Downhill from here
A hike from the Yatir forest to Arad along the INT (The Israel National Trail)
The Yatir forest and the Arad valley below it, couldn’t be more contrasted. Forested hill-country, vs bare desert plains. Located on the southernmost ridge of the Judean mountains, the Yatir forest is the largest planted forest in Israel, ranging in elevation between 400 and 800 meters. Though pine trees are the dominant species of tree in the forest, you can also find Atlantic terebinth, tamarisk, jujube, carob, olive, fig, eucalyptus and acacia. In the heart of the forest is a large water reservoir and orchards and vineyards were planted in plots within the forest. The Arad valley, below the forest, is a bare loess valley. Arid, hot in the summer and wind-struck in the winter. Different as they might be, these two regions have always been connected in a complex network of geological, climatic, ecological, historic and economic ties.
- Where?
Yatir forest and Arad valley, along rd 31
- Who?
Hikers need to be moderately fit, and capable of long downhill sections. You’ll need a pickup vehicle for this AtoB hike
- When?
Best in the spring, but suitable for fall and winter too
- How long?
Approximately 7 hours for the hike and other visits
* It is recommended to contact the businesses before arrival in order to make a reservation
Mt. Amasa, Yatir forest
The drive through the woods in the Yatir forest is a picturesque journey through a wonderland. If you take your time and take the windy dirt roads, you have a good chance of catching some of the wildlife that have populated the forest, and the magical view of vineyards and orchards through the woods makes for some amazing pictures. Don’t miss a stop at the Yatir reservoir. Here and there ruins of ancient villages can be spotted. Much before the forest ever grew here, during the Talmudic period, villagers lived here and grew vineyards on the slopes- as is evident from numerous wine presses that can still be seen today. The trailhead starts at the small kibbutz of mt. Amasa.
The INT
The Israel National Trail crosses the country from north to south. The section you are walking on is where the dramatic change happens from the farmlands of the Judean mountains to the arid and extreme arid Negev desert that INT hikers will be walking in from here all the way to the end, in Eilat.
This path was chosen for the INT because of its beauty and also because of its historical importance. Throughout history, this was the road from the Negev desert to the central mountain range and Jerusalem. Cannanties, Israelites, Roman Legionnaires, Talmudic Jews, christian pilgrims, Bedouins and modern hikers- all used these same steps carved into the rock.
Durijat
As you walk south you’ll pass a large quarry and after it- the village of Durijat. The ancestors of these villagers came down from the mountains and settled in the valley amongst the nomadic bedouins that roamed here with their herds. Some of the families still maintain the tradition of dwelling caves, brought down by their ancestors, and have since opened them to visitors. You can even reserve a traditional meal in one of them.
A short drive from Durijat will bring you to the Yatir winery and its amazing visitor’s center. This is one of the oldest and largest wineries in the Negev. While the winery itself is located in the low Arad valley, most of the grapes for its wines come from the Yatir forest above- where you saw them on your drive. The unique growing conditions of the vineyards in the forest, with climatic influences of the desert nearby, give the grapes and the wines a unique flavor and quality that can’t be found in any other wine. Several of the winery’s blends have become staple wines on many restaurant tables in Israel, but since you are visiting the winery- don’t miss the opportunity to taste Barrel 80- a unique blend that isn’t sold outside the winery.
Tel Arad National Park
Another short drive will bring you to the Tel Arad National park. Ruins of bronze age cities are quite common in Israel, but almost in all cases, they were found at the bottom of a Tel- buried under the accumulated layers of many later periods of settlement. This makes them difficult to uncover, and when visiting the site you only get to see a small fraction of the remains from that period. Castles and fortresses from the late kingdom of Judah aren’t rare in Israel either.
The kings of the line of David built them all around the kingdom to govern and protect. As these later kings were also devoted to centralizing Jewish worship in the temple in Jerusalem exclusively, none of these fortresses have temples in them. Except for one…
Tel Arad national park showcases both an important Judean kingdom fortress, complete with its own functioning copy of the Jerusalem temple, and a Bronze age city that wasn’t built over during any later period of settlement- making large continuous sections of it very easy to expose, by archeologists, and to visit- by us today. Want to learn more about what is arguably the most underappreciated archeological park in Israel? Come and visit.
After visiting a fortress, what could be more appropriate (if not historically accurate) than to fill the appetite you have probably built up, with a multi-course knight’s feast? “The Tribal Campfire” in the city of Arad, is hosted in the private home of Eliezer Bar Sade- founder, host, cook, storyteller and winemaker. Alongside the countless mouth watering courses you’ll be served, Eliezer and his family members will pour several of their viticultural creations. The Tsoof winery, as it is called, is based on a holistic, meticulous all-stage approach to wine making. From picking the vineyards they work with, to dictating growing conditions, harvesting, pressing and aging- everything is done to ensure that the natural qualities of the grapes and their surroundings are fully represented in the wine, with as little artificial influence as possible.
Don’t want it to end?
After a heart and belly filling feast at the Tribal campfire, you’ll probably not want to drive too far. You can take the night to relax in one of Arad’s many B&Bs or hotels. If you’re up for something a bit more exotic-you can book a night in a cave in Durijat or a glamorous tent in Nokdim Village.
This will get you all ready for sunrise at Masada or a relaxing dip in the dead sea.