FAQs and Tour Prep

We will be traveling in heavily touristed areas. Much of the economy of Israel (and Jordan, and Egypt) is driven by tourism and they love visitors. You’ll be impressed by their hospitality. I often feel safer and more welcomed in the Middle East than I do in some American cities. Still, we take appropriate precautions. If it is unsafe to do the trip, we’ll reschedule. If on site we need to avoid locations and change plans for safety reasons, we will do so. The best metaphor I can use is that no one would cancel a trip to Disneyland over gang violence in Los Angeles. A tour to Israel is metaphorically similar.

In traveling to Israel for more than three decades, I’ve never not felt safe (and have consistently heard from my fellow travelers that they always felt safe in Israel). And the only times tours have been impacted is when airlines have canceled flights.

I think you’ll be surprised at how safe you feel, how welcomed you feel, and how much you love the experience.

Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the date you return home from the tour. For example, if your tour ends on April 28, your passport should stay valid through at least October 28 of that year. Countries across the Middle East and Europe enforce this six-month rule at the border, so verify your expiration date as soon as you register. If your passport expires within a year of departure, renew it early. U.S. renewals can take several weeks, and longer in peak season. Check current processing times and renew at travel.state.gov.

Exodus Tours caps every group at one bus. Depending on the destination, that means roughly 35 travelers in Peru, 40 to 50 in Europe, Jordan, and Egypt, and 50 to 60 in Israel. Keeping the group to a single coach makes the experience immersive and personal, so you travel as one cohesive group rather than a caravan.

A $500-per-person deposit is due at registration to reserve your place, and final payment is due 90 days before your departure date. Peru tours and cruises are the exception: final payment is due 120 days in advance because of earlier supplier deadlines. Deposits are non-refundable but transferable to another tour with Exodus Tours.

Your Exodus Tours price includes an LDS tour host or special educator, 4- or 5-star hotels, meals as listed on the itinerary, a luxury tour coach, local guides and drivers, entrance fees to every site on the itinerary, whisper headsets, and airport transfers when your arrival and departure align with the group. Every tour is capped at a single bus for a more personal experience. The price excludes international airfare, personal items, incidentals, and travel insurance, which you arrange yourself.

Packing for Israel Is Simple and Straightforward

Spring Months: March-May

• Consider a jacket for cool mornings or evenings.
• Casual, modest clothing appropriate for very moderate temperatures.
• Dressing in layers helps you deal with changing temperatures during the day.
• Bring a hat. Lots of sunshine!

Summer Months: June-August

• Short sleeve shirts and shorts can work (But, at religious sites, bare shoulders and knees are not allowed).
• Bring a hat (Days can be hot).

Fall Months: September-November

• Consider a jacket for cool mornings or evenings.
• Casual, modest clothing appropriate for very moderate temperatures.
• Dressing in layers helps you deal with changing temperatures during the day.
• Bring a hat. Lots of sunshine!

Winter Months: December-February

• Consider bringing a poncho or small umbrella.
• Coats and gloves may be useful.
• Dressing in layers helps you deal with changing temperatures during the day

For General Packing Guidance: Adapt for your destination and circumstances.

Clothing

Jewish Sacred Sites

• No short skirts, or shorts above the knee; no sleeveless shirts or bare shoulders.
• Men cover your head with a kippah or a hat.
• Nice casual or business casual is appropriate.

Christian Churches

• No short skirts, or shorts above the knee; no sleeveless shirts or bare shoulders.
• No hats inside for men.
• Nice casual or business casual is appropriate.

Islamic Holy Sites

At the al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary; also known as the Temple Mount)

• No short skirts, or shorts above the knee; no sleeveless shirts or bare shoulders.
• For men, cover to the ankles. For women, cover to the wrists and ankles.
• Taylor once had to buy a skirt for himself to wear at al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf to cover his bare legs (he was wearing shorts).
• Nice casual or business casual is appropriate.

Bring comfortable, supportive, closed-toe walking or running shoes. Hiking boots are more than you need, and sandals rarely give enough support. You will walk 3 to 5 miles on a typical day, and more on Old City Jerusalem days. If you plan to walk Hezekiah’s Tunnel, also bring water shoes or sturdy sandals you don’t mind getting wet, plus a small flashlight. The tunnel is dark and narrow in spots, so travelers who feel claustrophobic may want to skip it.

You will need a plug adapter and voltage converter if you plan on using electrical items, such as a blow dryer (btw, all hotels have blow dryers).  Most laptops and phones will convert voltage, but you will still need a plug adapter. You can buy them on Amazon.

Consider getting a universal electrical adapter: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Travel-Power-Adapter-International/dp/B07DQTL87X

• Israel runs on 230 volts. Plug types are C, H, M.
• Jordan is also 230 volts and 50 hz. Plug types are C, D, F, G, and J.
• Egypt runs on 220 volts and 50 hz. Plug types are C and F.

Where possible, Exodus Tours books 4-star (deluxe) or 5-star (luxury) hotels. In Israel the hotels are comfortable, clean, and well-appointed, though rooms tend to be smaller than American rooms and often have two doubles or a queen rather than a king. Each room has a refrigerator, a safe, and a laundry line in the shower for drying clothes. Breakfast and dinner are generous buffets, and signs are marked in English and Hebrew. On the Sabbath (Friday sundown to Saturday sundown), many hotels run a Shabbat elevator that stops automatically on every floor.

Touring with others can be an invigorating experience!

Consider these tips to make your touring, and that of your fellow passengers, positive.

• Be on time.
• Get to know others by name.
• Be curious about others.
• Avoid public complaining.
• Be patient with yourself and with others.
• Look out for others on tour.

Based on my past experience with other travelers, the best ones have these qualities:

Courage, patience, good humor, endurance, curiosity, learning, love, friendship.

On most mornings you should be ready to load the bus by 7:30 a.m., and you’ll generally return to the hotel around 5:00 p.m. Days built around a cruise depend on port arrival and departure times, and long drives include regular rest and restroom stops.

Our tour bus will have seating for all tour members. Depending on tour location, the bus will be different size (e.g., Peru = 35; Europe = 40-50; Israel = 50-60; Jordan + Egypt = 40-50; USA = 50; other worldwide destinations = 40-50). Typically the bus and driver will be ours throughout the tour, will have plenty of storage space, and we can leave things on the bus as the driver is always with the bus or it is locked. Most tour buses do not have bathrooms on board (exception is the USA). On days that there are long drives we make regular bathroom and rest stops.

Security at Ben Gurion airport

Key Things to Know

• Security in Israel is tighter than at most other airports in the world.
• Still, the process is rather straightforward.
• You’ll pass through several stages of security.

Upon Arrival at Ben Gurion

• After deplaning, there is a long hallway. Bathrooms on the left.
• At the end of the hallway, there is a security kiosk monitor
  • insert your passport
  • smile for the camera
  • a “security” ticket is issued
  • Do not lose that piece of paper. You’ll need it at various points as you continue through security. must use it to open and pass through a gate on the way to baggage pick up
• Next, you’ll need to show that “security” ticket to a security official to continue on down to the customs desk
• At the customs desk,
  • Show your passport and the “security” ticket.
  • Israeli security will ask you a number of questions about your purpose for traveling to Israel, if you have relatives or friends here, etc.
  • Please be forthright in your answers
  • Let them know that you are part of a group tour
    • Note: Instead of stamping your passport, the “security” ticket functions as a passport stamp
    • Why does Israeli security do this? A few Muslim majority countries may not be willing to let travelers into the country if their passport has been stamped in Israel. Hence that small piece of paper is given to you when you arrive in Israel, therefore not leaving a permanent Israeli stamp in your passport.
  • the customs officer will give you a small piece of paper that you show at the next stage
• After the customs desk, hand the paper you received at the customs desk to the security official sitting outside the gates of the baggage claim.
• Before entering the baggage claim, use the “security” ticket you received after deplaning, to open and pass through the small gate.
• You can then enter the baggage claim and exit into the arrival hall. On the right, find Aroma Café where there are tables where you can sit and wait for the guides to find and gather you.

Key Things to Know Upon Departure

• The first stage of security (before the TSA type security check) is to stand in a long queue to be questioned, after showing your passport, by Israeli security about your trip.
  • They will ask questions like:
    • Why were you in Israel? (tourist)
    • Do you have family in Israel? (no)
    • Have you been given anything to transport? (no)
    • Have you packed your own bags? (yes)
    • etc.
• Then you will proceed past the check-in area and show your passport again.
• You will then go through the typical TSA type security.
• Once you’ve collected your items, you’ll proceed to the next stage, show your passport again, smile for a camera, and then a small gate will open to allow you to proceed further into the airport.

This online article provides an overview of security at the airport.

https://www.vipbengurion.com/israeli-airport-security-checks-what-to-expect/

Airfare to and from the tour destination is not included. Make sure that you book flights to arrive and depart at the appropriate times to make the tour.

Useful websites to search for flights:

https://www.google.com/travel/flights

https://www.kayak.com/

I do not set up group travel because airlines charge more per person for group travel and because tour groups are originating from many different starting points there is not a convenient, low cost way to do group airfare.

To arrive in Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion Airport) the afternoon of Day 2 of the tour (that means leaving the USA on Day 1 of the tour for overnight flight to Israel).

To leave from Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion Airport) after 7:00 pm on Day 9 of the tour, arriving home on Day 10 of the tour (unless you are doing a post-tour excursion, if so, contact me for details on return flights).

Typical prices for airfare RT per person Salt Lake City to Tel Aviv

• Typical airfare to Israel is about $1,800.
• Good deals to Israel are about $1,400. 
• A screaming good deal is around $1,100 or less.

Travel Insurance Strongly Recommended (Required Reading)

We strongly recommend that every traveler purchase independent travel insurance to protect against unexpected medical issues, trip interruption, and other covered risks.

Allianz is a well-established global travel insurance provider. You may request a quote and review coverage options directly through Allianz can offer you a quote by clicking here.

Note that if you choose the “Classic Plan with Cancel Anytime” if you choose to cancel your trip for any reason you can receive up to 80% of tour cost for non-qualifying reasons and up to 100% of tour costs for qualifying reasons.”

Important clarifications you must understand before purchasing:

• Travel insurance policies are issued by Allianz, not by Exodus Tours. Coverage terms, benefits, exclusions, and claim decisions are determined solely by Allianz and are governed by the policy you purchase.

• Standard travel insurance policies do not cover cancellations due to war, armed conflict, political instability, or fear of travel, when those events are considered known or foreseeable at the time of purchase.

• Some Allianz plans offer an optional Cancel Anytime / Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) upgrade.

  • If purchased within Allianz’s required time window and in accordance with policy rules, this option may reimburse up to 80% of your insured trip cost for non-covered reasons, and up to 100% for covered (qualifying) reasons, subject to policy limits and exclusions.

  • CFAR coverage is not available on all plans, is not available in all states, and must be purchased early. Review eligibility carefully before relying on it.

Exodus Tours does not sell insurance, does not provide insurance advice, and cannot guarantee that any claim will be approved. Purchasing insurance is your personal responsibility, and we encourage you to read the full policy wording before buying.

Exodus Tours may receive a small commission if you purchase insurance through the link above.

[For other options Squaremouth can give you a comparison of travel insurance policies here. https://www.squaremouth.com/23807]

Most bathrooms and toilets are western style. However some countries in remote locations may have squatty potties (like Bhutan). It’s probably not a bad idea to carry around a few extra tissues. Egypt sometimes charges a few Egyptian pounds for bathroom access and toiletpaper.

YES! [upon booking, request one of these]

• 3 day Egypt Splendors (Great Pyramids; Grand Egyptian Museum; Christian or Islamic Cairo). 
• 7 day Egypt Ultimate Egypt (Great Pyramids; Grand Egyptian Museum; Christian Cairo; Luxury Nile Cruise; Aswan; Karnak; Luxor; Valley of the Kings, and more). 
• 3 day Jordan (Petra; Aqaba; Wadi Rum)
• also 3 day Jordan + 3 day Egypt
• also 3 day Jordan + 7 day Egypt

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

https://step.state.gov/

Most countries, especially westernized countries have reliable wifi and/or phone service. Check with your phone carrier about coverage before you go.

Israel

There is internet availability at the hotels. It is free at most of the hotels (at least in the lobby). Check with your cell service provider to see if your phone will work in Israel. I have used Verizon in the past in Israel without adding the international plan, but it is quite expensive roaming. They have $40/month plans and $10/day plans.

Charging: Consider bringing a portable, small-sized charger to keep your phone charged during the day.

Each breakfast and dinner will be a buffet at the hotel, with a wide range of options: American, middle eastern, etc. There are abundant choices that are fresh and delicious. The food is often one of people’s favorite parts of the trip.

Lunch options typically include: Falafel in pita bread with hummus, diced tomatoes and cucumbers; Shawarma; Pizza.

Most westernized countries are cashless.

I haven’t done money change for many years when travelling internationally (except in China in 2018). I haven’t changed money in Israel, Jordan or Egypt since 2015. Why? They accept dollars and credit cards nearly everywhere.

Currency In Israel

Israel’s currency is the Shekel. You can use US dollars almost everywhere in Israel. So you don’t have to change US dollars into Shekels. If you prefer to use the local currencies, you can order them through your bank before you go or at ATMs while in Israel. You will need cash for lunches and souvenirs. 

Typically, the exchange rates are better within Israel than here in the USA. However, in my experience, I would rather spend my time visiting the country instead of taking precious time looking for a place to exchange money.

Many in-country shops will have items priced in US dollars and Shekels. If you plan on spending more than a few hundred dollars on souvenirs, you will probably want to bring shekels with you. See USD to Shekel currency calculator here.

Credit Cards

Credit cards in Israel. Mastercard and visa are widely accepted. Check with your issuer about any foreign transaction fees they may charge. The exchange rate isn’t as great using a credit card. But I personally prefer the security and flexibility of using a credit card instead of cash.

Hebrew, Arabic, and English

The design reflects sacred architecture found in places like the Dome of the Rock—two interlocking squares representing heaven and earth, united by God’s covenant fire at the center. My work is about helping people experience that union—learning deeply, living meaningfully, and traveling to sacred places where heaven and earth meet