Our Summer Report for 2017
Summer 2017 was incredible! We Just wanted to share two of the letters we received from families who traveled this past summer. Our next Family/Bar-Bat Mitzvah Tour departs on December 23. Limited space is available, so please call soon for more information if you would like to travel with us this winter.
Everything was spectacular beginning with the ease of booking the tour, the customer service here in the US and especially the level of service we received once we arrived in Israel! Our expectations were exceeded from the get go!
The welcome party on the first evening gave the families on our tour an opportunity to meet and mingle. Before dinner, our hostess and tour guide welcomed us and explained what we can expect on our journey over the next few days.
Each morning at our hotels began early with the most sumptuous buffets and then we headed out for our day of touring in our luxury air-conditioned bus with our expert guide.. He was beyond knowledgeable. From ancient history, religion and politics to geography, topography and agriculture – our guide explained everything we needed to know about Israel in a way that captured the attention of both the adults and kids. Not a day went by where we did not laugh, cry or emphatically say, WOW!!
The purpose of this tour was for the bar mitzvah on top of Masada at sunrise. Our private ceremony, led by a wonderful Rabbi, was truly breathtaking and emotional. Israel Discovery Tours provided us with a professional photographer and videographer to capture this momentous occasion.
From the north to the south, there were so many amazing highlights on this Israel tour. But we especially adored river rafting in the Jordan River, floating in the Dead Sea, the camel ride with the Bedouins, the bullet factory and the archaeological dig – to name a few.
After our long days of touring, we were obviously exhausted. We
always had free time in the late afternoon to rest at our beautiful
hotels before dinner, which were always delicious with enough variety to
please even the pickiest appetites. There was also a fantastic Bar
Mitzvah party celebration including a DJ and dance floor where everyone
got their groove on!
From arrival to departure day, everything was
simply perfect and set to the highest standards of luxury travel. We
can’t thank you enough for this extraordinary trip of a lifetime!
Andrea & Brian – Deerfield, IL
Even before we left on our trip, the professionalism of the US staff in helping plan our Bar Mitzvah trip demonstrated the quality of the organization we chose as our tour company. We were very confident we made the right decision selecting Israel Discovery Tours.
We are now world travelers! Our son’s first trip on an airplane and his first trip out of the USA was our 12 day deluxe “extravaganza” with Israel Discovery Tours. It all began as we landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. A staff person met us at the plane, and helped us collect our luggage. She walked us through customs, and to our transportation; which drove us to our hotel. The Guide, Field Coordinator, and Bus Driver, who executed our magnificent tour, were phenomenal!
Our guide educated us on the history of the vast array of sites we visited in Jerusalem, Caesarea, Haifa, Rosh Hanikra, Tiberias, The Jordan Valley, Mt. Gilboa, Masada, Eilat, Tel Aviv and more. He had such “passion” for everywhere we went. He felt like it was his personal duty to educate as many people as possible about Israel. Oh, we also knew where the best ice cream in the country was!
In addition to the many historical sites we visited, there was also time to relax. We floated in the Dead Sea; we swam and snorkeled in the Red Sea while we sailed on the yacht “Zorba”. We were served a wonderful buffet lunch prepared by the crew. Our son fell in love with the lamb kabobs! We also had time to swim and kayak in the Mediterranean Sea.
The accommodations were first class. We were treated like “royalty” in some of the most spectacular hotels Israel has to offer. The food at each hotel was just astonishing with breakfast and dinner buffets.
Our son connected beautifully with all the teenagers and their siblings on the tour. The kids on our bus organized a “Kid’s Club” in the back of the bus. We heard lots of singing and laughing from them during the bus rides to the sites we visited. Even the bus was top notch with lots of space, comfortable seats, and big panoramic picture windows!
One of our personal highlights was the sunrise B’nai Mitzvah Service on top of Masada. The view was breathtaking, as the sun rose over the Dead Sea. The service was held in the remnants of the old Synagogue. It was a very special and moving service in a very special and moving place. All the families celebrated with kiddish, cookies, then a tour of the ruins and the story of the events at Masada.
The celebration continued for the 17 Bar and Bat Mitzvah teenagers with an exceptional banquet and party at the Tel Aviv Hilton with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a delicious dinner. Israel Discover Tours made it extraordinary with a DJ, candle lighting, and a Torah cake-cutting ceremony.
Even our trip home was carefully planned. A representative met us at the airport, walked us through security, helped us check our bags, and made sure all our needs were met.
We have to say without equivocation the staff of Israel Discovery Tours was super- professional, quite friendly, and performed a first class tour. Our family loved every minute of this truly incredible adventure, and can’t wait to return someday in the future. We would like to give IDT our highest recommendation.
Paula, David and Logan D. – Coconut Creek, FL