A: a tent. B: near water, meaning by the sea, a lake, a river, a stream, a spring or a wading pool. I’ve searched and gathered for you a list of paid and free campsites in Israel, each with some kind of water nearby. In this article you’ll find ideas for dozens of camping spots near water.
Before you start! At any campsite you choose (paid or free), keep the noise down and respect other campers. Before you go to sleep, collect your trash and leave the food area clean; this keeps animals away from the food and stops the wind from scattering litter. Packing up? Take everything you brought with you, including the trash, to the nearest municipal bin.
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Paid Campsites Near Water
Paid Beach Campsites
- Betzet Beach Campsite (Hof Betzet): Betzet Beach is the northernmost beach in Israel. You can camp here in your own tent, in air-conditioned tents or in caravans.
- Nitzanim Beach Camping (Hof Nitzanim): One of the largest camping and caravan sites in Israel, on a huge open stretch of coast. Stay in rented tents or caravans, or bring your own.
Paid Beach Campsites of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority
- Achziv National Park campsite andAchziv Beach.
- Ashkelon National Park.
Note: it’s best to book in advance on theIsrael Nature and Parks Authority website.
Paid Campsites Near a Spring or Stream
Organized paid camping sites.
- Maayan Baruch Holiday Village Camping: a campsite on the Hatzbani (Snir) Stream.
- Jordan Park Camping (Park HaYarden): Near Beit HaMekhes Junction
- Hanyon Yarok Al HaNahal (Green Campsite on the Stream): Gan HaTzafon, Upper Galilee.
- HaShmura Campsite: Gan HaTzafon, Upper Galilee.
- Gan Hugga Park: Valley of Springs (Beit She’an Valley).
- Kfar Blum Kayaks: On the Jordan River, at Kibbutz Kfar Blum.
Paid Campsites on the Sea of Galilee
There are more than 30 beaches around the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret). Some have been set up as campsites run by the Kinneret Cities Association. At these sites you only pay for parking, dogs are allowed (on a leash) and there are toilets and showers:
- Tzinbari.
- Gofra.
- Dugit.
- Duga.
- Kinar.
- Amnon.
- Tzinbari.
- Tzemah.
- Tzalmon.
- Susita.
- Shikmim Brinkey.
- Halukim, Levanon, Kursi, Hof Shaket
- Hukuk North.
- Ha’On Beach.
Parking fees (at the time of writing): A private car pays 5.9 ILS (₪) per hour for the first three hours.
Each additional hour costs 2.1 ILS (₪) per hour.
Paid Campsites of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority
- Horshat Tal National Park campsite.
- Maayan Harod National Park campsite.
- HaBesor (Eshkol) National Park campsite.
Note: it’s best to book in advance on theIsrael Nature and Parks Authority website.
Free Campsites Near Water
Free Beach Camping
- Eilat North Beach Campsite: Next to the Herods hotel, east of the separate (religious) beach. On the North Beach you can set up your tents or caravans and sleep right by the sea.
The beach is open 24/7 with no registration. It isn’t an organized campsite, and there are no toilets, showers or security.
On Waze: “North Beach Eilat” - Eilat South Beach Campsite: Across from the former Princess hotel there’s an approved overnight campsite. You can set up private tents and shade canopies on the beach below it.
On Waze: “Lighthouse Beach” (Hof HaMigdalor; the campsite is right next to it, just south of Lighthouse Beach). - Maayan Tzvi Beach: In the Hof HaCarmel Regional Council area is Maayan Tzvi Beach, where you’re allowed to set up tents and shade canopies (private, not for events) and stay the night. There are no lifeguards, showers or toilets on the beach.
- HaSira Beach: In the Hof HaCarmel Regional Council area, north of theHabonim Beach Nature Reserve, is HaSira Beach, where you’re allowed to set up tents and shade canopies (private, not for events) and stay the night. There are no lifeguards, showers or toilets on the beach.
- Nahariya North Beach: A beach where camping is allowed, at the northern exit from Nahariya (before the Achziv beaches).
Free Campsites Near a Spring or Stream
- Lehavot HaBashan Bridge Park: There are several acres of lawns here, as well as walking and cycling paths. Tents are allowed on these lawns, and part of the area is shaded. The park has wading spots in the Jordan River, as well as toilets, water points, picnic tables and accessible areas.
Getting there: from Route 977, Lehavot HaBashan Junction. The campsite is between Sde Nehemia and the “Pkak Bridge”. - Abu Rabah Flour Mill: In central Israel, near Yarkon Junction. Next to the flour mill is the Yarkon Stream, whose water is clean in this section.
- Ein Yizre’el (Ein Jezreel): A spring in the Valley of Springs: a large, shallow pool surrounded by a eucalyptus grove.
- Arik Bridge: A great place for camping near the Sea of Galilee, on the Jordan River. Turn off Route 87 onto a dirt road; you can go down either side of the dirt road (Waze location: here or here).
**Readers’ update about Arik Bridge, as of June 2023: there are signs prohibiting camping (fine of 730 ILS). - Ein Nezem Spring: One of the springs in the eastern part of the Valley of Springs.
- Avuka Pool: A large pool with a few camping spots around it; there’s hardly any shade.
Camping near a spring in the Golan Heights.
The Golan Heights are rich insprings that offer great places to cool off. Next to some of the springs you can stay the night.
- Ein Yedidya: A spring in the Golan Heights. There’s a large shade structure, picnic tables, hammocks, swings and plenty of shady corners.
- Ein Almin: A spring in the Golan Heights. The spring and its surroundings are shaded, with picnic tables next to it.
- Orha Pool: Orha Pool, or Juhader Pool, is a square pool made of concrete and basalt, with eucalyptus trees and KKL-JNF picnic tables next to it.
- Ein Kanaf Spring: An accessible spring with shaded seating areas.
Good to know:
I’ve gathered this information for you from a variety of websites and apps.
I haven’t personally been to every campsite.
If you’ve visited one of the campsites in this article, I’d love for you to update me in the comments and add your experience.
Know more campsites near water that aren’t in this article? Write them in the comments.
