Israel/Jordan 2022
I am looking forward to our upcoming Israel/Jordan tour and am hoping for reports from recent travelers.
In addition, a couple of specific questions:
Was the Covid test at the Tel Aviv airport handled smoothly? How long did you have to wait for results?
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That's one of my favorite tours, even though mine was interrupted by Covid in March 2020. If you have Carmen for a TD, you're lucky. He coped beautifully with all of the curve balls he was thrown. Please post a review. (Can't comment on the Covid test -- I was there before testing, though we did have a temperature check at the Amman airport, when we arrived by plane from Jerusalem because Jordan had closed the land border from Israel.)
We are currently on the 4/28 I/J tour (only 10 in our group). The testing was very smooth and easy. We received our results later that same evening (we were tested at about 4:30 pm; results sent to us via email by about 9:00 pm). Hope this helps.
Thank you, Jan_page511. That is what I was wondering about. Enjoy your tour! The weather reports are looking good.
We were on the March 15th trip and everything and I mean everything was flawless. We were intercepted at the bottom of the aircraft ramp with an individual holding a sign with our names on. He personally escorted us through immigration, baggage claim and Covid tests to ensure we moved through the system speedily and effortlessly. We did pre order our tests at Tel Aviv and I would recommend that. He stayed with us all the time till we were in our transportation to the intercontinental in Tel Aviv. We did our test around 2pm and had results emailed to us by 7pm and then we were on our way to find a restaurant in Neve Tzedek. Covid tests on the way out in Amman were similarly smooth. Testing company came to the lunch restaurant and did everyone there. $US50 cash only. Results emailed and printed by Tauck Rep. Tauk just makes it happen!
Thank you, rwilso15. The testing certainly makes these trips more complicated.
I see that we will have some free time in Jerusalem. Did you take advantage of that time for more sightseeing? I have seen suggestions for the tunnels tour. I am considering walking the ramparts.
I definitely recommend the tour of the Western Wall tunnel (buy your ticket on-line in advance), and I am planning to tour the City of David on my next visit to Jerusalem (which has been cancelled twice). I would also like to spend more time at the Israel Museum on my own.
Thank you, MCD.
Lotusgirl, on our free afternoon in Jerusalem we asked our Tauck tour guide about the possibility of hiring an independent tour guide for the afternoon. We hired a lady, Yael, who was known to our Tauck Jerusalem guide. She was excellent. We did the city of David including Hezekiah's water tunnels, Kidron Valley, Mount of Olives and Gethsemane. I think it was $200 including gratuity. We walked over 10 miles that day and as you will see Jerusalem is not flat outside the old city walls. You have been warned!
Looking forward to the reports on this tour which we postponed to next year after our flights kept getting changed and more complicated before our March trip. Now I am concerned about the unrest in the area, which I know is not unusual but the press seem to be making a lot of headlines about it….Jan, what is the reality now you are there?
Thank you, rwilsol5. That is another good idea. I was thinking that we could easily walk the South ramparts and Mount Zion, but you certainly covered a lot of ground with a guide.
Because of Covid-related changes to our schedule in 2020 (missing Bethlehem and Masada), we had extra time in Jerusalem that Tauck filled with sites not on the original itinerary, including Gethsemane and the Mount of Olives (which are across the Kidron Valley from the Old City). I'm so glad that we got to visit them!
My wife and I did the Tauck Israel and Jordon tour in 2017 - great tour. Back in 2000, I was visiting Israel on business and hired a guide to take me around the Jerusalem area. He took me to the Mount of Olives before going into the city. I really felt that was a better introduction to Jerusalem than what Tauck did, which was just to take us directly from the hotel to the Jaffa Gate.
Looking down on Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives is really an emotional event. I don't care if you're religious or not - Jerusalem is part of our history and it was quite moving to look down on it and see the walls and the dome of the Dome of the Rock. This is Jerusalem and I'm really here!
Then we went down to the city and entered one of the gates - the one that still had bullet holes in the wall from the six-day war.
Lotusgirl, you will love this trip. I was there in 2018 and was lucky enough to have Carmen as ourTD. He was fabulous. I would have liked more time at the Israel Museum. Looking back, I think I could have hired a cab to take me back to the hotel after our visit there. It’s so fascinating. While at the Dead Sea, go to Jerash. Enjoy!
If you like markets and have free time, visit the Machane Yehuda market in Jerusalem.
(edited for typo)
Thank you for the great feedback.
British, we are currently in Haifa. All was calm in Tel Aviv, and it appears things have calmed down in Jerusalem. The people here do not discuss it as it is mostly a matter of course for them. The US media hype makes it sound worse. My understanding is that we will not be able to visit the Temple Mount Due to security concerns, but with Ramadan concluding this weekend, hopefully tensions will ease. Our TD, Jaime, is notified directly if any issues of concern arise, but it is expected that we will be safe. I’m feeling more confident as we continue to see people going about their normal lives without any perceived concern or anxiety. We’ll see how it is on Monday when we get to Jerusalem. The tour has been amazing so far. We spent today at Cesarea with an outstanding local guide. We also went to the Baha’i Gardens, which were amazing. Weather is outstanding!
Thanks for the updates Jan, it’s always good to know what is really happening. When we went to China and Hong Kong late 2019, people thought we were crazy because of all the troubles there. But when we got there and saw who our TD was, a favorite from a past tour and very experienced, we knew we would be in safe hands and of course people had cancelled so it was a smaller group. Have a great time!
I did the I/J trip in 2019. I felt safer walking the Israeli cities after dark than I do in the US.
Hi - today our group will be setting off on our first day of exploring Jerusalem. The tour has been excellent and the weather great.
This morning, I read a report that on May 20, Israel may be terminating the COVID test upon arrival requirement. And, may require an antigen test pre-departure rather than a PCR test. If true, that will make it a lot easier for tourists.
Yes. The Israeli Ministry of Health site says: On May, 21 2022, the mandate to take PCR tests upon entry to Israel will be lifted for Israelis and non-Israelis. Non-Israelis will not be required to take PCR or antigen tests before air travel to Israel. Additionally, Israel is lifting the mask-on-international-flights ban as of May 23, 2022. https://www.gov.il/en/departments/news/16052022-01
Recent 2022: Does anyone know if anything has been dropped or suspended from the Israel/Jordan tour?
First, let me say this was a fantastic trip! We returned from this trip on 5/11. Unfortunately, we were not able to visit the Temple Mount when in Jerusalem, as Ramadan had just ended and the site was restricted for non-Muslims. Everything else went as described on tour. We did the Tunnel Tour under the Western Wall on our own, and it was well worth it. The excursion to Jerash in Jordan was an option, and I am glad we opted in—it was fascinating. With respect to Covid, my suggestion is that even if testing and masking rules are becoming more lenient, mask anyway indoors and in crowds. Two in our small group of 10 got Covid and had to leave the tour and quarantine in the Jerusalem hotel; the rest of us tested daily and were lucky enough to test negative for the remainder of the tour. As an aside and on a personal note—as cautious as we were with regard to Covid protocols and any other protocols advised by Tauck with respect to food and water, weird things can happen: we returned from Jordan and a couple of days later I ended up in the hospital with 3 types of bacterial infections in my gut. After 5 days and 2 different kinds of antibiotics (the first was ineffective), I’m finally home. To my knowledge, no one else got sick; just lucky me. Be prepared for anything.
On Wednesday, we returned from the May 5 tour. It was a fabulous trip. Luckily, we were able to visit Temple Mount, and everywhere else. I will post a trip report.
The TD from my recent (not I/J) trip mentioned to me, while we were chatting about various tours, that the I/J trip has the highest satisfaction rating of all Tauck trips. He's on his way there to train for some of Tauck's Middle East tours.
Can someone provide me with a private tour guide in Tel Aviv We have almost 2 extra days. Jerusalem?