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The Golan Trail (Hebrew Shvil HaGolan, שביל הגולן) is a 124 km (77 mi) long-distance hiking trail across the Golan Heights, running from Mount Hermon in the north to the escarpment above the Sea of Galilee in the south. Allow roughly 7–9 days for the whole trail, but frequent road crossings and proximity to settlements also make shorter section hikes practical. Much of the route can be travelled by mountain bike or on horseback, although several steep, rough or narrow sections require alternative routes.
The trail crosses volcanic uplands, orchards, grazing country, streams and deeply cut canyons. Along the way are Druze towns, Israeli settlements, archaeological remains, abandoned villages, military sites and war memorials. Spring is generally the most attractive season, when the plateau is green and flowering and temperatures are comparatively comfortable. Autumn can also offer good hiking conditions. Summer heat and winter rain or snow make the route more demanding.
Understand
[edit | edit source]The Golan Heights form a broad plateau that generally slopes southward. Although much of the landscape appears gentle, its volcanic origins have left dozens of prominent cones rising above the plateau. Streams flowing westward have meanwhile cut deep canyons into it, so several stages involve substantial descents and climbs.
The landscape has been profoundly shaped by the Arab–Israeli conflict. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967 and applied Israeli law to the territory in 1981, an annexation not generally recognized internationally. Minefields, fenced military areas, former military positions, abandoned settlements and war memorials occur throughout the route and remain both part of the historical landscape and a practical constraint on hiking.
The Golan Trail was inaugurated in 2007 by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and the Golan Tourism Association. Its course has subsequently been altered in several places, so older printed maps may show obsolete alignments.
The trail is a serious multi-day hike but does not generally require technical mountaineering skills. A fit walker accustomed to carrying a backpack should be able to complete it. Some sections nevertheless have steep or slippery ascents and descents, rough volcanic ground, stream crossings, thorny vegetation and long stretches exposed to the sun. Through-hikers should have normal multi-day hiking experience and be able to navigate independently if markings are unclear.
Cyclists and horse riders can use substantial portions of the trail, but several hiking sections are unsuitable and require bypasses.
Prepare
[edit | edit source]Carry a current hiking map or reliable offline mapping. The route has changed several times, and old maps may disagree with the markings on the ground.
 | Note: Never leave marked or permitted routes around minefields or military areas, even if an old map or route description suggests another way. Do not cross fences or mine-warning signs, and never touch unidentified military objects. Obey temporary closures and current signs on the ground. |
Golan Tourism suggests 7–9 days for a through-hike carrying camping equipment. Fit, experienced hikers may walk it faster. The current tourism guide divides the route into 13 sections of approximately 5 km (3.1 mi) to 12 km (7.5 mi), which can be combined according to terrain, water and permitted overnight stops.
The published section lengths total about 124 km (77 mi). That means averaging approximately 18 km (11 mi) a day over seven days, 16 km (9.9 mi) over eight days or 14 km (8.7 mi) over nine days, before access walks and detours. Plan days around terrain, confirmed water, legal camping areas and resupply rather than distance alone. Canyon stages can take much longer than an equal distance on the plateau.
For an unsupported through-hike, carry normal backpacking equipment including a tent or other shelter, sleeping bag and mat, sufficient water capacity, food between resupply points, sun protection and a flashlight. A stove and cooking equipment are useful if relying on your own food. Footwear suitable for wading can be useful on stages with stream crossings.
The complete trail is not suitable for wheelchairs or baby carriages. Although substantial stretches follow broad tracks, the route also includes narrow trails, rough volcanic ground, steep slopes, thick vegetation and stream crossings. There is no general luggage-transfer service, so independent through-hikers should expect to carry their own equipment unless they have arranged support privately.
Camping in nature reserves is restricted to designated sites. Campfires are prohibited except where expressly permitted.
Eat
[edit | edit source]Settlements occur at or near several parts of the trail, but resupply opportunities are unevenly spaced. Through-hikers should plan where they intend to buy food rather than assuming that every stage ends near a shop.
The northern part of the route has several useful resupply opportunities, and there are further village shops in the central and southern Golan. Small settlement shops can have limited selections and irregular opening hours.
If camping and not relying on restaurants, carry a stove and enough food to reach the next planned resupply point. Open fires should not be used outside places where they are expressly permitted.
Drink
[edit | edit source]Water requires careful planning. Natural springs occur throughout the Golan Heights, but many require detours from the trail and their water quality should not be assumed to be safe. Reservoir water should not be regarded as drinking water.
Tap water in settlements is potable. There are also some established water points along the trail, but many campsites have no running water. Do not rely on an unattended water cache unless its current availability has been confirmed.
In cool weather, a full hiking day may require roughly 4.5 litres of water per person, while substantially more may be needed in hot conditions. Previous trail guidance suggested up to about 7 litres in exceptionally hot weather. Actual requirements depend on temperature, stage length, exposure and the individual hiker.
Sleep
[edit | edit source]Most through-hikers camp. The route has designated camping areas, generally simple clearings rather than developed campgrounds. Some have windbreaks or other basic facilities, while others may offer little more than legal space to pitch a tent. Do not assume that a campsite has drinking water, toilets, electricity or lighting.
Carry a tent or other suitable shelter, a hiking mattress and a sleeping bag appropriate to the season.
Residents of some settlements have traditionally hosted hikers as informal "trail angels". Such arrangements change and should be confirmed in advance rather than relied upon without contacting the host.
Wild camping is not permitted in nature reserves outside designated camping areas.
Climate
[edit | edit source]Spring is usually the most favourable hiking season. Temperatures are generally more comfortable than in summer, while green fields and wildflowers make this the most colourful time on the plateau. Autumn can also be pleasant.
Summer can be extremely hot and much of the route is exposed. Start early on hot days and plan around the hottest part of the afternoon rather than relying on finding shade.
Winter brings rain, mud and colder conditions, and snow is possible on Mount Hermon. Steep canyon paths can become slippery or hazardous during wet weather. Check the forecast before setting out and reconsider canyon stages during severe rain.
Environment
[edit | edit source]Much of the trail crosses nature reserves and sensitive open country. Stay on marked paths, obey camping restrictions and carry out all litter.
Do not cross fences or leave marked routes in search of shortcuts, viewpoints or campsites. Apart from protecting vegetation and agricultural land, remaining on established routes is particularly important in areas affected by military restrictions or minefields.
Clean excessive mud, seeds and plant material from footwear and camping equipment before the hike and when moving between sensitive environments where practicable. Avoid transporting soil or vegetation between wetlands and streams.
Get in
[edit | edit source]The route can be walked in either direction. This itinerary describes it north to south, beginning on Mount Hermon and ending at Ein Tewfik above the Sea of Galilee.
The northern trailhead is at the lower ticket offices of the Mount Hermon visitor site, reached via Route 98 from Majdal Shams. Check current admission arrangements and opening hours with the site before travelling. Winter snow can produce heavy recreational traffic.
Public transport may get you to nearby communities rather than the trailhead itself. Check current connections to Majdal Shams and Neve Ativ and arrange the remaining journey accordingly. It is also possible to approach on foot from Neve Ativ using marked tracks, but Mount Hermon contains military areas and hikers must follow current access restrictions.
The southern trailhead is near Ein Tewfik and Route 98, south of Mevo Hama. Drivers can approach from the Sea of Galilee via Routes 92 and 98 or from elsewhere on the Golan along Route 98. Public transport is sparse and may not serve the trailhead itself.
Numerous roads and settlements provide intermediate access to the trail. Katzrin is the principal town in the Golan and can be useful as a transport hub, while Tiberias and the Hula Valley provide connections from outside the region.
Walk
[edit | edit source]
Follow the blue, white and green Golan Trail waymarks. Older descriptions and surviving paint marks may refer to previous alignments, particularly around Nimrod and Mount Bental. Obey all closures and signs on the ground.
11 km
Start at the 1 Mount Hermon lower ticket offices trailhead, rather than at the ski lifts farther up the mountain. The trail is accessible only during Mount Hermon site's opening hours, daily 08:00–16:00 (Sep 2026). Vehicles may enter until 15:00 and must leave by 16:00. Hikers arriving on foot enter without charge; vehicle access and parking at the ticket offices are charged while the site is operating paid admission, including through the end of the snow season. No advance coordination with the army or Mount Hermon site is required for individual hikers. The first waymark is beside a large oak beyond the ticket offices and car park.
The trail descends into the Guvta stream before turning towards 1MISSING WIKILINK Majdal Shams. It passes through the town, where hikers can buy food and refill water, then continues past the Shouting Hill area near the Syrian boundary. Beyond the houses, it crosses the upper Saar stream near an old watermill and enters the apple and cherry orchards of Ya'afuri Valley.
Finish at the 2 Ya'afuri Valley section junction, near Birket Ram. Nimrod is on the older alignment and is no longer the endpoint of this section. The steep northern descent requires care, especially in snow or wet conditions.
12 km
From the valley orchards, the trail climbs to a viewpoint over Birket Ram, the natural lake below Mount Kramim. It continues towards Odem Forest and climbs 1 Mount Odem, whose reddish volcanic rock gives the mountain its name.
The route then descends through the forest towards the 3 Palsar 7 memorial and campground, beside Route 98 north of El Rom. The memorial commemorates the reconnaissance company of the 7th Armoured Brigade.
Odem village is an off-route water stop. Two drinking-water taps are listed there: one about 30 m inside the rear gate approached from Mount Odem, and another at the forest farm about 100 m from that gate. 2 Mas'ade and 3 El Rom are the resupply points for this section. The Palsar 7 memorial is an established KKL overnight campground. Tel Katz'ah is no longer a separate section endpoint in this division.
9 km
The trail crosses the uplands around the foot of 2 Mount Hermonit, passing vineyards and grazing land. The summit contains military installations; remain on the marked route below it.
Views open over the Valley of Tears, the site of major fighting in the 1973 war. Wind turbines now stand prominently in this landscape.
The section ends at 4 Bab al-Huwa access point, beside Route 959 near Bental Reservoir. Bab al-Huwa means "Gate of the Winds". The archaeological remains and nearby seasonal pool lie north of the road; the reservoir lies to the south. El Rom and Merom Golan are off-route resupply stops.
10 km
From Bab al-Huwa, the route passes Bental Reservoir and climbs the slopes of 3 Mount Bental. The present alignment skirts the mountain below its summit. The summit viewpoint is an optional out-and-back walk on the red-marked path; old Golan Trail markings may still lead towards it.
The main route continues towards the saddle between Bental and Avital, passing the sculpture of Nadia Cohen and her children on the Eli Cohen memorial trail. It traverses the slopes of Mount Avital below the military position, then descends towards oak woodland and Route 91.
Finish at 5 Ein Zivan campground, opposite the entrance to 4 Ein Zivan. The campground, rather than the centre of the kibbutz, is the section endpoint. Drinking water is available at the campground and supplies are available in Ein Zivan.
10 km
Leaving the campground, the trail passes the remains of the former Circassian village of Ein Zivan and climbs towards the wind turbines on Mount Bnei Rasan. It then continues through the natural woodland of the Bashanit Ridge, with oak, terebinth and storax trees.
The section ends at the 6 Mount Hozek trail access, below the military position. Do not continue into the installation. Autumn flowers are a feature of the surrounding slopes.
Ein Zivan is the principal resupply point for this section. Drinking-water taps are at Ein Zivan campground and at the Route 98 crossing on the approach to the wind turbines.
10 km
The trail descends through the Bashanit Ridge's volcanic hills and woodland before entering more open country. 5 Alonei HaBashan is the designated off-route resupply point for this section. For overnight accommodation, hikers can use HaRa'am campground in Alonei HaBashan Forest or the hikers' compound at Alonei HaBashan. Overnight use of HaRa'am campground requires advance coordination and approval from KKL.
The section finishes at 7 Hushniya grove trail access, near the remains of a Circassian village and its mosque, south of Route 87. Hushniya grove is not an authorised overnight campground.
8 km
South of Hushniya, the trail crosses open basalt country near the Einot Pekham springs and the remains of Faraj, where substantial stone buildings survive. It later crosses the Petroleum Road before reaching 8 Umm al-Dananir section junction.
At the Einot Pekham springs, walking through water is required. The water reaches approximately knee height, so wear footwear suitable for wading. Follow the marked crossing; the streams are not drinking-water sources.
There is a drinking-water tap at the Battalion 95 memorial near the springs. Keshet and Yonatan are off-route resupply stops; shops in these religious communities are closed on Shabbat.
10 km
This section crosses the central Golan's basalt plains. 6 Yonatan offers an off-route resupply opportunity; there is a drinking-water tap at Mitzpe Nehama.
The route passes 4 Rujm el-Hiri, a prehistoric monument of concentric stone walls surrounding a central burial structure. Farther south, it passes Daliyot Reservoir before reaching 9 Daliyot campground, north of Route 869 and west of Daliyot Junction.
Much of the terrain is relatively gentle. During the rainy season and for a period afterwards, the basalt plain is frequently flooded, and this section should not be hiked while it is flooded. The drinking-water point for the section is at Mitzpe Nehama; Daliyot is the designated overnight campground.
10 km
The trail heads south from the campground, passing remains of a stone-paved road and approaching Revaya Reservoir, also known as Samakh Reservoir. It then descends into the Samakh valley.
The Syrian bridge is a notable landmark, built as part of the 1960s scheme to divert the Jordan's headwaters. From the stream, the route climbs towards the 10 Ein Keshatot access point. The archaeological site of 5 Ein Keshatot (Umm el-Qanatir), with its reconstructed synagogue and arched spring, is a separate visit off the through-route.
Admission to Ein Keshatot is charged. From March through October the site is open Su–Th 09:00–17:00 and F Sa and holiday eves 09:00–16:00; from November through February it is open Su–Th and Sa 09:00–16:00 and F and holiday eves 09:00–15:00. Last admission is one hour before closing, and the entrance gate is locked outside opening hours. Hikers who are not visiting the archaeological site reach the Golan Trail by the black-marked track beside the site fence. Visitors inside the site can leave through the lower spring gate during opening hours. Drinking water is available beside the lower gate and at another signed water point about 1 km from the beginning of the section. Daliyot, not Ein Keshatot, is the overnight campground associated with this stage.
11 km
The route descends into the Samakh valley and reaches its confluence with the El Al stream. At the pools at the confluence, hikers must pass through water reaching knee height and at times higher.
A sustained climb follows. The route passes beneath Route 789 through the watercourse, again through water up to knee height, then climbs towards 11 Mitzpe Ofir lookout above the Sea of Galilee.
This is a strenuous canyon section. The official route passes beneath Route 789 rather than using the old roadside diversions. The drinking-water point for the start of this section is beside the lower gate at Ein Keshatot. Natur is a resupply point but requires a substantial detour from the trail.
8 km
From Mitzpe Ofir, the trail follows the escarpment overlooking the Sea of Galilee, passing former Syrian military positions. It descends into the Ein Gev stream valley near Tel Soreg, then climbs towards 12 Amphi Golan, beside Route 98.
7 Givat Yoav is the designated water and resupply point for this section. Its community gate is locked after dark. Givat Yoav grove is a KKL hikers' campground on the Golan Trail; overnight camping requires advance coordination and approval from KKL. The grove is not a separate section boundary in this 13-section itinerary.
The amphitheatre and nearby campground lie near the divide between streams flowing west to the lake and east towards the Yarmouk. The climbs out of the valley make the section more demanding than its length suggests.
10 km
The trail descends into the Meizar stream valley, where open woodland of Tabor oaks contrasts with the plateau above. It eventually meets the old perimeter road and climbs back towards the fields near Mevo Hama.
A blue-marked side trail leads from the Meizar parking area to a viewpoint above the waterfall. This is an optional detour; return to the main route afterwards. Do not descend to the waterfall pool.
The section ends at the 13 Mevo Hama tractor sheds trail access, east of Route 98, south of the kibbutz entrance. 8 Mevo Hama is a resupply and water stop requiring a short departure from the route. Allow time for the substantial descent and climb.
5 km
The final section follows the cliffs above the Sea of Galilee, with broad views across the lake and towards Galilee. Former military positions occur along the escarpment. The route descends into Mevo Hama Forest and reaches 14 Ein Tewfik (Ein Akov), a spring and picnic area. Obtain drinking water in Mevo Hama before the descent; the spring is not a potable-water source.
A separate green-marked route continues downhill towards HaOn on the Sea of Galilee, passing Ein Shuyerakh. It leads to HaOn, not Ein Gev.
Stay safe
[edit | edit source]Minefields are the most distinctive hazard on the Golan Trail. Never cross fences or mine-warning signs, and do not leave marked routes in restricted areas. Landmines and other unexploded military objects can occasionally occur outside obvious fenced areas; never touch an unidentified metal object.
Military zones are common, particularly around Mount Hermon and several volcanic summits. Respect closures even where an older map or route description suggests that passage was once possible.
Heat and dehydration can be serious hazards because long stretches are exposed and water sources are widely separated. Heavy rain creates the opposite problem, making steep canyon routes slippery or dangerous. Check the weather before each stage.
Stream crossings vary considerably with conditions. Do not assume that water depths described here will match what you encounter.
Camp only where permitted. Nature reserves generally prohibit overnight stays outside designated camping areas, and fires are prohibited except where specifically allowed.
Emergency numbers in Israel are ☏ 100 for police, ☏ 101 for ambulance services and ☏ 102 for fire and rescue.
Go next
[edit | edit source]At the northern end, Mount Hermon and the Hula Valley provide natural continuations. Consult current mapping for connections with the Israel National Trail.
At the southern end, trails descend toward the Sea of Galilee. Tiberias is the principal city around the lake and an important onward transport centre.