Blog
Tour writeups, reflections on guiding and the occasional practical guide.
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128 articles
Cooling off in the Valley of Springs
A day relaxing in the springs of the Beit She'an Valley in northern Israel: the Park of Springs, the Harod Spring at Maayan Harod National Park, and a pelican migration in the fish pools.
Hiking to the top of Israel: Mt Hermon
Hiking the 2,040m peak of Mt Hermon on Israel's northern border in the middle of summer: the heat, the army permission, the views from above the clouds, and the berry picking on the way home.
10 Tips for Travel to Israel During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Some thoughts on travel to Israel while we're still in the shadow of COVID-19: planning, flexibility, accommodation, insurance and where a private guide can make life easier.
TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award 2020
TripAdvisor has given me a Travellers' Choice Award for 2020, my fifth year in a row. These reviews come from real travellers I've guided, which means a lot.
Tour Company of the Year Award
The annual Travel & Hospitality Awards just named My Israeli Guide 'Tour Company of the Year for Israel'. Very proud of this one, and grateful to everyone who nominated me.
Luxury Travel Guide Tour Guide of the Year Award
Honoured to be named Tour Guide of the Year for Tel Aviv, Israel in 2019 by the Luxury Travel Guide awards, on the basis of feedback from people I've guided.
Tour Guide of the Year Award
Honoured to be named Tour Guide of the Year for Israel by the annual Travel & Hospitality Awards, alongside a third consecutive TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.
Mount Ebal – the altar of Joshua?
A visit to Mount Ebal in the Samaria area of the West Bank: Adam Zertal's archaeological survey, an altar matching the biblical description, and the question of whether Joshua himself built it.
Thrilled to receive new awards
A round-up of the awards I've been delighted to receive in 2017, including new recognition from the Luxury Travel Guide and the Travel & Hospitality Awards, alongside my TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.
Luxury Travel Guide award
I've been awarded 'Best Bespoke Tour Operator in Tel Aviv' by the Luxury Travel Guide. Delighted to receive this recognition alongside the recent Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor.
If you are going to Israel, you would be mad not to give him a call.
Amol Rajan, BBC presenter and broadcaster
Having been on trips in Israel with seven different tour guides, Samuel stood above all the rest.
Seasoned Israel traveller
Samuel is one part walking encyclopedia, one part storyteller, one part stand-up comedian.
Berkeley Haas Business School student