Israeli Tips to Make Vacation Trips Affordable

It is quite possible to make a trip to Israel with a small budget. Well, Israel is an expensive destination. Fortunately, some smart tips will let you visit Israel on a small budget. People who have a small budget and want to make a vacation trip to Israel will find this article helpful. While making a trip to Israel, people are usually concerned about safety. But, the real problem in Israel is that it is too much expensive. Here, in this article, we are going to discuss some budget-friendly travel tips to you:

Take A Look At Jewish Holidays

You should plan everything properly while booking your trip to Israel. You can start saving while booking your trip to Israel. Flights and hotels are much more highly-priced during the holidays. If you want to visit Israel during the holiday time, then you should consider contacting the operators for Passover programs. They will help in finding out budget-friendly stays and affordable kosher food. But, make sure that you contact the program operator in advance.

Book Low-cost Flights

The new airport is going to open in Israel and this is going to open for low-cost airlines such as Ryanair. If you want to visit the desert area of Israel such as the Negev or Judaean desert, you should fly to Ryanair. This tip will let you plan your trip on a low budget. You can easily reach Jerusalem from this airport in just a few hours. Until this new airport comes into operational mode, there are Eilat and Ovda airports.

Budget-Friendly Stay

One of the biggest expenses while traveling to another country is accommodation. If you are traveling with your family, you may need large accommodation. But, if you are traveling alone, then you do not need to look out for expensive hotels and resorts. There are some budget-friendly options for you to stay in Israel such as Couchsurfing (sleeping like a guest in local homes) and hostels. Hostels are not just good for individuals, but they are good for families as well who are looking for budget-friendly options.

Local Food

You should not visit big restaurants because they are very much expensive. If you have access to a kitchen where you can cook your meals, then go for it. You can easily purchase raw food items from the local market. Jews who are traveling to Israel during the time of Passover should carry kosher food with themselves. They should carry frozen meat, matzah, and various other items. You should also contact the tour operators who arrange Passover programs in Israel. You should tell your budgetary constraints to the Passover program operator. They can customize your trip to Israel during the Passover time according to your budget limit.

Use Public Transportation

You should use public transportation in Israel. It is fairly good and will not hit your budget hard. But there is one important point to note that you will not find any bus or train from Friday afternoon to Saturday night. Also, the written text will not be in English. But, you can consult Google maps.

Buses

Buses are the most common form of transportation services available in Israel. Also, it is the only public transportation service that will take you to Mitzpe Ramon, Eilat, Nazareth, Judaean Desert, etc.

Sherut

Sherut is another form of public transportation service. It is a large seater minivan that runs on the bus routes. Fairs of the Sherut are similar to the bus and you can tell the driver to stop wherever you want.  

Trains

This is the third form of public transportation service available in Israel. You can get access to train in Tel Aviv, near Ben Gurion Airport, Haifa, and Be’er Sheva.  

Local sim cards

Every hotel, hostel, and café offers wi-fi and in Tel Aviv, there is free internet access all over the place. But if you’re coming for more than a week, and especially if you’re going to drive to the Negev Desert or the Golan Heights, you might want to consider buying a local sim card. Using Google maps or Waze to navigate and the internet to find information about places will make your trip much easier.

There isn’t a company that I can particularly recommend, as prices and packages change regularly. Your best option is to ask at your hostel or hotel or to head to a shopping center to ask about prices at the different cell phone companies.

Smart Planning

Proper planning is key to travel to Israel on a small budget. When you are in Israel, you will get various surprises. Some of them will be pleasant and some will make you feel worried. You should do proper research before starting your journey so that you do not face unwanted surprises.