what happens if changes are made amendments after departure?
itinerary changes happen. if amendments are made during the trip, additional costs or refunds will be calculated at the local rate at the time of the amendment. these will be reconciled with the passenger while in israel.
all our prices exclude 17% vat. foreign nationals are not required to pay vat. israeli citizens are not exempt from paying vat even if they have other citizenships. hotels might require that you present them with proof of your nationality in order to prove you are not also an israeli citizen. please save the small permit slip that is issued to you at passport control upon entering israel. it is all the proof that you will need in order to verify your nationality.
itinerary changes happen. if amendments are made during the trip, additional costs or refunds will be calculated at the local rate at the time of the amendment. these will be reconciled with the passenger while in israel. a $500 per person non-refundable deposit is required for kenes tours to begin the booking process. please understand that we do our work long before your tour even starts. therefore, even if the tour is canceled, the deposit compensates us for work already done.
the full balance and final payment are due 60 days before the scheduled trip begins in israel, unless another date is specified in your invoice.
kenes tours reserves the right to automatically cancel your reservation on that date final payment is due, should the final payment not be received.
kenes tours reserves the right to adjust its terms of payment, including cancelation policies and initial deposits. notification of any changes will be made explicitly to the participants where relevant.
note:  kenes tours reserves the right to adjust its terms of payment, including cancelation policies and initial deposits. please refer to your individual proposal for your cancelation policy and fees. payments may be made via bank wire transfer (including bank commission) or with american express, mastercard, and visa credit cards (plus 3% service charge).
credit card charges will only be processed upon submission of a completed credit card authorization form. third-party credit cards are not acceptable.
all payments are processed internationally. you should check with your bank or credit card provider regarding additional international processing fees. in the event of currency fluctuation of more than 3% or amendments in local government taxes, we will adjust pricing accordingly in order to operate the trip. cancelations must be made in writing. the cancelation fee depends on the date on which we receive written notification of your request to cancel your booking. please note that the deposit is non-refundable.
cancelation fees:
cancelations made by the client60 or more days prior to the start of the scheduled trip incur the loss of the deposit.
cancelations made by the client 59 to 31 days prior to the start of the scheduled trip incur the loss of 50% of the full trip cost.
cancelations made by the client 30 days or less prior to the start of the scheduled trip incur the loss of 100% of the full trip cost.
note:  kenes tours reserves the right to adjust its terms of payment, including cancelation policies and initial deposits, per specific situations and negotiated agreements with individual clients. please refer to your individual proposal for your specific cancelation policy and fees. international or domestic airfare
travel and medical insurance
airport vip services
personal expenses (e.g. laundry services, spa treatments, passport and/or visa fees)
meals not specified in your itinerary
alcoholic beverages not specified in your itinerary
services of a personal on-site concierge
services of a security guard and/or medic
gratuities for the driver and guide (see our recommendations below) please note that gratuities to guides, drivers, and hotel staff are not included in our package rates. as with most services businesses, it is customary in israel to show satisfaction with and appreciation for service providers with cash gratuities at the end of the tour. we recommend the following guidelines:
driver/guide (1 person) in a private car with up to 5 passengers:  $75 - $125 per touring day
for groups of less than 10 people:
+ for the driver, $50 for the driver per touring day
+ $100 for the guide per touring day
for groups of 10 to 19 people:
+ $5 per person for the driver per touring day
+ $10 per person for the guide per touring day
driver and guide (2 people) in a vehicle with a group of 20 or more passengers: $4 for the driver and $8 for the guide per touring day per passenger
onsite coordinator tips for groups of 20 or more participants: $5 per participant per day
note:  kenes tours is happy to include gratuities in your package rate, with an additional 17% vat.  if you want these fees added to your invoice, please let us know. approximately 21 days prior to departure, provided that full payment has been received by kenes tours, you will receive your final itinerary with all contact and reservation information. travelers are responsible for ensuring kenes tours has all correct e-mail addresses. all our prices exclude 17% vat. foreign nationals are not required to pay vat. israeli citizens are not exempt from paying vat even if they have other citizenships. hotels might require that you present them with proof of your nationality in order to prove you are not also an israeli citizen. please save the small permit slip that is issued to you at passport control upon entering israel. it is all the proof that you will need in order to verify your nationality. passengers are responsible for ensuring that they have the proper travel documents and must check with their respective consulate(s) or a visa agency to determine whether any visas or passports are required.
a visa may be required for certain countries that you will be visiting on your trip and must be obtained prior to travel. us and canadian citizens travelling to israel do not require a visa.
passports should be valid for at least 6 months from your return date from israel. the passport number and expiration date of all passengers on the reservation is required to verify your identity with the hotel upon check-in. please provide this information before the trip begins to our customer service department or your travel advisor. we strongly recommend that you purchase your own . please discuss land, air and health insurance options with your insurance provider.some insurance programs provide more comprehensive coverage when the policy is purchased in close proximity to the initial trip deposit. we therefore recommend that you secure insurance within 14 days of your initial deposit payment date. the trip price includes .
our standard is to provide the best available hotels while considering value. although the level of accommodations may differ slightly from hotel to hotel, we are committed to your comfort.
we reserve the right to make substitutions with hotels of equal standard. no refunds will be issued for differences between hotel prices.
the standard hotel room in israel is generally smaller than in the us, comfortably accommodating two people in either one king-sized bed or two single beds. some hotels offer triple rooms consisting of standard twin beds plus a sofa/folding bed or cot for the third person. there typically are no queen beds.
special requests such as room selections, bed types, and smoking preferences are subject to availability and are strictly at the discretion of the hotel's management on a run-of-house basis.
all hotel rates are non-negotiable and are based on the agreements made between kenes tours and its suppliers.
hotel check-in time is generally not before 3:00 p.m. and check-out time is prior to noon. if you are taking a late-night flight, make sure to organize adequate arrangements for accommodation until you are ready to leave for the airport. if a day room is included in the itinerary, check-out time will usually be at 6:00 p.m. minimum age for  on escorted trips is 6. discounts for  sharing a room as third apply to  under 12.  ages 13 and up are priced as adults. all  are as specified in each itinerary.  are based on hotels’ or restaurants’ buffets or set menus. in general, beverages are not included, unless specifically stated. if your package includes arrival and departure , this will be detailed in your travel documents. if you deviate from the arrival and/or departure dates and times as specified in your travel documents, you will need to arrange your own  and ask us to arrange them on your behalf. the cost of this transfer service will be added to your invoice. when requesting a transfer service, please provide us with your flight information. transportation throughout the trip will be as specified in the proposal. the size of the vehicle will be dictated by the number of participants and will be determined by kenes tours. times listed in itineraries are approximate and meant only as guidelines. kenes tours reserves the right to make any itinerary changes it deems as necessary. in such cases where programs are changed, a site removed will be substituted by an alternative visit, or we may choose to remove a site to allow for more time at other listed locations. in such an event kenes tours will not offer a monetary refund or compensation of any kind to trip participants. on dates including, but not limited to religious holidays and national celebrations, some monuments and sites may be closed. on these occasions, touring itineraries may be amended to reflect these closures. occasionally during holidays and certain periods, due to unforeseen circumstances, last-minute changes may be made, sometimes after arrival, in the sequence of the tour and/or hotels. we, therefore, reserve the right to adjust the sequence and/or substitute any hotels with others of similar category. in such cases, there will be no cost adjustment. kenes tours will make all reasonable accommodations to address trip participants’ physical limitations. participants requiring assistance or special accommodations in any form are required to notify kenes tours in writing at the time of reservation. kenes tours will use its good efforts to accommodate the trip participant’s needs. due to space limitations, special advance arrangements may need to be made to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers aboard motor coaches. additional costs may be involved and kenes tours will notify the participant of such in advance of the trip. 
to enjoy touring in israel, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. the amount of walking you do, however, is at your discretion. we recommend that you pack sturdy, comfortable walking shoes that already have been broken-in to appreciate fully what your trip has to offer.
active components such as hiking, bicycling and walking longer distances may be included; hills and/or uneven terrain may be encountered on several days. guests should be able to walk two-to-three miles and stand for long periods of time with no difficulty. your journey is moderately paced, and may include some early morning hotel departures and extended motorcoach travel.
kenes tours reserves the right to remove any person from a trip who has not provided the required notification and has not received written confirmation from kenes tours. all related expenses, including those to return home, will be borne by the passenger.
please note: we regret that in some cases the kenes tours itinerary cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters. likewise, we regret that we’re unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs. the responsibility of the kenes tours educator/guide who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey; he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest. guests requiring continuous individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it. please check with your healthcare provider for up-to-date requirements. we may use for promotional purposes photographs, images or videos taken by trip participants or by anyone associated with the tour operator. no payment or compensation will be made for use of this material. if you do not want images of yourself or your tour party to be included in our marketing activities, you are required to notify us by the start of your trip.