Which Israel National Parks Pass is best for a 10-day tourist trip?

For most tourists visiting 4–6 sites, the Green Card (covers 6 sites, valid 14 days) offers the best balance of value and flexibility. If your itinerary leans heavily on national parks and nature reserves — say Masada, Ein Gedi, Caesarea, Avdat, Beit She'an and Beit Guvrin — the Orange Card's unlimited access pays for itself quickly. Verify current prices at the parks.org.il official site before buying, as they are revised periodically.

Is Masada cable car included in the national parks pass?

No. The Masada cable car is operated separately by a private company and is NOT included in any of the national parks passes (Blue, Green, Orange or Matmon). You can enter the Masada archaeological site itself with the pass, but the cable car requires a separate ticket (price ranges vary by season — check at the cable car booth or book online). Most visitors walk up the Snake Path and use the cable car for the descent.

Is the City of David included in the national parks pass?

No. The City of David in Jerusalem is managed by the Ir David Foundation and is not part of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) network, so it is not covered by any national parks pass. Entry to the City of David requires a separate ticket. The adjacent Hezekiah Tunnel (Warren Shaft route) is also ticketed separately.

Where do I buy the Israel National Parks Pass?

Tourist cards (Blue/Green/Orange) are sold at the entrance to any INPA national park or nature reserve — just ask at the ticket booth. The Matmon annual pass requires a cheque or bank transfer and a mailing address inside Israel (your hotel address works); apply via the INPA customer service line or at a larger site office. Some tourist offices in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv stock tourist cards during peak season.

Can I buy the Israel National Parks Pass online?

As of the last update, tourist cards are primarily sold in person at site entrances rather than through a dedicated online portal. Verify the current purchasing options at the official Israel Nature and Parks Authority website (parks.org.il) before your trip, as the INPA periodically updates its ticketing systems.

Is the Bahá'í Gardens Haifa included in the national parks pass?

The Bahá'í Gardens in Haifa are a UNESCO World Heritage Site managed by the Bahá'í Faith, not the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, so they are not included in any national parks pass. Guided tours of the terraced gardens are free but require advance booking — register at the Bahá'í Gardens website.

Israel National Parks Pass: Blue, Green, Orange & Matmon Cards

Visiting three or more national parks in Israel? The Israel National Parks Pass — sold by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) under four tiers — can cut your entrance fees significantly. A combination as common as Masada + Ein Gedi + Caesarea already justifies the mid-tier card. Use the parks pass calculator to tick your planned sites and see which card (if any) saves you money. Here is how the cards work, what they cover, and what the fine print excludes.

The four pass tiers

Israel’s national parks pass system has three tourist cards (valid for 14 days from first use) and one annual pass. Prices are set by the INPA and revised periodically — the figures below are a guide; verify current prices at parks.org.il before buying.

Pass	Sites covered	Duration	Approx. adult price
Blue Card	Any 3 sites	14 days	~₪78
Green Card	Any 6 sites	14 days	~₪110
Orange Card	Unlimited sites	14 days	~₪150
Matmon (annual)	Unlimited sites + family	12 months	~₪181/adult

Children’s prices are lower at each tier; verify current rates. “Approx.” = last-reported; INPA adjusts them.

Blue Card — the 3-site tourist card

Best for a short trip or a traveller hitting only a few parks. Three of Israel’s most-visited sites — Masada, Ein Gedi and Caesarea — already account for a common three-stop itinerary. Use the Blue Card and you pay roughly the equivalent of 2.5 individual tickets for 3 entries.

Green Card — the 6-site tourist card

The sweet spot for most tourists on a 7–10 day trip. Six slots is enough for an itinerary that includes a mix of nature reserves (Dead Sea corridor), ancient archaeological parks (Caesarea, Beit She’an), and desert sites (Avdat, Timna). Popular Green Card combinations:

Jerusalem area + Dead Sea loop: City of David is excluded (see FAQ), but Ein Gedi, Masada, Herodion, Ein Prat, and Qumran all count.
North Israel loop: Beit She’an, Megiddo, Akko Crusader halls, Caesarea, Banias — all within the INPA network.
Desert and Negev: Avdat, Timna Park, Mamshit, Shivta — Nabataean and Roman archaeology on one card.

Orange Card — unlimited 14-day tourist card

Makes sense for a trip centred on the national parks — archaeology enthusiasts, serious hikers or families who will visit 8+ sites. With 63 INPA sites (nature reserves and archaeological parks combined), two weeks is barely enough to scratch the surface.

Matmon — the annual pass

The Matmon (Hebrew: מנוי — subscription) is an annual household pass for residents and frequent visitors. It covers one or two adults at the same address plus all children in the household up to age 20. At roughly ₪181 per adult (verify current rate), it pays for itself after three or four visits. If you are a frequent Israel visitor — returning annually or spending a month or more in the country — the Matmon is excellent value.

To purchase a Matmon: contact the INPA customer service office, provide an Israeli mailing address (your hotel works), and pay by cheque or bank transfer. Cards are posted; processing typically takes a few days. Call the INPA directly or ask at a large site like Caesarea for the current application procedure.

Israel Pass combo (Rav-Kav + parks)

Periodically, the Israel Ministry of Tourism packages a combo pass bundling public transit credit (via the Rav-Kav card) with national park entry. Availability and terms change seasonally — check with the Israel Tourism Board or your hotel concierge closer to your travel date.

What the pass covers — and what it does not

Covered sites (selected highlights)

The INPA manages over 63 nature reserves and archaeological parks across the country. Major sites covered include:

Dead Sea corridor

Masada National Park (archaeological site — cable car separate)
Ein Gedi Nature Reserve (Wadi David & Wadi Arugot)
Qumran National Park (Dead Sea Scrolls cave site)
En Prat / Wadi Kelt Nature Reserve

Negev & southern Israel

Tel Arad National Park (Canaanite city + Israelite temple, northern Negev)
Avdat National Park (Nabataean city)
Timna Park (copper mines, desert landscape)
Hai Bar Yotvata Nature Reserve (biblical wildlife breeding centre; white oryx, onager, guided nocturnal predator tour; 35 km north of Eilat)
Mamshit and Shivta Nabataean cities

Northern Israel & Galilee

Beit She’an National Park (Roman-Byzantine ruins)
Megiddo (Tel Megiddo / Biblical Armageddon)
Zippori National Park (Roman mosaics, Sepphoris ancient capital)
Banias Nature Reserve (Golan Heights)
Nimrod Fortress (Golan)
Beit Guvrin / Maresha caves (UNESCO World Heritage cave network)

Coastal & central

Caesarea National Park (Herodian harbour city); Yam Caesarea Marine National Park (Israel’s first marine NP, designated Nov 2024 — land-side entry covered; snorkel/dive operator fee is separate)
Tel Afek National Park (Antipatris — Canaanite, Roman & Ottoman ruins; Yarkon springs; 40 km from Tel Aviv)
Apollonia National Park (Crusader fortress north of Tel Aviv)
Ashkelon National Park

Explicitly excluded — buy a separate ticket

Site	Why not included
Masada cable car	Privately operated; separate ticket
City of David (Ir David)	Ir David Foundation; separate ticket
Hezekiah’s Tunnel	Managed alongside City of David
Bahá’í Gardens Haifa	Managed by the Bahá’í Faith; free guided tours (pre-registration)
Western Wall / Kotel	Open access; no ticket required
Yad Vashem	Free (booking required); national authority outside INPA
Tel Aviv beach promenade	No ticket; free access

Where to buy

Tourist cards (Blue / Green / Orange): at the ticket desk of any INPA site on your first park visit. You pay at the gate, and your card is activated that day (14-day clock starts). No advance booking needed for the card itself — but for the park, peak-season entrance slots to Masada, Ein Gedi and other busy sites may benefit from advance booking via the INPA site.

Matmon annual pass: apply through INPA customer service (phone or email listed at parks.org.il) or in person at a major site office. Provide an Israeli mailing address and pay by bank transfer.

How to plan which sites to use your passes on

The 14-day clock starts the day you first use the card. Plan your itinerary so your main cluster of park visits falls within two weeks. A typical approach:

Buy on first use. On your first park visit, buy the card at the entrance — saves carrying it through the airport. The ticket desk staff are used to it.
Prioritize costly sites first. Masada, Ein Gedi and Caesarea all have relatively high individual entry fees — these should be the first slots you assign to the card.
Don’t leave slot for sites you might skip. If you buy a Green Card (6 slots) but only visit 5 sites, you paid for an unused entry. The Orange Card’s unlimited-access structure removes this concern for heavy itineraries.
Hiking + national parks combo: if your trip includes the Israel National Trail, most trail sections pass through or adjacent to INPA reserves — carry the card to access them without breaking your pack-out budget.

Dense-itinerary ideas using the Orange Card

Dead Sea to Negev loop (7–10 days) Masada + Ein Gedi + Qumran + En Prat + Avdat + Mamshit + Timna = 7 sites from one card, easily achievable on a combined Dead Sea region + Negev trip.

North Israel and Galilee loop (5–7 days) Caesarea + Beit She’an + Zippori + Megiddo + Banias + Nimrod = 6 sites — doable on the Green Card, covering Roman mosaics, Bronze Age to Byzantine ruins, and Crusader fortifications.

Practical tips

Bring ID. INPA staff check identity documents alongside the card. Keep your passport or national ID card accessible.
Card is non-transferable. Each card is issued to one person; group members each need their own.
Digital cards? The INPA is gradually modernising; check parks.org.il for the latest on mobile-app passes vs physical cards.
Combined car rental strategy: most INPA sites are not on public transit routes. A rental car is the most practical way to access Avdat, Timna, Megiddo and the Golan sites in the same trip. See our car rental guide and transport options.
Shabbat: most national parks are open on Shabbat, but hours may differ and park buses (where they exist) do not run. This is an advantage of a rental car on Shabbat weekends — see our Shabbat guide for the logistics.
First-time visitors: if this is your first Israel trip, cross-reference our first-time guide to build the parks into a broader itinerary, and use the Israel trip cost calculator to budget your entry fees vs the card cost.
Not sure which card to buy? Use the interactive parks pass calculator — tick your planned sites and get an instant recommendation.

See also: Hiking in Israel · Car rental in Israel · Dead Sea · Negev · Masada · Caesarea