Recent rain? Check the mud forecast before you go. Download the route’s GPX and upload it to ‘HaSingletor’ – you’ll get the chance of mud from the nearest rain station and the soil type.
A big loop around the Sea of Galilee from Katzrin. The Golan, the Jordan, the Horns of Hattin, Kfar Tavor and the Jordan Valley, with the lake in view almost all the time.
226 km in a loop that starts and ends in Katzrin. You drop from the Golan to the Jordan and the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, climb to the Horns of Hattin and Kfar Tavor, ride down Nahal Tavor to the Jordan Valley, and from Tzemach climb back to the Golan by Nahal Samakh and the waterfall streams. About 4,170 m of climbing, with the lake in view almost the whole way.
Loop · Katzrin3–4 daysOct–JanHard
226km
4,173m climbing
67.1km, longest stretch without fuel
10fuel stations within 200 m
13water taps along the way
18night campsites near the route
Firing zones on the way
The route crosses 2 firing zones, about 8 km of 226. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.
Firing zone 122 גkm 201–204, 205–209Golan fire-zone ops room04-6977224
Firing zone 122 אkm 213–217Golan fire-zone ops room04-6977224
Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date. Some sections are a road that crosses the zone. Either way, check and coordinate before you go.All coordination centers →
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The route at a glance
Fuel stationGrocery or supermarketWater tapNight campsite
01km 0–30
From the Golan to the Jordan
You leave Katzrin, cross Nahal Meshushim and drop off the Golan, past the lookout over the Gilbon waterfall, to the Bnot Ya'akov bridge. Then along the Jordan, past the lower customs house and Mezad Ateret, through the Jordan Park reserve and the Segev lookout, losing more than 600 m, to almost 170 m below sea level near the lake.
Along the way
km 2Nahal Meshushim
km 8.3Gilad Kan lookout over the Gilbon waterfall
km 12.6Hamam Bnot Ya'akov, a spring and small pool
km 14.3Bnot Ya'akov bridge night campsite
km 15.1Mezad Ateret
km 25.7Segev lookout
Resupply · km 0.6 Katzrin: Franchuke café and a grocery. Iskander at km 12.5
02km 30–58
The north shore and Arbel
Along the northern shore: Amnon beach, Capernaum and Tabgha, with Ein Sheva and Tel Kinarot. Then across Nahal Amud and Nahal Tzalmon, past Ein Nun and into the Arbel reserve, near Ein Arbel, climbing from about 200 m below sea level to above it.
Along the way
km 31.8Amnon beach night campsite
km 34.3Capernaum national park
km 37Ein Sheva, Tabgha
km 43.7Al-Kabu mill, an Ottoman flour mill
km 44.6Ein Nun
km 47.6Water by Ein Arbel
Resupply · km 39.4 Dor Alon and a grocery. Paz at km 46.5, cafés at km 47.7
03km 58–97
The Horns of Hattin to Tavor
You climb into the Karnei Hittin national park, with the Arbel valley lookout and the battlefield lookout. By the Golani museum there are fuel stations and a restaurant, with the Lavi forest campsites close by. Then south, up to about 400 m, past Horvat Kishron, Ein Azenot and Ein Keshet, to Kfar Tavor.
Along the way
km 63Arbel valley lookout, 260 m off the route
km 67.2Karnei Hittin and the battlefield lookout
km 75.4Golani museum, 275 m off the route
km 76.2Lavi forest night campsite
km 86.6Ein Azenot
km 96.5Kfar Tavor museum
Resupply · km 75.8 Delek and El Muhtar restaurant. In Kfar Tavor, km 94–97: Paz, Shufersal and Cafederatzia
04km 97–135
Nahal Tavor
From Kfar Tavor you ride down Nahal Tavor, past the Nave Elad lookout and Ein Zeev, through the Nahal Tavor reserve and Ein Shahal, to about 220 m below sea level. Then a climb of almost 450 m to the Noach Kinarty overlook, and down again to Ein Yavne'el.
Along the way
km 103.6Water point
km 104Nave Elad lookout
km 106.7Ein Zeev
km 110Ein Shahal, in the Nahal Tavor reserve
km 122.9Noach Kinarty overlook
km 133.3Ein Yavne'el
Resupply · km 103.6 Water at km 103.6. No food or fuel from Kfar Tavor until km 150
05km 135–160
Nahal Yavneel and the Jordan Valley
Along the Nahal Yavneel reserve: Ein Sani, a hosting spot with water, Ein Yaala and the Levi Eshkol lookout, then Menahamiya and the Jordan River. Tzemach, at the southern tip of the lake, is the route's biggest service hub.
Along the way
km 137.6Ein Sani, water
km 140.3Levi Eshkol lookout
km 148.1The Jordan River
km 148.8Yardenit night campsite, 220 m off the route
km 150.6The Syrian tank at Degania
km 153The historic Tzemach railway station
Resupply · km 151.5 Tzemach: Paz 24/7, Yellow, Victory and restaurants. Dor Alon at km 156.8, the last fuel until Katzrin
06km 160–200
Above the eastern shore
From the shore you climb onto the Golan: the Mevo Hama campsite and Ein Akov, the Kinneret Mendel lookout and the Mount Nimron deck, looking over the lake. Then the Peace lookout, the Mitzpor Tal campsite and the Menorah cave, before dropping into Nahal Samakh, with the meeting-of-streams pools and Umm el Kanatir, and climbing almost 400 m back to the plateau.
Along the way
km 161.2Mevo Hama night campsite, by Ein Akov
km 165.7Mount Nimron lookout deck
km 170.7Peace lookout
km 173.7Mitzpor Tal night campsite
km 193.4Meeting-of-streams pools, Nahal Samakh
km 196.9Umm el Kanatir
Resupply · km 170.8 Water at km 170.8, and also at km 169.2 and 179. No shop until Katzrin, km 224
07km 200–226
Golan streams to Katzrin
On the Golan plateau, between 330 and 520 m, you cross one stream after another: Kanaf, Bazelet, Gamla, Ayit, Yehudiya and Zavitan. Ein Aniam has a pool and a campsite, Einot Eden another campsite, and at the end you ride into Katzrin, by Ancient Katzrin.
Along the way
km 208.1Water point
km 215.6Ayit waterfall lookout
km 216.9Ein Aniam night campsite, with a pool
km 218.9Nahal Yehudiya
km 221Einot Eden night campsite
km 224.4Ancient Katzrin park
Resupply · km 223.9 Katzrin: Delek, the Golan Brewery and SoGood 24/7
Where to sleep
Over three days: Lavi forest (km 76) and Mevo Hama (km 161), right on the route. An alternative for the second night is Yardenit (km 149), close to the services at Tzemach.
Straight-line distanceDistances from the route are straight-line distances, not riding distances. Before you set out, check on a map that a trail or road actually reaches the place.
km 7.3Free
חניון לילה נחל גילבון510 m off the route
km 14.3Free
חניון לילה גשר בנות יעקב50 m off the route
km 31.8Free
חניון לילה חוף אמנון10 m off the route
km 33.9Free
חניון לילה חוף כפר נחום140 m off the route
km 74.8Free
חניון לילה שולחנות קק"ל - יער לביא230 m off the route
Fuel stations, groceries and food within 200 m of the route. Fuel stations usually have water, toilets and a convenience store.
Straight-line distanceDistances from the route are straight-line distances, not riding distances. Before you set out, check on a map that a trail or road actually reaches the place.
km 0.6
GroceryA café or restaurant
km 12.5
A café or restaurant
km 31.8
A café or restaurant
km 39.4
Dor Alon, Grocery
km 44.5–45.2
2 cafés and restaurants
km 46.5
Paz
km 47.7
2 cafés and restaurants
km 75.4–75.8
Delek ×2A café or restaurant
km 78.8
A café or restaurant
km 94.2–94.3
Alon Daron, Better Place
km 95.8–96.8
Paz, Grocery
km 96.9
GroceryA café or restaurant
km 149.7–150.5
Grocery ×2A café or restaurant
km 151.5–15224/7
Paz, Yellow, Victory6 cafés and restaurants
km 152.7–153
2 cafés and restaurants
km 156.8
Dor Alon
km 170.7
A café or restaurant
km 223.9–224.124/7
Delek, SoGoodA café or restaurant
km 226
GroceryA café or restaurant
Distances along the route are calculated from the GPX file; the distance of each place from the route is a straight-line distance. Night campsites come from the site's campsite map, other places from OpenStreetMap. Not checked on the ground: confirm before you go.
Firing zones: OpenStreetMap, IDF data import
Distance, climbing and recommended months come from the routes table. Highest and lowest points are calculated from the GPX file, and difficulty is an estimate based on climbing per kilometre.
An Israeli maker of sealant, lubes and repair kits. They built a full bikepacking repair kit with us: everything you need so a flat never ends your ride.
Rents out satellite trackers and communicators. In the desert and in areas with no signal, your family can follow your location, and in an emergency you can call for help.
An Israeli company making quality glasses at fair prices. Protection from sun, dust and wind over long days on the trail, and 20% off for the community.
