To request a private Jerusalem tour, send your preferred date, number of adults and children, pickup hotel and address, the places that matter most, and any walking or timing limits. Those details let the team check guide availability and propose a day that fits your group. You do not need to arrive with a finished itinerary.
A useful enquiry can be short. “Four adults, Jerusalem hotel, November 12, Christian sites, one guest struggles with stairs” gives much more to work with than “How much is a Jerusalem tour?” This guide explains what each detail changes and provides a message you can copy.
Start with these seven details
- Date: your preferred day and any alternatives.
- Group: the actual number of adults and children, with children’s ages.
- Pickup: hotel name, full address and departure city.
- Priorities: two or three places or experiences you most want.
- Pace: walking, stairs, standing and rest-break needs.
- Timing: any firm return deadline or other booking that day.
- Contact and language: an email or WhatsApp number and your guiding-language request.
If something is undecided, say so. A hotel name can follow later, but the departure city is still useful. An estimated group size should be labelled as an estimate. It is better to confirm a missing detail than to book an option that does not fit.
Give a date, and alternatives if you have them
A private tour requires an available guide and suitable arrangements for that particular day. Include the year as well as the month and day, especially when planning a pilgrimage far in advance. If two dates work, include both in your first message.
Explain any reason the date matters. You may want a church visit before a separate service, or need to leave Jerusalem the next morning. A preferred start time is helpful, but it remains a request until the team confirms it. The first answer may ask you to move the order of stops or consider another day.
Religious services and site access can affect the route. The Christian Information Center’s official timetable is a useful source for church visiting information, but a published opening window does not guarantee that every part of a church will be available. We check the itinerary for the date rather than treating a general guide as a reservation.
Send the actual guest count
State the number of adults and children separately, including children’s ages. The current Jerusalem Full Day Private Tour has group-size options up to 3, 6 or 18 people. “Up to six” describes a booking category; it does not tell the team whether two people or six will actually travel.
Group size affects vehicle planning and the appropriate booking option. Mention bulky luggage, a stroller or a walking aid if it will travel with you. Do not assume there will be room for equipment that has not been discussed. If your group may grow, ask how to confirm the final number before you pay.
For example, a family of two adults and two children should describe all four travellers. Do not select the smallest option simply because only the adults will be asking questions on the tour. The team needs to plan for everyone travelling.
Include the hotel’s full name and address
“Jerusalem hotel” is enough for an early conversation, but a final pickup requires the property’s exact name and street address. Different hotels can have similar names. A map link helps, especially for an apartment or a property inside a pedestrian area.
The current tour includes hotel pickup and return for the selected departure option. That does not mean a vehicle can reach every hotel door or drive through the Old City to each stop. If the address is on a restricted or pedestrian street, the team may need to agree on a nearby vehicle-accessible meeting point.
Tell us if the return address differs from pickup, or if you are arriving from another city that morning. Airport transfers, a hotel move and a day tour are different arrangements. Mention the intended journey before booking so the team can say what is possible and included.
Choose two or three priorities
It is tempting to send a long list of Jerusalem landmarks. A better starting point is to say which places you would be most disappointed to miss, then separate those from optional stops. The guide can help put the day in a sensible order.
The published private Jerusalem route includes the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, the Western Wall, the Old City quarters, the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, among other stops. The order and time at sites may vary. Consult the current product page for the full itinerary, and ask about any change before booking.
A Christian-focused day might give priority to prayer time at the Holy Sepulchre. Another group may want a broad introduction to the Old City and more time for historical explanation. Neither needs to become a race to complete the longest list. Explain what would make the day meaningful for you.
If entering a particular chapel or joining a queue is essential, say that explicitly. Viewing the outside, entering the building and reaching a particular interior space are not always the same experience. A private guide can help plan around your priorities, but cannot promise access controlled by a site or a religious community.
Describe walking needs in practical terms
Jerusalem’s Old City includes steps, slopes and uneven paving. “My father can walk” is less useful than “He can walk for about twenty minutes, then needs a seat, and stairs are difficult.” Use everyday descriptions of what is comfortable rather than sending medical records.
Tell us whether someone uses a cane, walker or wheelchair, whether they can manage steps, and whether prolonged standing is difficult. For equipment travelling in the vehicle, ask what size and storage details the team needs. Also mention whether you prefer a slower day with fewer stops.
A private tour provides room to discuss the pace, but it is not a blanket accessibility guarantee. The route and individual sites need assessment. Please get that confirmation before booking; do not assume a private vehicle removes all walking between sites or makes every church level accessible.
Families should also mention young children, stroller use and likely break needs. Those details help the team advise on a realistic day. The aim is a route your group can enjoy together, with the important constraints known in advance.
Distinguish preferred timing from a hard deadline
The current private Jerusalem tour is described as approximately 7–8 hours. Your confirmed pickup arrangements, traffic, queues and site access affect the day. Tell the team if a restaurant reservation is flexible, but an onward flight or other commitment is not.
Avoid building a plan that depends on every stop taking the minimum possible time. If you need to be back by a fixed hour, put that near the top of your enquiry. The team can assess whether a shorter route is workable or whether another date would be more appropriate.
Also specify whether you want time for a meal or personal prayer. Food and drinks are not included in the current product. A longer stop uses time that would otherwise go to another part of the route, so agreeing priorities beforehand makes the day more comfortable.
Ask for the right language and a clear quote
The listed private Jerusalem tour includes an English-speaking licensed guide. If you want another language, request it before payment and wait for confirmation of availability and any price difference. A translated website page does not by itself confirm a guide in that language.
Use the current product page for the available departure and group-size options. This article does not freeze a price that may later change. For a tailored request, ask the team to state the total, currency, pickup arrangements, guide service, inclusions and exclusions in the written reply.
Make clear whether you want the standard itinerary or an alteration. A quoted standard tour is not automatic approval for extra cities, different return transport or an additional service. Check the cancellation terms attached to the actual booking before you pay.
A message you can copy
Hello Elijah Tours, we would like to enquire about a private Jerusalem tour.
Preferred date: [day, month, year]. Alternative date: [if possible].
Guests: [adults] and [children, with ages].
Pickup: [hotel name, full address and city]. Return address: [same or different].
Our main priorities: [two or three places or experiences].
Walking needs: [steps, walking aids, standing limits or breaks].
Timing: [preferred start and any firm return deadline].
Guiding language: [request].
Contact: [email or WhatsApp number].Please confirm whether the date and route are possible, the total price and currency, and what is included before we book. Thank you.
Send this through our contact page or the WhatsApp message link on the site. Tour support is handled through written messages so the arrangements stay clear for the team. For the first enquiry, do not send passport scans, card details or other unnecessary sensitive information.
Check these points in the reply before paying
- The confirmed date and actual group size are correct.
- The pickup location, departure option and expected return arrangements match your plans.
- Your requested guide language and major itinerary changes are confirmed.
- Any walking or access limits have been discussed, without assuming unrestricted access.
- The total, currency, inclusions and applicable cancellation terms are clear.
An enquiry or a suggested itinerary is not the same as a confirmed reservation. Follow the team’s booking instructions and keep the written confirmation. If your date, group size or hotel changes, send the update before the day of travel.
Still choosing between Jerusalem and Bethlehem?
If Jerusalem’s Old City and Mount of Olives are your priority, start with the private Jerusalem option. If your main interest is a regional day through Bethlehem, Jericho and the Jordan River, that is a different route and format. Read our comparison of the two day tours before asking to combine everything into one day.
Elijah Tours currently helps with Jerusalem private full-day tours and Bethlehem, Jericho and Jordan River day tours. We do not currently arrange Sea of Galilee tours or hotel stays. Tell us which of the available routes interests you, and we can check the dates you have.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a complete itinerary before asking?
No. Send your date, pickup city, group size and main interests. The team can help assess a workable route.
Can I enquire before booking a hotel?
Yes. Give the intended city and say the hotel is undecided. The exact pickup arrangement must be confirmed once the address is known.
Is every private Jerusalem tour wheelchair accessible?
No. Private does not mean every site is accessible. Explain the mobility requirements before booking so the route can be assessed.
Can I arrange everything by phone?
Please use email or WhatsApp messages for tour enquiries, so the details and confirmations remain available in writing.
Does sending the enquiry reserve a guide?
No. Availability and the booking steps need to be confirmed by the team. Wait for the written arrangements before treating the day as booked.
Ready to plan? Send your private Jerusalem tour enquiry with the checklist above, or review the current private tour itinerary and booking options.
