The Archaeological Forest Garden gives Kabri a clear cultural and historical focus. Ancient agricultural installations and explanations provide an entry point into the history of agriculture; in the Northern District, Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo broaden the range to include water engineering, architecture, and urban history.
The Archaeological Forest Garden in Kabri
On the KKL grounds in Kabri, KKL, the Israel Antiquities Authority, and archaeologist Dr. Rafael Frankel jointly established an archaeological forest garden. The work took place in the 1990s and early 2000s. The garden includes ancient agricultural installations, information signs, and explanations.
The combination of installations and explanations makes agriculture the central theme of this place. If you are particularly interested in archaeological topics when choosing a destination, Kabri offers a specific starting point: the focus is not only on individual finds, but also on agricultural installations. The forest garden has a different focus from the urban, temple, and water-engineering remains in the Northern District described later.
Access road to the Kabri singletrack
Near the destination, the access road to the Kabri singletrack branches off Route 70 about 800 meters south of the Kabri junction. From there, a gravel road heading east leads to a parking lot. Check the current conditions on this access road before setting out; the directions describe a specific approach and are not a substitute for checking conditions on site.
Archaeological highlights in the Northern District
Tel Hazor is a biblical tell with significant remains of a city associated with the Bible. The visit focuses on the Upper City. Its notable structures include Solomon’s Gate, a six-chambered gate with 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 described as the most elaborate in Israel and one of the most significant in the Levant. The fortifications are also remarkable: they are considered the finest example of their kind in the area from southern Turkey to the northern Negev.
Another highlight at Tel Hazor is the underground water collection system, an advanced engineering achievement adapted to the geographic conditions for water storage. The excavated shaft is 45 meters deep; three-meter-wide steps are carved into the walls of the vertical shaft as part of the water system. These details show how water supply forms a distinct dimension of the archaeological remains, alongside the palace and fortification structures. Access to Tel Hazor National Park is from the north or south via Route 90 toward Ayelet Hashahar. Check your navigation before setting out.
Tel Megiddo offers a different focus. The tell is one of three tells that preserve significant remains of cities associated with the Bible and closely connected to events in the Bible. The Early Bronze Age temple complex is exceptional for the number of its temples, the continuity of its cult activity, and its documented ritual practices. An orthogonal city plan dating to the Iron Age has few parallels in the Levant.
The highlights are easy to distinguish when choosing a theme: Tel Hazor combines water engineering with gate, palace, and fortification architecture; Tel Megiddo is known for its temple complex and urban planning. Kabri, in turn, focuses on ancient agricultural installations. You can plan your trip according to which of these archaeological themes interests you most, without combining the places into an unsupported route.
Discover more destinations: Bat Yam, Gidona, Hararit, Malkiyya, Kibbutz Kinneret, Almagor, Sde Eliezer, Arbel
For the full travel overview: Israel.
