I found Green Olive Tours via Google search on account of positive reviews, and I can say that Green Olive Tours lives up to its positive reputation, without hesitation.
To really get the full immersion into Palestine, I signed onto the Introduction to Palestine - 4 Day Tour, which included East and West Jerusalem, Bethlehem and rhe Banksy Wall, Neblus (though inaccessible due to the insecurity/instability of the current situation, so other arrangements were made), Hebron and Ramallah, including home stay with a Palestinian family in Beit Sahour, a suburb of Bethlehem.
The day tours were fantastic. Seamless transfers, knowledgeable guides, wonderful drivers, and well coordinated services. I did indeed receive the full immersion I was looking for. At the same time, the tour services were extremely personalized, and the staff at Green Olive Tours did everything to make sure my tour was exceptional and exceeded my expectations. I had a wonderful trip, and absolutely would join another tour again in the future. For me, surely, the highlight was the Bethlehem/Banksy Wall tour, but I thoroughly enjoyed all of the tours and I learned so much from the different perspectives of the guides/tour leaders. I was fortunate to be paired with a different tour leader for every day tour, which I felt was extremely important for diversity of experience, learning and knowledge exchange.
The home stay was exceptional. I was so well cared for, I felt as if it was a home away from home. The family I stayed with was so welcoming, understanding and accommodating. The private room was spacious, the private bathroom had amenities I wasn’t even expecting, and the bed was extremely comfortable. The family (coordinated through the staff at Green Olive Tours) went above and beyond to ensure my rather picky dietary restrictions were met - the food was exceptional, and meals were not only delicious and the best meals I had indulged in after weeks of traveling, but the meals met every dietary restriction specified. I would strongly recommend the home stay option as part of your tour.
Overall, 10/10, with absolutely no complaints. My tour groups were small, every day, with no more than 3 individuals for the day tours outside of Jerusalem and only around 10 for the city tour of Jerusalem. This made for a more personalized tour experience. All of the guides were exceptional. I learned so much from every guide, and I will carry forward all of my learnings for many years to come.
I highly recommend Green Olive Tours, and should I find myself back in this region, I would absolutely sign on for another tour with this company. One of the best service providers in the region.
Thank you so much for making my time in Israel/Palestine so special and memorable!
