Wonders of Israel Reviews

4.9 Rating 32 Reviews

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“An absolutely wonderful trip to Israel. While I was somewhat anxious about security I felt very safe wherever we went. Our guide , Dan Ofri, was precise in getting us to locations; considerate about all personal needs and health issues; willing to go the extra mile with individuals when needs arose; and was extremely knowledable about the history of the land and was able to impart his wealth of knowledge with ease, confidence and passion....a master teacher! You could not ask for a better guide to take you through the ages of Israel. The Hotels and Kibuttz Hotel were all excellent and accommodating and the food very good. It was also nice to have some free time to explore on your own. Dan was helpful with suggestions as to where to venture (and where not to) and also for restaurants. Our bus driver, Vladimir, I might add was an absolutely amazing driver in how he so swiftly maneuvered the purple bus in and out of the narrow and winding streets...Bravo! If you are hesitant to go on this tour...just go and you will have no regrets. A wonderful tour!”

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Posted 7 years ago

“Our wonders of Israel tour was more than we expected. My husband was a little reluctant to travel to Israel. I convinced him to go and he had a wonderful time as well. Out our leader Alon was spectacular. He truly made israel come alive. His explanations of all the sights we visited were not only historical, his side comments made everything come alive. All the Dan hotels we stayed in were beautiful. The breakfasts unbelievable and the staff at the hotels so helpful. A shout out to Naim at the Dan Jerusalem, he had wonderful suggestions for restaurants. The Shabbat dinner at kibbutz Rachel was delicious as well as beautiful. Again Alon shined as he help lead a short Friday night service with help of some members of our tour group. He explained everything so well to those who have never participated in a Shabbat dinner. I feel however that we should have spent more time st Yad Vashem. It is a very moving experience and he amount of time spent there was really not enough. A tour to Bethlehem was scheduled for the afternoon of Yad Vashem. When speaking to some Israelis re:Bethlehem they said why did you go as it is in the West Bank, it is not safe! The church was under major renovations and we were really not able to see the historical sights.That was the only downside of our trip. We took the extended trip to Eliat with three other people from our tour. Eliat was beautiful. The restaurants delicious (Pastoria--yummy) and the people we met very warm. Can't wait to go on another Smartour.”

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Posted 7 years ago

“The tour was rich in culture and history . Our tour director, Ilan, was very well versed in the religions and history of Israel. Plus, he is friendly, personable and comfortable to be with. The hotels were very comfortable and the breakfasts excellent. We enjoyed staying at the kibbutz for the experience. We enjoyed Tel Aviv and would have spent another day there. We toured Jaffa in the morning and we went to Neve Zedek on our own in the afternoon. We went on all the optional tours. Petra is a must. Eilat was interesting and relaxing, but Petra is the highlight. The Galilee and Golan day was good. We had fun on the boat and the winery was a good experience for us Californians. The Bethelem optional tour was not my favorite, but was probably because of the restoration work being done on the Church of the Nativitiy. We went to the Sabbath dinner at a kibbutz near Jerusaleum. The experience was interesting and fun, but the price was a little high for the food served.”

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Posted 7 years ago

“This was our first trip to Israel and it was an amazing, educational experience. Our tour guide, Dan, gave us a crash college course in 2500 years of history during our trip. Everyone was in awe of his knowledge, and he was a great tour leader, handling smoothly any concerns that came up. The hotels were all great. Do not miss the extension to Petra. It is well worth the extra cost. However, prepare appropriately for possible very hot weather. If you take the horse and buggy up the hill at the end of the Petra visit, confirm the price ahead of time (should be 30 dollars) ask for a receipt and make sure the driver takes you back to the entrance all the way at the top where you first enter. Otherwise, you will still have an uphill hike as we unfortunately did. Jerusalem, Masada and Petra were the best parts of this great tour. If you are traveling with friends or family, make sure to let smarTours know that you are traveling together so you get plane seats together. This was a physically exhausting trip but well worth it, and we felt safe the whole time.”

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Posted 7 years ago

“The richness and complexity of Israel can hardly be described, but must be experienced. Our Tour Director, Ophir Keshet, was without doubt the best I have had the pleasure to travel with. His knowledge of the history of the people and the land was remarkable,but it was his passion for his home country that truly made this tour come alive!!”

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Posted 8 years ago

“My first tour with SMARTOURS. From the beginning (reservations, questions) everything was done professionally and responses were quick. Our flight (from JFK) was on El Al and the service was exceptional. The tour guide, Uri Mor was a treasure. He gave us a view of Israel not found in any guide books. Any questions were answered (even if he had to find the answers). I highly recommend this tour. The price was great! My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The accommodations at the DAN hotels were superb. There was one thing, however, our return to the USA WAS ON THE DAY AFTER THE ENORMOUS SNOWSTORM hit NYC in January. But we landed safely and returned home safely.”

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Posted 8 years ago

“My husband and I went on our first trip with SmarTours last month. Our entire experience was wonderful! SmarTours arranged a fabulous itinerary and was great. The trip was very well organized and gave us an extensive overview of Israel. Our tour guide, Shmulik Eitan was just incredible! He was extremely knowledgeable, accommodating and thorough. He was an excellent story teller and explained the history and importance of every site so that it gave our group a very good understanding. Our bus driver was very personable and fun to have on the bus. We had a wonderful group which also made our trip fantastic! We would definitely organize another trip with SmarTours!”

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Posted 8 years ago

“Israel was not even on our list of places to visit and at the last minute we decided not to sign up for a trip to Australia and New Zealand in favor of Israel. This trip was way beyond our expectations! Our group was wonderfully cohesive, weather unusually pleasant for a February visit, superior tour manager, hilarious driver, interesting foods and marvelous stops along the way. Every day we had mini lectures on the complex and fascinating history of Israel and the Holy Land. Stories of the Bible came alive before our eyes giving one the feeling of being present rather than an onlooker or listener. Do give serious consideration to this trip as it is likely to be a highlight of all your travels!”

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Posted 8 years ago