Summer (June, July, August):
Intro:
The Summer in Israel is the most popular time to visit Israel and for good reason, schools are off, tour groups like birthright are in full swing, and it is a great time for a family vacation. But, the summer in Israel, is also the most challenging time of year to visit. Most of all because it is VERY HOT and I will give you some tips on how to deal with the intense heat in Israel. These extreme conditions don’t mean to avoid coming in the summer, but it means that taking the necessary precautions and planning your trip right is even more important to get a positive experience. All you need is one day where you didn’t take enough water and it can ruin multiple days. So with that in mind, let’s go into the crucial things you can do to make your Summer trip to Israel safe, fun, and unforgettable.
When Should We Come?
The best month to travel to Israel in the Summer, is June. The countryside has not yet browned, kids are still in school and it is mostly quiet at the tourist attractions. Most of the country will be out and about during August and therefore every day in August you should expect it to be busier.
There is a particular Hebrew week that is quieter for touring usually in August called “The 9 Days”. On the Hebrew calendar, g it lasts from the 1rst Av through the 9th of Av. A 9 day period for mourning the destruction of Jerusalem. This is a fantastic time to connect to Jerusalem and Israel by touring and learning more about what we lost. To find out when the English dates are you can look at a Hebrew- English Calendar.
https://www.chabad.org/calendar/view/year.asp?tdate=1/1/2022
From the 10th of Av until the end of the month of Av (the next 3 weeks) the country is in a period called Bein Hazmanim. It is a great time to see the Nation of Israel traveling in it’s land and appreciate all types of Jews, it is NOT a great time if you are looking for peace and serenity. Expect all sites related to water to be very crowded around midday and until the rest of the day.
For EXAMPLE Summer 2022:
The 9 Days (Less busy): July 29th- August 7th.
Bein Hazmanim (Touring with the whole Nation): August 8th- August 27th
Packing List:
1.5 or 3-liters Camelback PER PERSON (yes, including each kid):
I can almost promise you, you will read this and say that I’m crazy, but I have learned from mine and other’s mistakes over and over and over and over and over and over again, that the trick to surviving an Israeli Summer is having enough accessible water on you at all time.
Here is why a Camelback is a must for traveling in the Summer:
Accessible: Each person is holding their OWN water in their OWN backpack. I have seen too many times, children get dehydrated because their parents are holding all their water. Don’t expect your kids to ask for water when they are thirsty, by the time your kids are asking for water they are already on their way to dehydration.
Waste of Time: During the trip every time you want to drink, you can drink without having to stop. Otherwise it will be a waste of time as apposed to constantly drinking while you are touring. From my experience, having a camelback, means drinking more throughout the day.
Drink More Throughout the Day: Drinking in Israel in the Summer is not something to do only when you are thirsty, you do it before you go out for the day and throughout the day every few minutes in order to give you fuel and keep you sane.
Avoid Dehydration: Getting dehydrated could affect your trip for days after and could make you seriously ill and even G-d forbid be life threatening. Thinking that you will have places to fill up everywhere you go is also a common mistake I see people making, you never know when you will or won’t have access to more water.
I can tell you personally I start every single day with a full 3-liter camelback (2 of the big bottles-worth) and any day that I don’t finish all 3 liters the next day I can’t function the same and am much more irritable.
Amount of water to bring per Day:
For inner city tours: 1.5 liters per person
For outer city tours: 3 liters per person
For serious hiking: 4+ liters (depending on the hike)
(I don’t have to tell you that Coke and Sprite don’t count right?)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZLYKTKK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_5W4WXQB3WDQR3BEJ14SC?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
360 Hat: Wearing a baseball hat all day will probably result in you and your children having a nice big sunburn on your neck and face (even if you apply sunscreen) and your eyes will be hurting from squinting all day. Instead, you and the tour guide will be looking SUPERCOOL with their stylish 360 hat :). But your face and neck will be protected by the sun and your eyes won’t hurt from squinting all day.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CGGTCR9/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_FFH09GR7CHMDYJ1F4AVV
Sunglasses: protect your eyes and enjoy your tour more because your not squinting the whole time
What Cloths to Wear: Look at desert populations around the Middle East. Look at what they wear. They know the secret to beating the sun in hot places is not to wear less, but to cover up more. The less exposure to the sun your skin has, the better. In the army, in order to beat the extreme heat, we wear long sleeves and long pants. This might seem contradictory to what you are used to, but the more light, breathable and covering your cloths are, the more comfortable you will be (no sleeveless). (Just to make it clear, this is for weather considerations ONLY, NOT for any type of religious guidelines. But you should dress according to the modest dress code at any holy site.)
Swim Shirts (Boys and Girls) and Bathing Suits: Staying covered while getting wet is the ULTIMATE on a hot summer day. You will want to bring multiple pairs.
Sandalim (water hiking sandals): You will want to be doing a lot of water activities on your trip. And unlike the sandy beaches or poolside in Florida, the terrain will almost always be rocky. Whether it be the amazing water hikes through the springs and waterfalls, or underground water tunnels, your Crocs/Natives/Flip-flops/pool shoes will NOT be comfortable for these activities. You will want water hiking sandals with good support and a solid sole and you will probably use them multiple times throughout your trip. By wearing the right footwear you can help avoid an awkward trip to the Haddasah hospital for a sprained ankle and your feet will thank you later.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071GC2913/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_X8XRATD68SQ1KTDX0WYV
Headlamp: You know the other Israeli way to beat the heat on a hot summer day? Cool caves and tunnels. We have lots of them in Israel and they come in all shapes and sizes. Having a headlamp ready to go when entering a dark cave or tunnel can be a fun hands-free way of navigating. Also, for water caves, you don’t have to risk that brand new iPhone holding it in your hands.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014JUMTXM/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_34R9632DDNXF4621VYJZ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Comfortable Walking Shoes: In Israel your step counter will be very proud of you. But will your feet? There is all types of terrain like slippery Jerusalem stone rock, you will want to be with shoes you can be on your feet and walking all day in.
Masks: Oh boy I hope I will be deleting this section soon. But yes, Israel is a country that as of now (Feb. 2022) all indoor sites are masked. Even outdoor sites that have a small gift shop to pass through, you must be masked and it is very much enforced. Bring extra.
Sunscreen: Buy a good high SPF sunscreen and reapply throughout the day.
Map of Israel: Don’t worry Waze and Google maps work here. But how awesome would it be if your kids could follow along on the car rides of where you are and where the next stop is!? It is a great way to involve and engage them in the trip. My suggestion, from my blog post, Best way to prepare your kids for your Israel trip, is to buy the map beforehand and draw out the places you are going to be going and what you will be doing there. Have them follow along the ride the whole trip!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FK6C6ZM/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_SKMHTTSPK07X4CPKXBEE
Tips for Itinerary Planning:
Timing of the Day: The best thing you can think about when planning your day trips, is the timing of each day. In most cities in Israel, the hours of 11 am – 3 pm can be unbearably hot. Every day you should try to designate those hours towards indoor activities, water activities, or caves and tunnels. You don’t want the middle of your day to be the outside tour of Masada or Beit Shean, but 9:00 am might be pleasant. So start with the outdoor, no shade, no water, activities early in the morning or skip them all together. Israelis get to these sites later so to ensure an enjoyable crowd-free, cool site all to yourself GO EARLY. After every outdoor activity, you should give time indoors or in the water to cool off.
Locations to Visit: I often get a request like this: we would like to go North in order to beat the heat. Well one of the hottest places in the country in Israel is up North! Bet Shean. And down South, in the middle of the Negev, is Mitzpe Ramon one of the coldest towns in Israel. Going North or South won’t change the temperature. Rather in Israel the temperature is largely dictated by the elevation. Jerusalem is MUCH cooler than the Dead Sea even though one is not much more North or South than the other because of it’s high elevation.
You should try to spend cooler days and nights in high elevation towns:
Jerusalem
Tzfat
Golan Heights
Mitzpe Ramon
Gush Etzion/Chevron
Shilo
CHECK OUT THE 5 BEST SUMMER HIKES HERE:
Many of the hottest places in Israel also have beautiful cool springs near them so I DON’T recommend avoiding hotter areas in the Summer, just make sure you are wet, indoors, or in caves during the hot hours of the day.
Some of the best hikes and springs for cooling off on a hot day:
Ein Prat
Gan Hashelosha (Sachne)
Ein Gedi
Einot Tzukim
Devroah Falls Pool (Jilabun)
Things to Avoid:
Be aware that water activities in the summer especially during certain times in the summer can be very very crowded. My recommendation is to get to every water activity before 10:00 when the sites begin to get crowded. All hikes in the Summer should have a getting wet part, if its not a water hike and not early in the morning probably better to leave it for another time.
With that, I would say that Summer in Eilat and the surrounding mountains and much of the Negev will be very uncomfortable in the Summer.
Getting around in Israel in the Summer
I once met up with a family before a long walking Tour of the Old City in the morning. They arrived sweaty, exhausted and looking like they were at the end of their day, not the beginning. Why? Because google maps told them it was “only” a 30 minute walk from their apartment to the meet up spot. But it didn’t tell them how many hills they would be climbing and how hot and uncomfortable they would be. This is NOT the best way to start a walking tour. Moral of the story: Israel has enough walking that whenever you can, take a cab or a bus. If you are scheduling in a packed day of touring there will be plenty of walking that making it easier for you might be priceless. So here’s how I recommend traveling in Israel in the Summer.
Inside the Major Cities: Cabs, Busses (Get a Rav Kav), and the light rail
Outside of the Major Cities: Get a tour guide with a vehicle 🙂 or rent a vehicle
With the right planning there is no reason your Israel trip shouldn’t be UNFORGETTABLE!
Need more help planning, check out our ultimate Planning Guide to Visiting Israel
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