The price for an armed guard service – 200 USD per day*

* Kindly note, that the price includes only security service and does not include: accommodation, transport expenses, etc (if needed). It may also vary depending on your itinerary.

To find out the price and book a security guard – please send your request by email: info@smartrip-israel.com.

Archaeologists managed to date the monument to 129-30 AD. According to the historian Dio Cassius, it was in that year in which Adrian, traveled around the eastern part of the empire and visited Jerusalem where Tenth Legion was stationed at the time.

The value of the monument is that it allows the scientists to establish a link between the Legion, that played a key role in defeating the Jewish Rebellion and the suppression of the Bar Kochba revolt, and the emperor who ordered the destruction of the holy city, and replaced it with a Roman colony Aelia Capitolina.

Source: newsru.co.il

Those who can’t join the full ride from Sde Boker to Jerusalem, which will take a five days, can join the one day route.

This year riders from 14 countries will gather at the starting point of the Ride.
Israel: 150 riders
USA: 115 riders.
Holland: 27 riders
Canada: 21 riders
Brazil: 5 riders
As well as riders from the United Kingdom, South Africa, Sweden, Australia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Singapore, Belgium and France!

Source: Wheels of Love

Festival participants will enjoy a full birding program that includes tours led by the leading birders and tour guides during day, presentations on birds in the hotel lounge from specialists with intimate knowledge of the area during evening hours.

Source: thinkisrael

Zilberbod and Libman, lidding archaeologists, said “It is true we did not find a church at the site… or any other unequivocal evidence of religious worship; nevertheless, the impressive construction, the dating to the Byzantine period, the magnificent mosaic floors, window and roof tile artifacts, as well as the agricultural-industrial installations inside the dwelling compound, are all known to us from numerous other contemporary monasteries,”.

Moreover, Zilberbod and Libman said the finds revealed that the local residents were engaged in wine and olive oil production for their livelihood.
“The impressive size of the agricultural installations shows that these facilities were used for production on an industrial- scale, rather than just for domestic use,” they said.

Source: Jpost

He also said that the cave is currently being explored and mapped. Together with the Hebrew University Geography Department’s Center for Speleology, the INNPPA looking into how the rare site may be preserved.

Source: Haaretz

Archaeologists previously thought the structure was part of a city wall, but recent work carried out by Ido Wachtel from University of Jerusalem, indicates there is no city beside it and that the structure is a standing monument. The proposed interpretation for the site is that it constituted a prominent landmark in its natural landscape, serving to mark possession and to assert authority and rights over natural resources by a local population.

The structure’s crescent shape may have had symbolic importance, as the lunar crescent is a symbol of an ancient Mesopotamian moon god named Sin. An ancient town called Bet Yerah (which translates to “house of the moon god”) is located only a day’s walk from the crescent-shaped monument. As such, the monument may have helped mark the town’s borders. While the monument is located within walking range of the city it is too far away to be an effective fortification.

Source: livescience

The SmarTrip Company carries out VIP transfer for passengers in cars and vans of executive class, and also provides a car rent. Our cars – this is an example of reliability and integrity. We have the newest car models of Mercedes Benz S-Class, R-Class, Viano, Sprinter, as well as buses up to 34, 51 and 55 passengers.

In addition we can provide you not only transport with driver, but also tour guides, as well as armed guards.

On this page you can book online airport transfers, transfers between cities and up to 3 full days of transportation with a guide or without. If you would like to book transport for 5 full days and more, please click the banner below and get a discounted price.

Vehicle (up to 4 people)

Mercedes S-Class (up to 3 people)

Infiniti QX60 (up to 6 persons)

Mercedes Viano (up to 6 people)

Mercedes Sprinter (up to 16 people)

Mercedes Sprinter (up to 19 people)

Buses (up to 55 people)

For group transfers and excursions across the country, the SmarTrip provides luxury comfortable buses. All buses are new, have a good quality interior, comfortable seats, air conditioning and ventilation system, TV, as well as a refrigerator. Each bus has a roomy luggage compartment. All drivers with experience and have special permission to transport tourists.

To find out the cost and book a bus – just send information on the intended route through the application form on the website or by e-mail: info@smartrip-israel.com.

Bus (up to 34 people)

Bus (up to 51 people)

Bus (up to 55 people)

To find out the cost and book a bus – just send information on the intended route through the application form on the website or by e-mail info@smartrip-israel.com.

Transfer

Mostly, when we said “transfer” we mean the individual or group transportation of our tourists. And an integral part of transfer is a bus or car itself. The situation in Israel is so that the demand for transportation services is very high, but it rarely meets the requirements. There are parameters for choosing good-quality transportation for travel – it is safety and of course, comfort. If you want to order a transport services, you should pay attention on each detail. An important point is also the technical integrity of transport.

SmarTrip company thoroughly checks all insurances and permits in accordance with the law on the safety of passenger transport on the territory of Israel. The use of any means of transport for the transport of tourists who do not have the necessary documents – illegal!

SmarTrip company organizes meetings of small groups and individual travelers in the Ben-Gurion airport’s arrival hall. Representative of the company welcomes visitors with a poster, which shows the company logo or name of one of the band members. For transfer to individual tourists company provides passenger vans or luxury cars. All drivers are English speakers, but also Hebrew speakers. Performing a transfer driver will always help in registration at the hotel and give any useful information.

It is very convenient to travel by train In Israel: they arrive by the schedule, rigorously, and you can get the destination in a short period of time. There is an only one disadvantages that there is just one main train line with several branches. Also, Haifa has a one subway line.

In addition, you can travel across the country by buses. They run regularly in all directions, but during the religious holidays, and from Friday evening to Saturday evening they do not go. In the same time, buses are the main public transport in Israel. The trip costs a little more than a dollar (about 6 ILS), you can get it from a bus driver. City buses in Jerusalem go from 6:00 till midnight. But most of the bus lines do not work on the Sabbath (from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday) and on Jewish holidays.

Taxi (the only type of transport that runs on Saturdays and public holidays) costs about 5 ILS per km, plus 12 ILS just for landing. Israel has a special tourist taxis which work with a guides that are registered with the Israeli Ministry of tourism. You can find it with a special mark on the doors of such vehicles – the emblem of the Ministry of Tourism (two men who dragged somewhere huge bunch of grapes).

The minibus called “Sherut” is also very popular in Israel (fare ~ 6 ILS).

2. We want to rent a car. What we need to know about renting a car in Israel?

Rent a car in the country is relatively inexpensive (compared to Europe), and you can also find a car with a manual transmission. Any person over 21, who have a valid international driver’s license and a credit card can rent a car. In contrast of price per rent, the price per gasoline is quite expensive.
Traffic rules are very strict; everybody need to wear seat belts, and children up to four years should be carrying on only in special seats. The border between Israel and the Palestinian territories is better not to cross on a rented car.

3. We want to choose a hotel in Israel. Do you have some clues how to make it better?

The Israeli hotels have no “star” classification: instead of it there is a system of “classes”. Since there are many hotels of different world “chains”, their classification tour operators set themselves, based on their more or less objective evaluations. This means that when you are choosing a hotel in Israel, you should focus not on the number of “stars”, but on the specific list of services and descriptions of rooms.
Those city hotels that operators define as 4*, as a rule, do not have a pool, and the hotel 5* are often have pools. Both 5* and 4* generally pleased with spacious rooms. The quality of food everywhere in Israel is good, but in the “five stars hotels”, of course, the menu is richer.

Mains voltage in Israel is standard – 220 V. Most sockets three contact inputs, but they are also suitable for the European instruments. If you want to use a shavers, travel irons or other small appliances, you would better take an adapter with you.
Tel Aviv hotels take a deposit from quests.

4. How do the banks and currency exchange?

You can be exchanged money at any bank or at one of the many exchange offices. Most banks in the first half of the day is open from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm (Sunday to Thursday), and the second half of the day – from 16:00 to 18:00 (Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday). On the eve of major Jewish holidays, banks are open from 8:30 to 12:00.

Almost everywhere accept credit cards, money can be taken in many ATMs. In hotels and large stores it is usually possible to pay with dollars, but the change may be given in the local currency.

5. What about shopping in Israel and how the stores work?

Shopping hours and institutions: Sunday-Thursday 8:30-13:00 and 16:00-19:00, Friday and eve of holidays 9:00-13:00. Markets are closed at night. Retail, Muslim-owned, closed on Fridays, and Christian – on Sundays.

Israel is known for its jewelry, particularly diamonds and gold. You can also buy here a very high quality wines, oriental spices, as well as cosmetic products based on Dead Sea minerals. The most well-known brands – Ahava, Sea of Spa, Hlavin, Dead Sea Premier. In addition, the local stores and drugstores sales less known but often highly effective cosmetics.

6. What to eat in Israel and where?

There are great different restaurants in Israel: Chinese, Russian, French, Indian, Moroccan and the list goes on. The menu is usually printed in Hebrew and in English. Portions are generally large, and costs a lot. You should try the local beer “Maccabi” wich have a quite good taste, but not so cheap.
You should also try “meat in Hebrew” and “meorav Yerushalmi” – a dish of four kinds of chicken. Of vegetable dishes it is better to try a variety of salads, hummus, “falafel” (fried in butter pea and bean balls), cold beet soup, potato pancakes and fried zucchini. Most kosher desserts are “eggnog”, baked apples, pancakes, gingerbread with almonds.

Tipping in cafes and restaurants is standard 10% (sometimes they are already included in the bill). It is also good to leave the tips in the taxi, bus driver and guide.

7. What is different from the traditional kosher cuisine from European?

The main limitations of kosher cuisine: there is no pork and seafood and dairy and meat products are served separately from each other. But that doesn’t mean that the kosher cuisine is not variety and delicious.

8. What sights of Israel is better to visit?

Nazareth – the holy city of the Christian world, the place where Jesus spent his childhood. It contains the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, beautiful Orthodox Church of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary fountain place, national park Sepphoris (parental house of the Virgin Mary), the remains of Roman water tanks, which according to the Bible, Jesus turned water into wine, and the ancient Jewish Zippori town with a fortress of the Crusaders and numerous archaeological sites.

No less famous Bethlehem, the city where Jesus was born, lies to the south of Jerusalem. Its main attraction – like a fortress Church of the Nativity in the nursery area of the grotto (creche) Christ keley and tomb of St. Jerome.

Haifa, the third largest city and the largest seaport in Israel, lies on the slopes of Mount Carmel. There are Catholic monastery of the Order of Carmelites, the Great Synagogue of Haifa, Cave Elijah and Bahai Temple with its famous Persian gardens and the tomb of El-Baha.
The main attractions of Acre “collected” in the old city. This citadel, old walls, a huge medieval city gates, a guard tower Burj el-Sultan, the Al-Jazari, the monastery of St. Francis, the “City of the Crusaders” (the citadel of the Order of St. John), the building of a Turkish bath with the exposition of the city museum, the caravan Saray Khan el Umda, and clock tower.

9. What is the Sabbath, and what we need to know about holidays in Israel?

Shabbat. Holiday in Israel is officially a time from Friday evening to evening (outcome) Saturday. The time when Shabbat starts and its outcome are not fixed. On this day, the main government offices, shops, etc do not work. Most restaurants and cafes are open for the visitors on weekends and holidays (except on Yom Kippur, the Day of Judgment).

Public transport is also does not work on Sabbath, so if you want to go somewhere at this time you would better take a taxi. It is recommended to respect the religious traditions of this day, and not visit religious areas of Jerusalem and other cities during the Sabbath. It is also better to refrain from smoking in public places – it can be perceived as an insult.

Holidays in Israel, as a rule, are not working days which are not fixed, varying each year. Celebration usually starts in the second half of the day. Please note that the prices during the holidays is much higher than in the normal period, the prices for tours, transfers, etc can also increase.