No, visas are not required for U.S. or Canadian citizens; just a passport.

Israel is now open and currently no vaccination shots are required to enter Israel.

All of our tours have returned without a hitch and the souls that went were blessed beyond measure. Not once has anyone felt threatened or in danger. Our agancy's (Pilgrim Tours) expert drivers and guides will keep you from areas that are known for conflict and treat you to the riches of the Holy Land as a special guest.

If our tour is in one country for the entire time, we will normally have the same guide throughout. If our intinerary requires us to cross to another country, our agency will generally hire a new guide, bus and driver from that country.

An average day will be 8:30-5:30. There will be occasional days that you can expect a 8:00-6:00 schedule or longer depending on our the extent of that day's itinerary.

Our Retail Tour sightseeing schedules require tour members to walk 1-2 miles at a time using a moderate pace. Total distance walked in one day could exceed 3 miles. Some portions of the tour will require walking and/or hiking on uneven terrain so comfortable, sturdy walking shoes are a must. For this reason, we cannot accept persons who are not able to navigate uneven terrain or need assistance. Our Public Tours do not make provisions for persons with wheelchairs and walkers. We suggest that you prepare yourself by walking 1-3 miles or more per day for the weeks prior to your departure. As per our “Terms & Conditions,” agreed to by each passenger at time of reservation, the Tour Director retains the right to require non-mobile persons to stay behind when deemed necessary, and also terminate the membership of any member displaying disruptive behavior, delaying or endangering fellow members and/or interfering with the operations of the tour.

There is a very limited amount of free time. Time will be provided for shopping on occasions, but this is not a primary concern. You will also have a couple of hours at the end of the schedule to shop if you wish.

Yes, there will be opportunities to shop while on tour. Our tour guides choose which shops to visit based on location, the size of the group, and how much time is available between site visits. There are many options if you choose to go out on your own in the evening. Pilgrim Tours or Blue Zion Ministries does not endorse any specific shops and you are never required to purchase anything. Some shop visits are necessary in combination with site-seeing locations.

We suggest that children be 10 years of age or older. Some younger "well-behaved" children are allowed if parents accept the responsibility to make sure the children will not be a disruption or hindrance to the tour quality. However, infants/babies/toddlers are restricted from Pilgim Tour retail programs.

Pilgrim Tours will accept your reservation as a "single requesting a share." If another person of the same sex is interested in a roommate, we (Blue Zion Ministries) will pair up individuals who seem to best suit the other. Pilgrim Tours will not automatically assign a roommate. If a roommate cannot be found, the passenger will be responsible to pay the single supplement charge.

Our tours include a buffet breakfast and dinner daily. There is generally a choice of 3 or 4 meats and a variety of vegetables, salads, starches, breads, desserts and beverages. Some ethnic foods are included, but there will always be options that will be similar to your regular diet.

Some hotels will not object to your taking a fruit or bread and lunch meat snack from the breakfast buffet. Ask your guide if this is acceptable. For those who choose to purchase a more substantial lunch on tour, expect to pay $8-15 each.

Table water is available in Israel and is drinkable.

Bottled water in a cooler is provided on most of our buses at a reasonable cost. Expect around $1 or so per 16.9oz bottle.

The bus will normally have 48-52 seats. Rest stops are made every 1-2 hours for your comfort.

Due to the size of baggage compartments in touring coaches, each passenger is restricted to ONE suitcase and ONE carry-on bag (in addition to your purse, camera case or video camera). A total dimension of the bag to be checked on the airplane is not to exceed 62 inches (length + width + height) and should not weigh more than 50 lbs. Carry-on luggage should not weigh more than 20 lbs and is not to exceed the following dimensions: 22” length + 14” width + 9” depth. It must fit under the seat in front of you or in the overhead compartment. Be sure your luggage is clearly marked on the inside and outside. If you are traveling with a tour group (such as ours), you must use the luggage tags provided along with your own. *Please Note: Due to recent changes in baggage allowance in the industry, we advise checking with your airlines before you depart to see if there has been a change in their regulations.

Most hotels are 4 star or above according to local government standards. This can be described as a better than average property with good standard of cleanliness and service. Examples of hotel lists will be given out by Pilgrim Tour's customer service agents on request.

Hairdryers are available inside of the rooms of hotels. Irons are accessible in "ironing rooms" at most hotels in general.

Casual, comfortable, wash and wear clothing.

It will be possible to send out laundry on the first night of hotel stays with two or more nights, but costs are expensive. We suggest that you reuse items by spot washing and hanging clothes to dry while out on tour.

Bethlehem is part of the Palestinian Territory and often requires that you change buses and guides at the check-point. This does feel a bit uncomfortable for some and optional free time in Jerusalem is available for those who do not wish to go.

This is possible at the Jordan River Baptismal Site. Baptisms are only allowed while wearing the special white robes, which can be rented or purchased on site. Clothes must be worn under the robe. A baptismal kit, which includes the mandatory baptismal robes, a baptismal certificate, a towel and free entrance to the change facility and hot showers, is available for rent or purchase at the gift shop. The cost is $10 to rent or $25 to purchase the baptismal kit.

Pilgrim Tours will add the minimum amount of Israel gratuities to your final invoice as noted in the "Tour Includes" section of the tour itinerary. This tip money will be distributed by your guide. Gratuities for other countries (if applicable) should be given to the appropriate tour manager/guide on the first sightseeing day in that country.

If you have a cell phone with international capabilities, contact your company for costs and to verify that it will work in the areas you are touring. Emergency contact information is also included in your travel documents.

A form for pastor approval isn't available; however, we encourage every tour member to talk with their pastor and personally seek his approval first before committing.