When I began to research options for our trip to Israel, I reviewed multiple travel sites. On TripAdvisor, I found several reviews of TravelingJerusalem. All the reviewers gave the company five stars. It sounded too good to be true. So, I checked on other Israel related travel sites and found the same rating. I even contacted some of the reviewers to determine if they were real people. So, with a high level of confidence, I contacted TravelingJerusalem.
Sonia was assigned to organize a two-week private tour for three of us in June of this year. She responded promptly to all my questions and developed an itinerary that was tailored to our needs.
Our trip to Israel was an outstanding success thanks to her excellent organization. From the minute we were met at Ben Gurion airport until we left everything was executed smoothly and efficiently. Transportation, hotels, restaurant recommendations, no detail was overlooked or too much trouble.
Our guides were outstanding. Their knowledge and passion for the history and archeology of the Holy Land was impressive. We learnt a lot! Highlights were the private tour in a Jeep of the Golan Heights, learning about the innovations of water drip technology from the head of the Kibbutz to the wonder of Masada to name just a few.
If you want an alternative to big tour groups, and to visit sites that large groups do not include, you cannot do better than TravelingJerusalem.
Posted by
Austin, TX
2197 posts
I am so glad that you had a wonderful time and posted about it.
I am going to Israel for the first time October 2024. I will be taking a cruise from Haifa to Istanbul spending a few days in Tel Aviv pre cruise.
I am an old lady who is going solo. I might want some day excursions and will look into Traveling Jerusalem.
I am taking a different cruise October 2023 and will begin some very serious research for my Israel to Istanbul cruise probably soon. My October 2023 cruise is fully planned
What airline did you use to fly to Israel?
Posted by
OP
USA
21 posts
You sound a lot like me-I like to plan my travel well in advance. It paid off this time as the fares had doubled in price by the time we left.
We flew on El Al direct from Boston to Tel Aviv. There are direct flights currently on Tuesdays & Thursdays. We live in Savannah, GA but we elected to fly to Boston on a separate roundtrip ticket. We spent the night in Boston and flew out the next day. After researching non-stop flights, I did not find a good route that did not include multiple stops.
I would strongly recommend that you include a visit to Jerusalem on your trip. Tel Aviv is a modern, dynamic city but nothing compares to the ancient history of Jerusalem.
Posted by
Chicago
554 posts
I concur about Israel as a destination, though I went there as an independent traveler in 2013. I did not use an organized service. I read the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide guidebooks.
Most everyone I met in museums, hotels, restaurants and tourist information offices was helpful. Museum personnel at the Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv were great. Shopkeepers in Jerusalem managed to communicate with me. Wait stuff understood what I wanted.
And my favorite person was the ticket tacker at Masada. He and I ended up talking for almost 30 minutes -- 15 minutes before entering the site and 15 minutes after.
My favorite memory was of a passenger on a Tel Aviv bus. The man was a professor at the University of Tel Aviv. Though he spoke something like six or seven languages, English was not one of them. He and I spoke limited Spanish. We managed to communicate a bit.
Posted by
Austin, TX
2197 posts
I live in Austin, Texas and will probably fly JetBlue to Boston and from Boston on to Tel Aviv. I have a Barclay's credit card which is partnered with JetBlue. I have rewards and will earn rewards
I plan to go to Jerusalem but as a port excursion. I sail from Haifa and the first port is Ashdod. Members on this site have suggested that I stay in Jerusalem pre cruise rather than Tel Aviv.
It is a very good thing that I began my planning early because we are sailing a few days after Rosh Hashanah and a few days before Yom Kippur. It is going to be a very expensive and busy time to be in Israel, especial Jerusalem. .
I am probably going to be flying in on the Friday before I sail and I found out that many hotels do not allow guests to check in or check out during Sabbath. I have found some hotels that allow this. The Brown Brand in Tel Aviv does.
It is a good thing that I begin my research early.