Isoroka, New York

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AMIR GADNAOR is the best guide I've ever had!

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Amir Gadnaor is an amazing guide - perhaps the best we've ever had. A few things made him exceptional.

(1) Bar Mitzvah Help
Amir was fantastic at helping me plan the bar mitzvah of my eldest son in Jerusalem. He helped me select the place, an awesome Moroccan restaurant to have a feast and celebration the night prior, and helped connect the entire trip back to the bar mitzvah experience. It was way more meaningful than anyone expected, and Amir was a big part of that. 

(2) Insight into Complex Issues
Israel is a very complicated place, especially politically. Our extended family (12) was very interested in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and that is a topic that is not always easy to navigate. Amir had very interesting historical and political insights, and he had colleagues/friends who were able to share theirs with us. Amir set up an excursion into the West Bank with a Jewish Settler (a rabbi) who was able to explain his view to us on the occupied territories. The next day, Amir set up a similar afternoon - this time with a Palestinian business man and his college age daughter. Fascinating insights and something most Israeli guides can't set up on a whim.

(3) Adventure Travel - Great w kids
Amir was awesome with our kids (ages 10-13). We traveled to Israel in August and it was HOT. Amir made sure we were on the water every day - hiking in rivers, to watering holes, snorkeling, cliff jumping, water tunnels, etc. Kids (and parents) had the time of their lives. He's especially knowledgable about the desert, and insisted that become part of our trip. He was right. The Negev and Jordanian desert were awesome.

(4) Off-beat Travel - Cultural Learning
Amir was also able to set up very authentic cultural exchanges for us. We stayed with a Druze family in the Golan Heights just steps from the Syrian border. We had perhaps the best meal of the trip there, and learned a ton about an ethnic group we knew very little about. We also stayed with a Bedouin family in the desert. This was not touristy - this was the real deal. The family cooked dinner for us and we slept outdoors, with them, under 10,000 stars. Amazing.

(5) Welcoming
Overall, Amir really tried to understand what we wanted to get out of the trip, and helped make sure each segment (kids, parents, grandparents) were able to get what they wanted from the trip. Our trip was fast paced. We woke up before the sun every other day. At the end of the 14 days, I think everyone felt it was among the most epic trips of their lives.

I recommend Amir fully and without hesitation.

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