Holy Land Travel-Israel/Jordan

brooney

Could anyone please give me any suggestions on decent travel operators who organise Holy Land trips?

Thanks very much in advance.

mrs_thrifty_2

Hello I would recommend McCabe pilgrimages. I went with them to Oberammergau earlier this year and the tour was faultless. Other group members had been on their Holy Land tours and said the service there was impeccable too. Not cheap but very well done.

alanrowell

Do you want a religious or secular tour company?

brooney

I don't mind but I'd like to see religious sites.

martindow

brooney wrote: »

I don't mind but I'd like to see religious sites.

I think you might feel quite uncomfortable in a religious tour with groups praying, singing hymns and becoming openly emotional unless you share their views. Both secular and religious tours will go to the main religious sites.

moonrakerz

It may be worth you trying some overseas travel agents, especially in the USA. There is a much bigger market for them over there.

I am meeting up with some American friends for a Nile cruise before they do their "Holy land" tour in Jan 2011.
They are using:
http://www.americaisrael.us/

Most of the tours are "land only", so you will have to make your own way to/from the Middle East.
They seem to cover a wide range of clients, from the "tourist" to the very religious.

puffinmuffin

I was in Israel last month doing voluntary work (as an archaeologist) and travelled around a bit just picking up day tours locally. I would definitely go with a secular company in the hope of getting a more balanced tour. As another poster said, the religious tours can be very religious. Highlights for me were just walking around Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, Masada and the Dead Sea. I also took a day tour into Palestine which visited the separation wall and a refugee camp and some voluntary projects working in the area.

blindman

puffinmuffin wrote: »

I was in Israel last month doing voluntary work (as an archaeologist) and travelled around a bit just picking up day tours locally. I would definitely go with a secular company in the hope of getting a more balanced tour. As another poster said, the religious tours can be very religious. Highlights for me were just walking around Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, Masada and the Dead Sea. I also took a day tour into Palestine which visited the separation wall and a refugee camp and some voluntary projects working in the area.

I'm going at the end of August.

I assume it's easy to pick the tours locally?

Any other MSE tips?

puffinmuffin

Where do you plan to go?

Most hotels and hostels have links to tour companies so it was pretty easy. I used http://http://www.toursinenglish.com/ for the Palestine trip and it was good, very informative!

Prices (beers, restaurant food etc) in Israeli cities seemed similar to those in southern europe but street food like falafel and shwarma are cheap and filling. Public transport is cheap. If you are going straight to Jerusalem from Ben Gurion the Nesher shared taxis outside will take you to your hotel (or as close as they can get) for 50NIS (£8ish) Bus is cheaper but a lot more faffing around.

I am sure you know this but check entry times for sights when planning as many will close friday/saturday

alanrowell

moonrakerz wrote: »

It may be worth you trying some overseas travel agents, especially in the USA. There is a much bigger market for them over there. ...

...They seem to cover a wide range of clients, from the "tourist" to the very religious.

You are more likely to find that they are "quite" religious. Remember the average American is far more religious than the average Brit - and a lot more supportive of Israel so political discussions would be out

I'd stick to UK companies like Explore Worldwide & Exodus both of whom do several tours in the area

moonrakerz

alanrowell wrote: »

You are more likely to find that they are "quite" religious. Remember the average American is far more religious than the average Brit - and a lot more supportive of Israel so political discussions would be out

That is certainly NOT the case with the tour my friends booked on - they certainly are not in slightest bit religious. The tour operator runs tours for all tastes - which is what I said in the first place