Chol Hamoed is a great time to go for a walk around the country, and in honor of this enjoyable time we have prepared for you some sites in Israel that look like some of the most beautiful floors you will find abroad.
Tel Dan Nature Reserve
In a magical corner in the north of the country, just below Mount Hermon, lies a spectacular pearl that feels like part of a painting or a fairy tale. The Dan River is the largest and most important of the sources of the Jordan River, and has an abundance of water from the snows of Mount Hermon. The place is one of the largest mounds of antiquities in Israel, preserving the remains of the 5,000-year-old biblical city of Dan.
Already at the entrance to the reserve it is hard to miss the wonder with spectacular views, green growth and strong water current, when during the trip you will not be able to feel for a moment that you are in a nature reserve in the Middle East. This is an easy trail that takes between one and three hours, and along the way you can see a variety of animals as well as tree species and river vegetation. Without a doubt – it is completely a feeling of another country.
Along with the spectacular beauty of the site, there are entire areas that are accessible and suitable for strollers and wheelchair travelers. All the routes will also introduce you to the many years of history of the place and the impressive archaeological remains, including remains of cult from thousands of years ago, when according to the Bible, Jeroboam, King of the Kingdom of Israel, built an altar here and placed a golden calf in it. Another fascinating find from the Israeli period at the site is a fragment of a basalt slab bearing an inscription engraved from the time of King Ahab. The inscription mentions the "House of David", and this is the first written evidence of the House of David, which dates to the second half of the 9th century BCE.
How to get there: Write in Waze "Tel Dan Nature Reserve".
Tel Dan National Park, Photo: Mano Greenspan
Nimrod Fortress
If you have come to visit the Tel Dan Nature Reserve and you want to continue hiking in the special atmosphere, you can go to Nimrod Fortress. About a 760-minute drive from Tel Dan, lies the largest fortress left in medieval Israel, with beautiful views of northern Israel from every corner. At an altitude of <> meters, the fortress, surrounded by steep cliffs, was one of the most strategic points on the way from the Hula Valley and the Golan Heights towards Syria.
There are several observation points with breathtaking views: a view west from the top of the western tower to the Galilee, the Hula Valley and the northern settlements of the valley, including part of southern Lebanon and the Beaufort Fortress. Beyond the Hula Valley one can see the Naftali mountain range, in whose northern part on its eastern slopes is Kiryat Shmona, and at its northern end are the settlements of Manara, Margaliot and Misgav Am. Looking northeast, Mount Hermon is revealed with its branches: Hermon shoulder, armor branch and Sion shoulder. From the highest vantage point in the place, called the keep tower, you can look out over the many surrounding areas.
West of the gate tower, at the end of the "balcony", a secret passage was built that led outside the northern wall. Near the western gate is a large opening that leads to a beautiful staircase and finally to the secret passage, through which one can leave the fortress without being discovered by the "enemy" outside the fortress. The height of the passage's space is impressive, and is more befitting of a grand royal entrance than a secret passage.
How to get there: Write in Waze "Nimrod Fortress National Park (Qalat Nimrod)".
Nimrod Fortress, Photo: Moshe Shai
Nahal Amud Nature Reserve
The stream that flows all year round between forested slopes, huge plane trees and clear pools of water may blur the feeling that visitors who come to the site the feeling that this is a site located within the State of Israel. The stream, which begins its journey at the heights of the Upper Galilee, crosses the Lower Galilee from south to north at a length of 22 kilometers and empties into the Sea of Galilee in the Ginosar Valley.
The fauna in the reserve is also very rich thanks to the abundance of water, the abundant vegetation and the high cliffs. In the reserve and its environs, a continuum of open spaces remains that enable the stable existence of diverse animal populations. The reserve is home to a large population of wild boars: a stable population of Israeli turtles numbering about 100 individuals, as well as hyenas, wolves, jackals, weasels, mongooses, porcupines, fuels, common badgers, common foxes, hyraxes, rodent species and several species of bats.
The river is also home to many reptiles, and is an important breeding site for the orange salamander, tree tree and stream frog of the amphibian group, which is endangered due to severe loss of moist habitats in Israel. This, of course, is in addition to the history and glorious heritage that stands there, such as prehistoric caves of early man, finds from the Iron Age and more.
How to get there: Write in Waze "Nahal Amud Nature Reserve".
Nahal Amud Nature Reserve, photo: Muhammad Nasser - Israel Nature and Parks Authority
Tel Dor National Park
Many Israelis fly to Greece to experience its magical beaches, but we have a few too. Beaches full of magical bays in twinkling turquoise, seashells and clean sand, all near Zichron Yaakov, where Tel Dor National Park is located with secret and special bays.
Tel Dor stands on a kurkar ridge in the south of the Carmel coast and sandy bays in its west. The southernmost and longest bay is bounded by three small islands that form a lagoon, a kind of natural harbor suitable for anchoring ships.
The uniqueness of the sites in our country is that in the vast majority, along with a spectacular view, one can also learn about a magnificent heritage, since as small as it is, so it has been important throughout history. So is this national park, which preserves the remains of the ancient city of Dor, which was an ancient Canaanite port city and also an important city in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. These natural data of those sandy bays and the kurkar ridge, which provided readily available and easy to quarry, made Dor a major port city.
From the mound itself there is an awe-inspiring view of miles of blue and beauty along with shaded seating that provides a few moments of relaxation. On the way from Tel Dor it is recommended to descend directly to the antiquities and return along the coast and bays. The length of such a circular round is about two kilometers, and it is very suitable even for small children. There is also an accessible path, which is therefore also suitable for strollers and wheelchairs.
How to get there: Write in Waze "Tel Dor National Park".
Tel Dor National Park, Photo: Naama Tuchfeld - Israel Nature and Parks Authority
Nahal Scopus
This Sunday, the "Many Waters" festival will take place in Gush Etzion, and if you haven't been to Gush Etzion before – this is an amazing opportunity to reach the many springs and experience real abroad a short distance from Jerusalem and the center. The area has five springs that flow year-round into spectacular pools, and the vineyards in the area are reminiscent of Italy and give a feeling of winter even in late summer.
As part of the festival, which takes place as an introductory event in Nahal Tzofit and the New Food Forest, families will enjoy guided tours, a variety of creative workshops, cooking and natural pharmacy of the four species: making perfumes to differentiate from etrogs, making serum for myrtle hair, creating sukkah decorations from willow leaves and a cooking workshop in the field with dates. Throughout the event there will be a jam session and Gush Etzion Tourism promises that there will be musicians who will "blow your thatch".
How to get there: Write in Waze "Nahal Scopus Bat Ayin".
Nahal Scopus, Photo: Yair Aronstam
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