Near Nov, at the entrance to Hasfin, lies the Irus Habitsot Nov Nature Reserve, also known as “Aho Nov.” It is a refuge for rare plants that grow in wet habitats, including the marsh iris and the poet’s narcissus. Blooming is seasonal, and the meadow dries out in summer. If you are particularly interested in the plants, take this change into account when planning your visit.
Nature near Nov: Aho Nov
The short circular route follows a walkway beside the access road to the village and returns to the parking lot. Alongside its seasonal plant life, Aho Nov therefore offers a defined route to guide your outing. The walkway beside the access road and the return to the parking lot give the loop its character. When planning, you can consider two aspects separately: the seasonal changes in blooming and the route of the short circular trail.
Archaeology in the wider Northern District
In the Northern District, the wider regional context, Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo offer distinct archaeological themes alongside the nature near Nov. The two sites have different historical emphases: finds at Tel Hazor reveal water engineering, fortifications, and palace history, while Tel Megiddo is especially characterized by its temple complex and urban planning.
Tel Hazor: water engineering, gates, and palaces
Tel Hazor is a biblical tell with significant remains of a city associated with the Bible. The visit focuses on the upper city. Tel Hazor is home to Solomon’s Gate, with six chambers and two towers dating to the 10th century BCE. A palace from the Late Bronze Age is considered the most elaborate in Israel and one of the most significant in the Levant. The Canaanite palace was used by the kings of Hazor in the 14th and 13th centuries BCE.
Water supply is another notable theme: Tel Hazor preserves significant remains of an underground water-collection system, an ingenious engineering achievement adapted to the local geography for storing water. Steps three meters wide were cut into the walls of a vertical shaft; an excavated shaft at Tel Hazor is 45 meters deep. The fortifications are considered the finest example of their kind in the area from southern Turkey to the northern Negev.
Tel Hazor National Park can be reached from the north or south via Route 90, heading toward Ayelet Hashahar. Check your navigation before setting out.
Tel Megiddo: temple complex and city plan
Tel Megiddo is one of three tells that preserve significant remains of cities associated with the Bible and are closely linked to biblical events. Its Early Bronze Age temple complex is exceptional for the number of its temples, the continuity of cultic activity, and the documented ritual practices. The orthogonal city plan dates to the Iron Age and has few parallels in the Levant.
The choice of cultural focus presents a clear distinction: Tel Hazor highlights, among other things, water storage, fortifications, and palace history; Tel Megiddo raises questions of cultic activity and urban planning. This adds a distinct archaeological focus in the Northern District to the seasonal nature observation at Aho Nov.
Discover more destinations: Kibuz Kinneret, Kfar Ruppin, Nes Harim, Nir Dawid, En Hod, Elkosh, Cholon, Jokne'am.
View the broader travel overview: Israel.
