Bikers are moving in on Mount Hermon. Image via Haaretz

For mountain biker Shai Lahat, it took three downhill trips yesterday to take the edge off the thrill of hurtling down the slopes of Mount Hermon.

“It’s super-fun, there are good trails and some sweet jumps. There’s no other place like it in Israel,” Lahat said after riding at Bike Park, a biking site at the Hermon Ski Resort on the Golan Heights mountain that opened yesterday.

Lahat, the technical coach for Teamisgav, a riding group with 200 members, envisions an expansion of the offerings, with additional trails for different types of bicycling that would attract riders coming from abroad.

The site already has three bicycle trails: a relatively easy one, for learning how to mountain bike and practicing technique; and two 4.5-kilometer downhill trails that go from the top to the bottom of the ski site and include jumps and other features.

“The main idea is to take advantage of the infrastructure, the unique topography, the weather and the accessibility of Hermon Ski Resort for bicycling,” said Guy Zisser of PeakBike, the company that operates the park.

Bikers use the ski chairlifts to take them, and their wheels, to the top of the trail. An all-day lift ticket costs NIS 135.

“Several conditions are needed for a bike park, and in addition to suitable topography and accessibility, the chairlift is an important component,” Zisser said.

According to PeakBike, there are an estimated 200,000 active mountain bikers in Israel.

But Zisser said it was “impossible to guess how many will come.” For now, he’s settling for the 10 biking “addicts” who showed up yesterday after hearing about the site’s opening.

The general manager of the ski resort, Menachem Baruch, said he had been searching for a partner with a suitable background for years before joining forces with PeakBike.

“We realized a long time ago that we needed to bring mountain biking into the site as a complementary product, and we found the people who could do it,” he said.

But though Baruch called the biking “complementary,” it could well turn into the ski resort’s main activity if the winters continue to be as mild as in the last two years. The resort was open to skiers for only seven days this winter and 15 days the previous one.

“It’s sad,” said Baruch, though he insisted “the winter activity is still central to Hermon.”

The warmer winters may be bad for skiing at Hermon, but Zisser sees the silver lining in the disappearing clouds.

“Considering that Israel’s weather allows for mountain biking for seven months out of the year, compared to just a few months abroad, our project is expected to form a complementary activity to the winter and in this way will contribute to increasing tourism in the area in the spring, summer and fall,” said Zisser. “The Hermon will operate for a longer period of time as a bike park than as a ski area.”

Zisser said there are similar bike parks in Europe, the United States and Canada.

“Soon the site will be associated not only with skiing but also with biking,” said Lahat. “The word is already out on the opening, and riders are excited.”

[via: Haaretz]

Isfiya and Daliyat El Carmel are two such villages, located in the Carmel region, just north of Zichron Yaakov and south of Haifa, and just over a one hour drive from Tel Aviv.

The Druze village of Isfiya is located on the top of the Carmel Mountain commanding a panoramic view of the surrounding green hills. The village has a rich tradition of openness, hospitality, and warmth that is characteristic of the Druze community. Its special location and rich ethnic tradition and culture have proved especially attractive for travelers and tourists.

Isfiya was first established during the 17th and 18th century by Druze from the mountains of Lebanon. They were later joined by several Egyptian families, and in 2003 the village was merged with the neighboring Druze village of Daliat El Carmel. The two unified villages are known today as Ir Carmel.

The village has opened itself to tourists, while at the same time preserving its traditional Druze life style. The Druze are well-known for their warm hospitality and receive guests with smiling enthusiasm. The Isfiya residents are no exception, and welcome visitors into their homes, where they can get a close glimpse of Druze religious customs and traditions.

Visitors can walk through the narrow streets of the village and wander through the picturesque alleyways on their own, but it is recommended to go with a guide, who will add to your visit by showing you around and telling you interesting stories about the community. In the center of the village are several old buildings built in the style characteristic of northern Israel and southern Lebanon. There is also an olive press in the impressive ancient quarter where visitors can learn about the process of making olive oil and make oil candles.

The main street of the village has a lively bazaar filled with a variety of colorful shops. Nearby restaurants serve guests spicy ethnic foods. The colorful market is filled with visitors on Shabbat and is a noisy, festive place filled with exotic aromas and colors.

Visitors who wish to learn about the Druze culture from close up can lodge in an authentic Druze home or in guesthouses run by the local residents. Guests can enjoy traditional foods, listen to stories, and watch special performances of traditional music, song and dance. Those who would like to have a religious experience can visit the Druze house of prayer, the mosque, or in the Catholic-Maronite Church.

The western entrance to Isfiya has a beautiful promenade overlooking the view. Isfiya is a good departure point for nature walks in the Carmel Mountains nearby.

Daliyat el-Carmel is a colorful village that offers wonderful hospitality with a smile and is also very interesting. Daliyat el-Carmel was founded in the 17th century by Druze from Mt. Lebanon.

Daliyat el-Carmel’s colorful market, open on Saturdays, is only an excuse to come to this special place. On the main street dozens of stores offer their varied wares and one can get lost in the abundance and variety. Between the stores are many restaurants serving genuine Druze ethnic foods, bakeries that fill the air with the sweet smell of baklava pastries. Other food stands sell high quality olive oil, olives, pita bread and locally produced labaneh cheese. The flurry of activity, the colors, the new beside the old, and the village bustling with people are a multi-sensational experience not to be missed. The market also has a few galleries where cultural evenings can be held, alongside the Druze hospitality.

Apart from Daliyat el-Carmel’s main street, with its tourist center, on 22nd Street there is the house of Sir Laurence Oliphant, an Englishman who loved the Holy Land and moved here in 1880 to help the Jews during the period of the First Aliya wave of immigration. Today his house serves as a military memorial to village residents who served in the Israel Defense Forces and gave their lives for their country. The front courtyard of the house is a plaza that overlooks the slopes of the Carmel hills.

The Druze heritage house is on 8th Street and houses an exhibit about the Druze lifestyle. One can also just wander around the village to no specific place; walk through the narrow passageways that wind their way between old houses, prayer halls and holy sites, beside olive oil presses, textile workshops and art galleries.

In recent years the villagers have begun hosting groups in their homes, and such a visit offers a glimpse of their houses, culture and tradition. The local residents offer tourists and genuine ethnic foods, wear their traditional clothes, tell stories about the Druze heritage and there are even guest houses designed with an authentic Druze décor.

If you get the chance, the Druze villages of Israel are a fascinating place to stop off and visit. Here we’ve focussed on two villages, although other examples include Majdal Shams, Buq’ata and Ein Qinya.

Maps: Isfiya & Daliyat el Karmel,  Majdal Shams, Buq’ata, Ein Qinya

Quotes: Haaretz

Vineyards in the Golan Heights by Flickr user Eagle XDV

Israel has recently become a major center on the world wine-making map. The country has more than 200 wineries scattered across the country, from the Tuscan-esque Galilee to the more barren Negev. Many of these wineries are very historic playing an important part in the formation of the State, whilst others are newer. AND…Most are open to visitors in one way or another, whether it be a visitors center in the larger wineries, or a visit to the makers home in a boutique winery!

The Golan Heights Winery by Flickr user KRS Juan

If you wish to include a visit to a winery into your visit, check ahead, and you’ll be sure to pass one (or more) on your journey around this super-cool country. A map of the Wine Route marking the wineries is produced by the Tourism Ministry. If you wish to make a day (or more) of it, we say you should aim to visit about four in a day, and no more than five. And remember, not to drink and drive, perhaps appoint a tour guide, or make sure someone doesn’t drink, no matter how tempting it might be!

Visiting Wineries in Israel

Golan Heights Winery Visitors Center

A high alititude, cold winters, lots of sun, and rich soil make the Golan Heights a perfect wine-making region. The Golan Heights Winery is one of Israel’s largest and most well-respected wineries producing under the Golan, Yarden, and Gamla labels. With a large visitors center, this is one of a few wineries really geared up to wine-lovers. Visits include a tour of the winery, as well as a movie, and wine tasting.

Visits should be booked: 04-6968435. Katzrin Industrial Estate, Katzrin (Map)

Binyamina Winery Visitors Center (Coastal Plain nr Zichron Yaakov)

In the town of Binyamina, on the coastal plain close to Caesarea and Zichron Yaakov, the Binyamina Winery visitor center is in an old perfume factory established by the Baron Rothschild early on in the establishment of Israel. The visitor center is fairly  new, and visits include a tour, film explanation, and of course, wine tasting.

04-6388643, binyaminawines.com. Hanasi St, Binyamina (Map)

Tishbi Winery Visitors Center (Coastal Plain nr Zichron Yaakov)

Located near Zichron Yaakov on the coastal plain, the Tishbi Winery was first established by the Baron Edmund de Rothschild over 100 years ago who commissioned the Tishbi family to grow grapes. The name has now changed, and the winery, tranquilly located at the base of Mount Carmel has one other unique feature. That is, visitors can come to the winery, and fill up containers of their own with Tishbi for 19NIS per litre. The center offers guided tours and also has a restaurant.

04-6288195, tishbi.com. Map

Tabor Winery Visitors Center (Lower Galilee)

A small, boutique winery, the Tabor Winery is located in the village of Kfar Tabor in the Lower Galilee with its vineyards growing on the slopes of Mount Tabor. This vineyard is very traditional in its agricultural methods, and only uses local materials including water. Next to the visitors center which offers full tours, is a marzipan museum and restaurant.

04-6760444, twc.co.il. Signed from entrance of Kfar Tabor (Map)

The Golan Heights rises up to the East of the Sea of Galilee. Eagles are nesting at Gamla, and dear are roaming at Odem, whilst man gazes at the spectacular landscape from Mount Bental and skis at Mount Hermon. The Golan is a land of beauty.

Ski @ Mount Hermon

Mount Hermon Ski Resort, Israel’s only ski resort has 50 days of skiing a year in the winter months. Whilst not a world-class resort, it is pretty cool to be able to ski less than three hours away from the desert, and attracts almost 300,000 visitors a year. The resort is also open in the summer months and is really popular for its diversity of plant life and magnificent views. The lifts are open all year round so if you’re there in summer, you can hike and swim in the many streams. In spring the plains are at their most beautiful, carpeted with multi-colored flowers. In autumn the cooler weather attracts hikers to the many wooded trails.

Gamla

A national park with a difference! On a rocky camel-shaped outcrop, it is the site of a Jewish city founded 2000 years ago. Dubbed the ‘Masada of the North’ by some, the site is one of Israel’s many gems not so much for its antiquities but for something else. Its stunning views, and observatory attract bird enthusiasts from around the world coming to see the Griffon Vulture (as well as the view of course!)..click here to read more about Gamla

Mount Bental

Bental offers literally breathtaking views across both Israel’s Galilee and the flat plains of Syria. A cafe here called Koffee Anan is a clever pun – it means Coffee in the Clouds in Hebrew, and is the name of the past head of the UN – you’ll see the significance of this if you visit.

Banias

The Banias waterfall is known as one of Israel’s most tranquil spots (and after seeing Israel you’ll realise just how amazing it must be.) Not only can you take some relaxing walks here, but also realise its importance in the New Testament.

Druze Hospitality

There are a number of Druze villages in the Golan, offering authentic Druze Hospitality Experiences.

Where to Stay

For a selection of the Galilee’s coolest places to stay, from luxury spa hotels to rural bed and breakfasts and zimmers, click here for our Galilee Hotel Guide.