Discover Lehavot Habashan

You can get to know Lehavot Habashan through the history of Kibbutz Lahavot HaBashan and its landscape, with its varied connections to water. These local features provide a concrete starting point when looking for a hotel: they include the original founding site on Givat Lahavot, the Nukta, the North Tower memorial, and views of Nahal Orevim.

Kibbutz history on Givat Lahavot

Kibbutz Lahavot HaBashan was first founded on Givat Lahavot on November 2, 1945. The Nukta still stands on the hill and is the only building from the kibbutz of that time. The founding site and the building therefore share a place name but represent different aspects of the history: Givat Lahavot was the kibbutz’s first location, while the Nukta is the only surviving building from that period.

At the kibbutz’s new location, the North Tower now serves as a memorial. The locations help put the history into context: the Nukta stands on Givat Lahavot; the North Tower is at the new location and serves as a memorial today. These two details therefore tell different stories—one concerns a building from the former kibbutz, the other the North Tower’s use as a place of remembrance.

Streams and views

The landscape around Lahavot HaBashan is described through various connections to water. The entire Kibbutz Lahavot HaBashan overlooks Nahal Orevim. The small stream Nahal Lahavot HaBashan also flows within the kibbutz. In the center of the Nofey HaBashan holiday village, a stream runs with water from the Hermon snowmelt.

These details distinguish a view from two stream locations. Nahal Orevim is the reference point for the kibbutz’s outlook; Nahal Lahavot HaBashan is specifically a small stream within the kibbutz. The stream in the center of Nofey HaBashan, in turn, is characterized by its source in the Hermon snowmelt. Alongside the area’s history, these specific landscape features can help you put Lehavot Habashan in context as a travel destination.

Archaeological sites in the Northern District

The broader travel destination of the Northern District also includes the archaeological sites of Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo. They add distinct historical sites to the picture of Lehavot Habashan, without being part of the description of the kibbutz itself. Tel Hazor is a biblical tell with significant remains of a city associated with biblical history. Visits focus on the upper city. There you’ll find Solomon’s Gate, dating to the 10th century BCE, a gate with six chambers and two towers.

Tel Hazor brings together several archaeological themes: the Canaanite palace was used by the kings of Hazor in the 14th and 13th centuries BCE. A Late Bronze Age palace is described as the most elaborate in Israel and one of the most significant in the Levant. The fortifications, too, are considered the finest example of their kind in the area stretching from southern Turkey to the northern Negev.

Another highlight is the underground water-collection system, whose remains represent an engineering achievement adapted to the geography for storing water. In the water system, steps three meters wide are carved into the walls of the vertical shaft; one excavated shaft is 45 meters deep. Tel Hazor National Park can be reached from the north and south via Route 90 toward Ayelet Hashahar. Check your navigation before setting out.

Tel Megiddo offers a different archaeological perspective. The biblical tell preserves significant remains of a city associated with biblical history. The Early Bronze Age temple complex is exceptional for the number of its temples, the continuity of its cult activity, and its documented ritual practices. Distinct from this is the orthogonal Iron Age city plan, which has few parallels in the Levant. Comparing these features shows the diversity of archaeological themes in the Northern District: at Tel Hazor, the focus includes the palace, fortifications, and water system, while at Tel Megiddo it is the temple complex and city plan.

Lehavot Habashan therefore offers a local perspective for choosing a travel destination, through kibbutz history and landscape; the archaeological sites in the Northern District provide additional regional cultural context. Discover more destinations: Mikhmanim, Gesher Haziv, Petach Tikwa, En Hod, Nahariyya, Sallama, Bat Jam, Kfar Baruch.

For the broader travel overview: Israel.