Unsupported Touring in Israel
 

Greetings all!

I am planning a trip to Israel next year with a good friend. He’ll be there to visit family, and I’ll be tagging along. Plan is to spend a few days together, then I will get several days to visit on my own.

I am planning to see the usual sites - Jerusalem, Dead Sea, Med Coast, etc. I am considering taking my Bike Friday and doing my trip via bike.

When I search the ‘net, I just find pro touring companies, and articles about the pro cycling team signing Froome. Nothing I can find on advice or direction from anyone who has actually done it.

Anyone out there have any experience doing unsupported touring in Israel? Thanks!

Nope, but try CGOAB collected journals posted there https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/.

I toured in Israel unsupported in the previous century, so I don't know how useful my comments will be. I would urge you to look up weather data for the country. The climate is similar to the climate in California. Winter is the wet season, and the north is wetter than the south. It can get very hot in much of the country so I suggest that you avoid the warmest 4 or 5 months of the year.

The population of the country has grown a fair bit since I was there, and the tech industry has been very successful, so the country is more prosperous now. I suspect that there are a lot more cars on the road now than when I was there. Drivers were often not very good and there were few other cyclists on the road, despite a generally favorable climate.

The north was pretty nice for touring including around the Sea of Galilee and the interior, and I was able to find some pleasant back roads to ride up to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. At the time I was there, the political situation was very different from now, and I biked in parts of the Palestinian territories. I also biked in the eastern Sinai, but I wouldn't advise that now. I now have a Bike Friday but I didn't have one yet when I was in Israel. I recall being able to take my traditional touring bike on the bus between Tel Aviv & Eilat. I had already been in parts of the Negev off the bike, so I didn't bike there. There are trains now which didn't exist when I was there.

I cycled in Israel quite awhile ago on my way to Egypt (crossed into Egypt at Rafah in Gaza, that was interesting.:)) I'll second everything in post #3 , and will ad that Israel is tiny and dense with historical sights and other places of interest, if you have an idea of the places you want to see, I don't see the value of a supported tour. Many Israelis speak English, so language shouldn't be problem. Even if you just randomly ride around you're bound to come across plenty of things to see.

I cycled the length of Israel solo in 2016 and had a wonderful time. No language problems, excellent food (and beer). Israelis still smoke like it's 1950, and they're terrible drivers—it's as though living in constant anticipation of a nuclear attack from Iran makes them simply not worry about trivial matters like self-preservation. They also have no conception of long-distance bicycle touring—I was treated like a rock star when people found out what I was doing, even though the whole trip was less than 500 miles. Make sure to spend plenty of time in Jerusalem. PM me if you'd like more details.

I tried to but kinda gave up because of the weather.
Was the hottest part of the year in the hottest part of Israel too lol.
Got up to 117 degrees.
Was so much fun, tho. You’re going to have a blast.

Surprised no-one has mentioned falafel yet! IMHO best in the world! :D

It’s been a while since I biked in Israel, but I recall sleeping in just a sleeping bag just about anywhere and everywhere. Many young people travelling to/from their miltary bases did (do?) the same.

If you plan riding the Negev, make sure you do plan water and food (especially water!)

I’ve already been promised the “best falafel you’ve ever had”.

Good advice all around. Thanks to all so far.

I have read about the drivers. I’ve heard about them.