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Plan a Tour to Israel

Israel has hundreds of different faces, thousands of fascinating sites, and a wealth of flavors and options. Shatour can create a customized Israel experience to suit your preferences and expectations.

Shatour is led by the Shapiro family, we have been guiding visitors around Israel since 1975. We have grown together with the State, so we are respectful of her history, proud of her present, and believe in her future. Because we know this country like the back of our hands, we keep track of new opportunities, selecting the best experiences for each individual tour group. We check and double-check the timing, accuracy and safety of our tours, leaving nothing to chance. Come visit Israel with Shatour and let our family take care of your family!

Private Israel Tours

Action packed or leisurely, we can customize your private tour of Israel according to your tastes and preferences. Read More

START DESIGNING YOUR CUSTOM ISRAEL TOUR!

Christian Holy Land Tours

Decades of touring experience combined with centuries of history guarantee that Shatour will bring organize a memorable Israel tour for your family or church group. Read More

TAKE YOUR FIRST FOOTSTEP TOWARDS THE HOLYLAND NOW

Bat and Bar Mitzvah Israel Tours

Celebrate your child’s milestone event with a unique Israel tour and the most memorable family event. Read More

GIVE YOUR CHILD A MEMORY OF A LIFETIME

Environmental Tours

Looking for high quality eco-tourism in Israel? Shatour together with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) offers travelers a choice of unique environmental experiences. Read More

AN IDEAL TOURS FOR NATURE LOVER

Your Guides

Lior Shapiro

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! Our son Lior recently joined our team as the 10th generation of Family Shapiro to live and work in Jerusalem! Lior attended the first Conservative School in Jerusalem and completed his army service in the Golani unit, continuing to serve in the reserves until just recently. He majored in Archaeology at the Hebrew University, and worked for over 15 years in the Israel Antiquities Authority, becoming Chief Regional Archaeologist of the Judean area. As well as his expertise in archaeology, Lior brings his passion for photography and his knowledge of Israel and its history to his work as a tour guide. He is married to Tammy, has 3 delicious children (we’re biased – they are our grandchildren!), and lives in the village of Motza Illit on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

Naftali Aizik

Born in 1969, Naftali spent most of his childhood in Northern Israel, living in Nazaret Illit and studying at the prestigious Reali High School in Haifa. He served in the IDF in Golani as an officer and continued to serve in the Reserves for over 20 years. Naftali studied archaeology and geography at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and worked for 15 years for the Israel Antiquities Authority. He now lives in Moshav Mata in the Judean Mountains and continues to work as a freelance guide for the Antiquities Authority, showing groups of youth and adults around Israel’s various archaeological sites.

Ronen Khayat

Born and bred in Jerusalem, Ronen served in the IDF in the prestigious Paratroopers regiment, rising to the rank of major. He received his degree in political science at the Hebrew University and also completed the Ministry of Tourism tour guides course and the Yad Vashem tour guides course about the history of the Holocaust. He has guided many youth delegations to Poland, but his passion is guiding Jewish and Christian groups in Israel.

Shmuel Levy

Shmuel is a Yerushalmi, having grown up in one of the authentic neighborhoods of Jerusalem, and his Jewish identity is deeply rooted in the ethos of this unique city. In the IDF I served as a combat medic in an infantry unit in the Sinai Desert. He graduated from Haifa University with a BA in Philosophy and Jewish History, and from the Hebrew University with a MA in Communication. Shmuel has been working as a tour guide since the early 1990s, guiding groups, individuals and families from different cultural backgrounds from all over the world. He drives a large and comfortable Ministry of Tourism-authorized van, and he lives in Jerusalem with his wife Esther (a social worker) and their two young sons.

Dan Makover

Dan has been guiding tour groups of all ages around Israel since 2007. He studied Communications and Geography at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem before moving into TV production and news. He worked as broadcast supervisor for a number of news organizations and escorted reporters around the West Bank, using his knowledge of Arabic and Hebrew to keep them safe. Dan studied for his tour guide course through the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and he loves sharing his knowledge of Israel’s geography, history and religions with visitors.

Ariel Gabay

Ariel grew up on Kibbutz Mishmar HaNegev and served in the IDF as a paratrooper. He has a BA in Land of Israel Studies as well as a tour guide license. He and his wife spent time in the U.S. as emissaries for the Jewish Agency in Oakland, CA, where he taught in Hebrew day schools and worked on Israel summer programs for the local federation.

Back in Israel, Ariel has guided groups for the Reform movement and the Ramah organization, as well as family groups from all over the world. He is an expert in the geography of Israel, linking its historic locations with Jewish sources and bringing to life the history of the Jewish People. He lives in Kibbutz Mishmar Hanegev with his wife and two children.

Nathan Shapiro

Nathan Shapiro was born in 1948, ninth generation Jerusalemite. He studied Jewish History and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has guided for many years for various institutions, including the UJC, JDC, Ministry of Tourism, and more. He is experienced in the planning and arranging programs for visitors to Israel, and has also been consultant to the CRB (Bronfman Foundation) on nature, environment and youth trips to Israel, has operated a company dealing in organization of family Bar/Bat Mitzvas in Israel, and served as Director of Development and Foreign Affairs of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and later as Director of Development at DVI – Dental Volunteers for Israel.

What our guests write after touring Israel with Shatour:

Testimonials

We would strongly recommend Shatour if you are considering a family tour of Israel. We are a family of four -- two parents and two girls ages 11 and 13 -- and we used Shatour this summer for our first-ever trip to Israel. Shatour was very helpful in providing us with advice as we shaped our itinerary and made important choices about how we would spend our limited number of days in the country and in what order. They also provided guidance on selecting hotels. Once we arrived, everything felt seamless and easy. Each day came off as planned, and we were provided with the flexibility to make adjustments along the way. Of our 14 full days on the ground, we spent 10 of them with our guide Lior. For a majority of these days, we were with Lior not only all day but also into the evening. He is one of the easiest people to be around that we have ever met, which was critical given all of the time that the 5 of us spent together. He also has the patience of Job (biblical reference only kinda intended), which is important when dealing with families. In addition to being a pleasant and easy-going person, Lior is not just a knowledgeable guide but an archaeologist. We had not considered this before signing up with Shatour, but having this kind of expertise in your guide is invaluable as you view sites that are thousands of years old, particularly if you are like us and want to understand the difference between historical facts and best guesses. When it is time to say goodbye to Israel, Shatour even arranges for a company to help you at the airport with all of the security hurdles involved with your departure. This was a fantastic trip!

It is a pleasure to wholeheartedly recommend Nathan as a guide and Shatour as the tour company. As many have attested, Nathan is a gem. Remarkably knowledgeable, warmly personable, known seemingly by every one in the country and accommodating to all of one's needs. Nathan arranged a culinary and wine tour that was delicious, educational, and enabled us to meet fascinating players in the wonderful world of Israeli food. I highly recommend it for those with similar interests. Don't miss spending time with Nathan - you'll learn a lot. Harvey & Jan

Dear Nathan

Thank you for organising a most memorable trip for our family. Your expertise in choosing just the right spots for us to enjoy, learn and experience , was once again a huge success . We look forward to returning to Israel and seeing you soon.

Regards

Nina

Shalom Hanna, We have arrived back home and are adjusting back to reality. The trip you put together and the experience Lior provided was life changing. Lior is a wealth of knowledge, extremely professional and yet, he still became part of our mishpacha. His patience, warmth, teachings, and answers to our endless questions, gave us the experience we were looking for. Lior helped deepen our connection to Israel and our resolve to support your amazing country. Hanna, the hospitality and responsiveness by you and Lior made us very comfortable. Connecting us with Arnie and planning our vow renewal at Cesarea was a highlight for Mike and me. We will treasure that evening. Thank you for the lovely book, the champagne, and visiting with us. We feel as though we not only have wonderful memories but also made new friends. We would love to host you and your family should you find yourselves in California. Fondly, Sharna and Mike

Dear Shatour: We have arrived back to the US and want to express our deepest gratitude for the most amazing experience we just had in Israel. The main reason for our wonderful trip was our guide Lior. He was so patient, friendly, knowledgeable, funny and warm. We felt like we were with a family member the whole time. Lior's knowledge about everything was very impressive. The places he took us and the information he bestowed on us was truly unbelievable. The restaurants he suggested were all great. We tried all different foods and everything was delicious. Liar got it right every time. We so enjoyed meeting his family and spending some time with them. They were a delight. We will make every effort to suggest Shatour to anyone we know that might be planning a trip to Israel. From the start of planning our trip to the very end, working with your company has been a joy.

We hope that there will be an opportunity to once again engage with Shatour. Also, if Lior or anyone from his family is ever in the US and wants to visit California please let him know that our doors are open and we would love the chance to show off our state.

L’Shalom,

Andrea Wasserman

“The grandchildren had the time of their lives. Every hour was a different adventure. They enjoyed going through the bunkers in the Golan Heights, going through the ammunition factory at Ayalon, and climbing on the tanks at Latrun. They enjoyed going in the water at the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Eilat. Actually I think they enjoyed everything!”

“Thanks for putting together an absolutely amazing trip. We enjoyed every moment of it.”

“Everything on the tour was either a lot of fun, very educational, very inspiring or all three. Our son described this as a trip that he and his family will remember for the rest of their lives. We went to every place that you recommended and we wanted to see, and your guide took us to other places that really added to the trip.”

“Yuval was an outstanding guide for us. He connected with all of us, old and young. He knew all of the restaurants that had good food, good prices, and were popular with the locals. Because my wife has walking difficulties, Yuval gave her recommendations on whether she could participate in each activity or not, and often he was able to make changes that allowed her to participate.”

“Thank you again Nathan & Hanna for all that you showed, told and gave to our family to make our trip an outstanding tour through Israel. We look forward to seeing you again.”

It was an extraordinary trip. You allowed us to see an Israel very few tourists are privileged to see. Under Nathan’s guidance we explored unbelievable archaeological sites, walked through the Old City floated in the Dead Sea, marveled at Masada (baths with no obvious way to obtain water? a dovecote? three years of survival!)

As I start to list sites I’m aware of all the places I’ve omitted. As I’m sure Nathan would readily admit, he could have taken us on a tour of Israel lasting years rather than days and never exhausted his repertoire – what an incredible font of knowledge, information and lore!