Hiking is the most under-told story in Israeli tourism. A country smaller than New Jersey packs in a thousand-kilometre national trail, a famous pilgrim route through Galilee, desert canyons, Mediterranean forest and a network of marked paths that locals treat as a national pastime. This is the hub: the two big-name long trails, when and how to walk them safely, and the best day hikes if you’ve only got an afternoon.
The Israel National Trail (Shvil Yisrael)
The Israel National Trail — the Shvil — runs about 1,000 km (620 miles) from Kibbutz Dan on the Lebanese border to the Red Sea at Eilat, crossing virtually every landscape the country has. National Geographic once named it one of the world’s best hikes, and for good reason: in six weeks you walk from green Galilee hills through coastal plain, the Judean foothills, and into the raw desert of the Negev and the Eilat mountains.
- Distance: ~1,000 km, north to south (most hikers walk it southbound, ending at the sea).
- Time: 45–60 days for a thru-hike. Almost no traveller does this on a normal trip — instead you cherry-pick sections.
- Marking: the three-colour blaze — white, blue and orange.
- The trail-angel network: one of the Shvil’s most cherished traditions. Volunteers (“trail angels”) along the route offer hikers water, a meal, a lift or a place to sleep. There are informal directories of them.
- Water: the make-or-break factor. The southern desert sections have no natural water — thru-hikers bury water caches at road crossings ahead of time or arrange resupply. Carry far more than feels necessary.
Best National Trail sections to hike (without doing all 1,000 km)
- The north (Galilee & Golan): green, watered, and the gentlest introduction — springs, streams and rolling hills. Best in spring when the wildflowers are out. A natural pairing with a Galilee trip.
- Mount Carmel (near Haifa): forested ridges with sea views, a manageable multi-day or long day stretch close to Haifa.
- The Negev Highlands & Ramon Crater: the dramatic heart of the desert sections — canyons, craters and silence. Spectacular, demanding, and autumn-to-spring only. Anchor it on Mitzpe Ramon.
- The Eilat Mountains (the final stretch): rugged, colourful desert finishing at the Red Sea. Cool-season only. The Red Canyon — a free slot canyon hike with iron-oxide sandstone walls — is the most accessible standalone highlight of this section.
The Jesus Trail
The Jesus Trail is Israel’s best-known pilgrimage hike: roughly 65 km (40 miles) from Nazareth to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee, tracing the landscape of Jesus’s ministry. It’s a far more accessible undertaking than the Shvil — most walkers complete it in 3–4 days, staying in guesthouses and B&Bs along the way, so you carry only a daypack.
- Distance / time: ~65 km over 3–4 days.
- Difficulty: moderate — rolling Galilee hills, some climbs, nothing technical.
- Highlights: Nazareth’s old city, the Horns of Hattin, the village of Cana, Mount Arbel’s cliff-top viewpoint over the Sea of Galilee (one of the great views in Israel), and the Christian sites on the lakeshore — Capernaum, the Mount of Beatitudes and Tabgha.
- Best time: spring and autumn. Galilee summers are hot; winters can be wet.
- Logistics: waymarked, well documented, with accommodation spaced along the route — the most “just turn up and walk” long trail in the country.
Some operators sell the Jesus Trail as a guided, baggage-transferred multi-day hike if you’d rather not plan it yourself.
Day hikes — if you only have a day
Not everyone has days to spare. Israel’s best day hikes deliver outsized scenery for a few hours’ effort:
| Hike | Region | Roughly | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ein Gedi (Wadi David to the falls) | Dead Sea | 1–3 hrs | Easy–moderate |
| Masada Snake Path (sunrise climb) | Dead Sea | 45–60 min up | Moderate–strenuous |
| Mount Arbel cliff | Galilee | 1–2 hrs | Moderate |
| Banias / Hermon Stream falls | Golan | 1.5–3 hrs | Easy–moderate |
| Ramon Crater rim & trails | Negev | flexible | Easy–strenuous |
| Red Canyon slot canyon | Eilat | 1.5–2 hrs | Moderate |
| Mount Carmel forest trails | Haifa | 1–3 hrs | Easy–moderate |
Ein Gedi and a sunrise climb of Masada are the classic pairing for a single big day from Jerusalem or the Dead Sea.
When to go
- Spring (March–May): the best all-rounder — wildflowers in the north, comfortable desert temperatures, flowing springs.
- Autumn (October–November): the second window, especially for the desert.
- Winter (December–February): good for the southern desert (cool, clear); the north can be cold and wet, and waterfalls run full.
- Summer (June–September): fine early-morning in the cooler north; avoid the Negev and Eilat entirely — the heat is genuinely dangerous.
See our best time to visit guide for the full seasonal picture.
Water, safety and trail smarts
Israeli hiking has two non-negotiable rules, and both can save your life:
- Carry enough water. The standard guidance is around 1 litre per hour in the heat, more in the desert. There is often no resupply. Underestimating water is the most common — and most serious — mistake.
- Never enter a wadi (dry riverbed) or canyon when rain is forecast anywhere in the catchment. Flash floods kill hikers in Israel most winters; the rain can fall kilometres away under a blue sky overhead. Check forecasts and heed park closures.
Other essentials: start at first light in warm weather; wear a hat and high-factor sunscreen; carry the official trail maps or a GPS app (junctions are easy to miss); tell someone your route and expected return; and check whether nature reserves have entry hours and last-entry cut-offs — many do. In the far north and other border-adjacent areas, stick to marked trails and obey all signage.
How to plan your hiking trip
- City-based and short on time? Build day hikes around your regional bases — Ein Gedi and Masada from the Dead Sea; Arbel, Banias and the Jesus Trail’s best day from the Galilee.
- A few days for a long trail? The Jesus Trail is the easiest multi-day commitment; a northern or Carmel section of the National Trail is the next step up.
- Get there. A rental car is close to essential for trailheads in the Galilee, Golan and Negev — see transportation for the alternatives.
- Hiking on Shabbat? Trails stay open, but transit stops — plan a car or check what’s open on Shabbat.
Israel’s trails are its best-kept secret. Pair this hub with our first-time guide, the regional guides above, and our itineraries to weave a hike — or several — into your trip.
Many trail sections pass through INPA nature reserves and national parks — the Israel National Parks Pass can cover multiple site entries on a single card and save you significant money if you are visiting three or more parks.
Water hikes: the nahal trail experience
A whole category of Israeli hiking involves walking in and through flowing water — wading nahal stream corridors, swimming in canyon pools and following spring-fed gorges through desert cliffs. If you are visiting in spring or autumn, these “water hikes” are among the most memorable outdoor experiences the country offers. See the dedicated water hiking in Israel guide for the top nahal trails: Ein Gedi, Nahal HaKibbutzim, Nahal Kziv, Wadi Qelt and Banias.