Feel the Holy Land through your feet as never before by hiking the Israel Trail from Mount Tabor, the scene of the battle of Deborah and Barak against Sisera (Judges 4:6) and the “high mountain” of Jesus’ transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-6),  to Nazareth, Jesus’ boyhood home.

The Israel Trail, an initiative of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) is approximately 520 miles long, taking in the country’s most beautiful landscapes, inspiring holy places and fascinating historical sites. The trail is marked with a distinctive interlocking pair of orange and blue triangles.

The Mount Tabor end of the trail begins in the village of Shibli on the north side of Mount Tabor. The hike up Mount Tabor is very difficult; but you can also drive to the top and hike around the summit, along another trail. Mount Tabor is crowned by the magnificent Church of the Transfiguration (closed between noon and 2 PM). The climb takes about three hours; the summit trail, about one hour.

The trail then goes back down the mountain and continues another approximately 10 miles toward Nazareth, through the Beit Keshet forest northwest of Mount Tabor. On the way, it ascends to two beautiful Galilee lookouts – Mount Deborah and Mount Yonah. The trail detours Nazareth from the north and continues to Tzippori. Consider spending the night at Nazareth, visiting the holy places, and rejoining the trail the next day.

To obtain the specific directions you’ll need to do the trail, contact Moti Sheetrit at shvilo@spni.org.il or call the Israel Trail offices in Tel Aviv at 03-6388719/20.