Can You Visit Bethlehem Now?

On 13 November 2026 Bethlehem tours were on sale: the Jerusalem and Bethlehem day trip from Tel Aviv on every December 2026 to March 2027 date checked except two days in late November, and the half-day Bethlehem tour from Jerusalem on all four dates checked. Whether to go is a different question, and three governments answer it for their own citizens. Their pages are quoted below as they read on 13 November 2026, each with its own date. This page adds no advice of its own.

Are Bethlehem tours running?

These are the calendars as they stood on 13 November 2026, for the tours this site covers:

Reviews show the same picture from the other side. The Bein Harim Israel Tours day trip had reviews in every month of 2026: 12 in January and 14 in February, then two to six a month from March, and six in November up to the 8th. The half-day tour from Jerusalem had none dated March, April, May or June 2026; they start again in July (three) and reach nine in October. The newest of the 150 reviews on Rent-a-Guide | est.1985’s full-day tour is dated 13 June 2025.

Two reviews of the day trip say the Bethlehem part did not run on their day. On 7 November 2025: “Due to the situation, Bethlehem was not included.” On 4 November 2026 a guest from Mexico wrote that the Bethlehem visit could not take place and gave elections as the reason.

United Kingdom: FCDO

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s Israel page and its Palestine page carry the same warnings, both “Updated: 27 October 2026” and “Still current at: 13 November 2026”.

• It advises against all travel to Gaza, within 500 m of the border with Gaza, and in the West Bank to “Tulkarm Governorate, Jenin Governorate, and Tubas Governorate except Route 90”.
• It advises against all but essential travel to “The rest of the West Bank, except for: East Jerusalem, Bethlehem Governate, Ramallah Municipality, Jericho municipality and all areas which lie south of it (this includes the Allenby crossing)”.
• On regional tensions: “The context in the Middle East remains deeply unpredictable and the risk of sudden escalation is high.”
• On insurance: “Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).”

The Palestine page also has a dress code: “In Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, clothing should cover your shoulders, upper arms, and legs above the knee.”

United States: State Department

The State Department has separate pages, read on 13 November 2026.

• The West Bank: “Level 3 - Reconsider travel”, date issued 26 August 2026: “Reconsider travel to the West Bank due to terrorism and unrest.” US government employees working in Israel and their families are restricted from personal travel to the West Bank, with exceptions that include “Travel to Jericho and Bethlehem, including Beit Jala and Beit Sahour from dawn to midnight”, and “Checkpoint 300 near Rachel’s Tomb is the only permitted and accessible route into Bethlehem for U.S. government employees and their family members.”
• Israel: “Level 3 - Reconsider travel”, date issued 23 October 2026: “Reconsider travel to Israel due to terrorism and unrest. Some areas have increased risk.” The same page says Israeli citizens “in most cases, cannot travel to parts of the West Bank controlled by the Palestinian Authority (called Area A), including Bethlehem and Jericho.”

Australia: Smartraveller

Smartraveller’s Palestine page reads “Overall: Do not travel”, updated 14 September 2026 and still current at 13 November 2026:

• “Do not travel to Gaza and the West Bank (excluding Jerusalem) due to the volatile security situation, ongoing military activity, armed conflict, civil unrest and terrorism.”
• “Reconsider your need to travel to Jerusalem due to the volatile security situation, armed conflict, civil unrest and terrorism.”
• It names Bethlehem once, under driving: “Israeli car insurance doesn’t usually cover travel into the West Bank (excluding Jerusalem). This includes Bethlehem, Jericho and Ramallah.”

Its Israel page, updated 15 October 2026: “We continue to advise reconsider your need to travel overall due to the unpredictable security situation in Israel and the region.”

The holy sites on the day

• The Church of the Holy Sepulchre reopened on 9 April 2026 after 40 days closed “due to restrictive measures imposed as a result of the war”, as Orthodox Times reported that day.
• The Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem: the Christian Information Centre announced that from 21 October 2026 it is open to pilgrims every day from 12:30 to 2:30 PM, and on Sundays from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. On Bein Harim Israel Tours’ Jerusalem and Bethlehem Guided Day Trip a visit down to the Grotto might not be possible because of the tour’s schedule; on Elijah Tours & Travel’s Half-Day Bethlehem Guided Tour entry to the Birth Grotto is not guaranteed “due to restoration work, queues and special Masses”.

The crossing, as each tour describes it

On the Bein Harim Israel Tours day trip: “This tour is subject to Palestinian Authority regulations”, “The Palestinian guide meets tours only at the border post”, and “A change of vehicle may be required for entry to Palestinian Authority territory”. A valid passport is required on the day.

On the two Rent-a-Guide | est.1985 tours the Palestinian guide meets the tour after the border crossing, and the crossing “may include short unaccompanied walking portion”.

On the half-day tour from Jerusalem, bring your passport and valid Israeli visa; Israeli passport holders are not permitted to join, and security checks may be required when entering or leaving Bethlehem.

Every government page above changes without notice. Open the one for your passport in the week you travel; the what to wear and bring guide covers the rest of the preparation, and the Bethlehem tour from Jerusalem guide the half day.