Try not to worry,there’ll be a sign

Kibbutz flydrives

Try not to worry,there’ll be a sign

Jane Archer keeps a map handy

THE first lesson of a kibbutz flydrive is to make sure you take someone who can read maps because although the roads in Israel are well signposted in English, there will always be that one time when you need more detailed directions.

That time for me was in Jerusalem, where we were trying to find our way to Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, the only kibbutz in Jerusalem. I had chosen it because it was an ideal base to explore the city and drive down to the Dead Sea.

Once we finally found it – it turned out to be on the opposite side of the city to where my map reader had taken me – it proved a good choice.

The rooms are simple, as they are in all the kibbutz hotels, but comfortable and with everything you need.

Ramat Rachel serves breakfast and an evening meal, but there is not much choice on the menu and the cuisine is simple. It’s interesting to try it on night one, but by night two, I was itching to try one of the numerous restaurants in Jerusalem. A bus leaves from outside the kibbutz so there is no need to drive.

There are about 30 kibbutz hotels and holiday villages all over Israel, ranging in quality from three to four star.

On a kibbutz flydrive, you just choose your first night’s accommodation and then reserve rooms as you go using the tour operator’s pre-paid vouchers.

I decided to book ahead as I had planned my own itinerary to make sure we achieved everything we wanted to in seven days.

Day one was reserved for Jerusalem, day two for the Dead Sea and Masada, which is about 90 minutes easy drive from the city, and for day three, I had pre-booked a domestic flight from Jerusalem airport to Eilat for an escape from history and culture – flying time is 45 minutes.

After three nights at Ramat Rachel, it was time to get back on the road for the three-hour drive to Kibbutz Ma’agan Holiday Village at the southern end of the Sea of Galilee, and a good base from which to explore the Galilee.

Our day trips took in Capernaum, the Church of the Multiplication, the Church of the Beatitudes and Yardenit around the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, and Akko, which is on the Mediterranean and an easy drive away (see page 42).

Tiberiasw, the Galilee’s largest town, is about five miles from Ma’agan, which was lucky as this holiday village didn’t serve any evening meals.

That just left the problem of choosing somewhere from the many restaurants along Tiberias’ waterfront.

There are several kibbutzim holiday villages around the lake, with chalet-type accommodation or mobile homes.

Landmark: the Kibbutz Ramat Rachel is a good base from which to explore the sights of Jerusalem, which include the Tower of David