Hiking Trails in the Golan Heights

The Golan Hiking Trail is a delightful long-distance hiking track. The track, covering a distance of about 125km is one of the top 3 longest hiking trails in Israel, far behind the Israeli National Trail that is 1,025 kilometers long. The route starts at Mount Hermon–the highest mountain in Israel – on the north, then leads through an undulating landscape that features numerous hills, valleys, and water bodies until the Sea of Galilee, the lowest freshwater lake worldwide with a depth of around 209 meters below sea level. The duration of a full hike along the Golan trail is about one week, but many persons only come around for a day or the full weekend to hike a section of the trail. There are 15 sections of the trail as segmented each of them running into 8km, a feasible distance for people who want to spend a day or so. The Golan Trail is incredibly beautiful and one of the best hiking paths in Israel.

The Hiking trail begins in the Golan region, where it derives its name, north of the Golan Height and specifically at Mount Hermon. Mount Hermon is not only popular as the tallest height in the country, it is also home to the only ski resort in Israel. All around the year, there is no shortage of activities here. Ice skiers head to the mountain in the winter season and during the summer months, cycling and hiking become the popular activity. From Mount Hermon, the route runs through villages occupied by the Druze people and some mountains, passing by natural parks and vineyards, and water bodies up until the endpoint nearby the Sea of Galilee. Hiking along this route takes you through gorgeous areas, allowing you to run along with nature as gardens and trees flank both sides of the trail.

The layout of the Golan Trail is planned as such that at regular intervals, there are communities where hikers can spend the night and restock their supplies. Hiking the Golan Trail

As you progress through the Golan Trail, you’ll notice that the tracks are marked in white, blue, and green colors. This is because Golan Heights, where the trail courses through was a disputed area and later, a battle zone. And, despite the reclamation of the region by the Israeli Army, some areas haven’t been cleared of mines totally, there are military stations in some of the areas too. Thus, maps are necessary for hikers in this region to help them avoid restricted zones. For hikers moving from the North to South, the Golan trail is rated as moderate difficulty. However, hiking in the opposite direction is rated as difficult, because you’re moving from low land to a mountainous area.

For tourists who would want to explore this area with a local guide, click here to see more information and get started.