Tours(6)
Eilat & the Arava: Coral, Desert Wildlife & Ancient Copper
SuggestedAt Israel’s southern tip, the Red Sea, the Arava Desert, and the mountains around Eilat create a landscape unlike anywhere else in the country. A private day or multi-day route can combine Coral Beach Nature Reserve, where snorkeling reveals the Red Sea reef; Yotvata Hai-Bar, a conservation reserve for desert animals; and Timna Park, where ancient copper mining took place among red sandstone cliffs. The route can be adapted for families, nature lovers, snorkelers, photographers, and travellers interested in desert history. This is a story of connections across extremes: reef and desert, wildlife conservation and ancient industry, and a remote border region linked for thousands of years to trade routes across the Red Sea and Arabian deserts.
Kokhav HaYarden: Crusader Fortress Above the Jordan Valley
SuggestedKokhav HaYarden, also known as Belvoir, is a Crusader fortress high above the Jordan Valley. Its double walls, moat, towers, and views make it one of the most impressive medieval sites in Israel. A private visit can explore the fortress, its defensive design, the surrounding landscape, and the story of the Crusader Kingdom’s eastern frontier. It can be combined with Beit She’an, the Sea of Galilee, Ma’ayan Harod, or a Lower Galilee route. The fortress makes the medieval map of the region visible: the Jordan Valley below, routes toward Damascus and the Galilee, and a castle built to watch a frontier where power could shift quickly.
Tel Beer Sheva National Park
SuggestedClimb a reconstructed biblical town above the meeting point of desert wadis near modern Beersheva.
Baram National Park
SuggestedIn the hills near Israel’s northern border, Bar’am preserves the remains of a Jewish village from the Roman and Byzantine periods. Its synagogue, built from large dressed stones, is one of the most impressive in the Galilee. The site is small, quiet, and full of detail. A visit opens a window onto Jewish life in the Galilee after the destruction of the Second Temple, when villages, scholars, and synagogues helped shape a new religious and cultural centre. The synagogue is a reminder that Jewish life did not end with the destruction of Jerusalem, but found new centres of learning, prayer, and community in the Galilee.
Mamshit National Park
SuggestedMamshit is one of the most atmospheric Nabataean cities in the Negev. Its stone houses, streets, churches, and caravanserai tell the story of a place that grew wealthy from desert trade. A visit brings the Spice Route to life. Merchants once crossed these harsh landscapes with spices, perfumes, and goods from Arabia and the East, turning remote desert stops into thriving towns. Mamshit reveals the Negev as a crossroads rather than a frontier, where distant worlds met through trade, movement, and the knowledge needed to live in an unforgiving environment.
Tel Dan Nature Reserve
SuggestedTel Dan is a place where archaeology and nature sit side by side. Clear water from one of the Jordan River’s main sources runs through a green reserve beneath the slopes of Mount Hermon. The walk can include ancient city gates, the remains of an Israelite cultic site, and the famous Tel Dan Stele, which contains one of the earliest known references to the “House of David.” The reserve also offers shaded paths and the sound of flowing water throughout the year. The story of Tel Dan is shaped by water and borders. A rich spring created a prosperous city, while its position at the northern edge of ancient Israel made it a place of power, conflict, and changing loyalties.
Guides(6)
Yoni Shtern
Verified ✓I’m a licensed Israeli tour guide, born in Eilat and based in the Negev, with a deep connection to the landscapes, history, and people of southern Israel. I specialize in private and personalized tours of the Negev, Dead Sea, Arava, Masada and the surrounding desert. My tours combine fascinating stories, nature, archaeology and local life, always with a personal touch and plenty of room for questions, discovery and spontaneous moments. With many years of experience guiding families, groups and educational delegations, my goal is simple: to help you experience Israel beyond the usual tourist route, and leave with great memories and a deeper connection to this extraordinary country. I’d love to show you Israel through my eyes.
Yehuda Folberg
Verified ✓Private tour guide, discovering Israel's history, culture, and landscapes, with a taste of innovation and cuisine, blending tradition and modernity.
Michael Harari
Verified ✓
David Perlmutter
Verified ✓David Perlmutter is a licensed Israel tour guide who has been guiding since 1988, with private tours a specialty since he purchased his first off-road vehicle in 1993. Born and raised in the US, he moved to Israel as a young adult, farmed an avocado grove on Kibbutz Einat, and served in the Israeli Defense Forces before entering the guiding profession. His company, Israel Adventure Journeys Ltd., is his platform for private guiding work across Israel. David is among Israel’s most recognised guides on wine and wine tourism. He began visiting Israeli wineries when the country’s modern wine revolution was still in its early years and developed that curiosity into a serious professional practice, combining direct experience across the industry with formal training. He holds the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 Award in Wines, passed with Merit. Fellow guides, winemakers, and members of Israel’s wine industry regularly consult him on wine tourism. Wine journeys can be designed for anything from a single day in the Judean Hills to a weeklong exploration of Israel’s wine regions. His guiding is not limited to wine. Nearly four decades of criss-crossing the country on foot, by mountain bike, and in off-road vehicles have given David an intimate familiarity with Israel’s geography. He leads mountain-bike journeys ranging from relaxed vineyard rides paired with tastings to single-track riding in the Negev and multi-day sections of the Israel Bike Trail. Full logistical support can be arranged, including bike rental, transport, repairs, and accommodation when needed. David lives with his wife Tamar and their four sons in Eliav, a young community in the Lachish region. He also volunteers as a first responder and ambulance crew member with Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical service.
Eli Romanovsky
Verified ✓Eli Romanovsky is a licensed Israeli tour guide who has been guiding visitors through Israel’s museums, ancient sites, cities, and landscapes since 2008. He leads tours in English, Spanish, Russian, Hebrew, and Hindi. Eli combines local knowledge with a warm, personal approach, planning private tours around each group’s interests, pace, and priorities. Eli holds a BA in Structural Linguistics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His tours bring together history, culture, city life, museums, and the outdoors. With experience in both guiding and travel operations, he is well suited to visitors looking for a flexible, well-planned private itinerary. He holds a BA in Structural Linguistics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and specializes in tailor-made tours that blend history, culture, city life, museums, and the outdoors. With experience in both guiding and travel operations, Eli is an excellent choice for visitors seeking a flexible, thoughtfully planned itinerary shaped around their interests.
