“Yam El Yam” (Sea to Sea) is a popular hiking trail about 70 km long that connects Achziv beach, north of Nahariya, continues through Nahal Kziv, ascends Mount Meron and descends from it through Nahal Amud to the Sea of Galilee. This is a wonderful and challenging trail between the peaks of the Galilee which is full of flowing streams and cool springs, and it is perfect for those looking for a northern hike of between 3 and 5 days.
Some History
The Sea to Sea trail became especially popular during the 1950s and 1960s and was, at that time, part of the regular activities of youth movements and schools in Israel. At the time, the route was a bit different – starting from Kibbutz Adamit on the northern border, moving along Nahal Betzet and from there to Nahal Kziv and continuing to Melchet beach on the Sea of Galilee – and designed to “forge” the young campers who carried most of the equipment on their backs. In addition, the route included crossing Nahal Amud Elyon via a tube bridge without a railing, also known as the “Death Bridge”.
Today the route is a bit different (see below), and much safer. In 2007, an orderly and uniform markings were done along the entire route by the Friends of the Paratroopers’ Battalion Association in memory of their comrades who fell in the Second Lebanon War. As part of the project, a hiking path was built between Abirim and the Elkosh Bridge, a part of the trail done along the car road up until then.
Before Going Out to the Sea to Sea Trail
Before leaving for the hike, preparations must be made in terms of planning and stocking up.
Route Planning
First, it is advisable to get to the sea-to-sea route when you already have a basic plan that divides the trail into daily walking sections (i.e., where you plan to start and end on each day of the hike), overnight camping points and water filling. Do not worry, on this page we have collected all the information for you, and later we will talk at length about the trail itself.
Many hikers like to use topographic maps or guidebooks for the benefit of trip planning. For the planning of a Sea to Sea trail, the following sources can be used:
- Trail Marking Map 1: 50,000 No. 2 (Upper Galilee) – can be purchased through the Society for the Protection of Nature or in hiking stores.
- A guide to long trails in Israel – including full topographic maps, along with detailed trail descriptions and extensive information on sites, history, heritage, geography, geology and wildlife along the route. Worth it for those looking for a little more.
The trail is marked almost along its entire length with standard trail markings and navigation on it is not complicated. At the same time, it is advisable to have a map or some sort of navigation app.
In addition, it is advisable to check the weather forecast for the days of the trip. This not only affects the choice of equipment – on particularly rainy days walking in streams can be dangerous, and overnight camping in the open will be very unpleasant.
Equipment
When it comes to equipment, it is important to remember – all the equipment you choose to take is going to sit on your back for about 15 to 20 km a day. So if there is one thing we can recommend is this – take the time and try to reduce the weight of your bag as much as possible and take necessary and versatile items only.
In our experience, hikers tend to take a bag weighing an average of about 15 kg (without water), but as mentioned it is recommended to take as little as possible.
We have a lot of tips to give you, but we have already written them in a post that talks about choosing the equipment for the Israel National Trail. If you plan to sleep in the field and take all the equipment with you, the logic is the same. On the other hand, the INT (in full) is a 40-day route, and a sea-to-sea trail is usually only a 4-day route. This means that you can be even more “stingy”, and take even fewer safety factors – the main goal is to reduce the weight on your back.
Food and Water
It is recommended to take dry food (rice, couscous, instant soup) and the like of it – with the guiding rule being as much food as possible in as little volume and weight as possible. The food should be reduced to as small and light packaging as possible (without glass or tin packaging), cans – heavy and unnecessary. Of course it is advisable to eat the heavy items first and plan so that you carry a small amount of food (and only until you can stop for supplies in the relevant places).
On the other hand, keep in mind that the trail passes mainly near small localities where it is difficult to find a grocery store or supermarket, and even if there are, opening hours are usually limited and the range of products is limited.
In terms of water – on days with pleasant weather, about 4.5 liters of water per person per day should be taken into account. On particularly hot days, it is possible to consume about 7 liters of water, so this must be taken into account in terms of the initial amount of water or planning a stop at water filling points.
Getting There
It is usually customary to start the route from Achziv Beach, which is a little north of Nahariya, near the settlement of Gesher Haziv, almost directly on Road 4. You can reach Nahariya by bus or train (and then a local bus), or get off directly at the Yad leYad monument, which is the official starting point of the Sea to Sea Trail – and can be a convenient camping site for those who want to sleep in the place and start walking early in the morning.
For those plan to start the trail in the Sea of Galilee and go west, it is customary to reach the Hukok or Ginosar area, near the estuary of Nahal Amud (which is located northwest of the Sea of Galilee on Road 90, slightly north of Migdal Junction). This will usually require a trip to Tiberias Central Bus Station and following with the relevant bus line.
Sea to sea – Planning the Route
The full length of the journey from sea to sea is about 70 km. This is a challenging route that includes steep ascents and descents and walking along difficult terrain, especially for those who plan to sleep in the field (and carry equipment accordingly). Inexperienced hikers are advised to make a number of shorter hikes before going to this route.
The most recommended split of the trail is for 4 days, and it allows you to enjoy it to the fullest: walk at a relatively reasonable pace, without too much pressure, and stop for long periods in the many lovely points along the route. On the other hand, the route can only be done in 3 days of walking, it is only advisable to take into account that it is a bit fast that is suitable for experienced (and fit) travelers.
The route is continuous so you can choose starting and stopping points along its entire length, depending on the ability and desire of the hikers. Below we will present suggestions for dividing the route into 3 and 4 days, but of course you can improvise and change the pace individually.
The first part of the route (from Achziv to the Avdon area) is a flat and relatively easy walking route that passes mainly on dirt roads between the banana orchards and greenhouses in the area. It is not the most interesting, so some hikers choose to give it up in order to shorten the route a bit, especially if you divide it into 3 days.
4-day route
- Day 1: From Achziv Beach, via Nahal Kziv, to the settlement of Abirim (sleeping at the settlement) – about 19 km.
- Day 2: Abirim, via Elkosh Bridge, sleeping at Khirbet Hamama – about 18 km.
- Day 3: Khirbet Hamama, ascent to the summit of Mount Meron and descent in Nahal Amud, sleeping in Ein Koves – about 18 km.
- Day 4: From Ein Koves, through Nahal Amud Central and Lower parts, to the shores of the Sea of Galilee – about 16 km.
3-day route
- Day 1: From Achziv Beach, via Nahal Kziv, to the settlement of Abirim (sleeping at the settlement) – about 19 km.
- Day 2: Abirim, via Elkosh Bridge, climbing Mount Meron and accommodation in the “Pitul” campsite on the Meron – about 28 km.
- Day 3: From the campsite on Mount Meron, through Nahal Amud to the Sea of Galilee – about 23 km.
Alternatively, those who give up the first part (from Achziv Beach to Avdon) can slightly reduce the first and second days and take the following route:
- Day 1: From Ein Hardalit (which will actually be the starting point of the trail), to the Elkosh Bridge campsite – about 21 km.
- Day 2: Elkosh Bridge, climbing Mount Meron and sleeping in the “Pitul” campsite on the Meron – about 18 km.
- Day 3: From the campsite on Mount Meron, through Nahal Amud to the Sea of Galilee – about 23 km.
Water and Campsites along the route
Here is a table that arranges the water filling points and possible overnight campsites along the route – usually where there is a campsite there will also be an opportunity to fill water.
| Location | Water | Sleeping |
|---|---|---|
| Yad leYad monument (large lawn) | V | V |
| Goren Park (Ascend from Kziv stream to the north bank – a deviation of about 3 km from the route) | V | |
| The Pine campsite (near Moshav Goren) | V | |
| Abirim (outside the settlement)* | V | V |
| The gas station at Elkosh Bridge | V | |
| Elkosh settlement (water tap near the settlement synagogue) | V | V |
| Khirbet Hamama – a regulated campsite of the Nature and Parks Authority | V | V |
| The “Pitul” campsite near Meron | V | V |
| The entrance to the Nahal Amud upper Reserve (short deviation from the route) | V | |
| Nahal Amud middle campsite | V | |
| A tap at the Mekorot site (on the west side of the compound there is a tap), north of Route 85 | V |
* Sleeping in the public areas of the Abirim settlement is prohibited. The settlement established a place for hikers located just before the entrance to it (a few hundred meters towards the settlement after finishing the climb on the black marked trail that leads to the access road to the settlement). There are taps for filling water and garbage cans there.
In addition, along the route there are a number of springs and flowing streams where the water is clean. Water filling points exist relatively neatly along the route so it is not entirely necessary – but there is the option to fill water from flowing streams (but not from stand still water sources!) and purify them with tablets or various water purification solutions.
Food along the route
As already mentioned, along the route there are not too many options to stock up on food:
- Convenience store at the Elkosh Bridge gas station (Hurfish Junction). Keep in mind that this is a small convenience store so the selection of groceries is not particularly large.
- From Elkosh Bridge you can reach Hurfish (this is a deviation from the route of about 5 km, so it is recommended to do this by hitchhiking and not on foot).
- In a grocery store in Meron (near the “Pitul” campsite and Khirbet Shema). This is a religious settlement and therefore irrelevant on Shabbat.
Another tip: Personally I can attest that we were able to order a pizza to the “Pitul” campsite on Mount Meron, and it arrived hot and tasty (and was largely welcomed after two hard days of hiking). Try your luck – the number is available on Google.
Sea to Sea – The Trail
Below is a more detailed description of the route. From personal experience, there are parts of the route where there is a split of trails where you can choose between two options – it is recommended to print the information or save it on the phone and use it during the hike.
From Achziv to Elkosh
From the starting point at Achziv Beach (Yad LeYad monument), we will continue with the path towards the settlement of Gesher Haziv in the east and continue along the dirt roads that cross the fields and greenhouses until we reach the junction before the settlement of Avdon. From the junction, turn right towards Nahal Kziv, and see that the route turns from a paved road into a dirt road marked with green trail marks.
We will pass by Ein Hardalit (and next to the spring we will see a pumping facility of the water company). Ein Hardalit is a spring in the Nahal Kziv Reserve, and is a popular attraction for many hikers on hot summer days. The route is best suited for families in light of the proximity of the first paddling pool to the vehicle parking, and in light of the fact that it allows for an easy walk through shallow water. On holidays and weekends the place is likely to be crowded.
We will continue along the path and move to the foot of the Monfort – a nice and recommended antiquities site to visit, depending on time constraints. You can leave your bags in the creek and go right, south, to the fort.
We will continue along the path and pass through Ein Britot and a number of other rocky pools. The path will narrow from a dirt road to a relatively narrow walking path, until we reach Ein Tamir, a spring that is close to Mitzpe Hila and can be a perfect point for a break. On the southern side of the spring there is a hole dug to increase the flow of the spring. The entrance to it is narrow (and not recommended for those who suffer from fear of enclosed spaces), but later it expands and allows walking in the water. Keep in mind that inside it is completely dark, so it is recommended to take a flashlight (preferably a waterproof one). On the other hand, the progress is straightforward and back on the same route, so there is no room for error.
We will continue east of Ein Tamir for about three km until we reach a split of paths with which we will continue left to the path marked in black (there is a sign there pointing towards Abirim). At this point the path continues uphill and relatively steep, until the exit from the stream.
From the exit of the stream you will have two options: first, turn right towards the settlement of Abirim (where there is a night campground, at the entrance to the settlement). Alternatively, you can continue with the trail for another 5 km in the direction of Elkosh Bridge – a point where there is another overnight campsite – according to the description below.
From Abirim to Mount Meron
We left Nahal Kziv, and we are at a point about half a kilometer northwest of the settlement of Abirim. We will continue and descend on a light dirt road for about 300 meters until we reach the farm gate at the site, from which a path marked with a yellow trail marking that bypasses the settlement split. After about a kilometer of walking with this trail, we will reach Horbat Zavit, where there are beautiful views of Nahal Kziv, Maalot and Mount Meron.
From the Horbat Zavit ruins the path continues east, bypassing Abirim from the east and descending to Nahal Zavit (where it connects to a green marked path). From there, the path continues and winds along a dirt road to Horbat Morgot, and from there to the “Elkosh” bridge that rises above Nahal Kziv (here there is another potential night campsite).
From here, we will continue downhill with the path heading east into the Nahal Kziv gorge, and we will pass Ein Retet (a small spring surrounded by stream vegetation), Ein Tabaat (similar to it), Ein Zevul and the highlight of the route: Ein Hotem – a spring that springs into a cave where you can enter and dip (The water is frozen), next to a large and impressive outdoor trough.
We will continue with the route marked in green until we meet the one marked in red. From here we have a decision to make: you can continue on the green path through Nahal Moran or continue with the path marked in red leading to a slightly shorter route that passes through Nahal Neria. The two routes connect within a few kilometers to the route of the Israel National Trail where we turn right (south) and with it we will continue until the end of the “Sea to Sea” route on the Sea of Galilee.
Along the route of the Israel National Trail, the route continues along the summit of the Meron, through the summit campsite (which includes water taps and is allowed for overnight stays). Three km later we reach the beautiful corner of Ein Zeved, a wonderful place for a coffee break (sometimes there is water in the spring).
From here the path descends narrower and steeper to the east, and after about a kilometer you have to continue at the fork of the paths to the right. Next to it, a short path leads to Horbat Shema, to which it is recommended to pop-by (if you have the time) and see the remains of the ancient synagogue.
Another descent of half a kilometer will bring us to the “Pitul” campsite, located at the foot of the Meron to the east and named after the winding road on Road 89 next to it (“Pitul” in Hebrew means “Curv”). The site has a water tap, and a short walk from the western end of it (on the trail marked in black) will take you to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
Nahal Amud to the Sea of Galilee
The trail continues into Nahal Amud in the same way as part 6 of the Israel National Trail. This is one of the most beautiful and fun sections of the trail, done alongside running water, many bathing options and tall trees that provide a pleasant, shaded environment. On the other hand, it is not an easy day at all, and includes many steep ascents and descents.
We start the day in the Meron night campground, from where there is a quick passage under the road directly to the lower Meron stream, where the hike is mostly comfortable and offers many shaded stopping points, and in the winter and spring even the possibility of some water flow.
After about 4 km of walking we will reach the first refreshment point – a small pool near a British concrete structure that used to be an old pumping station called Ein Yakim (also known as Ein Tina). From this point the route splits into several different paths, but the Israel National Trail continues down the stream – passing through tall plane trees, sweet fruit trees and several ponds filled with clear and cool water that you can relax and refresh in.
The length of the trail in which water flow is heavy is only about one kilometer, but time spent there is usually longer than planned in light of the various attractions along the way – mainly old flour mills and its polisher, which operated similarly to a flour mill but was used to soften and process sheep’s wool during the “Golden Age” of the Jews of Safed.
For those who wish to finish the trail here, we can turn directly to the road to Safed, with a strenuous ascent of about 2 km. Continuing further along the trail, the water flow diminishes until disappearing, and after about 2.5 km there is another exit point – a short and steep path marked in blue that will lead to Sheikh Kwas (Written as Ein Koves on the map).
Another 2 km of walking along the stream and we will reach Ein Seter (Seter in Hebrew means “Hidden”). As its name implies – it is a bit hard to find – and in order to reach it we will have to ascend a bit from the gorge to a shady corner after turning right from the path.
Near the bottom of the stream, we will cross the access road to Hukok. We will continue with a dirt road marked in blue that will bring us to the settlement of Ginosar and the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It is important to remember that at no point does the trail reach the waterline, and at some point (depending on your preferences) you should turn left from it and head towards the beaches.
It is recommended to spend some time at the beach (personal recommendation – spend a calm night to relax from the hike). After bathing you can get on one of the buses that pass by and continue to Tiberias Central Bus Station (in most cases), on your way back to civilization!
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