Trip Planning Process

While no two trips are planned in exactly the same way, the following is a general outline of how we work:

Step #1: Planning the itinerary

The first stage of the process is to meet with you, either in person or over the phone, to discuss the goals for the envisioned experience. We will want to gather important information that will help us guide the planning process.

- What is the theme or purpose of the trip?
- What type of people will be joining the group?
- When do you expect to travel?
- What types of sites /activities should be included?
- What speakers or educational programs to incorporate?
- How many people are expected in the group?
- What level of accommodations are appropriate?
- What type of guide and what level of staffing is needed 

- Will registrations be managed by you or by us?*
Once we have established the basics, our trip planning specialists will propose a draft itinerary for review. We will fine tune that draft itinerary as much as necessary with you until it meets your vision for the experience.

Step #2: Confirming the trip costs

After we have settled on a basic itinerary for the program, we will prepare a formal proposal with detailed trip costs and a listing of the services that are to be included in the program. Since the biggest cost of every trip is the accommodations, it is typically possible to manage the price of the package to meet your budget by adjusting the choice of hotels. In any event, we will always give you a series of options to consider as we collaboratively reach an agreement. 

Step #3: Booking the trip

After settling on the itinerary and a price, our operations staff in Israel will begin the process of booking the trip. This process usually takes a few weeks. In some cases, a specific hotel or activity that was requested may not be available when we actually go to book it. We will let you know of any such issues when they arise and always suggest a solution. After that process is complete, we will send you a final contract with confirmed trip details and terms.

Step #4: Getting ready for the trip

Approximately two months before the start of the trip, we will do a final day-by-day review of the itinerary with you and make any necessary updates. We will also put you in touch directly with your Israeli guide/educator so that you can get to know him/her before arrival in Israel. Finally, we will prepare a detailed pre-trip preparation packet to share with the group as well as final travel documents. Included in this packet will be your Authentic Israel luggage tags, the final itinerary, a suggested packing list, links to order cell phones, as well as other useful information for an Israel trip. In many cases we can also send an Authentic Israel staff representative to meet with your group locally (or over the phone) for a pre-trip orientation meeting.

Step #5: On the ground in Israel

A well planned program means that once you arrive in Israel you can relax and focus on the experience itself. You will be met at the airport by the trip guide as well as by the operator who will be assisting you from our Tel Aviv office. While the program guide is the primary contact for day-to-day matters, the operator will be there to assist you in case any ad hoc modifications need to be made. The point is that you will be backed up on the ground with the full support of the Authentic Israel team.

Step #6: Reviewing the trip

Once the trip is over, we will be following up with you to do a post-trip review. Many of the organizations that we work with have been traveling to Israel with Authentic Israel for many years. We are always looking to improve, and we will discuss what steps should be taken so that the next experience is that much better.