighbors. At each site we visited, our faith was deepened as he shared his extensive knowledge of the religious and secular history of ancient and modern Israel. He has a wonderful sense of humor and is a superlative teacher. We were introduced to his family and many of his Christian friends and shared meals and stories with them. If your interest in visiting Israel is to expand your knowledge and enrich your Christian faith do not let security concerns deter you and ask for Daniel as your guide.

A++ This was my first trip to Israel and I can’t wait to go back! Before arriving the details of the trip from the accommodations, to assistance with flights, VIP transfers, etc… were perfect! All correspondence was timely, professional and helpful. Once arriving in Israel, I was extremely lucky to work with Joe! He is a wealth of knowledge and we loved spending time with him! Joe presents history and information in an organized and interesting way. If I pointed to a building or a mountain or a body of water or had a question about the politics of a situation, he would immediately tell me everything there is to know (or as much as I wanted to know) about it. He gauges interest and gently asks if we want more information or if he answered a question. His grasp of history is incredible. He is flexible, has suggestions for all ages and interest levels and is simply a wonderful person! We traveled to the North, the South, and everything in between including the Old City, the beaches of Tel Aviv and too many other spots to mention. This particular trip was an all adult trip (ranging in age from mid twenties to early eighties) with an organization called Israel Friends. On my last day in Israel, I asked Joe for his card so I can come back with my husband and two teenage daughters. He immediately had several great ideas to customize a family trip. I will recommend Joe and Touring Israel to everyone I know who is planning a trip and can’t wait to work with him again !

We just returned home from the trip of a lifetime! We were in Israel to celebrate our son’s Bar Mitzvah with 16 family members ranging in age from 8 – 77. Joe Yudin and Maria on his team planned the perfect trip for our family from ATVing in the Golan Heights to hiking Masada, exploring Petra, traveling through the water tunnels beneath Jerusalem to helping us plan the perfect Bar Mitzvah ceremony for our son at Robinson’s Arch at the Wall. Our guide, Ari David was incredible. He blended the perfect amount of history with amazing activities during our 12 days in Israel. We cannot recommend Touring Israel enough.

The Only First Class Way to See Israel Touring Israel is without a doubt, the best way to see and experience Israel. It was my dad’s 90th birthday gift from me, his son. I wanted it to be something very special and it was without a doubt. I first spoke at length with Gil the trip planner. We spoke several times about what we wanted to see and the type of trip we wanted. For 12 days we could cover a lot of ground. He gave us a preliminary itinerary from which we could discuss and make changes. Once that was done, We set up all the bookings. We decided on 5 star hotels. Everything was arranged in advance and they provided us with helpful information on what to bring along. From the moment we landed in Tel Aviv, we were met and escorted through immigration and customs. We never stood in a single line. We traveled to Jerusalem and met our guide Bena/ Without a doubt, he was beyond superb; energetic, smart, and caring. It wasn’t long before he felt like family. The hotels along the way were magnificent. The Milia Hotel in Jerusalem was gorgeous. Wonderful staff and the most spectacular breakfast buffet every morning. We traveled in a comfortable 8 seater van throughout. We saw most of the Country traveling down south through the Negev Desert and then North to the Golan. Yes, we saw the classic sites along the way; floating in the Dead Sea, Masada, the Western Wall, as well as the West Bank, Tel Aviv. However, what made this so special were the out of the ordinary activities that were arranged. We had two special dinners; one with an orthodox family in Jerusalem and with a Druze woman in the Golan area. Homemade food and families from the region. We went on an archeological dig and actually uncovered 2000 year old pottery and artifacts. But no, we couldn’t take any with us. We planted trees in a forest, we met with a retired Defense Force officer who spoke to us about the current political situation. We toured the food markets with a foodie and tasted everything. We did star gazing in the Negev Desert, and met Palestinians in Bethlehem I could go on…but then again, experience it for yourself. You won’t be disappointed; in fact you won’t want to leave. And the memories you will have will be cherished always. I’ve been on many trips around the world, and in fact have been in Israel once before, but nothing like this. Let Touring Israel be your guide. Enjoy!

This was our first visit to Israel. We found the Touring Israel website on Google and were very pleased with our 10 days of personalized touring around Israel, staying at great accommodations and accompanied by our superb local guide, Daniel. Touring Israel put together a tour itinerary that captured what we wanted to see – from a mixture of historic and current Jewish, Christian, and Palestinian sites across the country, to biking/Segway, unique cultural experiences, along with some great restaurants, food and home visits. Quality service started from the time you got off the plane until you left. Our driver and personal guide Daniel, was exactly what we were looking for – super friendly, helpful, considerate, flexible, safety conscious, and familiar with Israel’s history and current political environment. His personal background provided an added perspective on the religious and political complexities of Israel relating to Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. He is multilingual, speaking Hebrew, Arabic, and English, knows his way around, and had acquaintances and friends every place we traveled. Besides that, he drives a very comfortable Mercedes van. One of our highlights was an unplanned visit and lunch with some of his relatives in the Old City in Jerusalem. Touring Israel effectively managed a last minute unexpected hotel change in Jerusalem just prior to our arrival that was caused by the visit of US President Trump. They were able to get us in similar accommodations near the hotel originally booked. Follow-up service from tour planning, during the trip, and at the end was also excellent and appreciated. A couple of final comments – Bespoke travel in Israel is not the cheapest alternative, but is a great way to travel to avoid the large tour buses as well as to get a more personalized experience. Touring Israel does it well and their costs are reasonable when compared to other high end providers. For longer trips like the one we had, there is an expectation that you pay a security deposit prior to finalizing your itinerary and booking.

Just returned from a week in Israel with Daniel. Had a blast. Toured Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Caesarea etc. Daniel is very knowledgeable and an expert guide. I was traveling alone and Daniel and I quickly became friends. He gives the trip that extra touch that makes it unforgettable. Don’t forget to eat lunch at his cousin Freddie’s restaurant. Can’t wait to return and will be calling Daniel at Touring Israel!

A trip to Israel is unique because for such a tiny country there are so many significant historical, religious, archeological, and cultural aspects going back thousands of years. It’s especially important to understand what you are seeing. And it is equally important that your tour and your timing are efficiently and intelligently planned. In planning my trip with Joe and his staff, I felt they really wanted to ensure we had the best experience possible. I wanted a 2-day tour of the Galilee and Golan Heights. We discussed possible itineraries and the final tour was excellent. They made the best hotel and restaurant reservations for me. At the hotel we had the nicest room and the nicest location. Our guide, Daphne, was super. We immediately felt very comfortable traveling with her. There wasn’t a question she couldn’t answer. As she got to know us better, she was able to make suggestions for tweaking the itinerary to include a few more things she thought we would especially enjoy. For our 2 lunches with us, Daphne took us to wonderful places where the locals eat. We really enjoyed the experience and the great food. We never would have found those places on our own. Thanks, Daphne. All of my communications with Joe were very efficient. Different time zones can make it tricky, but all questions were answered by the next business day. All arrangements were clearly explained and in writing. Joe’s assistant, Adi, was very easy to work with and very reliable. All of our stops were organized in advance. Everything went very smoothly. I can highly recommend this Tour company. We learned so much and had a lot of fun.

We booked a 10-day trip for 3 adults (December 2016). Jonathan and Gil were very helpful formulating an ideal itinerary with suggestions based on our interests that we would not have thought of, or found, through online research. They were up front about pricing and time frames for each day. There were no unpleasant surprises, and everything went as anticipated. The team was easy to contact, and it was easy getting questions answered. We would also like to thank Ixora and Rivka for their help. On arrival to Tel Aviv, an agent met us on the jet bridge and promptly escorted us to our vehicle–no waiting in any lines. We have used several agencies but have never received this level of service. The hotel bookings were excellent, and our rooms offered incredible views. Our guide, Daphne, was energetic and passionate about her work. The tours were flexible, and sometimes spontaneous, which made for a really great time. Daphne fine-tuned our experience with special, last-minute stops along the way. Daphne always managed to provide fun surprises based on information gleaned from our conversations. Daphne will be forever in each of our memories! Overall, the experience was well worth the more-than-fair value. We hope to talk to and see you all again–especially Daphne!

Excellent experience!!! Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and fun. We created our own itinerary but allowed for “exceptions” and other experiences without any problems. Getting out of and back into the airport was remarkably easy with the guides. We picked our own guide, and hotels with appropriate help from the tour company. We cannot speak highly enough about our trip. Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Thank you, so much.

We just returned from a wonderful four week hiking trip in Israel. We hiked from Dan and the mountains in the north to Caesarea on the Mediterranean. Every day trip gave us a chance to experience the variety and beauty of Israel as we hiked up and down mountains, through rushing streams, ancient olive groves, exquisite pomegranate orchards and tangles of blooming cacti. We paused to explore world heritage sites, archeological digs, art installations, galleries and Druze, Bedouin, Arab villages. Everywhere people offered water or an invitation to share coffee. Every night after our day trip we relaxed and enjoyed delicious meals in venues ranging from the Kfar Bloom kibbutz Pastoral Hotel, to the historic Scots hotel, beautiful modern Dan Carmel by the Baha’i gardens, and the spectacular Elma Arts Hotel in Zichron Ya’akov. These day trips provided constant and unexpected pleasure… whether seeing fireworks outside our balcony on the sea of Galilee to a hang glider floating over a Huppa at a wedding in Zichron Ya’akov.. or sitting and having a cooling drink in a village founded by artists surrounded by amazing sculptures. Every day we could always expect some unexpected treat for the senses. We made arrangements through Gil Haran of Touring Israel. He laid out the hikes so we could be dropped off at the trail in the morning and picked up at a convenient point at the end of the day. The places he found for us to stay suited our interests and preferences — after a day of hiking we could relax with a massage and a glass of wine in a beautiful and interesting environment — surrounded by history, art and natural beauty. Gil arranged for our wonderful guide, Igal Volitzky, to pick us up and drop us off at the hotel each day. Igal was always waiting for us with chilled water at the end of a hot day of hiking and gave us the benefit of his many years as a guide with running commentary of the land and history as we drove to and from the trail. Igal having lived and worked in the area had friends everywhere, some of whom we had the privilege of meeting; giving us an even deeper appreciation of the land and the people. This was our seventh trip to Israel (all booked through Touring Israel) and the second one with the primary focus on hiking the Israel National Trail. The earlier trips were focused on a series of day trips to the many historical and religious sites. All of our other trips have been in the winter/spring — late February to early March. This time we hiked the north in June– and it was unseasonably hot. New rule — only hike the Israeli National Trail in the spring. Hiking the land like this is a spectacular way to experience Israel.

Right after crossing the boarder, we were greeted by the tour operator. Due to some miscommunication, last minute changes had to be made – David from Touring Israel did it all and we had a fantastic tour of TLV and Jerusalem. Our Guide was Dor who gave us a great tour of the two cities, has lots of knowledge, answers all the questions and we have had various very interesting discussions! The tour was perfectly organised from the beginning until the drop-off at the airport.

This trip was truly unique. Joe Yudin is the most knowledgeable guide I have ever encountered. He showed us spots in Israel that we never knew existed. He engaged kids and adults as well. Smartness plus personality made for a fabulous experience. If you want an unforgettable trip in Israel contact Joe at Touring Israel.com.

Our entire family went to Israel for our sons barmitzvah, it was the most incredible trip customized to our family and all the ages in the group which was from 13 to 80 Each day had something for everyone- we spent 12 days touring and it was super The trip was superbly planned from breakfast to dinner each day I highly recommend Joe Yudin and his company Touring Israel.