Elzeth

We are planning to tour Israel in October 2007. Can anyone suggest a good and reliable travel agent?

Mamamia

Tour Guide (as your header) or Travel Agent?

If a tour guide, do a search here, there have been a few posts dealing with that subject.

If a Travel Agent, we use an israeli company here, "My Travel Agent" at 847-677-7550, ask for Chaim Limor.

Weezie

I would recommend that when you hire someone you ask very specifically if they have issues with visiting both jewish and muslim sites. We neglected to ask this and towards midday realized that our guide had quite skillfully avoided all muslim sites. When we asked her about going to them she explained that everything had already closed. I was devastated, particularly as we missed the Dome of the Rock. I still feel angry about this and realize I should have been more aware of her personal bias.

FainaAgain

Weezie, she was also responsible for your and her personal safety.

margategirl

Elzeth: 2 yrs. ago we used Michael, his website is: miketour.co.il
email: [email protected]
He picked us up in Tel Aviv, and we toured the whole country with him for 8 nights. He had a nice mini van, which was included in the price with his fees, gas, etc.. He was very nice and a lot of fun. We felt having a private guide was the way to go, our daughter was with us and we would not advise getting on a bus of any kind there. He booked all but 2 of the hotels for us, getting his room half price and extending his TA discounts to us for our rooms. I booked my own room in Jerusalum as I wanted to stay at the American Colony and he couldn't get a discount there.
Michael is a Professional Licensed guide, and he cut through to the heart of the country. You also get a real feel for the people on both sides of the fence travelling with him.

suzpom

Weezie - I don't think it has anything to do with "skillfully avoiding" - it might be that there simply aren't many Muslim sites in Jerusalem to see and those that people want to see (The Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aksa Mosque) are not open to non-Muslims at this time.

While it is possible to ascend to the Temple Mount and walk around on the platform, you aren't allowed into any of the buildings there plus it is closed daily at 10 or 11AM (and opened, sometimes, for about 30 minutes to an hour in the afternoon) by the Wakf (the Muslim authority) to non-Muslims, so the possibility to do that AND everything else is limited. You can see a bit of Mamluk architecture (primarily the outside of tombs & Madrassahs) which is (or was) quite beautiful and interesting as you wander through the Old City (on Street of the Chain mostly), but perhaps you didn't mention wanting to see the Dome of the Rock or going up onto the Temple Mount until it was too late. I suspect it wasn't bias but simply the lack of what to see and the time element.

suzanne pomeranz, jerusalem, israel

StanKase

margategirl; I contacted Mike to spend 5-6 full days 8-10 hour days woth us starting in Tel Aviv and he quoted me a rate of $400/day for car and his services plus $100 for overnight expenses for those nights we were away from Tel Aviv, probably 2-3. That could add up to $2500-$2800USD, seems high to me.
What is your thoughts on that? Thanks.