August 25, 2017

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. A traveler from Ft Lauderdale, FL

August 22, 2017

Just returned from a week in Israel with Daniel. Had a blast. Toured Bethelhem, Jerusalem, Ceasarea 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!   Phil Tallahassee FL

July 25, 2017

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. A customer from Houston, TX

July 20, 2017

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! Marty F, San Jose, CA

July 15, 2017

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!

July 12, 2017

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. Dr. Alan Goldman

July 10, 2017

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. Jolie B, Arlington, Virginia

July 5, 2017

Touring Israel planned a first rate trip for my family of 3 generations. They didn’t miss a beat fulfilling Grandparents , parents, teens and children . TAMAR was our guide – a true professional, reliable, who cared a great deal about our family every step of the way. TI also accommodated the kids and all their food allergies. Mixing adventure with museums , meeting soldiers, Generals and a news reporter we experienced the most memorable trip of a lifetime.

May 1, 2017

My wife and I visited Israel in March, 2017 and it was our first trip. Saw reference to Touring Israel in Lonely Planet guide. Upon contact with TI, planning an itinerary was a thorough and pleasant. We did three tours, Old City Jerusalem, Masada/Ein Gedi and the Northern Coast. The first two was guided by Abigail. She was very engaging and knowledgable. The pace was perfect and the traditional middle eastern lunch in the old city was tremendous. Rona was our guide on the Northern Coast including the walled city of Jaffa. I would recommend Touring Israel for the top notch service appreciated with personal and private tours. John B, Cape Elizabeth, Maine