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Erez Speiser – Israel’s Top 10 National Parks and Reserves

There are more than 60 declared national parks in Israel. They are managed by the “Israel Nature and Parks Authority” (“Ratag” in Hebrew). The parks are divided into 4 main categories:

1. Archeological sites.
2. Nature reserves with hiking trails.
3. National sites
4. Recreational & Camping sites.

They span over a wide range of historic periods, from prehistoric times up to the 20^th century.
They span also across a vast range climates and geographical areas. From dry harsh deserts to gushing rivers.

Picking up the “Top 10” is always a difficult and very personal task. In this list I have tried not only to highlight the most notable, but also to encompass the large variety of themes.

The list is arranged going from North to south:

Hermon stream (Banays) Natural Reserve: – A wild gushing stream:

The Hermon river (Banyas) is one of the 3 sources of the Jordan river .It is the “wildest” of the 3, featuring a deep canyon and a waterfall. The most exciting section is a “suspended trail” that passes above the gushing water. The Park has 2 entrances. The top one near the Banayas springs and the bottom one near the Banyas waterfall. The best hike is to start at the top entrance and follow the stream to the waterfall. It’s a very easy 2.5 Km walk.

Yehudia Forest Nature Reserve – Deep pools and tall waterfalls in the Golan Heights.

Yehudia Nation park includes the 3 biggest and most attractive streams of the Golan heights. The Yahudia, Meshushim and Zavitan streams.
There is a large selection of trails to pick from ranging from very short up to 10 Km long. The park includes some of the best trails and some of the most beautiful pools in the Golan Heights. (Visit “Israel by Foot” for a more detailed hike description)

Gamla Natural Reserve – A hilltop ancient Jewish city & Israel’s tallest Waterfall.  

Two streams flow in the reserve, Nahal Daliyot and Nahal Gamla. In Nahal Gamla you can see the tallest waterfall in Israel, the Gamla waterfall (51 meters high). The reserve is also home to a large nesting colony in Israel of eagles.

The reserve contains the reconstructed remains of the ancient city of Gamla, which was destroyed during the Great Revolt of the Jews of Eretz Israel against the rule of the Roman Empire at the end of the Second Temple period. The ruins of the city are perched on the edge of a steep hill in an impressive setting.

Caesarea national park:

Caesarea is one of the oldest and most important ancient port cities in the Land of Israel and one of its top archeological sites. The city was founded by King Herod and is considered one of his greatest planning and architectural achievements.
For hundreds of years the city flourished and developed. With the Arab conquest, Caesarea faded. The city flourished briefly again during the Crusader period after which it was abandoned to this day.
The main sites are: The port, Underwater port, Augustus temple, Harrods palace, Amphitheater, Hippodrome and the water system

Jerusalem Walls and City of David National Park:

The 2 main sites that form this national park:
The walls of old  Jerusalem, built by the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1536. The promenade is built on top of the walls offering unique views on the old city from all directions.
The City of David is an archaeological site outside the city walls, where ancient Jerusalem was located from the beginning of its days, during the Middle Bronze Age, and continued to be inhabited until the Middle Ages.

Beit Guvrin National Park:

The area of the Judean planes is also nicknamed “The thousand caves land”. All the caves in the area were hewn by humans in ancient times, utilizing the convenient chalk rock for quarrying. Caves were hewn for a variety of purposes: residential caves, water cisterns, columbarium caves, hiding places. The most notable place to experience this is at the Beit Guvrin National Park.

Ein Gedi Natural Reserve:

The reserve includes the Arugot and David streams. It’s the biggest and most beautiful oasis in the Judean desert. The park includes a variety of trails that can be “mixed and matched” to meet all levels of hikers and visitors. Ranging for 2 Km family strolls to 10 Km demanding hikes with some steep ascends. The site of water in the desert is magical and Ein Gedi is the finest spot to experience it in Israel. (Visit “Israel by Foot” for a more detailed hike description)

 

Masada National Park:

Masada is an ancient fortress on the top of an isolated cliff, on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert, which rises steeply about 450 meters above the Dead Sea at its foot.
The cliff was chosen by King Herod to serve as a retreat and a royal fortress. On its flat summit were built magnificent palaces, public buildings and pleasure facilities. A System of water collection and storage systems ensured constant supplies throughout the year. But what makes Masada so famous is it’s tragic ending. Masada was the last Jewish stronghold at the time of the rebellion against the Roman empire. After a long siege, when all hope was lost, the 960 rebels, trapped in their fortress, preferred to die rather than surrender, setting fire to all the buildings and committing mass suicide.

Avdat National Park:

Avdat was the main city on the Nabataean trade route between Petra and the port of Gaza, known as the “Incense Route”. The city is located in the Negev Highlands, on a hill spur alongside the ancient route. Roman and Greek sites can be found in many countries, but Nabataean cities can be found only in Jordan and Israel.

Coral Reef Nature Reserve:

Located near Eilat in the Red sea, it is the northernmost coral reef of shallow water in the world, and the only coral reef in Israel. The colors and shapes of the fish, corals and other underwater creatures is overwhelming. And what makes it so attractive is that you don’t need to be a professional scuba diver. Just hire a snorkel and a diving mask and immerse yourself in the magic.

Additional resources:

• Official site of Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

“Israel by Foot” guide to the best hikes in the national parks