Airfare and Flight/Travel Insurance

The tour price does not include your airfare or travel insurance. Please do not purchase your airfare until you have been notified that the minimum number of participants has paid their deposits. Travel insurance is not mandatory, but it is recommended.

Airport Transfers

Your itinerary states the times of airport pick-up and departures. If you arrive before, or after the stated times, transportation to and from the airport is your responsibility.

Children

We love children and babies. Each family needs to make their decision about their family. Please note that some of our accommodations often don’t have cribs or family rooms available, so please take that into consideration when bringing your little ones.

Clothing and Shoes

The temperatures vary greatly in Israel within the different regions we will be traveling from the north to the south and even from morning to evening in the same region. Layered clothing is best where you can put on or take off depending on the weather. A portable umbrella is always nice to have in the spring as that is the rainy season. Closed-toe shoes throughout the trip are recommended. And remember there will be days where we walk a lot so be sure that you have broken in your shoes before the journey. Ladies keep a shawl or a long-sleeved garment in your pack in case we go to a religious area that requires women’s arms to be covered. Men, the zip apart cargo shorts/pants are wonderful.

Communication ~ Phone and Internet

Please check your phone plan to see what is, and what is not covered while in Israel. The Internet can be sporadic all through the journey, even at Biblical Tamar Park. Some people rent their own hotspot. (Travel cell is one option). When at Biblical Tamar Park you can call the US from the phone located in the dining hall for no charge.

Biblical Tamar Park does have limited Internet access. Please do not download large files, watch videos, or stream music because these activities consume the limited bandwidth much too quickly. We also ask that you turn off alerts and programs when at the park, so we can extend our allotted bandwidth.

Currency and Credit/Debit Cards

Visa and Mastercard credit cards are widely accepted; American Express and Discover often are not. You can use your debit/credit card in ATM machines. Be sure to check with your bank before leaving to find out if you will be charged a fee and note that many of the ATMs charge their own fee. Traveler checks are hard to cash in Israel, but not impossible with proper ID. US Dollars/Euros are widely accepted and can be exchanged with money changers. When purchasing souvenirs be sure that the shopkeeper and you are talking the same currency; shekel (NIS) or US dollar (or Euro, etc.).

Laundry

Bring clothing that can be hand-washed, or enough to wear throughout the trip as laundry facilities are not available.

Lodging

Our accommodations in Jerusalem and in Galilee will have a private bath. per room. We will spend five nights at Biblical Tamar Park. Many, many years ago caravans were put at the park to house those who were part of the archeological dig. Most of the units are “archaic” and can be best explained as a gypsy camp setting. Blossoming Rose has begun renovations in some of the caravans, but this is a slow process. Some of you will have to share a bathroom with not only your roommate but with one or two others.

Luggage

Please be sure to read your airlines' luggage allotment from checked baggage to your carry-on as each airline has its own rules; the number of pieces and weight.

Jewelry and Valuables

It is best to keep expensive jewelry at home. Many people feel better with a fanny pack to carry their passports, cash, and credit cards. At the hotels, you should have a safe. At Tamar Park see the tour host and or the park supervisor if you have something that needs to be locked up.

Meals, Special Diets and Beverages

Two meals are provided daily (Breakfast and Dinner (although there will be exceptions when we have a late lunch/early dinner experience), except the night of March 25th.  Lunches, for the most part, will be on-your-own where we will stop when on tour. Many people bring granola or nutrition bars to stick in their pack in case of hunger when traveling. If you have a special dietary need you should be able to pick and choose from the buffet/family-style breakfast and dinner options.

Beverages that are not provided with the meal plan are your responsibility (this includes sodas, beer, and wine). We will give you the opportunity to stop at gas stations to give you the opportunity to make your own personal purchase of these items. Plan to bring a refillable water bottle to save your cost of buying bottled water.

Medical

It’s always a good idea to have a copy of your prescriptions with you when you travel internationally. Bring an extra pair of prescription eyeglasses. If purchasing travel insurance, you may be covered in case of a medical emergency, and it is wise for you to know what your health insurance company’s policies are.

Covid 19 has changed all of our lives, including International travel. We will have to follow any current requirements from the Israeli government. Hopefully, the "jab" will not be part of the requirements when we tour. 

 Passport/Visa

Your passport must have six months, or longer before it expires. A Visa isn’t required for US Citizens, but other countries may require one.  Be sure to leave an itinerary with a loved one, and print a paper copy for you to have as well.

Pets

We understand that you love your pets. But, they are not allowed on the tour or at Biblical Tamar Park, even service and emotional support animals.

Purpose of the Fragrant Botanical Tour

The purpose of the Fragrant Botanical Tour is to Green the Land of Israel, in particular the Arava at Biblical Tamar Park. Throughout the tour, we will visit gardens, farms, and individuals who are making a difference in seeing prophecy come to pass. Most everyone who is on this tour will have very personal expressions of their faith. We will adhere to Biblical Tamar Park and their Volunteer Manual regarding sharing our personal beliefs.

It is not acceptable for volunteers/tour attendees to share their personal beliefs with others unless there is clearly a mutual desire to visit about religious or controversial subjects. We may think that others want to hear what we have to say, but we have found that people,  first of all, want to be kind and that those who share their beliefs are often not sensitive to the fact that they are being intrusive. It can be even more offensive if a person tells someone else that God has given him or her an important or exclusive message or revelation for others. In Daniel Taylor’s book, The Myth of Certainty, he makes this statement, “Once in operation, a belief system processes all information, all evidence, in its own terms, appropriating that which verifies its outlook and defusing or ignoring anything else.” He also said, “God needs no particular person, church, denomination, creed, or organization to accomplish His purpose. He will make use of those, in all of their diversity, who are ready to be used, but will leave to themselves those who labor for their own ends.”  Thank you for understanding this very sensitive topic.

 
Souvenirs and Other Personal Purchases

Anything of a personal nature; laundry, souvenirs, phone calls, beverages (wine, beer, soda) including bottled water is your responsibility. FYI. the water in Israel is very good. Bring your own refillable cup to save on bottled water. At Tamar Park, there is a US phone to call home for no charge.

Tips

Please plan to bring an additional $150 cash for tips for our guides and drivers. The tips will be collected on our first night together.  Housekeeping tips at the hotels are on your own.

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to The Fragrant Botanical Tour to Israel 2023 

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The Fragrant Botanical Tour to Israel 

​March 2023

The exact dates to be announced.

Hosted by Apothecary Cynthia Hillson and Precious Oils Up On The Hill