A volcanic plateau with military history, ancient synagogues, world-class wineries, Druze villages, and views that stretch to Syria.
Destinations on the Golan Heights
Agriculture on the Golan Heights
The Golan Heights’ volcanic soil produces some of the best wine, beef, cherries, and olive oil in the Middle East. Discover how a contested plateau became one of Israel’s finest agricultural regions.
Ancient Sites and Synagogues
Ancient Synagogues of the Golan Heights
Over 25 ancient synagogues have been found on the Golan Heights, from the reconstructed Katzrin synagogue to the remarkable Umm el-Kanatir, rebuilt stone by stone using 3D technology.
Banias Waterfall and the Suspended Trail
The largest waterfall in Israel, a metal walkway above a rushing gorge, and a trail through lush woodland at the foot of Mount Hermon.
Banias: The Ancient Sanctuary at the Source of the Jordan
At the foot of Mount Hermon, a pagan cave called the Gates of Hell became the place where Jesus declared the foundation of his church. Add Israel’s largest waterfall and you have Banias, one of the mo
Bethsaida and El-Araj: The Lost City of the Apostles
The hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Philip, lost for centuries and now being rediscovered at el-Araj on the Sea of Galilee.
Birkat Ram: A Volcanic Lake with a Prehistoric Secret
A crater lake on the Golan Heights yielded one of the oldest sculptures in the world: a 250,000-year-old figurine found on its shores. Birkat Ram is where prehistory meets volcanic beauty.
Eli Cohen: The Spy Who Mapped the Golan Heights
An Israeli accountant who became Syria’s most trusted insider, mapped the Golan Heights fortifications from the inside, and was hanged in Damascus in 1965. The story of Eli Cohen is one of the most ex
Nature Reserves, Hiking, and Waterfalls
Gamla: The Masada of the North
A Jewish city that defied Rome, an ancient synagogue from the Second Temple period, circling vultures, and a 51-meter waterfall. Gamla is the site that deserves to be as famous as Masada.
Gesher Bnot Ya’akov: A Crossing Point for 780,000 Years
A Jordan River crossing used since prehistoric times, with the earliest evidence of controlled fire use outside Africa. Gesher Bnot Ya’akov is where human migration and military history converge.
Hamat Gader: Hot Springs the Romans Loved (and You Will Too)
One of the largest Roman bathhouse complexes ever built, fed by hot mineral springs that still flow at 50 degrees. Hamat Gader has been a bathing destination for over 2,000 years, and the Romans were
Hippos (Susita): A Roman City Above the Sea of Galilee
A Decapolis city on a mountaintop, seven Byzantine churches, stunning mosaics, and a view of the Sea of Galilee that has not changed in 2,000 years. Hippos is one of Israel’s most impressive hidden ar
Katzrin Ancient Village: Life on the Golan 1,500 Years Ago
A reconstructed Talmudic-era village with a basalt synagogue, furnished houses, and an olive press. The best way to understand how Jews lived on the Golan Heights.
Kibbutz El Rom: The Highest Kibbutz in Israel
The highest kibbutz in Israel at 1,050 meters, and the Druze communities of Majdal Shams, with apple orchards, hospitality, and a complex identity.
Kibbutz Merom Golan: Cowboys of the Golan Heights
The first Israeli settlement on the Golan Heights, established just weeks after the Six-Day War. Today it’s cattle country with horseback riding, steaks, and a landscape that looks more like Montana t
Majrase Nature Reserve: A Wetland Paradise on the Jordan Delta
Pools, streams, and birdlife where the Jordan River enters the Sea of Galilee. One of the most beautiful nature spots in the north.
Mitzpe Lashalom: The Peace Vista on the Golan Heights
A viewpoint where Israel, Syria, and Jordan meet your gaze at once. Mitzpe Lashalom on the southern Golan offers one of the most extraordinary panoramas in the country.
Military History and Memorials
Mount Bental: The Golan Lookout into Syria
From the bunkers of Mount Bental you can see Syria. Below lies the Valley of Tears, where 200 Israeli tanks held off 1,400 Syrian tanks in 1973. Add the highest kibbutz in Israel and the Druze apple o
Mount Hermon: Israel’s Rooftop, Snow and All
The highest point in Israel, the only ski resort in the Middle East, the ‘Eyes of the Nation’ military post, and the source of the Jordan River. Mount Hermon is where Israel touches the sky.
Nahal Meshushim: The Hexagons Stream and Its Volcanic Pool
Hexagonal basalt columns surrounding a natural swimming pool, formed by volcanic cooling millions of years ago. One of the most spectacular hikes on the Golan Heights.
Nimrod Fortress: The Largest Medieval Castle in Israel
Built by Muslim rulers to block Crusader advances toward Damascus, Nimrod Fortress stretches 400 meters along a ridge above Banias. It is massive, dramatic, and wildly undervisited.
Omrit: Herod’s Temple to Augustus at the Gates of the Golan
The ruins of a monumental temple built by Herod the Great to honor the Roman Emperor Augustus, at the foot of the Golan Heights.
Tel Saki: The Outpost That Held the Line on Yom Kippur
On October 6, 1973, a small Israeli outpost on the southern Golan received the full weight of Syria’s opening assault. The battle of Tel Saki is one of the most harrowing stories of the Yom Kippur War
Battle of Tel Fakher: The Fight That Won the Golan Heights
In June 1967, the Golani Brigade stormed one of the most fortified positions in the Middle East. The battle of Tel Fakher opened the Golan Heights and ended 19 years of Syrian shelling on Israeli comm
Dolmens of the Golan Heights
Thousands of mysterious stone structures scattered across the Golan, built by an unknown people over 4,000 years ago.
Communities, Culture, and Politics
Druze of the Golan Heights
Approximately 23,000 Druze live on the Golan Heights with a unique identity: Syrian by choice, Israeli by circumstance, and famous for their apples, hospitality, and the families who once shouted acro
Golan Heights Law: How a Plateau Became Part of Israel
In 1981, Israel extended its law to the Golan Heights. The decision was controversial internationally but rooted in 19 years of Syrian shelling that made life unbearable for communities below.
The Golan Heights: An Overview
A volcanic plateau with military history, ancient synagogues, world-class wineries, Druze villages, and some of the most stunning landscapes in the Middle East. Everything you need to know about the G
Jordan River: The Most Famous Small River in the World
The river where the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land and where Jesus was baptized is surprisingly small. But no river in history has meant more to more people than this modest stream.
Syrian Military Headquarters on the Golan Heights
The command center that directed 19 years of shelling on Israeli communities below. The Syrian HQ on the Golan is a stark reminder of what the plateau was before 1967.
Valley of Tears and the Oz 77 Memorial
In October 1973, 200 Israeli tanks held off 1,400 Syrian tanks in one of the most desperate battles in modern military history. The Valley of Tears and the Oz 77 Memorial tell the story.
War Over Water: Israel, Syria, and the Jordan River
In the 1960s, Syria tried to divert the Jordan River’s headwaters. Israel responded with tank shells. The water war was one of the sparks that ignited the Six-Day War, and the story of how Israel solv
Umm el-Kanatir: The Synagogue Rebuilt from the Ruins
An ancient synagogue toppled by the 749 CE earthquake, reassembled stone by stone using 3D scanning technology. The only reconstruction of its kind in the world.
Yehudiya Nature Reserve: Canyons, Waterfalls, and Volcanic Pools
The most visited nature reserve in the Golan Heights, with three canyon systems, Yehudiya, Zavitan, and Meshushim, dramatic basalt gorges, cold-water pools, and the famous Hexagons Pool lined with geometric volcanic columns.
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