Golan Heights Day Tour

We begin our journey from your hotel and travel northwards on the coastal road along the Mediterranean Sea. On the way, we pass through the cities of Hertzilya and Natanya. We turn inland and travel through the plain of Armageddon that finds mention in the Revelations. Tel Megiddo, the site of an ancient Biblical city is well visible from here.

When we reach the southernmost point of the Sea of Galilee we make a stop to take in the beautiful view of the sea from above. The panoramic view which lies before us has the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) in the foreground. The undulating Golan Heights forms a dramatic backdrop. We cross the Jordan River at the foot of Golan Heights and begin our ascent. As we do so, we pass through the ancient city of Hamat Gader. Today Hamat Gader is as popular a spa destination as it was for the Romans almost 2000 years ago.

We continue on through the lush green countryside until we reach the Shalom Observatory. The observatory offers a stunning view of the Sea of Galilee. It is easy to understand the strategic importance of the Heights as we stand here observing the Israeli city of Tiberias in the distance. We travel on to Katzrin where excavations have uncovered a village from the Mishnah and Talmud periods. The village has been partially restored and we can see the archeology findings which include a synagogue, houses, and an oil press. Here we can also see evidence of former volcanic activity in the Golan Heights as black basalt rock forms part of the landscape.

We continue on to Katzrin, a city sometimes referred to as the Capital of the Golan. This location has been occupied by various civilizations since the Middle Bronze Age. The Romans, Mamluks, Ottomans and even French have ruled this picturesque city at some point in history making the city a rich repository of various cultures, We make a visit to the Golan Antiquities Museum To learn more about the city and its surrounding archeological sites. The museum also displays artifacts and offers audiovisual presentations on the city of Gamla, the historic Second Temple Era Jewish city which has been excavated nearby.

We continue our journey towards Mount Bental to see what remains of Syrian fortifications. The Syrian bunkers, base, and trenches were captured by the Israeli’s in the Six Day War of 1967. From here we can see how close Syria is as we look down on the Syrian city of Kuneitra just beyond the Purple Line which has been peacefully maintained by the Canadian UN forces since the cease-fire of 1974.