Winter Trip to the North of Israel

Winter trip to the north of Israel

Israel tour plan, full day by day travel plan during the winter in the north of Israel . Winter trip plan to the best of the north of Israel: the Hula valley and the Golan Heights: Safed, Rosh Pina, Agamon Hula, Banias Nature Reserve, The Nimrod Fortress, Mount Bental, Tel Dan reserve and some great restaurants.

Day 1 - The Upper Galilee

Accomodation: Pastoral - Kfar Blum

Address: Kibbutz Kfar Blum

Website: http://www.booking.com/hotel/il/pastoral.html

Day 1 - The Upper Galilee

in 1857. The most prominent thing inside the synagogue is Safed is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an 1. Safed the great Torah Ark, which is wood- carved and stands tall. elevaon of 900 metres, Safed is the highest city in the Galilee The Ark has many colorful carvings of Jewish symbols, flora, Duration ~ 3 Hours and in Israel. Due to its high elevaon, Safed experiences warm fauna, and more. We connued from HaARI Synagogue to summers and cold, oen snowy, winters. Safed has been Safed, Israel Abuhav Synagogue. The temple was built in the 16th identified with Sepph, a fortified town in the more.. century, and is named aer Rabbi Isaac Abuhav who lived 10:00 Our visit focused on the Jewish quarter and its during the 15th century in Spain. In it, you’ll find the original Torah Scrolls wrien by Rabbi Isaac Abuhav himself. The alleyways, old synagogues, and of course the desire to 2. Rosh Pinna experience a different Purim atmosphere than the one we Sephardi immigrants (Olim) who arrived in Safed in the 16th know. We started in the main art gallery street, Beit Yosef century brought the Torah Scrolls with them, and they are Duration ~ 2 Hours St. It is a long street, out of which a number of alleys branch taken out to be read on three specific mes a year: Rosh Rosh Pinna, Israel out to connect to parallel streets. On the street entrance, Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Shavuot. It is told that in one of there’s a fresh- squeezed juice bar. In the summer, the the great earthquakes that frequented the city the whole owner squeezes pomegranates on the spot, and in winter- place was ruined, except for the eastern wall, in which 10:00 citrus fruit. The street itself and its surroundings are full of resided The Torah Ark and The Torah Scrolls. Inside the synagogue, in the center of the hall, is a raised wooden Judaica stores and art galleries. One of the more interesting WIKIPEDIA places is a gallery which sells different Tallitot and you can plaorm painted blue, and the aending audience sits see them being woven on the spot. Another interesng around it facing it. The walls are white and painted with Rosh Pina is a town and local council in the Upper Galilee on shop is Safed Candles, which has a great variety of colorful depicons of fruit- bearing trees, the symbols of the 12 the eastern slopes of Mount Kna'an in the Northern District of candles, as well as wax sculptures, some depicng biblical tribes, musical instruments that were used in The Temple, Israel. The town with the current name was founded in 1882 stories. From the gallery street, we then descended through and more. While walking through the alleyways we followed by thirty families who immigrated from Romania, making it the alleyways to two synagogues: HaARI and Abuhav. the signage leading the way to Kadosh Cheeses. When we one of the oldest Zionist settlements in Israel. It was more.. HaARI (Rabbi Isaac Luria), who is known as the father of arrived there, we rang the doorbell and the owners showed contemporary Kabbalah, settled in Safed in 1569 and lived in us into a room in which we could purchase the cheeses. The it for three years, unl his passing away at the age of 38. proprietor brought out the selecon of cheeses they The compound in which the synagogue is located today produce from the fridge in the room, gave us tasngs and 5. Cookia used to be a field outside the city. It is told that in those coffee. The cheeses are excellent: they produce Safed Duration ~ 2 Hours days, HaARI used to welcome in the Shabbat with his Cheese of course, as well as very delectable hard cheeses. disciples in that place, wearing white. Some hold that the It was difficult to choose what to buy for home out of all Dafna, Israel synagogue was built in the early 16th century, a few years the goodness we were offered a taste of. aer HaARI’s death, by Greek immigrants originang in Monday: 8:30 AM – 11:00 PM Spain. The synagogue was destroyed in the great WIKIPEDIA Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 11:00 PM earthquake that happened in Safed in 1837, and was rebuilt Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 11:00 PM

Day 1 - The Upper Galilee

3. Agamon Hula 4. Pastoral Kfar Blum Hotel

Duration ~ 2 Hours Duration ~ 1 Hour

Agamon Hula Kfar Blum, Israel

Rating: 4.7 Telephone: +972 4-683-6611 Website: www.pastoral-hotel.com 15:00 This place is very interesng to visit . The lake is an Rating: 4.4 arficial one, and is located in the Hula Valley. Originally, the place was a swamp unl the 1950’s, at which me it was drained. In the 1990’s the same territory was re- flooded as part of a restoraon project. Today, the lake constutes a major stopover for many different migratory birds, which fly over the Syrian-African Ri Valley from Europe to Africa. Some choose to pass the winter months in the lake and not connue their journey to Africa. Early November is a me in which migrang birds oen frequent the lake. During our visit, not only a multude of birds visited the place, but also a multude of visitors. There is an 8.5-kilometer trail around the lake, which gives access to different parts of it and allows for flora and fauna observaon. One can tour the park in many ways: personal or family bicycles are available for renng, as well as golf carts. There are also organized tours using ‘Safari Wagons’. We have toured in safari wagons twice in the past, in different seasons and different parts of the day. The tour is in a wagon hitched to a tractor, during which one enters areas that are off limits otherwise, and it allows close observaon of the park’s wildlife. We felt like Naonal Geographic field photographers- the tour is highly recommended. It also requires pre- registration.

Day 2 - The Golan Heights

Accomodation: Pastoral - Kfar Blum

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Day 2 - The Golan Heights

was probably dedicated to the goddess of the good city trail splits and we'll choose the le one that takes us back 1. Banias Nature Reserve was discovered. We will climb to the top of the cliff to an to the parking lot through the impressive palace of King amzing lookout: From the north we'll be overlooking the Agrippas from the beginning of the first century AD. From Duration ~ 2 Hours Hermon, impressive in height even when not covered in there we will go north with the path ll the entrance gate .white, from the east - the Golan Heights, from the west to the park כביש 99 the Banias Reserve, the Hula Valley and the Naali Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Mountains. From the lookout we will connue along the Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM cliff ll we get to a small white building with a dome that is 2. Sa'ar Falls Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM associated with the tomb of Nabi Al Khader. This site is Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM sacred to the Druze and Muslims. From there we will Duration ~ 1 Hour Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM descend safely to the green marked path back to the Banias Sa'ar Falls Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Pools. From the pools starts a comfortable blue marked trail Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM leading to an iron and wooden bridge towards the southern Rating: 5 bank of the river. We will go under highway 99 that leads to Telephone: +972 4-695-0272 Website: www.parks.org.il Kiryat Shmona. Here the waters of the Nimrod River meet Rating: 4.6 with the turbulent waters of the Banias. Later we'll get to 4. Nidal Matruf mill – an acve mill driven by water power. The The Golan - Banias Nature Reserve Banias Nature Reserve water is carried to the roof of the mill from Hermon River, Duration ~ 2 Hours Banias Nature Reserve 5/10 The Banias, whose Hebrew falling through the stone made chimney into the basement Mas'ada name is Hermon River, is a nature reserve that includes and turn three paddle wheels connected to the millstones. abundant running water, waterfalls and springs, which flow Matruf mill is used by the Druze villages naves of the Monday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM in the shade of plane trees, tangle of vines, shrubs, northern Golan Heights: Misada and Ein Kinia, who mill their Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM woodland vegetaon riverbanks and archaeological grain in it. Next to the mill there is a bakery where we can Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM treasures scaered along the paths. The Banias River is enjoy Druze pitas and hot drinks. We will connue in the Thursday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM one of the three tributaries of the Jordan alongside the blue path towards "the officers swimming pool" and the Friday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM Dan and the Snir. We will start our track at the Cave Of Banias waterfall along the channel with the water flow. Saturday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM Pan. The cave is located at an impressive cliff where rock The water flow in this part of the river is increased and Sunday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM doves nest and you can watch rock rabbits tanning for flooding as a result from the meeng of the Banias river pleasure. At rainy winters the cave floor fills with water and and Saar River. A wide path will lead us to the Ein Hilo, a Telephone: +972 4-698-1066 becomes a pool. In front of the Cave Of Pan a western wall fountain with warmer waters than the Banias who served Rating: 4 that is affiliated with the Temple of Augustus was as a bathing place for Syrian officers who were in the area 13:00 lunch Food was good and plenful. Personnel is discovered, it was built by Herod for the god of shepherds unl 1967. For this purpose, a concrete pool that captures friendly. The place is a lile crowded, and most of seang is Pan. Beyond this extension remains of another temple that the spring was built. Near the officers swimming pool, the outside. View is great.

Day 2 - The Golan Heights

room we will be able look west to the Hula Valley. In front 3. Nimrod Fortress National Park of us we will see the Galilee ridge and southern Lebanon. Later we will connue to track the big cistern vaulted Duration ~ 2 Hours ceiling, which served as the fort's main water reservoir. We Israel will connue to the "beauful tower", a guard tower which received this name because of its stone-cung, Monday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM construcon and finishing quality. From here we will climb Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM towards the Tower of Courage (The Dungeon), built as an Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM inner fortress built so that it could withstand a siege in case Thursday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM the main fort was to be overrun. Migdal Oz features a Friday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM marvelous view to Mount Hermon and the northern Golan Saturday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Heights, and the wooded gorge of the Govta River which Sunday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM flows from Mount Hermon near the foot of the fortress. At the end of the 13th century, with the final expulsion of the Telephone: +972 4-694-9277 Website: www.parks.org.il Crusaders from Israel, the need for a fort had decreased. In Rating: 4.7 the 15th century it became a prison and was abandoned at the beginning of the Ottoman period. Right from the parking lot we will noce spectacular forficaons, the high wall and the rare quality of WIKIPEDIA construction of Nimrod castle, named after the Biblical hero, which is located in the northern Golan Heights at an The Nimrod Fortress or Nimrod Castle is a medieval Muslim altude of 815 meters. Near the castle gate we will go castle situated on the southern slopes of Mount Hermon, on a down to the secret door that leads to the moat surrounding ridge rising about 800 m above sea level. It overlooks the Golan the fort. From here we will connue in the direcon of the Heights and was built with the purpose of guarding a major arrow that marks the path. The main and impressive fort access route to Damascus against armies coming from the gate features a convoluted entrance, arrow slits and a post more.. from which one could pour boiling oil on intruders. A short distance from the gate we will see the great stone commemorang the Muslim Banias governor who built the fort in 1228, as part of the long struggle waged between Muslims and Crusaders on the land of Israel. We will connue to the Knight Halls, where we will see shoong holes in their walls. From the observaon deck in the main

Day 3 - The Upper Galilee

Accomodation: Pastoral - Kfar Blum

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Day 3 - The Upper Galilee

wronged Israel. If we turn to the right from the Pistacia, Website: www.parks.org.il 1. Lehemke we'll get to the flour mill of more than one hundred and fifty Rating: 4.7 years which operated unl 1948. From there we'll get very Duration ~ 2 Hours 11:00 Tel Dan, the largest spring in the country, there is a quickly to a cold, clear water pool where we can soak in Qiryat Shemona, Israel small shady jungle with plenty of running water and especially during the hot summer days. From the wading vegetaon. A beauful walking path fraught with surprises pool, we will connue with the path and aer a few Monday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM like an old flour mill, charming brooks, ancient trees, a cold hundred meters we will reach the beginning of the track and Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM wading pool and the remains of the ancient biblical city of parking. Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Dan. We'll start of the 1.5km walking track from the parking Thursday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM lot following the sound of roaring water from the river Friday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM channel. About 600 meters aer starng the trip, we get 3. Thali Indian Restaurant Saturday: Closed to the Dan spring. Mount Hermon residue seeps into the Sunday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM mountain and are pour forth Ein Dan fountain, which Duration ~ 2 Hours Israel ,נופית החרמון, קרית שמונה Telephone: +972 4-644-1978 provides Jordan half the water flowing to the Sea of Galilee Rating: 4.6 and hence it's great importance the Israeli water economy. From the fountain we'll connue along the path while Monday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM 9:00 breakfast Great coffee lovely service wonderful food. jumping and skipping over large rocks with water running Tuesday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM Highly recommended. underneath them and reach a giant and burned Atlanc Wednesday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM Pistacia at least 2000 years old, which was enjoyed by the Thursday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM Romans, Byzannes, Muslims, Crusaders, Mamelukes, the Friday: 12:00 – 4:00 PM Turks and only an Israeli smoker who wasn't careful a few Saturday: Closed שמורת תל דן - Tel Dan Reserve .2 years back took the life of this ancient Pistacia. From the Sunday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM Duration ~ 2 Hours burnt stump starts a trail that goes le to Tel Dan, the Telephone: +972 4-607-7764 Israel impressive ruins of the biblical Dan. Dan was a tremendous Rating: 4.5 city which started in the Canaanite period, through the Israeli period, Persian and Hellenisc to the Roman period. Monday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM 13:00 Excellent food, excellent service excellent vegan The symbol of the mound (Tel) is his arch Canaanite gate Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM opons, they need to make an effort to make vegan chai Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM which is probably the most ancient in the world. Touring the and at least two options of vegan desserts. Thursday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Tel discovers a huge wall a wide gate and fine street Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM paving. Within the walls, the street expends into a plaza Saturday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM with the king's throne and the judge's bench. From there we Sunday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM will go to the House of Stages, here Jeroboam Ben Nebat set up the Golden Calf and subsequently it was said that he Telephone: +972 4-695-1579

Day 3 - The Upper Galilee

Lebanon, and whether the trail seen ahead marks the 4. Nahal Snir Nature Reserve - Hazbani border. We sat for a few minutes, enjoying the view and the pleasant weather. Aer our respite, we descended the Duration ~ 2 Hours trail leading back to the parking lot. On our way there, we Israel crossed a bridge stretched over the flowing Snir Stream (the Hasbani River). We admired the Oak and Pistacia trees Monday: 8:00 AM – 4:46 PM growing all around, and the blossoming Cyclamens, as well as Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 4:46 PM the budding Anemones. Towards the end of the trail, the Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 4:46 PM path goes through a wading pool. We frequent this part of Thursday: 8:00 AM – 4:46 PM the nature reserve oen in the summer. The kids mainly Friday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM enjoy standing under the flowing waterfall, and dipping in Saturday: 8:00 AM – 4:46 PM the cool waters of the pool. It was a bit strange for them to Sunday: 8:00 AM – 4:46 PM visit the pool without jumping in it. We also went to the point where we could overlook the water flowing in the Telephone: +972 4-695-0064 Website: www.parks.org.il stream. In the summer months, it is possible to walk in the Rating: 4.7 water and take a linear or circular path, ending in the Ma’ayan Baruch parking lot. 15:00 Nahal Snir winter trail - 1 hour The Reserve has two walking trails, one- a winter trail, and the other- a summer trail. The path begins about 200m beyond the entrance and we followed the trail marks toward the Tapline Reservoir. We set out along an easy to walk trail for about ten minutes, unl we got to a large water reservoir that aracts water birds to it. We sat on the benches near the reservoir and watched the birds that were there at the time (there were very few), enjoying the sight and Mt. Hermon in the distance. Roee was very interested in anything to do with the depth and size of the reservoir at the me. We then connued on to the Snir Stream Overlook, pleasantly walking for 20 minutes. Walking, all along the trail is very convenient. The trail end- point is the lookout toward Lebanon. The kids were very interested in knowing whether the houses they saw in the distance are within

GENERAL TIPS

Money and cost Tel Dan national park in the Upper Galilee video : www.youtube.com

Transportation I recommend using Rentalcars to ﬁnd quality rental cars at reasonable prices all over the world: www.rentalcars.com

Travel resources www.israel-webguide.com