If you want to travel to Israel, you might have a lot of questions regarding your upcoming trip. In this post, I will try to put as many answers as possible. Here is all you need to know before going to Israel. If I forgot something, let me know.
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Table of Contents
Passport & Visa for Israel
Before arriving in Israel, think about your departure date. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the expected departure date from Israel. Tourists can stay up to three months in Israel.
Will your passport be stamped when entering Israel? No. Israel no longer stamps people’s passports at airports and most land crossings. Instead of a stamp, you will get a paper slip with your photo on it. This slip is called an “Electronic Gate Pass.” Keep hold of it throughout your entire stay in Israel. Still, I recommend ensuring that they are not stamping your passport, especially if you plan to visit an Arab or Muslim country. This way, you’ll be on the safe side.
If your passport has an Arab or Muslim stamp, you will likely face a longer and stricter security check. Just keep that in mind, and don’t panic.
What about the visa?
Many countries have a Visa Waiver Program with Israel. This means their citizens can enter Israel without a prearranged visa. Some nationalities that need to arrange a visa before arrival to Israel include Armenia, Bolivia, China, India, and Ethiopia. Check if you need a visa here.
The Basics
When to come?
Israel is a year-round destination, and you’ll find things to do here in every season. It really depends on what you want to see and do
In general, the best season to come is between April and June. This is springtime in Israel and the weather is usually pleasant. The low season is between November and March, the winter season in Israel. In those months, the weather might be chillier and rainfall might happen.
If you’re coming to Israel for the beaches, the best time is from May to September, when the weather is hot.
How many days to visit?
If you want to visit the classic places, like Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and the Dead Sea, I recommend staying for at least 5 days. For a more in-depth visit, I recommend staying at least 8 days in Israel.
What to pack?
In the summer (June-September) – bring light clothes and maybe a jacket just in case it gets chilly. Don’t forget sunscreen, a hat, walking sandals, flip-flops, sunglasses, and a swimsuit if you plan to chill out on the beach. In the winter (November-February) – bring short clothes as well, but also a jacket and a coat, in case it gets cold, especially if you plan to visit Jerusalem or the Golan Heights. It’s also recommended to bring an umbrella in case it rains. Other than that, you can get almost anything in Israeli stores, so if you forget something, no worries.
Need more advice about packing? Read my post – The Ultimate Packing List for Israel: Season by Season.
How to travel within Israel?
There are many types of transportation inside Israel. Israel is a very small country, only 470 km long and 135 km wide, so you can drive from south to north in about 8 hours. Inside most cities, you can walk from one site to another. When traveling between main cities, buses are quite comfortable. If you plan to visit national parks or more remote places like the Negev and the Galilee, you might want to consider renting a car (prices later in this post).
Shabbat and Jewish holidays
It is very important to know that there is no public transportation on Shabbat and major Jewish holidays, including from and to the airport (so try not to book a flight that lands on Shabbat). Shabbat is the holy day of rest in Israel and takes place every week from sundown on Friday to Saturday night. In major cities, most attractions are open, and many restaurants are open as well. In Jerusalem, there are also some attractions that are open, but most restaurants will be closed.
Language
The main language in Israel is Hebrew, but almost everyone understands English as well, so don’t worry about it. There are also many who understand Arabic (there is a large population of Muslim people living in Israel). Learn Hebrew basics here.
Safety
Israel is one of the safest countries in the world for tourists. As we have seen in recent years, terror attacks can happen almost anywhere. In Israel, we have a well-trained army and police force that guards the borders, the border crossings, the checkpoints, and any important public areas. Most attacks are prevented before they even happen. Also, there is no everlasting war going on in Israel. Sometimes there are tense times when rockets are launched from Gaza Strip to Israel, but that rarely happens, and when it does happen, it rarely gets to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv area. There’s also the Iron Dome air defense system, which destroys most rocket attacks. Oh, and crime is very low here, so… yeah, Israel is safe and a great place for families, solo travelers, women, and everyone.
Read more: Is Israel Safe to Visit?
Electricity
Israeli electrical appliances run on 220 volts AC, single phase, 50 Hertz. Most of the Israeli sockets are three-pronged, but you can usually put the European two-pronged plugs into them.
Health
There are no major health problems in Israel. Tap water is drinkable.
Food
You can find all sorts of food in Israel. Keep in mind that most restaurants in Israel are Kosher, which means that they won’t serve dairy products and meat products together. That means you will find some restaurants that are only diary-based and some that are only meat-based. Fish and dairy products can be mixed together. There are also plenty of vegetarian and vegan options in Israel.
General expenses
Accommodation
- Free accommodation – You can get free accommodation by using Couchsurfing, which is very popular in Israel, or by volunteering in one of the kibbutzim or hostels. Another option is to camp in the free camping sites throughout Israel, but then you need to keep in mind that they do not have any facilities in them (no lighting, no showers, no security, and in many places, no flowing water) and that most of them are far from most attractions, which means you’ll need to hike or to rent a car.
- Paid camping –There are many camping sites that have a camping fee, most of them handled by the Nature and National Parks Authority of Israel and usually located inside or nearby the parks. Camping generally costs about 50 ILS per adult (about 13 USD). If you’re looking for a cool experience, I would also recommend checking out the khans in the Negev and Arava. They might be a bit more pricey, but they offer a special Bedouin-style experience. Learn more about camping in Israel.
- Hostels – The hotel industry has been developing nicely in Israel, and it is a great way to socialize with other travelers. Today you can find over 30 hostels throughout Israel, especially in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and other main cities. A bed in a dorm will cost about 70-110 ILS per night (about 18-30 USD), depending on the number of beds in the dorm and the location of the hostel.
Food
Buying food in the grocery – If you’re planning to make your own food, here are the average costs of the main food products in Israeli supermarkets:
- Bread -7-10 ILS
- Tomatoes – Starting at 7 ILS per kilogram
- Milk – 5-10 ILS
- Eggs – 11-13 ILS
- Plain cereal – 15-20 ILS
- Pasta – 6-8 ILS
- Rice – 11-15 ILS
- Yellow cheese – 14-25 ILS (it is best to ask for a specific amount at the dairy stall).
Eating out – There are many restaurants in Israel, some more pricey than others. If you want to save on cash, try eating out at places that sell Israeli street food. This way, you’ll be able to experience Israeli street food as well as save money. Here are some of the top street food items in Israel and how much they should cost:
- Falafel – Around 20-30 ILS for falafel in a pita.
- Sabich – Around 20-30 ILS for sabich in a pita.
- Shawarma – Around 30 ILS.
- Burekas – 0.5-1 ILS per gram.
- Hummus bowl – 20-50 ILS, depends which hummus you choose and where do you go.
There are also cheap restaurants that sell pasta, salads, and so on. One of the most recommended is Pasta Basta, there you can get a great plate of pasta starting at 48 shekels. They have a chain throughout Israel. Mid-range restaurants will cost you about 50-80 ILS for a meal, and meat-based restaurants will cost more.
Transportation
It is important to acquire a Rav Kav Card for public transportation when you land in Israel. When you land in Israel, make sure to get a Rav Kav card for public transportation. If you land at Ben Gurion Airport, there is a selling point in the Arrivals Hall. If you’re coming from other places, you can get a card at most central bus stations in Israel. Learn more by reading my post about public transportation in Israel.
Transportation inside the cities
- Buses – 5.5 ILS
- Trains (in Tel Aviv and light-rail train in Jerusalem) – 5.5 ILS
- Taxies – The upfront cost is 12 ILS. You will need to add 1.7 ILS for every minute, according to the taxi counter and depending on the time of day you’re taking the taxi. You can bargain over a fixed price before starting the ride. Usually, prices within the cities cost between 25-60 ILS. By the way, we don’t use Uber in Israel, only Gett and Yango.
- Sheruts (Shared Taxi) in Tel Aviv – Minimum of 7 ILS, an addition of 0.4 ILS every km above 6 km.
- Bike rental – You can rent the Tel O Fun bikes all around Tel Aviv. It costs 3 ILS to rent a regular bike and 6 ILS to rent an electric bike. You will need to add 0.3-0.6 ILS for every minute of riding, so if you want the bike for an hour, it will cost you 18 ILS or 36 ILS, depending on the type of bike you choose. There’s also Jerufun in Jerusalem.
Transportation outside of the cities
- Renting a car – You can rent a car for about 300-500 ILS per day. A recommended rental company is Shlomo Sixt. Each liter of fuel costs about 7 ILS (in Eilat 6 ILS).
- Buses – Most intercity rides cost 16 ILS, and the line between Jerusalem and Eilat costs 70 ILS. You can check prices through the “One Way” website, run by the Ministry of Transportation. Also, read my guide to buying a bus ticket to and from Eilat.
- Trains – The line between Tel Aviv to Haifa or to Be’er Sheva costs 27 ILS, and the line between Haifa and Be’er Sheva costs 48 ILS. You can check prices through the Israel Railways site.
- From the airport – Read Entering Israel By Air – All You Need to Know.
Activities
Free activities – There’s a lot to do for free in Israel. You can get ideas from my posts:
- Top Free Things to do in Jerusalem.
- Top Free Things to do in Tel Aviv.
- Top Free Things to do in Eilat.
- Top Free Things to do in Safed.
- Top Free Things to do in Acre.
Hiking is also free, and there are plenty of hiking trails throughout Israel! Check out the best hiking trails in Israel (in my opinion).
Museum tickets – Prices vary from museum to museum, but you can expect to pay around 20-50 ILS to enter each museum. The Israel Museum, for instance, costs about 50 ILS per adult.
National Parks – Prices vary from national park to national park, but you can expect to pay around 14-39 ILS to enter each national park. Caesarea National Park, for example, costs 31 ILS per adult, not including the cable car. If you are planning to visit a number of national parks, I recommend you check out the Israel Nature and Parks Authority Money Saving Tickets.
Daily guided tours – Short public daily tours of about 1-3 hours usually cost around 100-150 ILS per person. If you don’t like the crowd, you can get a private tour guide, but that would usually cost you a minimum of 1,000 ILS per day. You can contact me at Israel Walking Tours for a private tour offer.
Local sim card
If you would like to acquire a local sim card, I recommend purchasing one in one of the phone stores within the cities. Check with your hosts which store is recommended. You can read about sim cards in Israel here. I have also heard many recommendations about Sim To Israel, which offers prepaid sim cards for tourists and an option of delivering the sim cards in advance to your home (if you’re from the USA or Canada).
To learn more about Israeli money, read my post – Understanding Israeli Money.
Conclusion
Israel is an amazing country full of experiences. Before coming to Israel, make sure to check that you have all the required documents and that you’ve planned the trip according to your budget. The most important thing is to have fun!
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For planning tips – check out 11 Steps to Planning Your Budget Trip to Israel.
Also, feel free to connect with me on Facebook – Backpack Israel.
Yours,
Lior
1 comment
[…] And more practical: expect to pay about 100 ILS for a hostel bed in a dorm, about 6 ILS for one way transportation inside a city and about 20-50 ILS for a meal. For the full list of expenses, check out Israel: All You Need to Know Before You Go. […]