Wonders of Israel Reviews

4.9 Rating 32 Reviews

About smarTours:

smarTours is a leading provider of direct-to-consumer, affordable travel experiences to exotic global destinations. The Company offers travelers curated, pre-packaged itineraries to over 50 destinations across the globe. By offering tours directly to consumers, the Company provides premium-quality experiences at value prices, and as a result, has cultivated a highly passionate and loyal community of repeat travelers. More than 200,000 travelers have taken a smarTours trip since the founding of the Company in 1996. smarTours is… the smarter way to see the world.

Visit Product Page

Phone:

800-337-7773

Email:

info@smartours.com

Location:

500 7TH AVE, 8TH FL,
NEW YORK
New York
10018

Visit Product Page

“Too bad I cannot give this trip more stars, only 5 just is not enough. I have been thinking about what to write in this review ever since our tour began. I have been searching for just the right words and I have failed. There are no words to explain how much I learned, how many incredible experiences we had, how much we appreciated our free time to make our own plans. Our guide, Dan Ofri, filled our heads to overflowing with the spectacular history of this country. His awe at the sites, his joy and pride, and yes his tears at times, helped us to feel the life that inhabits this land. Thank you for a wonderful trip. Hotel choices placed us in just the right locale for our free time adventures... walkable or right near public transportation.This was our fourth Smartours trip and we are already planning our next adventure.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“As always, we had a wonderful Smartours trip. This time we went to Israel. Our guide, Dan, was knowledgeable about the Jewish history and religion and, at the same time, read to is relevant passages from the New Testament. The Dan Panorama hotels were excellent and had amazing breakfasts with a wide selection of available items. I am so glad we went on this trip. I loved the optional Sea of Galilee tour. Swimming in the Dead Sea was an amazing experience. We will be heading to Machu Picchu, Equador, and the Galápagos Islands next. We can’t wait!”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“I enjoyed touring Israel and seeing the many places that Christ when to including his birth place and his death and resurrection Would highly recommend it to anyone”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“We had Dan Ofri fro our tour guide in Israel and he really knew his history. He was great and I would recommend him over and over again. Loved all parts of the trip including Jordan and the Dead Sea.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“The tour experience was good. Kibbutz not so great, not even a bar of soap in the bathroom. In Egypt bottle water was free every day, in Israel had to pay for every bottle. More dinners should be included, especially , after travelling to one destination and being on the bus all day,it would be nice to have the meal included at the hotel. Overall the trip was good. Gui Peretz the guide in Israel was excellent.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Fantastic tour! Gai Perez is absolutely the best tour guide we’ve ever had on any trip. Amazing knowledge about the complete history of Israel going back to the beginning and such a passion for his country. Such a wonderful vacation we won’t forget.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Let me start by stating that this was my second trip to Israel, the first occurred in 1988 and so many things have changed, but mainly for the better. My first trip was not with a tour group, so I was unsure if this would provide me with the same experience or better/worse. SmarTours made the trip easy, they met us at the airport and put us on a bus to Tel Aviv. They handled all of the luggage for the entire 2 week trip, getting it from the bus to the hotel room and vice/versa. Our tour guide Arie was amazing. From the first day he explained in depth what and how the trip would include and clarified where we would go and why. He and hotel staff would wake us every morning so that no one was late and everything was achieved in a timely manner. We traveled from Tel Aviv to Jaffe on foot and we were allowed a free afternoon and then dinner by bus with the whole group. We were a total of 34 people and each and every person was friendly, nice and interesting. The next day we went to Caesarea, Haifa and Galilee. In each and every place we went Arie provided us with enormous amounts of information and his knowledge and expertise was incredible. I had asked if there would be a quiz at the end of the tour and he laughed and said there should be. My friend and I went the next day on the optional Golan and Galilee excursion, which included a boat ride in the sea of Galilee and a stop in Safed, which was the highlight of the tour up to that time. The next day we traveled by bus to Capernaum and two other stops on the way to Jerusalem. The sites that we saw were all exceptional and our interest and awareness always increased with Arie's explanations and historic references helping to aide in our understanding of the full history and the who, what and where of each time period. That evening we arrived in the most amazing place in the world, Jerusalem. The old city is fascinating and with Arie's knowledge and descriptions so much had become clear to me that I didn't understand on my first visit. With SmarTours you see everything of importance and even other things that you don''t know is important until you have been there with someone who has the knowledge and expertise to teach you. The next day we went to Masada. It was late May and early June, but it was at least 90 degrees Fahrenheit but I didn't want to miss a bit so I kept going even though Arie continued to find shady places to see, hear and watch from. After Masada, we spent the afternoon at a hotel right next to the Dead Sea. It is true you cannot drown, but it is an unusual experience. The next day in Jerusalem we went to Yad Vashem. Even if you have been to another holocaust museum, this place will touch you deep in your heart and soul regardless of you religion or background. Arie let us visit this at our own pace and we had at least 3 hours and when we all met some went to Bethlehem and others went back to hotel for an afternoon at leisure and we sat by the pool. The last day in Jerusalem we went back to the old city and shopped. My friend and I decided early on that we would go to Eilat and visit Petra in Lebanon. So as people caught their planes home we drove to Eilat. That part of the trip was truly relaxing as the tour days often started early and went into the late afternoon. The trip to Petra was extraordinary. We had a different guide because Arie couldn't work in Lebanon, however, he took us to the Israeli border and met us when we returned. That day was excruciatingly hot but I made the 7 mile round trip primarily because I was continuously looking up and around at most amazingly shaped rocks and of course, the surprise! As I loved this trip so much , I took another SmarTours trip in September to Italy.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“I never went on a guided tour. As a matter of fact, I was totally against them. I loved researching and doing it all myself. I decided to take a Smartour trip to Israel because I didn't know how to speak or read Hebrew and I want d to safely see it all. We'll see it all I did. I saw Israel through the eyes and knowledge of our guide. Ari. This man was not only extremely knowledgeable, but was a passionate representative of his country. His treasure chest of facts, stories and geography made our trip come alive. He made us see things we may have never noticed or have known. I learned how to tell the different eras of construction, why certain ruins were placed where they were, what in setu means even though I can't spell it! Ari was entertaining and intense. He insisted we listen and watch his description and maps of various areas. He also took the time to take us to places that he didn't have too. He made this trip unforgettable! I hope to return to Israel and I will make sure he is my guide again so my family can experience this wonderful experience. To say I am satisfied is an understatement. I will be taking another Smartour in the near future. You have me hooked!”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago