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The Golan Heights

The Golan Heights

Golan Heights travel guide

The Golan is one of the least visited and known regions of Israel. This Web Guide seeks to help you discover the secrets of this beautiful and serene landscape, whose hills and cliff faces are replete with natural and historical sites.

For the nature lover the Golan has much to offer. Here, in this untamed land, flora and fauna from different habitats come together in a unique and natural setting.

Here you’ll find wolves and gazelles, squirrels and coneys and much, much more.

For the history buff, the Golan is a region of endless fascination ‘ Prehistoric sites and megalithic edifices, whose purpose remains a mystery, are dotted through the hills and valleys; Hellenistic towns, Roman fortresses and Crusader castles stand guard over the roads and ancient highways of the Golan.

For the pilgrim the Golan is the place where Jesus sought his last moments of peace before embarking on his final journey to Jerusalem. Three of the disciples were born on the Golan, the miracle of the Gadarene Swine took place here as did the healing of the blind man, the second miracle of the loaves and the fishes and the transfiguration. It was here, too, that Jesus bestowed on Peter the stewardship of the kingdom of God.

Over the past few years a range of attractive accommodations have opened on the Golan, from rustic bed and breakfast facilities to exclusive guesthouses and hotels. Hiking trails, parks, picnic sites and cycle paths await the visitor, affording a range of exciting touring possibilities

We very much hope that this guide will help you plan and enjoy your trip to the Golan and look forward to hosting you here.

https://www.inisrael.com/golan/index.html

Discover the Unique Beauty of El Al Stream: A Comprehensive Guide to Hiking in Golan's Scenic Terrain

Discover the Unique Beauty of El Al Stream: A Comprehensive Guide to Hiking in Golan's Scenic Terrain

Unraveling the Etymology of El Al Creek. The captivating El Al stream in the southern Golan winds through the narrow Wadi Dufila canyon, colloquially known as the "Haunted Bush Creek." This picturesque stream spans 20 kilometers, the trek through its alluring central section offering a sight to behold. Adorned with two grand waterfalls, each with their own unique charm and inviting water pools at their bases, Nahal El Al holds the title as the southernmost perennial stream in the Golan region. The "Black Waterfall," a beautiful basalt spectacle, cascades from an impressive height of about 8 meters. In stark contrast, the "White Waterfall" is a limestone structure that flows from an approximate elevation of 20 meters. This year-round stream and its idyllic natural pools are sightseers' delights. The pathway through this wondrous terrain can commence at Moshav Eliad and conclude at the parking lot adjacent to the waterfalls, near Moshav Avni Itan. Alternatively, the journey can be experienced in reverse order. Strollers can enjoy a route parallel to the stream, teeming with life throughout the year. Exploring the Route Embarking on this journey, you'll descend into the stream as directed by signs, following the red-marked path through an olive vineyard, between hedgerows, and into the gorge that descends from the El Al village ruins. After crossing the gorge, you'll encounter a picturesque viewpoint. It's here where the stream forms a "knee," altering its flow direction from southwest to northwest. Continuing along the red path near the olive grove, you'll descend a white chalk rock slope towards the white waterfall after about 500 meters. Once you near the waterfall, a staircase fashioned from railway sleepers diverts you to the pool at the base of the waterfall. Progressing further to the Black Waterfall, you'll resume your journey along the red-marked path, situated at the top of the white waterfall, and cross the stream. The path meanders alongside the stream, within a thicket of haunted bushes, and ascends slightly after about 500 meters. The path stays a few meters above the gorge, where the white rock gradually transitions to black basalt rocks. As you continue your trek, ensure you follow the "transparent" marking (two white stripes with no color in the middle) towards the black waterfall. This waterfall cascades onto basalt rocks, forming a small pool surrounded by dolav trees that cast a cooling shade. Finally, return to the red trail, cross the stream's shallow bed, and ascend a steep climb back to the parking lot in Moshav Avni Eitan. Geological Wonder The coexistence of a white waterfall and a black waterfall is a truly unique and fascinating spectacle. The Golan's basalt kilhos blanket thick layers of white marine sedimentary rocks. The water first creates a waterfall as it travels beneath the black basalt rock, then continues to cut deeper until it reaches the sedimentary rocks beneath the basalt, forming a second waterfall. Note: Swimming in the creek pools is undertaken at the swimmers' own risk. Given the route's length, it's recommended to arrange transport at the endpoint. You can return to the starting point via a 3.5 km boardwalk connecting Eliad and Avni Eitan. Travel and Safety Guidelines: In the Golan, adherence to the marked path is critical; crossing fences or straying off the path can lead to dangerous minefields. Never venture into areas designated for army shooting training! Always pass through cattle fences at designated points, opening and closing gates as needed. Avoid climbing or cutting fences, and exercise caution when crossing or walking on roads. Overnight stays are only permitted at designated sites, and fires should never be left unattended or lit under trees. Toilet paper should not be burned, and all trash should be taken with you to preserve the natural beauty of the area.

The Golan Geography

The Golan Geography

The Golan has two geographically distinct sections-the Hermon Range in the north and the Golan plateau in the south. The former is one of the highest mountain ranges in Israel; In the entire region, in fact. Actually, only seven percent of the range lies in Israel: the rest is divided equally between Syria and Lebanon. The total length of the range is 80 kilometers, and Its width varies between 17 and 23 kilometers. The summit of the Hermon Range, Mount Hermon in Syria, is 2,814 meters above sea level The range's second highest peak, Mitzpeh Shlagim in Israel, is 2,224 meters above sea level. The Golan plateau begins Immediately to the south of the Hermon Range. It is a startlingly large, sixty- kilometer-long, basalt-covered tableland, sliced off by deep canyons at its edges. The plateau slopes gently from north to south, descending from 1,200 meters above sea level on its northern edge to 300 meters above sea level at its southern rim. The area to the west of the Golan, however, encompassing the Hula Valley and the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret), is 200 meters below sea level, and the dramatic disparity creates some majestic scenery along the sharp escarpment that marks the Golan's western border. On that side of the Golan, water courses down ravines and canyons to basalt waterfalls that hurl the melted snows of winter into a series of deep secluded pools. The basalt on the Golan comes from a series of now extinct volcanoes whose thumb-like contours and craters dot the Golan. serving as good scenic lookouts alongthe flat plateau. Volcanic activity on the Golan has also resulted in geological formations created by the lava that once flowed out of the volcanoes, as well as a myriad of paleornagnetic phenomena. https://www.inisrael.com/golan/geography.htm

Flora and Fauna

Flora and Fauna

The Golan, synonymous in the Bible (along with the Bashan) with a heavily wooded area, was still covered with dense woods and forests in the recent past. Unfortunately, those forests have been cleared for agriculture and grazing over the last few generations, but in the northern part of the Golan and in copses and thickets in the south, the endemic trees of the region can still be seen. The oak and terebinth forests of the Golan give rise to an impressive landscape, the numerous deciduous trees lending the terrain a European feel in the winter. In the late winter and spring, the ground between the trees is covered with blossoms from the rarest of orchids to anemones, tulips, and a patchwork of other wildflowers, some of Them unique to the Golan. On the upper slopes of the Hermon range, alpine meadows and vegetation can be found. There the flowers bloom in early summer, in contrast to the winter florescence in the rest of Israel, making the Hermon a unique destination for nature lovers. The wildlife of the Golan is the most varied in Israel. The human population on the Golan is sparse, the region has relatively large open areas, and significant segments of it have been declared nature reserves. The Golan is a meeting place for fauna that migrates north along the Syrian-African rift from Africa and the desert areas, fauna that makes its way westwards across the steppes of Asia, and European fauna that arrives from the north. Fifteen species of fish swim in the rivers and ponds of the Golan, while seven species of amphibians and thirty-five different kinds of reptiles (only one of them poisonous!) populate their banks. Millions of birds fly over the Golan during their biannual migration from Europe to Africa and back: one hundred vulture couples nest in the Gamla Nature Reserve, together with eagles and other raptors. The Golan is home to thousands of gazelles, rock rabbits, hyenas, wild boars, foxes, and even a rare subspecies of wolf unique to the Golan. They cohabit with badgers, jackals, wildcats, and an extremely uncommon leopard or two. Seventy years ago Mount Hermon was still home to the Asian brown bear, but none have been sighted for three generations now. https://www.inisrael.com/golan/flora.htm

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