Day Eight: The Beauty of the Galilee

The view from the the hotel's dining hall

Our first stop today was the Hula nature reserve. The nature reserve includes the valley surrounding Lake Hula, a lake which originally covered a much larger area than it does. The JNF drained off a large portion of the lake in the 1950’s in an effort to rid the area of malaria infestation and create additional farmland. Unfortunately, the resultant damage outweighed the good in this effort. Much of the rich eco-system around the lake was destroyed, the farmland produced has been beset by difficulties, and the natural filtration system that the lake provided for the water that ultimately ran down into the Sea of Galilee was destroyed. That notwithstanding, the lake and the surrounding valley is a beautiful area even in its present state, and serves as an ideal stopover for birds migrating south in the winter and then returning north in the summer. As a result, the Hula valley plays host to millions of birds each year. Most of the birds have since moved on at this point of the year, but we did get to see some, as well as some other fish, animals, and insects living in and around the water. To give visitors who can’t see the birds live a taste of the excitement, the nature reserve offers a 3-D interactive movie documenting the path of the array of birds that come through Hula each year. The movie is complete with tilting and vibrating seats, spraying water, and jets of air for a truly interactive experience, mimicking the feel of being right next to the birds as they make the journey to Hula, beyond, and back.

At Lake Hula

Sky-high eucalyptus trees at the Hula nature reserve

From Hula, we continued north to the very top of the country, stopping at a lookout right at the Lebanese border. Down below was the beautiful city of Metulah, which sits right at the fence between Israel and Lebanon. From Metulah, one can see lush green farmland cascading down the valley. The whole area is kept fertile by the three headwaters which ultimately feed Lake Hula, and then the Sea of Galilee: the Chatzpani, Banias, and Dan rivers. 

Metulla

"Kenyon Nechemia--The Nechemia Mall" at Kiryat Shemoneh, in the Galilee

We stopped for lunch just south at the Nechemia Mall in Kiryat Shmoneh before continuing on to the Tel Dan nature reserve. This reserve offers a variety of trails that snake around the Dan River. We opted for the one that leads to Tel Dan itself, the ancient ruin of the biblical city of Dan. The trail itself was beautiful, with the Dan River peeking through parts of the trail every now and again, and bamboo and wild flowers growing along the path. What has been excavated at this site is an incredible fortress that once stood at the walls of the ancient city. The fortress was uncovered in excellent condition and with very little restoration stands today just as it did thousands of years ago. Just beyond the fortress is the gate of an even older city, the Canaanite city of Laish. The gate is believed to be about 4,000 years old, making the arch at the top of the gate the oldest known arch to have ever been discovered. 

The raging Dan River

The fortress at Tel Dan

The newly excavated gate from the ancient Canaanite city of Laish

We wound back to the beginning of the trail and met up with our jeeps and drivers who would be taking us through the Golan Heights. The jeeps climbed up into the mountains along rocky, narrow trails that ordinary cars can’t travel on. Aside from the spectacular view, we got a close look at the seemingly impenetrable fortresses that Syria had built into the hills and had used to defend the area during the Six Day War. Being there in person only strengthened the impression that Israel’s overtaking the Heights should have been absolutely impossible. 

Gera, one of our jeep drivers, with the Dan River in the background

Jeeping in the Golan Heights

We headed back to Tzefat with enough time for some more browsing in the local art galleries and to take in the air and vistas of this breathtaking city.