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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

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Nimrod Fortress: A Historic Castle with Stunning Views in the Golan Heights

Nimrod Fortress, also known as Nimrod Castle, is a castle built by the Ayyubids and expanded by the Mamluks to guard a major access route to Damascus against armies from the west. It is located on the southern slopes of Mount Hermon, overlooking the Golan Heights. The fortress was first built in the Hellenistic or Byzantine period and was rebuilt around 1228 by Al-Aziz Uthman. It was further expanded by Sultan Baibars and given to his second-in-command, Bilik. After the Muslim conquest of Acre, the fortress lost its strategic value and fell into disrepair. The Ottoman Turks later used it as a luxury prison for Ottoman nobles. The fortress is currently managed by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and is open to the public. Visitors can explore the excavated and restored portions of the fortress, including secret corridors, loopholes, and the remains of a keep surrounded by large rectangular towers. One day tour idea for the region could be visiting Nimrod Fortress and exploring the surrounding area. The tour could start with a visit to the fortress, where visitors can learn about its history and architecture and enjoy panoramic views of the Golan Heights. After exploring the fortress, the tour could continue to nearby Banias Nature Reserve, which offers hiking trails, waterfalls, and natural pools. Visitors can hike along the river, explore the ancient ruins of Banias, and enjoy a picnic lunch in the beautiful surroundings. The tour could also include a visit to the nearby Druze village of Majdal Shams, where visitors can learn about Druze culture and enjoy traditional Druze cuisine. Overall, this day tour offers a combination of history, nature, and culture, making it a great way to experience the region.

The Golan is a traveler's dream destination

The Golan is a traveler's dream destination. Its natural landscape comprises wide-open spaces, woodlands and water-filled canyons, hot springs and ski slopes. Its wild life includes elegant leopards and wolves, bashful gazelles and timid rock rabbits, vultures and eagles, and much, much more. The history of man in the Golan dates back to prehistoric times. Many of the area's most ancient archaeological remains, such as its Stonehenge-like megalithic circles, remain undeciphered. Some ruins-such as the site of the Masada-like battle of Gamla during the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans ail that is left of historic moments of bravery and freedom. The Golan is clotted with the archaeological records of various periods and cultures, including those of the Greek world and early Christianity. Susita, one of many Hellenistic cities found throughout the East, Caesarea Philippi, the capital of the Golan in the time of Jesus and the site of one of the most important episodes in the New Testament, Mount Hermon, one of the traditional sites of the transfiguration, and Kursi, the site of the miracle of the swine, are all situated within minutes of ancient synagogues, churches, villages, and medieval fortresses-the historic legacy on the Golan. The residents of the Golan today are another reason to visit this area. From the Druze villagers in the northern mountains to the Jewish kibbutz and moshav farmersof the southern tableland, the people of the Golan are deeply attached to the soil. Farmers and cattlemen, apple growers and vintners, they make this region one of the most productive In Israel, as well as one of the most inviting. For a real vacation, an adventure of exploration and appreciation, the Golan is the place to spend your time during your next visit to Israel. https://www.inisrael.com/golan/destination.htm

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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