ang - "The waste places of the earth, the barren deserts, the tracts forsaken of and given over to loneliness,
have a peculiar attraction of their own. The weird solitude, the great silence, the grim desolation,
are the very things with which every desert wanderer falls in love."
The Desert / John C. Van Dyke 1901

Desert Eco Tours consists of a small team of distinguished Israeli tour operators and guides. Each one is driven by a love of nature and travel and a passion for his work. The company enjoys a high profile and excellent reputation throughout the tourist industry. It is endorsed by the New York Times, USA Today and The Lonely Planet, it also enjoys top ranking on Tripadvisor whose 'Award of Excellence' it has received annually since 2010.
 

Spring in the Negev desert

 Erez Herrnstadt - Owner and CEO, Erez established Desert Eco Tours in order to fulfill his longstanding ambition to create a tour company that focused on high quality tours as opposed to the standard tours routes of other operators and made the most of the best guides available in the field. This alternative to the standard tour operators came at a time when travelers were becoming more discerning about their trips. The company was quickly a firm favorite among travel agents, independent travelers, incoming Israeli travel agents and  DMC's alike. Now the leading company in its field its popularity grows from year to year. Erez previously worked as as a licensed tour guide and desert guide.  He is also a gifted photographer and all the desert pictures and images on this site are taken from his collection of tour photography. As a keen conservationist and has remained focused on tours that benefit the environment while refusing to compromise the quality of his tours in exchange for mass-market tourism. It was Erez's experience and expertise that allowed him to create a tour operation for modern travelers but it is his excellent team and their dedication that keeps Desert Eco Tours in a class of its own.
 

David Tsvaygenbaum - I am a professional Adventure Freak. For the last ten years I've been living in the best place on the earth 'The City of Eilat', which is located in the southern part of the Holy Land, Israel. The magical Red Sea with its crystal clear water and magnificent red mountains made me discover my passion for diving, climbing and hiking. Since 2006 my passion has become my profession! I'm a PADI diving Instructor (Master Scuba Diver Trainer) and a Tour Guide licensed by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. I am blessed to have my work that enables me to share the great memories with guests from all over the world! A little bit of curiosity is all you need to start an excellent adventure.

Abraham Shaked - Along with Menachem Markus, 'Shaked' is Israel's leading expert on desert guiding. Author of several guidebooks, Shaked's distinguished guiding career of 30 years began while he was the manager of the Field School in Sinai's High Range (before accurate maps of the area even existed). Today Shaked is a professional and dedicated conservationist, working for the Israeli Society for the Protection of Nature. An absolutely outstanding guide, Shaked is often imitated but impossible to match.

Manachem Markus - Manachem began his distinguished 30-year career in the depths of the Sinai desert. He has published several highly popular guide books covering Israel, Sinai, Negev and Jordan. He has worked for the Israel Nature Reserve Authority and instructs tour guides for Israel's Ministry of Tourism (both Erez and Itzick are among his former students). Manachem is probably the most renowned of Israel's elite tour guides.

Itzick Makovsky- During his 20 years of tour guiding, Itzick took a break to study at Stanford and returned with a Geophysics Ph.D. His deep love for the desert has never left him and with Desert Eco Tours Itzick continues to guide and explore in his own highly energetic and enthusiastic style.
 

Bedouin girl- St. Catherine, Sinai

Who will you be talking with? The following are our office team members and personalised tour planners;

Gil Levi, David Vered - Senior tour planners in Israel, Jordan and Egypt

Ellen Elend Rif - Specialist tour planner for Israel Egypt and Jordan Private Tours

Tomer Shaulov - Specialist tour planner for Jordan Tours

Enquiries are answered by the person who specializes in the tour area requested. The tour planner who responds to your first enquiry will stay with you throughout the planning and booking of your tour. They will also be available to you on their personal cell phone for the duration of your tour in case you require any assistance during your visit. Questions regarding all aspects of your tour are warmly welcomed and you should not hesitate to contact your personal tour planner with any queries that you have at any stage. Our team of tour guides in Israel and Jordan are selected by us and work according to our guidelines. Tour guides are chosen for tours according to the itinerary and the preferences of the participants.  

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