Israel Tour FAQs: Your Questions Answered

Short answer: These are the questions travelers ask us most, answered by our team here in Israel: what tours cost, how booking works, hotels, Petra, private and family tours, walking, kosher food and Shabbat. Don’t see your question? Send us a message and a real person in Israel will reply.

Prices and booking

How much does an Israel tour cost?

Group tour prices depend on the tour length (10, 12, 13 or 15 days), your travel dates and your hotel package (3-star, 4-star or 5-star superior). Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and don’t include airfare. Every Jewish Heritage group tour itinerary lists each departure date with its price.

For a private tour, a robust 8-day trip with 4-star hotels, all site fees, a private guide, chauffeur and vehicle typically runs about $16,000–18,000 in total for 2 people, $20,000–24,000 for 4 and $26,000–30,000 for 6. Tell us your dates and group size and we’ll send you a full itinerary and quote.

How do I book, and how do I pay?

Email us the tour, date and hotel package you’d like, and we’ll send you a secure online invoice. A $500 per person deposit confirms a group tour booking (for private tours, the deposit is listed in your quotation). The balance is due 30 days before the tour. We accept major credit cards, in US dollars. Once you’ve paid, we’ll ask for your flight details and send you our pre-tour information.

What’s your cancellation policy? Do I need travel insurance?

Final payments are refundable up to 10 days before the tour, less a 3% credit card processing fee. The original booking deposit is non-refundable, but it’s never lost: you can apply it in full toward rebooking. We strongly recommend buying trip insurance within 14 days of booking, ideally with “Cancel for Any Reason” cover. See our terms of business for the details.

What’s included in the price, and what isn’t?

Included: all hotels for the whole tour, a professional licensed English-speaking guide, all site entry and activity fees, airport transfers 24/7, all breakfasts and some lunches and dinners.

Not included: airfare, Shabbat meals (booked and paid at your hotel), Israel’s ETA-IL entry permit, the Jordan border fee on Petra tours, and tips. A typical tip is $10–15 per person per day for your guide and $5–10 per person per day for your driver.

Is airfare included?

No. We’re a tour operator based in Israel, not a US travel agent, so our prices cover everything on the ground. Book any flight that suits you, send us your flight details, and we’ll arrange your airport transfers.

Tours and dates

When do your tours run? Are the 2027 dates out?

Yes, our 2027 dates and prices are published. Our Jewish Heritage group tours (10, 12, 13 and 15 days) run every month, with the most departures in spring and fall. There are no departures over some holidays, such as Shavuot. We usually publish the next year’s dates around September.

Do your tours go to Petra?

Petra is included on our 13-day and 15-day tours, with a full-day tour of Petra, Jordan, from Eilat. It isn’t available on the 10-day or 12-day tours. Bring your passport. The Jordanian border and visa fee (currently $125 per person) is paid on site in cash (US dollars) or by credit card.

Do you offer day tours or shorter trips?

Yes. We run group day tours, including Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, and Bethlehem and Jerusalem, which are great before or after a group tour. For a shorter trip of a few days, we’ll build a private tour around your dates.

Can you create a private or custom tour for us?

Yes, for any length and any group size. You get your own guide and vehicle, your choice of hotels and an itinerary built around your interests and pace. Browse our sample itineraries or start planning a custom tour.

Hotels, flights and arrival

What’s the difference between the hotel packages?

Every group tour comes with a choice of three hotel packages: 3-Star Selected, 4-Star Preferred and 5-Star Superior. Everyone tours together whichever package they choose, and the guide collects you from your hotel each day. The 3-star hotels are clean but basic, so most travelers choose 4-star or 5-star. Each package includes a standard room, and we can quote room upgrades. All our hotels are kosher.

Do you pick us up at the airport? Can we arrive early or stay longer?

Yes. Airport transfers are included 24/7. Arrive or leave on any flight, any day, and our escort will meet you in the Ben Gurion luggage hall. Many travelers add hotel nights before or after the tour, and we book them as one continuous stay so you don’t have to change rooms. Hotels have standard check-in and check-out times, so if you land very early or fly out late at night, an extra night is a good idea. VIP fast-track airport service is also available for an extra fee.

Who our tours are for

How big are the groups?

It varies from week to week. Some departures have fewer than 10 travelers, and busy spring and fall weeks can have 25–35. Smaller groups travel in a van and larger groups in a minibus or coach. Ask us about your dates and we’ll tell you how that week looks.

Who usually joins your group tours?

Mostly adults aged roughly 55–75, a mix of couples, friends and solo travelers, largely from the US and Canada. The tours are welcoming and non-denominational, not Orthodox tours. Read more about our group tours for seniors.

I’m traveling solo. Can you match me with a roommate?

Solo travelers are very welcome. Each itinerary shows a solo traveler package price. We don’t pair up roommates, so you’ll have your own room.

Can we bring our children? Do you do family tours?

Families travel with us on private tours rather than group tours, since our group tours are mostly adults aged 55–75. A private family tour is planned around your kids’ ages and interests, your dates and your pace. Tell us your travel dates, how many adults and children, and a target budget, and we’ll design it for you.

Can you plan a Bar or Bat Mitzvah in Israel?

Yes. We plan private Bar and Bat Mitzvah tours, with the ceremony at the Western Wall, Masada or another meaningful site, and touring for the whole family.

I’m not Jewish. Is the tour right for me?

Everyone is welcome. Our group tours focus on Jewish heritage and modern Israel rather than a “footsteps of Jesus” itinerary. Many Christian travelers use the free days to visit Bethlehem, Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, and we run group day tours to those sites. A private tour can also be built entirely around the Christian holy sites.

How much walking is there? Can travelers with limited mobility join?

Group tours include a fair amount of walking every day (about 1–3 miles over a touring day), often on uneven ground and steps, so they aren’t suitable for wheelchairs or limited mobility. For travelers with limited mobility we offer private tours at a gentler pace, like our 12-day mobility-friendly tour.

On tour

Is the food kosher? What happens on Shabbat?

All our hotels are kosher. Shabbat is a free day on group tours, with no touring. Every hotel offers Shabbat dinner and lunch (reserve at the front desk and pay the hotel directly), and many travelers visit the Western Wall on Friday evening.

Is it safe to travel to Israel right now?

We live and work in Israel, and our tours are operating as normal. See our Israel safety page.

Still have a question?

We’re happy to help, whether you’re ready to book or just starting to plan. Send us a message, ask a free Israel travel question, or see our pre-tour information for practical tips on entry rules, money, phones and packing.