Park Prices: NIS 24 at Nimrod Fortress, NIS 31 at Banias, and No Uniform Rate
You are at a national park ticket office with three children and a cooler bag. The cashier asks for an adult fare for your eldest son. "But he is only 15!" you say. The cashier politely points to the sign. They are right. At another site, incidentally, they would be wrong. How can that be?
The Israel Nature and Parks Authority publishes a 2026 price list for reserve and park admission. Under the page's definitions, an adult is over 18 and a child is aged 5 to 18. But at three sites, Horshat Tal, Achziv and Gan HaShlosha, the child category ends at 14. That is exactly where the difference at the ticket office comes from.
Nimrod, Banias and why there is no single price
Look at two rows in the northern region's table. Nimrod Fortress National Park: NIS 24 per adult and NIS 10 per child. Banias Nature Reserve: NIS 31 per adult and NIS 16 per child. Two sites a short drive apart, with two different prices.
There are other columns, too. A soldier in compulsory service enters Nimrod free. A senior citizen pays NIS 12. These are examples, not a uniform nationwide price list. Tel Dan and Banias are not Nimrod. Before leaving, open the row for the site you intend to visit.
Reservists, Matmon and exemptions: Three different routes
The price list also has a column for active reservists: NIS 18 at Nimrod and NIS 23 at Banias. This is not the compulsory‑service soldier column. A conscript enters Nimrod free. A reservist pays the reduced price and brings the documentation the site requests.
Matmon pass holders enter free except at water sites: Horshat Tal, Achziv, Gan HaShlosha, Palmachim and the sea turtle rescue visitor center. There, pass holders pay half price. A pass is not free admission to every pool. Anyone planning a day at Sakhne should check the water‑site row.
The page also lists people eligible for exemptions, including a disabled person covered by the Disabled Veterans of the War Against the Nazis Law and an accompanying person where mobility assistance is required, and a disabled police officer under the Police Law with an accompanying person on the same condition. An exemption is a status demonstrated at entry, not a discount that appears by itself at the online checkout.
The unusual date stamp on the page
One small detail is worth knowing: the page is titled 2026 Price List, but its date stamp is 1 January 2025. On the day you leave, check that the relevant row has not changed, particularly for water sites and holidays. The prices here are what the page displayed when checked, not a promise about the ticket office two months from now.
Have a question? The page lists these telephone numbers: Nimrod Fortress 046949277, Banias 046950272 and Tel Dan 046951579. A short call resolves a great deal, especially when you want to know whether the gate is open.
Groups and the trap of 30
Traveling in a large group? The price list defines a group as more than 30 people and gives it a separate column. At Nimrod, for example, an individual adult pays NIS 24, compared with NIS 20 in the group column. But there is a condition: the group must register in advance. An unregistered group pays individual rates. Registration happens before arrival, not in the parking lot.
What to bring to the gate
Before leaving, bring documentation of the children's ages, a reservist certificate if you want that rate, and your Matmon pass if you have one. At a water site, expect half price for pass holders, not zero. If your son is 15 and you are heading to Gan HaShlosha, you now know what the cashier will say.
