More Than a Trail: The Stories Tour Guides Never Forget

Tour guides are not only about scenery. Yoni Myers shares a deeply moving experience.
“Few tours affected me like the one I led for a terminally ill woman shortly before her passing,” he says, recalling a Jewish family from Seattle. Their 11-year-old daughter wanted to celebrate her Bat Mitzvah early due to her mother’s grave prognosis. Despite the heartbreaking reality, the mother insisted that the focus remain on her daughter, giving the family a rare and meaningful opportunity to share their final moments together.
“I will never forget witnessing the powerful bond between the parents, cherishing their last days side by side,” Myers adds, emotion still evident in his voice.

Snake Encounter on the Trail

Myers, who has worked as a guide for over thirty years, entered the field out of financial necessity.
“As a full-time student of Gemara, guiding began as a side job,” he explains. At first, he avoided self-promotion so he could remain focused on his studies. Yet his modesty and professionalism built a strong reputation, eventually opening the door to work with a prestigious travel company.
“After one successful trial tour, everything fell into place,” he says.

Tour guide, Yoni Myers

While most tours end peacefully, the job does carry risks. Myers recalls incidents including a girl who fell into an ancient cistern during a hike. Dan Kowalski, another experienced guide, shares a frightening moment of his own. While leading students through Nahal Nesher, a viper slithered across their path.
“It’s stressful even for someone trained to handle snakes,” he admits. His advice is clear: “Follow your guide’s instructions. Your safety depends on it.”

Myers also remembers cancelling a tour in the Negev when a group of unruly youth repeatedly endangered themselves.
“I had no choice,” he says.

Photo: David Cohen

Guiding the Influential

Myers also works with prominent figures, including leading rabbis.
“When guiding Torah scholars, the experience is completely different,” he explains. “They are interested in visiting the graves of great sages, in the spiritual history of the land, and in the depth behind each site.”
Such tours require far more than geographic knowledge. They demand familiarity with Jewish history, sources, and meaning that goes far beyond ordinary sightseeing.

Impact of the Pandemic

Like many in the tourism world, Myers saw his work come to a halt when the pandemic began. Yet following the lockdowns, demand rose dramatically. In the meantime, he adapted by offering virtual tours, presenting Israel’s landscapes and history through online lectures and slideshows.
“Suddenly I was reaching far more people than ever before,” he says. One Zoom tour attracted over 1,000 participants from around the world.
“The reach of the internet is astonishing,” he reflects.

Emotional and Team Building Through Travel

Bentzi Novak, who transitioned from working in tour security to becoming a guide, emphasizes the emotional depth of guiding.
“Nature brings out who we truly are,” he says. “You learn a lot about people by watching how they behave on the trail.”

Bentzi Novak

He once led a complex rescue operation for an injured hiker, an experience that strengthened the bond within the group and left a lasting impression on everyone involved. Novak balances guiding with his work as a nurse, describing both professions as forms of healing.
“One heals the body, the other heals something deeper,” he explains.

Guide’s Tips

Myers stresses the importance of preparation.
“Beyond the basics like water and sunscreen, you must truly know your route. Many people waste precious time because they get lost or fail to understand the significance of the places they visit.”

Photo: Nati Shochet

Kowalski adds, “Choose routes that match your group’s physical abilities, and consider modesty standards when guiding religious groups. Proper preparation prevents unnecessary danger.”

Dan Kowalski

Myers returns to the story that left the deepest mark on him, the terminally ill woman he guided years earlier.
“Guiding must reach the emotional dimension,” he says. “Life itself should be lived with the awareness that every moment is precious, as if each act could be the last opportunity.”

Years later, he received an unexpected email. The woman he believed had passed away had in fact recovered. Her message was filled with gratitude and hope, leaving him with a renewed sense of faith in resilience, prayer, and the strength of the human spirit.