Israel National Trail

Information

Distance

1040.0 km

Duration

45–60 days

Max elevation

1,179 m

Country

Israel (IL)

Difficulty

Strenuous — extreme route length crossing the scorching Negev desert, the Galilee mountains, and varied terrain; the Negev section in the south is very physically demanding

Best Season

February–May (spring), September–December (autumn–early winter)

Permits & Fees

Generally no permit required; wild camping is allowed outside nature reserves — within reserves only at designated campsites; be aware of regional security restrictions

Description

The Israel National Trail (Shvil Yisra'el / שביל ישראל) is a ~1,040 km thru-hiking route that traverses Israel from north to south, beginning at Kibbutz Dan near the Lebanese border at the foot of Mount Hermon and ending at the Red Sea resort town of Eilat. Marked with three stripes — white, blue, and orange — the trail crosses strikingly varied terrain: the forested hills of the Galilee, central farmlands, the Judean Hills, the Negev Desert, and the dramatic Makhtesh Ramon volcanic crater. National Geographic named it one of the world's 20 epic trails. The best windows are spring (February–May) when desert wildflowers bloom and temperatures are manageable, or autumn (September–December) to avoid dangerous summer heat in the Negev.

Trail Highlights

The green rolling hills of the Galilee in the north; the Carmel Mountains and the Jezreel Valley; the Beit She'an caves; the shores of the Dead Sea; the surreal Ramon crater (Makhtesh Ramon) in the Negev desert; and Eilat on the shore of the Red Sea