Hey Everyone,
We are planning a trip this Jan. 17 - Feb.14. We will be landing in Tel Aviv and traveling to Galilee,Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, Petra, Eilat, Sinai, Alexandria, Cairo, Aswan and Luxor. We want to carry a small backpack like usual. We're thinking a button-up, thick sweater with layers that we can add or shed if needed. Can anyone see that we will be freezing or burning up in any of the places we are going. Especially Northern Israel and Southern Egypt (and the Sinai...clueless)? I have checked temps. but can't find all of these cities. We don't want to have to worry about shorts or heavy coats. Should we be okay with what I mentioned. We are used to Florida / Hong Kong weather...is it similar in these locations? Thanks...we appreciate any input!
Jerusalem is most likely to be coldest - at that time of year it sometimes snows, and this can cover the Galilee as well, although most of it is mild apart from at higher levels.
What you mentionnned sounds fine as long as you have a coat as well
Hope this helps
Heavy rain is likely in Jerusalem/Bethlehem and Galilee (please God, we need it), so you should bring waterproof coats and footwear. Umbrellas are not very practical because when there is heavy rain there are also strong winds, which will blow your umbrellas inside out.
touristisrael...you said that what i said is fine as long as i bring a coat...that's what i was hoping to avoid by bringing the heavy button-up sweater (half-inch, hand-stitched, thick wool.....not a thin little thing). we live near hong kong and don't own coats. considering we have thick sweaters that button up, a button up shirt, and a long-sleeved t-shirt on (three layers), do you think this would be enough.
shuf...you say water-proof shoes? does this mean that crocs are a must? i really hate the things and wanted to avoid them if at all possible. are those the only "wet" areas this time of year?
perhaps israelis can give me a typical outside outfit for them on a jan/feb. day? it would help put it in perspective. we've never traveled in the winter, so we have never had to deal with this. usually, it's summer and tanks and shorts are the norm!
p.s. should it be easy to find a washer and a dryer if we are staying at budget / mid-range hotels and hostels or are we talking hand-wash and dry via the window?
In case you are not aware, you will need to get an Egyptian visa in advance, as none are issued at the Israel-Egypt border at Taba. It may be obtained before you leave your home country, at the embassy in Tel Aviv or at the consulate in Eilat just before you cross the border.
Wear whatever shoes you like. Go barefoot if that's your style. But the streets are likely to be very wet. For the record, I've lived in Israel for 30 years and have never owned Crocs or anything like them.
Most people wear anoraks/parkas, whatever they're called in your neck of the woods, and sometimes waterproof boots.
Anyway, aren't crocs full of holes? I meant something that will keep your feet dry (unless you don't mind wet feet), so crocs are about the most useless.
Writing to you from the Galiee I can say we are having an unusually warm and dry winter. My kids are still going to school in shorts most mornings with a tee shirt and a zipper up cotton jacket w/ hood. By 0900 that's gone. However on the mornings where we do get rain they are wearing pants and warmer jackets. In any condition layers are your best option and do make sure that they will dry easily b/c dryers are a rarity here and wet clothes from the machine can take up to three days to thoroughly dry in a warm room. So a small bag with a lot of wet clothes is not nice .
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