Smell, caress, sleep: 3 great winter experiences in the Golan Heights

The Golan was covered in winter green, so get three suggestions for experience, flowering and accommodation in our northeasternmost: the daffodils bloom in Nov, the new animal farm on Mount Odem and family and inexpensive accommodation in El-Rom

Ziv Reinstein

14/01/2022

Friday, 14 January 2022, 00:02

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"The Farm on Mount Odem" in the Golan Heights (Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Editing: Nir Chen)

This is the beautiful hour of the Golan Heights - a wild country in every season - but in winter the black cover basalt, which covers the white limestone rocks, is covered with green foliage that seems to spread like a glowing green carpet.

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Smell: The daffodils bloom in the Meadow Nov Reserve

This is also the time of the daffodils that began to bloom in the Acho Nov Nature Reserve in the southern Golan, also called the "Swamp Iris Nature Reserve", and these days fill the flat reserve near Road 98 with white and fragrant daffodils, since the daffodil is the king of the swamp.

In the Nov meadow, the daffodil blooms mainly in December-January, unlike in mountainous and valley areas, where it blooms earlier - as early as November.

A 1 km circular route has been prepared for hikers, starting from the reserve parking lot, passing by the flower concentrations and returning to the parking lot. Part of the trail is accessible to people with limited mobility.

Wise:

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This is the time for daffodils.

Narcissus is found in the Nov meadow (Photo: Avi Ben David)

Daffodils in the Nov meadow last weekend (Photo: Yehuda Weinberg)

Caress: The farm on Mount Odem

Encrypt with Route 98 that crosses the plateau along it and reach Mount Odem. A few meters after entering the settlement, there is the "Odem Mountain Farm" - Freedom to Live Farm - opened six months ago by Alon Bornstein, 37, which is home to animals that have been abused, or aged and neglected and other hardships experienced by the amazing creatures that are sometimes taken for granted.

Alon came to Odem seven years ago from Tel Aviv. He himself experienced trauma from Operation Resilient Cliff and found treatment for his trauma in the transition to the Golan Heights and animal care. In the artist, art director Wenger by profession, he rented a compound and built himself the farm whose purpose is to take care of creatures that are less powerful than us. "I accompanied autistic children in one of the Golan Druze villages, and I saw that they come from a place where there is no framework or awareness of their situation, but hide them, and then one child that my dog, 'Mali', took care of brought me the idea to open such a farm," explains Alon.

At the farm you will find donkeys, "one of them arrived at the age of 4 months, completely broken from the Negev," says Alon, explaining that the donkeys have an amazing memory and they remember everyone who beat them or was kind to them.

"I collect them from all over the country," he adds.

The farm is also inhabited by the "Apache" horse, which was used for 20 years as a treatment horse, but a few months ago went blind and "fell out of use."

Even chickens, ducks, geese, alpine goats, sheep rescued from slaughter and even rabbits all live together on the farm.

And there is also a rabbit of a huge Flemish breed named "Man", which is actually the breed of "Peter the Rabbit".

"He came from Tel Aviv two weeks ago because his owner is moving to Miami," Alon explains.

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Caress and also feed.

The farm on Mount Odem (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

The animals on the farm went through a difficult life, until they reached a place that respects them (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

At the farm, the families can feed the animals with special food that Alon and his staff distribute, and of course also pet each animal. They all eat together and seem to get along great with each other, even in residences built specifically for their lives in the wild. For example, goats that live in the mountains have cells built in height, donkeys have their own house that is not suitable for entering a horse and chickens have their own cells and the like.

The maintenance of the farm is very expensive, as a questionnaire rents the place and the food is also very expensive, and we have not yet mentioned veterinarian tests for all the animals. "Only the horse Apache costs NIS 2,500 a month and a donkey NIS 1,800," he notes, "but I try to produce something here that does not exist, because there are full of living corners but in no one can you hold a duck and hug a donkey," he concludes.

A visit to the farm costs 35 shekels per person, and of course the money goes directly to the animals and their care, so you can also leave more.

Wise - "The Farm on Mount Odem", 054-7653123.

The donkeys remember everything.

Alon feeds the friends (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

The farm is located at the foot of Mount Odem (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

Sleep: Accommodation at Al-Rom Boutique

About a ten-minute drive from Mount Odem is an excellent accommodation option for families - hosting the Al-Rom Boutique - in Kibbutz Elrom, which was established in 1971 at 1,050 meters above sea level. Al-Rom is a great spot if you decide on a vacation in the northern Golan, or then you have high options, such as Mount Bentel, Birkat Ram, Mount Hermon, the Druze villages, ridge again and also hot springs (as long as you turn on the tap).

The kibbutz hosts 18 rooms in a large compound that was a chicken coop in the past, and was renovated about two years ago. Each room can accommodate 6-5 people in the configuration of a double bed and more bunk beds for single. The room itself is spacious and has a shower, toilet and a small refrigerator with a tea / coffee stand. For those who must, there is even cable TV, but do not just stay in the room and go for a walk in the most beautiful season in the Golan. Also in the accommodation, a gymboree for toddlers, a pleasant lawn with seating areas and a swing and a friendly dining room with jahanun, salads, dips and everything you need from a good breakfast on Saturday.

NIS 800-700 at the weekend for a couple, NIS 600-500 at midnight.

Each additional person 150-120 shekels.

In Wise - "Al-Rum Boutique Accommodation", 04-6838111.

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The old coop has become an excellent family accommodation site.

Al-Rom Boutique Hosting (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

For those who must, there is even cable TV.

Al-Rom Boutique Guest Room (Photo: Official Website, Weekend Website)

The writer was a guest of Al-Rom Tourism

• Tourism

• Excursions in the country

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• The Golan Heights

• Animals

• Elrom

• Excursions in the country