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Jerusalem Day Trip


DoonTheSlope

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Looking to take a day trip to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv on the Friday, has anyone got any reputable tour guides?

All I’m really looking for is a bus tour that’ll take me to the main sites ie the mosque and separation wall etc, let you have time to walk about yourself and to get a feel of the place. There’s a few online but they take you into a Palestinian persons house for refreshments, fuck that!

The Abraham Tours crowd seem to have a good reputation and looks decent but would like to consider any other recommendations before going ahead and booking

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10 hours ago, Scotland Ever More said:

I've been looking at Green Olive Tours and Abraham tours for one on the Wednesday.

 

10 hours ago, wanderer said:

Doing Green Olives full day tour on Friday. Pretty much full day with the 1st half of the morning going around all the main sites, then takes you into the Palestinian areas in the afternoon.

I had a look at the Green Olive but from Tel Aviv they need a minimum of four people on the booking

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3 hours ago, DoonTheSlope said:

 

I had a look at the Green Olive but from Tel Aviv they need a minimum of four people on the booking

4 people doing the tour, but I spoke with the guide to ask more info on this, and he says as he lives in Tel Aviv he is basically picking people up on his way to Jerusalem, and says tour will most likely happen, as its pretty popular with people staying in Tel Aviv.

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2 hours ago, wanderer said:

4 people doing the tour, but I spoke with the guide to ask more info on this, and he says as he lives in Tel Aviv he is basically picking people up on his way to Jerusalem, and says tour will most likely happen, as its pretty popular with people staying in Tel Aviv.

Is there a direct email adddress for the guy or is it just the contact email on the website?

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16 minutes ago, DoonTheSlope said:

Is there a direct email adddress for the guy or is it just the contact email on the website?

contacted them through the email on the website, plus after I booked he emailed me directly with a request asking if I could bring some sort of gifts to hand out to the kids in the refugee camps on the Palestinian side of the tour (he also sends weekly news letter with regards to Palestinian news)

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2 hours ago, wanderer said:

contacted them through the email on the website, plus after I booked he emailed me directly with a request asking if I could bring some sort of gifts to hand out to the kids in the refugee camps on the Palestinian side of the tour (he also sends weekly news letter with regards to Palestinian news)

I’ll give them an email.

Cheers!

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Hi guys I have lived in TLV for almost a year now and have used Bein Harim tours myself. Reputable company with trips to Jerusalem/Bethlehem (West Bank) every day in English.

https://www.beinharimtours.com please be careful and only use reputable companies that are registered with the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. Eg by law you need a Palestinian guide to cross into the West Bank, your Israeli guide comes along but chills out while the Palestinian guide does the tour.

 

Edited by RobA
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Anyone with any experience think if I get up early on match day whether it’s possible to get through to Jereusalem have a mooch around and be back for the Davy bus?

I don’t need (or want) to go to the West Bank, but seems a shame to miss out Jereusalem entirely. Don’t get in until the evening on the Wednesday and leave  Tel Aviv mid afternoon on the friday. 

 

J

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Hi J 

yes very do-able it’s only about 40miles from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Bus is quickest believe it or not. Train is more comfortable but takes longer.

The old city of Jerusalem is actually quite small and all quarters could be seen, eg Christian qt including the Vila Delarosa and the church of the sepulchre, western wall, Muslim quarter including the market streets in 2-3 hours comfortably. 

Taxis will also take you for a fixed price, wait and then bring you back....but most expensive option.

 

rob

 

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Israel is fairly easy to get around by bus on your own and as Rob says Jerusalem is small and easily navigated. Remember your passport as you’ll show it at check point  before going into Bethlehem, not sure if this is the same on an organised tour. Don’t forget Jaffa if you’re staying in Tel Aviv, good place to go during Shabbat, historically fascinating, great for food and bars and it’s a lovely walk along to it. There’s some good trips to Masada, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea either sunrise sunset or through the day but if you choose sunrise tour remember it’s a fair old climb up to Masada as lifts don’t operate that early. 

 

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13 minutes ago, G-Man said:

Israel is fairly easy to get around by bus on your own and as Rob says Jerusalem is small and easily navigated. Remember your passport as you’ll show it at check point  before going into Bethlehem, not sure if this is the same on an organised tour. Don’t forget Jaffa if you’re staying in Tel Aviv, good place to go during Shabbat, historically fascinating, great for food and bars and it’s a lovely walk along to it. There’s some good trips to Masada, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea either sunrise sunset or through the day but if you choose sunrise tour remember it’s a fair old climb up to Masada as lifts don’t operate that early. 

 

Do they stamp your passport with a Palestinian stamp? Will this cause more scrutiny getting through the airport when leaving Israel?

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No, in fact on my 2 trips to the West Bank they didn’t even check anyone’s passport on the way in. On the way out the IDF will check but your fine with a British Passport and your entry blue slip you get at immigration on arrival to Ben gurion.

you will get the 3rd degree when you leave anyway....everyone does lol

Edited by RobA
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4 hours ago, DoonTheSlope said:

Think I’ll probably be passing on the Green Olive tours. I sent a message last night and so far I’ve received 6 emails from them talking about how great they are and not one has any information on the query which I contacted them about in first place

This is exactly the same for me. I still can't decide which tour to pick and have asked a few questions about different ones only to be met with generic replies.

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4 hours ago, Scotland Ever More said:

This is exactly the same for me. I still can't decide which tour to pick and have asked a few questions about different ones only to be met with generic replies.

I sent another email asking for them to answer my query and they replied that they require 4 people to book for it to go ahead. They went on to say that the tour is still not confirmed to run that day and if they don’t get the required numbers by a couple of days before then they’ll notify me and let me know if any alternative arrangements 

I then replied asking what these alternative arrangements are likely to be and that 2 days cancellation notice isn’t any use to me as my time is very limited leaving me little time to book elsewhere if GOT alternative plans don’t suit me

I then got a reply almost instantly saying that because I’m travelling in high season it will probably go ahead Personally “probably depending on numbers” isn’t concrete enough for me so I’ll likely be passing on them. A few moments after that they re-sent the Israel/Palestine Conflict brochure

Looking at Ben Harim tours at the minute which seems to offering the same tours

All I’m wanting is someone to take me to Jerusalem then into Palestine to get a feel for things. I’m not interested in hearing either sides propaganda 

 

Edited by DoonTheSlope
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Please please please if your going to do Jerusalem and the West Bank use Bein Harim. They are a very professional company that use qualified tour guides and also employ Palestinian tour guides for Bethlehem. 

Jerusalem is mind blowing when it comes to history of all the 3 main religions. As a Christian I found it very humbling to see the actual places I only heard about in Sunday school!!

The trip to Bethlehem is difficult, you will see the walls and barb wire. You will see poverty and kids sellin you stuff in the streets. You will see the church of the nativity and where baby Jesus was born.....but.... the experience of just going there is amazing.

dont fuck about use Bein Harim 😉

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12 minutes ago, RobA said:

Please please please if your going to do Jerusalem and the West Bank use Bein Harim. They are a very professional company that use qualified tour guides and also employ Palestinian tour guides for Bethlehem. 

Jerusalem is mind blowing when it comes to history of all the 3 main religions. As a Christian I found it very humbling to see the actual places I only heard about in Sunday school!!

The trip to Bethlehem is difficult, you will see the walls and barb wire. You will see poverty and kids sellin you stuff in the streets. You will see the church of the nativity and where baby Jesus was born.....but.... the experience of just going there is amazing.

dont fuck about use Bein Harim 😉

Think I will be, Ben 😁

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