FAQ

All YNT tours require walking and hiking, some of it extensive. While none of our planned hikes are in the strenuous category, many are considered moderate which means you should be able to walk/hike for more than 2 hours at a time on unpaved and uneven trails with elevation gain. Some trails may be rugged. You should have a baseline stamina level as well as be steady/stable on your feet and free from balance issues.

As an adult, independent traveler, you will be responsible for yourself, your possessions and your own physical fitness. If you are physically impaired, require assistive aids for walking/balance, require assistance managing your luggage (to include carrying luggage up stairs), or cannot keep up with the pace of an average group of moderate hikers, Yifei Nof Tours for Women (YNT) may not be for you. Other YNT travelers cannot be expected to assist you with mobility and with luggage management. This applies to YNT group leaders as well, who have responsibilities to the larger group and must prioritize the needs of the tour as a whole. 

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If you experience a change in mobility during the trip itself, YNT staff will assist you in discussing options and alternatives if you cannot manage the planned hikes or activities. However, any additional expenses or missed activities will not be reimbursed by YNT. 

Please note that while our activity levels are based on generally accepted rating criteria, an individual's interpretation of easy/moderate/strenuous is subjective. People have a tendency to OVERESTIMATE their abilities. It is therefore important that you make an honest assessment of your baseline abilities before signing up for a YNT trip. 

Easy: Comparable to city walking. Less than 4 miles, minimal elevation gain (<400 ft), paths fairly even. Such hikes are suitable for most, to include children and those without hiking experience.

Moderate: More suitable to regular hikers with a baseline of physical fitness. Hikes may be more than 4 miles, will often involve elevation gain (>400 ft), and surfaces may be uneven, rocky, and varying. Trails may be steep at times.

Strenuous: Requires a high degree of physical fitness and skill. May involve lengthy, steep paths, rocky and uneven surfaces, or may take place at high altitudes. Standard YNT trips do not involve any strenuous hikes, however YNT Extreme trips may.

So that we can visit the many beautiful locations on our itinerary, there are times when we will have longer drives that may extend to 3 hours - or even longer. The scenery outside your windows will be spectacular, and you will have wonderful and engaging frum women sitting near you with whom to shmooze. If you prefer, you can bring a book, or a laptop to do some work. But please do be prepared for some driving... the sheer scope of the Western US is huge!

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Because of the distances involved, please recognize that our days are long, and can extend to 12 hours or more from departure to arrival back at our home bases. While we love to plan group picnic lunches, some days may entail lunch on-the-go. We try to pack as much as possible into our 5 day trips, preferring to give you every possible experience in the short time we have together. Please note, therefore, that days will be long and possibly exhausting for those who don't have adequate stamina. If you do not have the necessary fitness and stamina level, our long days together with extended travel can take a toll. 

Our goal is to offer opportunities for travel, exploration and adventure for frum women, in a manner and at a price that is attainable. 

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Our homes are comfortable, spacious and clean, yet we do not aim for 5-star luxury. Our food is wholesome, delicious and plentiful, but we do not offer high-end gourmet cuisine. If you are looking for a luxurious 5-star vacation, Yifei Nof Tours may not be the best option for you. If you are seeking an exciting and refreshing trip to marvel at niflaos Haborei together with like-minded women, and to enjoy activities that exhilarate, then Yifei Nof Tours is your address!

We try to accommodate dietary requests whenever possible and to a reasonable degree, so please reach out to us to discuss if and how we can assist with those needs. 

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All of our prepared foods are under the supervision of reputable hashgachos, typically the Va'ad HaKashrus of Las Vegas.  Any stocked food in the homes will have a generally accepted hechsher such as OU or Star-K, and all meat products are always Glatt kosher. Chassidish shechitah may be available upon request for certain trips. Chalav Yisrael dairy products are always present on our trips, and limited Pas Yisrael foods can be made available upon request. We aim to offer non-dairy milk alternatives on all trips, and limited gluten free items can be provided upon request. 

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On specific trips, especially those that are more remote, access to kosher food is more difficult. While we will of course be able to provide ample, healthful kosher products, access to heimish hechsherim will be limited, and we may be less able to accommodate specific dietary requests. 

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Please also keep in mind that due to our often remote locations, at times we may be unable to restock on specific items. We suggest that, if you have a very specific dietary need or preference, you may wish to bring along some of your special foods from home.  

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If any participant has a severe allergy, we ask that you make us aware of this allergy early on so that we can attempt to tailor our meal plans to avoid worrisome triggers. 

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In general, our food is wholesome, fresh and plentiful, and we make sure to offer many healthful snacks and fresh fruits and vegetables.  And we didn't forget the coffee either!

We are pleased that our trips attract a diverse group of Jewish women.  We have had women from their 20s to their 70s, and women who are single, married, divorced and widowed.  Our participants have come from Eretz Yisrael, Canada, and across the United States to include New York, New Jersey, Maryland, California, Massachusetts, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Rhode Island, and beyond. Our women come from across a broad spectrum of Orthodox Jewry, and we love learning about how much we have in common and developing a unique sense of achdus and community.

Except in the most extenuating of circumstances, Yifei Nof trips are not refundable. However, we understand that - as frum women - we have busy and sometimes unpredictable lives and we would not want you lose out if circumstances such as a simcha, life event, or health concern arises. We are therefore glad to offer 100% of your paid funds as a credit towards a future Yifei Nof trip as long as your cancellation occurs more than 2 weeks prior to the start of the trip. If you have to cancel within 2 weeks of the trip, 50% of your paid funds can be applied as a credit towards a future Yifei Nof Tours trip. Funds will be held towards a trip that occurs up to 12 months from the cancellation date.