Giv'at Yo'av combines a section of the Golan Trail with locally rooted themes related to beekeeping, shofar making, and the history of olive oil. When planning your trip, it is worth keeping these highlights distinct: the hiking route has a clearly defined course, while the cultural sites tell stories of different craft traditions and family histories.
Hiking and directions
The 6 km section of the Golan Trail runs from Giv'at Yo'av to Nahal Te'ena. It is a one-way route and follows wide unpaved paths throughout. When choosing your route, consider the start and finish together. Check current trail conditions before setting out.
A nearby point of reference is the parking lot at the starting point of the KKL hiking trail. It is in a small wood west of the moshav of Giv'at Yo'av. Use it as a landmark in your planning, and check current access conditions before driving there.
Beekeeping, shofar, and olive oil
The Alin Apiary in the moshav of Giv'at Yo'av offers tours and tastings of its honey by prior arrangement. If you would like to include this stop, make sure to factor the arrangements into your plans. This makes a visit to the apiary different from a spontaneous visit without a prior agreement.
Kol Shofar began in the 1990s in a small building in the courtyard of a residential home in the moshav. At the Kol Shofar Visitor Center, visitors of all ages learn about different aspects of shofar making. The historic starting point and the subject of shofar making offer different perspectives: the history of the house, on the one hand, and the craft knowledge behind the shofar, on the other.
The Toister Olive Oil Heritage Center on the Toister farm in Giv'at Yo'av presents the history of a family olive oil business. Its beginnings date to 1890 in Ein Zeitim near Safed. These two place names relate to different parts of this history: the center is in Giv'at Yo'av, while Ein Zeitim is the business's historic place of origin.
These sites offer different cultural interests: the Alin Apiary focuses on tours and honey tastings, Kol Shofar on aspects of shofar making, and the Toister Center on the history of the olive oil business. During your stay, you can decide whether an arranged tasting, insights into a craft, or family history is of particular interest.
Archaeology in the broader Northern District destination
In the broader Northern District destination, Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo form a distinct archaeological theme. At Tel Hazor, the visit focuses on the upper city. This includes Solomon's Gate, with six chambers and two towers dating to the 10th century BCE. The Canaanite palace was used by the kings of Hazor in the 14th and 13th centuries BCE; the Late Bronze Age palace is considered the most elaborate in Israel and one of the most significant in the Levant.
Tel Hazor also preserves an underground water collection system, an advanced engineering achievement adapted to the geography for water storage. One excavated shaft is 45 meters deep; steps three meters wide are cut into the walls of the vertical shaft. Tel Hazor National Park can be reached from the north and south via Route 90, in the direction of Ayelet Hashahar. Check your navigation before driving.
Tel Megiddo offers a different archaeological focus: its Early Bronze Age temple complex is exceptional for the number of its temples, the continuity of cult activity, and the documented ritual practices. The orthogonal city plan from the Iron Age has few parallels in the Levant. Tel Megiddo is one of three tells with significant remains of cities associated with the Bible. By comparison, underground water engineering, the palace, and the gate are the main features at Hazor, while Megiddo is known for its temple complex and city plan.
Discover more destinations: Ma'ale Gamla, Yahel, Rishon LeZion, Migdal, Gevulot, Arbel, Moran, Yesod Hamaala
For the broader travel overview: Israel.
