Experience Israel - With Famed Archaeologist Eli Shukron

37 | DAY TOUR

Types of accommodation in Israel

There are different types of accommodation in Israel, some the same as in other countries and some unique to Israel. One thing that characterizes all of them is that they are usually more expensive than you would expect. If you’ve ever stayed somewhere and come away with the feeling that you paid a bit more then it was worth, then welcome to the club… The average price of accommodation is $240 per night, but there are of course many cheaper options. This post is intended as a practical guide for travelers and not a meditation on the Israeli tourist industry, but I will just say this: the blame lies principally with government taxes and regulations and not with the greed of hotel proprietors, who actually earn less than their equivalents in other countries. Now back to the matter in hand: Camping The cheapest option is camping. In the desert and in Galilee there are designated places where you can pitch your tent for free. In most of these places there are no facilities. There are also campsites that you have to pay for and these are fully equipped. Hostels There are three different kinds of hostel in Israel. The oldest one is ANA, the Israel Youth Hostel Association . Their hostels are generally located in cities. To be totally honest, I can’t recommend staying in their hostels since they’re popular with schoolchildren and not really intended for independent travelers. There are better options to be had in the cities. The ANA Masada Hostel, at the foot of Masada, is their best hostel because it stands in a location that is perfect for those wanting to ascend Masada before sunrise. Another chain of hostels belongs to the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI). They have nine field schools (in Hebrew they are called Beit Sefer Sade – Israelis don’t know them by the name SPNI) offering functional rooms. The facilities may be simple but the teams working there are usually able to recommend walking trails and give guests plenty of information about the natural surroundings. Sometimes groups of schoolchildren stay, meaning it can get noisy, but staff members try to keep children and travelers separate. For me, staying in an SPNI field school always brings back happy memories of traveling as a kid, but I recommend them to others because they’re located close to nature trails and your money goes toward protecting Israel’s natural heritage.