Discover Giv'at Yo'av: Honey, shofar and history

When looking for a hotel for a trip to Giv'at Yo'av, you can first decide which themes you want to shape your stay: visits focused on honey, insights into shofar-making, the history of an olive oil business, or a section of the Golan Trail. The attractions and locations differ considerably, allowing you to balance culture and outdoor activities according to your travel interests.

Things to do in Giv'at Yo'av

The Alin Apiary in the moshav of Giv'at Yo'av offers tours and honey tastings by prior arrangement. If you include this stop in your plans, arrange your visit in advance. Tours and tastings are therefore a specific activity, but not an unannounced stop.

At the Kol Shofar Visitor Center, visitors of all ages can learn about various aspects of shofar-making. The site's history is also part of the experience: Kol Shofar began in the 1990s in a small building in the courtyard of a private home in the moshav of Giv'at Yo'av. This brings together an introduction to the craft and the company's beginnings in the village.

The Toister Olive Oil Heritage Center, located on the Toister Farm in the moshav of Giv'at Yo'av, tells the story of a family olive oil business. It began in 1890 in Ein Zeitim, near Safed. The story of its origins thus connects the farm in Giv'at Yo'av with another place and reaches back to the 19th century.

Hiking and getting your bearings

The 6 km section of the Golan Trail runs from Giv'at Yo'av to Nahal Te'ena. It is a one-way route that follows wide dirt roads throughout. Plan for travel in one direction and check current trail conditions before setting out.

A separate point of reference is the parking area at the trailhead of the KKL hiking trail. It is in a small wood west of the moshav of Giv'at Yo'av. Before driving there, check whether access is suitable for your visit. The hiking trail and the Golan Trail section should be treated as separate points of reference.

For planning purposes, there is a useful distinction: the trail section is described by its length, route and one-way nature, while visits to the apiary require prior arrangement. This lets you plan hiking and visits as separate parts of your trip.

Archaeology in the broader Northern District destination

Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo are also part of the broader Northern District destination and offer a separate archaeological theme. At Tel Hazor, the visit focuses on the upper city. One of the site's features is Solomon's Gate, a 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.

Tel Hazor also preserves significant remains of an underground water-collection system. It represents sophisticated engineering adapted to the geographical conditions for water storage. The excavated shaft is 45 meters deep, with three-meter-wide steps cut into its vertical walls.

Tel Megiddo is a biblical tell with significant remains of a city associated with biblical accounts. The orthogonal Iron Age city plan has few parallels in the Levant. The Early Bronze Age temple complex is also exceptional, owing to the number of its temples, the continuity of cultic activity and the documented ritual practices.

Discover more destinations: Yesod Hamaala, Sde Tzvi, Alonei Abba, Jisr az-Zarqa, Shelomi, Hukok, Hagoshrim, Paran.

See the overview of the broader destination: Israel.