Israel is chilly in the winter, and even summer evenings in many areas are cool enough to need a sweater.

 A sleeping bag is only necessary if you are going to sleep outside.

Hostels usually provide sheets and blankets.

 In summer - clothes suitable for the hot climate.

 In winter - a raincoat and warm clothing in hilly areas.

 Bathing suit - also in winter for bathing in Eilat and the Dead Sea.

 When visiting religious sites - take care to be modestly dressed.

Security checks are carried out routinely for your protection and safety. We appreciate your understanding and patience.

Tel: 02-9942302; 02-9942141 Fax: 02-9943289

The opening hours of the Allenby Bridge are: Sunday through Thursday:

8am-12am; Friday, Saturday: 8am-3pm.

Visas: At present, every tourist passing the Allenby Bridge must obtain an entry visa to and an exit visa from Jordan (contact the Jordanian Authorities). Exit Fees: Pain only when leaving Israel. Holders of diplomatic passports, children up to the age of two years, members of the International Red Cross and UNTSO are exempt from exit fees.

Parking fees are charged for buses.

Travel arrangements to the bridge should be made for individual tourists (FITS). At present, local taxis or Egged bus lines passing through the area to and from Jerusalem can be used. There is no obligation to pass through the Jericho area in either direction. These regulations are subject to change in accordance with the changes made in the peace treaty with Jordan.

P.O.B. 1095 Eilat, Israel

Tel: 07-6336812, 07-6336811 Fax: 07-6336844

The opening hours are Sunday-Thursday: 6:30am-10pm; Friday-Saturday: 8am-8pm. The border is closed 2 days a year: On the Jewish Yom Kippur and on the Moslem Id El Adha holiday.

An exit fee from Israel is levied at the border.

The border crossing takes between 45 minutes to 2 hours.

Money can be changed at the border crossing.

The bus #16 to the border from the Central Bus Station in Eilat runs from Sunday - Thursday: 7:30am-7:30pm every hour. Friday: 7:30am-4:30pm every hour; Saturday: 8:30am-5:30pm every hour. Every traveller has to pay a transit fee.

Tourist buses provide direct access to and from Jordan. Public transportation operates between Eilat and Aqaba.

Private vehicles are permitted to travel to all parts of Jordan.

P.O.B. 525 Bet She'an 10900, Israel

Tel: 06-6586448, 06-6586444 Fax: 06-6586421

The opening hours are Sunday-Thursday: 6:30am-10pm; Friday-Saturday: 8am-8pm. The border is closed two days a year: on the Jewish Yom Kippur and the first day of the Moslem New Year.

Every traveller has to pay a transit fee.

There is public transportation (bus #16) from Bet She'an to the border crossing. Tourist buses are offered direct access to and from the border. Private cars are permitted to drive to all parts of Jordan.

P.O.B. 9172 Ashkelon, Israel

Tel: 07-6734080 Fax: 07-6732974

The terminal is open 24 hours a day year round except on the Jewish Yom Kippur and the first day of the Moslem Id El Adha festival.

For up-to-date information contact the Egged Information Service: 03-6948888

1. Erez barrier - Rafiah barrier: Egged buses crossing the Gaza Strip leave from the barrier in the direction of the terminal every hour until 3pm as well as from the terminal to the barrier on the hour until 5pm.
2. Tel Aviv - Rafiah terminal: Egged bus #362 leaves the Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv via Ashkelon to the terminal at 8:50 every morning (from Ashkelon at 10am). A bus leaves for Tel Aviv from terminal at 12:30pm and at 3pm.
3. Taxis: There is a taxi service to the border terminal from Jerusalem. Likewise, there is a taxi station at the terminal for taxis to all parts of the country at prices set by the Ministry of Transportation.
4. Private Vehicles: Persons interested in going to Egypt by private vehicle with an Israeli registration number may do so provided they have an international driver's license and a triptype certificate (carnet de passage) which is available at the international vehicles organization. The vehicle should be registered in the name of the driver. Alternatively, the driver should present a notarized power of attorney from the owner of the car.

A vehicle powered by a solar engine and/or a 4X4 back by the Egyptian authorities.

Owners of vehicles with a foreign registration number should receive a triptype certificate from the diplomatic mission of their own country. It is not possible to park a vehicle in the terminal or its vicinity. An incoming tourist from a country requiring a visa is required to have the visa stamped in his or her passport. That tourist must undergo a security check, go through border and customs clearance and fill out a form.

An outgoing tourist is charged 80 NIS in Israeli shekels. The tourist also must present a copy of the form he was requested to complete upon entering. Israeli passengers must pay a transit fee and present an exit certificate issued by the IDF or an exemption certificate (this applies for both men and women).

 

Tel: 07-6372983, 07-6373110 Fax: 07-6373024

The border hours are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (the border is closed 2 days a year, on the Jewish Yom Kippur and on the Moslem Id El Adha holidays).

The exit fee from Israel can be paid at the postal bank in Eilat. The amount varies in accordance with the dollar-shekel exchange rate.

Buses to border: Buses #15 and 16 from the Central Bus Station in Eilat.

Bus Timetables: Sunday-Thursday 7am-9am every 20 minutes

9am-9pm every 20 minutes

Friday 7am-9am every 30 minutes

9am-4:30pm every 20 minutes

Saturday 9am-9pm every 20 minutes

It is possible to change money at the border.

The border crossing takes between 45 minutes to one hour.

Visitors to Egypt should verify all entry requirements at the Egyptian consulate in Eilat. Tel: 07-6376882, open Sunday-Friday 9am-11am.

Israel has over 300 hotels, offering a wide choice of accommodation to suit all tastes, purposes and budgets, ranging from small, simple facilities to five-star luxury establishments, with prices varying according to grade and season. Hotel rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and do not include the 15% service charge.

Most of Israel's major hotels have meeting halls suitable for small-to-medium sized gatherings, plus audio-visual equipment, translation and technical services, fax and telex communications, as well as large areas for exhibitions. In recognition of the importance of the congress industry to Israel, most new hotel properties are built with convention and congress facilities which meet IAPCO (International Association of Professional Congress Organizers) recommendations. In addition, many hotels provide conference and meeting facilities free of charge when a significant number of participants are accommodated in their hotels. In some cases, complimentary receptions are offered to convention participants and their associates. City officials can arrange special events for convention delegates, such as folklore evenings, receptions, in special settings and reduced or free entrance to famous sites. Sometimes they may even be able to arrange special shopping hours. Some local institutes of higher education, research centers and businesses lend their support in the form of social events, special demonstrations and professional gatherings or through financial support toward the organization of certain events.

The kibbutz (collective settlement) is an Israeli social experience, in which all property is collectively-owned and members receive no salaries but are provided with housing, education for their children, medical services, social amenities and all other necessities. Most of the 280 kibbutzim throughout Israel are essentially agricultural settlements but many are moving to a more industrially-oriented economy.

Several kibbutzim, mostly in modern and central Israel have established hotels on their premises providing visitors with a close view of this world-renowned lifestyle. They offer guests the opportunity of a relaxed, informal holiday in delightful rural surroundings. Some present special evening programmes about the kibbutz experience.

For further information and a special tour of Israel's kibbutzim and kibbutz hotels, contact any Israel Government Tourist Office (IGTO) abroad, or the tourist information offices (TIO) in Israel, or Kibbutz Hotels,

1 Smolinskin St., Tel Aviv. Tel: 03-5278085 Fax: 03-5230527

Excellent accommodation is available at Israel's holiday resort villages. They offer a wide variety of water sports including swimming, water skiing, diving and sailing as well as horseback riding, tennis, a full touring program and evening entertainment. Predominantly geared to the younger set with emphasis on open-air life and informality, most villages are open only during the summer months.

The Israel Youth Hostels association (IYHA), affiliated with the International Youth Hostels Association, operates some 30 youth hostels throughout the country for guests of all ages. All offer dormitory accommodation and most also provide meals and self-service kitchen facilities. Some hostels also provide family accommodation for parents accompanied by at least one child. Individual reservations should be booked directly at specific hostels and group reservations with the IYHA.

The IYHA also arranges individual 14, 21, or 28 day package tours, called 'Israel on the Youth Hostel Trail'. These include nights in any of the 25 hostels with breakfast and dinner, unlimited bus travel, a half-day guided tour, free admission to National Parks, a map and other informative material. For further information, contact the Israel Youth Hostels Association, 1 Shazar Street, 91060 Jerusalem, Tel: 02-6558400, Fax: 02-6558401. A youth hostels brochure is available at all Israel Government Tourist Offices and Tourist Information Offices.

A unique combination of therapeutic factors - the mineral rich Dead Sea, therapeutic mud, sulfur thermal mineral springs and a mild, sunny and extremely dry climate - have made certain areas of Israel excellent year-round health resorts, internationally renowned since ancient times.

Most health resorts are centered in two areas: the Sea of Galilee (-220m or -655 ft below sea level) and the Dead Sea (-392m or -1,286 ft below sea level). Offering a wide range of accommodation and equipped with modern facilities, they provide a choice of treatments for a variety of ailments and conditions:

The Tiberias Hot Springs, on the Sea of Galilee, for treatment of muscular and joint diseases, traumatic disturbances and sinusitis.

Zohar Hot Springs - Three therapeutic centers at Neve Zohar on the Dead Sea, for the treatment of muscular and joint diseases, traumatic disturbances, allergies (especially those affecting breathing passages) and skin diseases.

Yesha Hot Springs - On the Dead Sea, south of Kibbutz Ein Gedi, for the treatment of muscular and joint diseases.

En Bokek - On the Dead Sea, an international center for the treatment of psoriasis.

Arad - A desert town in the Judean Hills, 620m (2,034ft) above sea level, about half an hour from the Dead Sea. Arad's cool, dry and pollen-free air make it an ideal resort for people suffering from asthma, allergies and breathing difficulties.

Hame Yoav Thermal Mineral Baths -- A recently opened health spa at Kibbutz Sde Yoav, near Ashkelon. A constant stream of water rich in health-promoting minerals flows into a series of shallow pools, providing comfortable bathing facilities at varying temperatures. Tel: 07-6722184 Fax: 07-6723305.

Various Christian denominations have accommodation in the vicinity of their religious sites. They are often good value in the low-to-moderate price range.

You do not need to be a Christian to stay in most of these hospices, but you must be prepared to abide by the rules. For information contact the Jerusalem tourist information office.

Additional information on hospices and church services may be obtained from the Tourist Information Offices or the Christian Information Center in Israel. Tel: 02-6272692. Fax: 02-6286417.

Israel's day of rest, the Sabbath (Hebrew: Shabbat) and all Jewish holidays commence at sundown on the evening before the holiday and end the following night at sunset. Banks, businesses and public institutions are closed at these times. In the major cities, many restaurants, cinemas, nightclubs and discotheques remain open. The Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar year, therefore Jewish holidays fall on different Gregorian dates each year.

The Ramat Gan Zoo (near Tel Aviv) includes a safari park. Other zoos and animal corners may be found in parks throughout Israel. Eilat boasts one of the few underwater observatories in the world. Israel's numerous nature reserves offer the visitor an unspoiled view of the region's indigenous vegetation and local migratory wildlife. Israel is a paradise for bird watchers in springtime and autumn when many species of birds pass through the country en route to summer or winter nesting grounds in Asia and Africa or Europe. The Hai Bar Nature Reserve, just north of Eilat is dedicated to restoring biblical fauna to the region.

The Nature Reserves Authority, 78 Yirmiyahu St., 94467 Jerusalem

Tel: 02-5005444 Fax: 02-5383405

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) conducts a variety of scenic tours. For information and bookings, contact the SPNI tourist service, 4 Hashefela Street, 66183 Tel Aviv,

Tel: 03-6388666 Fax: 03-6877695