At מצפור יפתח (Yiftah Lookout), there is a parking area with tables shaded by natural forest vegetation, and a lookout point with views of the Hula Valley, the Golan and Mount Hermon. The parking area is east of the road, opposite the entrance to Kibbutz Yiftah.
Scenic road and directions
The scenic road through the Naftali Mountains is about 12 kilometers long. It runs along the foot of the Ramat Nimra cliffs and climbs from Kfar Giladi to Kibbutz Yiftah. It then passes through Yiftah and by the Crusader fortress of Hunin; it ends at Kibbutz Misgav Am. If you plan to drive the road, you can take its length and route into account when choosing your itinerary. Check for current information about possible closures before setting out.
About one kilometer north of Yiftah, a road branches off toward the scenic road. You can take this route by private car down to Kiryat Shmona or Kfar Giladi. To reach the Yiftah Fissures, use Road 886 between Yiftah and Menara as a guide; check current road and trail conditions before setting out.
Yiftah Fissures: a short walk or a longer hike
The נקיקי יפתח (Yiftah Fissures) are in Upper Galilee, in the Naftali Mountains, about two kilometers north of Kibbutz Yiftah. The descent involves rocky steps and ladders; the route presents a light challenge. It is not accessible and is unsuitable for strollers and dogs.
The short walk through the fissures is estimated to take about 30 to 60 minutes. The duration depends on walking speed, breaks and time spent at viewpoints. Those who continue from there toward the Ein Ouzim Nature Reserve take a longer route, estimated to take about four hours. These time estimates therefore describe different options: the short walk through the fissures and the longer onward hike. Check current trail conditions before setting out.
A coffee stop at the kibbutz entrance
The Galiki coffee cart is at the entrance to Kibbutz Yiftah. Its menu includes bread and sweet pastries from a kibbutz baker, vegetables from the kibbutz fields, and several cheeses from the Kibbutz Yiftah dairy. Opening hours and offerings may change; ask about current options before visiting.
Culture in the wider destination of the Northern District
In the wider destination of the Northern District, Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo are also significant archaeological sites. Both are biblical tels with important remains of cities associated with biblical references. Tel Megiddo is one of the three tels closely linked to events in the Bible. At Hazor, the visit focuses on the Upper City, where the gate, palace and water system offer a different emphasis.
Tel Hazor 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; its fortifications are considered the finest example of their kind in the area from southern Turkey to the northern Negev.
The underground water collection system at Tel Hazor also demonstrates sophisticated engineering adapted to the geography. The excavated shaft is 45 meters deep; steps three meters wide are carved into the walls of the vertical shaft. At Tel Megiddo, meanwhile, the focus is on an Early Bronze Age temple complex and an Iron Age city plan: the temple complex is exceptional for the number of its temples, the continuity of cultic activity and its documented ritual practices. The orthogonal city plan has few parallels in the Levant. These specific findings offer different ways to explore archaeological interests, without conflating these regional cultural sites with the viewpoints and trails around Yiftaẖ.
Discover more destinations: Kfar Kama, Nazareth Iliit, Tirat Ẕevi, Tel Adashim, Lotem, Reshafim, Kfar HaNassi, Shibli.
For the wider travel guide: Northern District.
