Valley of Tears: Yom Kippur War Memorial & Golan Heights Guide

On the morning of 6 October 1973 — Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar — Syria launched a massive armoured assault on the Golan Heights. Approximately 1,500 tanks crossed the ceasefire line on a 60km front. Defending them were fewer than 180 Israeli Centurion tanks, severely outnumbered and fighting almost without air support in the first hours.

Over three days of brutal tank combat in the valley below the basalt ridge now known as Emek HaBacha — the Valley of Tears — the Israeli tank crews inflicted catastrophic losses on the Syrian armoured columns and ultimately stopped the advance. Israel’s survival in the north hung on these engagements. The destroyed tanks still sit where they stopped or burned, preserved as an outdoor memorial and one of the most powerful war sites in the country.

The 1973 Battle: What Happened Here

The Yom Kippur War caught Israel in a state of strategic surprise. Despite intelligence warnings, a combination of assessment failures and political hesitation left the army undermanned on two fronts simultaneously — Egypt attacked across the Suez Canal in the south while Syria struck the Golan in the north.

On the Golan, the Syrian force that crossed on 6 October included the 5th, 7th, and 9th Infantry Divisions supported by armoured brigades — an estimated 1,400 tanks in the initial assault wave. The Israeli Northern Command had the equivalent of two armoured brigades on the plateau: the 7th Armoured Brigade on the northern axis and the Barak Brigade on the southern axis.

The valley in front of the current memorial was the main axis for Syrian Tank Corps’ 7th Division, attempting to break through to the Jordan River and cut Israel in two. The Israeli 7th Brigade’s Centurion tanks fought from a fortified ridge, destroying Syrian T-55 and T-62 tanks in the valley below. Over three days, the brigade lost approximately 98 of its ~105 tanks — but the Syrians lost more than 260 tanks in this valley alone.

On the third day, an exhausted company of about 7 battered Israeli Centurions faced approximately 500 Syrian tanks. The Israeli commander radioed divisional headquarters: “We are down to seven tanks. We will stop them or die trying.” Syrian fuel and ammunition had run short. By that afternoon, Syrian forces began withdrawing.

The Israeli term for the ridgeline is Tel Saki. The valley below became known as the Valley of Tears.

The Outdoor Tank Museum

The memorial site at Emek HaBacha preserves the landscape of the battle largely as it was, with approximately 30–40 tanks and armoured vehicles placed along the ridge and valley floor. Syrian T-54/T-55 and T-62 tanks sit alongside the defensive positions where Israeli Centurion crews fought them to a standstill.

What you’ll see:

• Syrian T-55 and T-62 tanks captured or destroyed in the 1973 fighting, arranged in the positions where they stopped or were knocked out. Some have visible penetration damage from anti-tank rounds.
• Israeli Centurion tanks (Sho’t — the Israeli upgraded model) that served in the battle, including vehicles that survived after emergency field repair.
• The “Valley of Tears” overlook platform — a raised wooden deck giving a panoramic view of the terrain the Syrian armoured columns crossed. The ridge dropping away below you is where the Israeli defensive line held.
• Memorial plaques and information boards explaining the tactical situation in English and Hebrew, with tank diagrams and unit insignia.
• The “Monument to the Fallen” — a stark memorial to the soldiers who died here, listing names and units.

The site is entirely outdoors. Walk at your own pace along the marked path; allow 1–2 hours to see the main displays and read the explanatory materials.

Mount Bental: Viewing the Battle Ground from Above

Mount Bental (1,165 m) sits 7km from the Valley of Tears memorial and provides the aerial perspective that makes the whole battle comprehensible. From the volcanic crater at the summit, you look directly down onto the valley where the 1973 fighting occurred. The landscape tells the story: the Golan plateau drops sharply to the west into the Jordan Valley; the Syrian plain stretches east; and between them, this volcanic ridgeline was the only practical defensive position.

The summit also holds preserved Syrian bunkers and fortifications from both the 1967 and 1973 wars — underground ammunition stores, command posts, and firing positions that remain largely intact. Signposted interpretation panels (English and Hebrew) explain the tactical use of each position.

From the Mount Bental viewpoint you can see:

• The UN-administered buffer zone directly below (the grey/brown terrain east of the Israeli fence)
• The ruins of Quneitra — the Syrian town captured by Israel in 1967, returned to Syria in 1974 under ceasefire terms, and left in ruins as a memorial to the occupation
• Mount Hermon (2,814 m) to the north, whose peak observatory exchanged hands multiple times in October 1973
• The Sea of Galilee and Jordan Valley to the southwest

The Coffee Anan café at the summit (a bilingual pun on both “coffee” and the Arabic/Hebrew word for clouds, and a nod to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who negotiated on this border) is a well-known stop. It operates on most days but hours vary — there is no formal opening schedule.

Planning Your Visit

Getting There

By car (recommended): From Tiberias, take Route 91 east. After about 40 minutes you’ll see the signs for Merom Golan and the Valley of Tears battlefield. For Mount Bental, continue on Route 98 toward the volcano. The two sites are 7km apart and easily combined in a half-day.

From Tel Aviv, the drive is approximately 2.5–3 hours via Highway 2 north and Route 90/65 up the Jordan Valley to the Golan access roads.

By guided tour: This is the most popular option. Organised day tours from Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Tiberias run regularly and include both sites, with a guide who specialises in the military history. See the tour links above for current operators and departure points.

By public transport: There is no practical public transport to the Valley of Tears battlefield. Buses reach Katzrin (the main Golan town), but the battlefield and Mount Bental are not on bus routes. A taxi from Katzrin costs approximately ₪120–180 round-trip; arrange a return pickup time with the driver in advance.

Combining with Other Golan Sites

A recommended half-day circuit: Valley of Tears → Mount Bental → lunch at a Druze village near Majdal Shams → Banias waterfall. This covers the main military history, the panoramic view, and one of the Golan’s finest natural sites.

Practical Notes

• No formal entry fee for the outdoor tank museum; some tour operators charge a guide fee
• The site is entirely outdoors — no shelter; bring water, sunscreen, and a hat in summer
• Modest terrain: the site is flat to gently rolling along the ridge; suitable for most visitors who can walk on uneven ground
• Best light: mornings are clearest for visibility toward Syria; late afternoon light is better for photography of the tank displays
• Combined with the Golan Heights general guide for wineries, Banias, and hiking context

Context: The Golan Heights Since 1973

The Yom Kippur War ended with a ceasefire on 22 October 1973. In the subsequent disengagement agreement (1974), Israel withdrew from some areas captured during its counter-attack but retained the Golan Heights plateau. The UN established a buffer zone (the UNDOF area) between Israeli-controlled territory and Syria, monitored by UN peacekeepers.

Israel applied its law to the Golan Heights in 1981 — a step that most countries do not recognise as valid annexation under international law, though the United States recognised Israeli sovereignty in 2019. The plateau has been administered by Israel for more than five decades, and for visitors the experience is that of a normal Israeli tourist destination with national parks, wineries, ski slopes, and Druze villages.

The Valley of Tears sits in the heart of Israeli-controlled Golan, well clear of the security fence and the UN buffer zone. There are no restrictions on visiting; the fence and buffer zone are signposted, and standard guidance applies: do not approach the fence or enter restricted military zones.

For current safety guidance on the Golan Heights, see our Is Israel safe? page, which covers the northern frontier region and links to your home government’s latest travel advisory.