If you are considering Shibli as a destination for your stay, the Mount Tabor hike offers a specific hiking option. It starts at the Israel National Trail marker at the entrance to the village and ends at the village taxi terminal.
Hiking on Mount Tabor
The descent on the Mount Tabor hike to Shibli takes one to one and a half hours. It follows the Israel National Trail all the way to the edge of the village and is steep and slippery in places. As terrain conditions can change, check them before setting out. The duration refers to the descent; the description of the terrain also answers the question of what the path is like.
The route soon leads into a grove of Tabor oaks. This grove adds a specific landscape feature to the steep and slippery sections of the trail. A hiking starting point has also been established at Ein Toot in Shibli. This gives you both a specifically described Mount Tabor route and another local hiking starting point to help you find your way.
A short vehicle transfer is required for the hike described. Taxis for the ascent of Mount Tabor are available at the taxi terminal in Shibli; check current availability before travelling. A dedicated shuttle terminal has also been established in Shibli. Walking time, the transfer, and taxi availability are separate points that you can consider individually when planning.
Archaeological sites in the Northern District
The wider destination of the Northern District offers a separate archaeological theme. Tel Hazor is a biblical tell with significant remains of a city associated with the Bible; visits focus on the upper city. Its structures include 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. The fortifications of Tel Hazor are considered the best example of their kind in the area stretching from southern Turkey to the northern Negev.
Tel Hazor also preserves significant remains of an underground water collection system, an ingenious engineering feat adapted to the geography and designed to store water. The excavated shaft is 45 metres deep; steps three metres wide are cut into the walls of the vertical shaft.
Tel Megiddo, also a biblical tell in the Northern District, preserves significant remains of a city associated with the Bible and is closely connected with events in the Bible. Its Early Bronze Age temple complex stands out for the number of temples, the continuity of cult activity, and documented ritual practices. The orthogonal Iron Age city plan has few parallels in the Levant.
Discover more destinations: Safsufa, Migdal haEmek, Karmi'el, Netu'a, Ashdot Ya'akov Meuhad, Kafr Manda, Barak, Harashim
For the wider travel overview: Northern District.
