The Jesus Trail is a 65 km long hiking trail in the Lower Galilee and the Sea of Galilee in Israel that was completed ahead of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit on May 16, 2009, and has since attracted many Christian tourists.
The Jesus Trail Hike will take you on an unforgettable walk through history, culture, and spirituality. Journey through small villages, bustling cities, and sweeping farmland along a well-known trail where Jesus chose to carry out his ministry. Beginning in Nazareth, you will visit the old Roman Galilean capital Tzipori, the location of the first miracle in Cana, a fully-functioning religious Jewish Kibbutz, ancient olive groves, Mount Arbel, and of course – the Sea of Galilee. Along the coast, you will visit important churches, with the final destination being Capernaum: the center of much of Jesus’ ministry.
Additionally, the trail passes along a variety of holy sites for Christianity (and other religions) such as Mashhad, The Horns of Hattin, Nabi Shuaib, Mount Arbel, Migdal, Ein Sheva and Mount of Beatitudes. In some parts, it overlaps with sections of the Israel National Trail and other local hiking trails.
The trail was marked following an initiative by Maoz Yinon, who owns several guesthouses in Nazareth (including the well-known Fauzi Azar Hostel), and David Landis, an American traveler. Its marking was completed in the year 2009, ahead of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Israel, and was funded by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism.
The Jesus Trail Route
The trail is marked with a special trail marker assigned to it by the Israel Trails Committee – three stripes of white-orange-white, or by an orange dot in places where it overlaps an existing hiking trail – as is customary in trail markings.
The route of the Jesus Trail stretches for about 65 kilometers. This is a continuous route, so you can divide it into as many sections as you want, and start, finish or stop at any point during it. The starting and ending point of each of the sections is accessible with a private vehicle, so it is possible to make a “daily” trip in only one section.
In our Jesus Trail book, we have divided the route into four sections, according to the common split done by hikers. Those who walk one section a day will enjoy an easy to medium route. Experienced hikers in good shape can try and complete the route in just three days.
In this comprehensive and trusted trail guide, you will find all the information you will need to navigate all parts of the trail, along with elevation gain and mileage, and detailed descriptions of each site with its unique history, architecture, and religious significance – this guide includes everything you need to plan and execute your Jesus Trail adventure. See it on Amazon!
Equipment Needed
When it comes to equipment, it is important to remember that all the equipment you choose to take will be on your back for the entire day. So, if there is one thing we can recommend is this: take the time and try to reduce the weight of your backpack as much as possible, and take necessary and versatile items only.
From our experience, hikers tend to pack a bag weighing an average of about 15 kg (without the water), but as mentioned it is recommended to take as little as possible. There is no real difference in the equipment needed for the Jesus Trail from the one you need for other long hiking trails, so we will not go into further details here.
But keep in mind: the Jesus Trail is (usually) only a 4-days route. This means that you can be even more “stingy”, and take even fewer safety factors – the main goal is to be light as possible.
Another thing that is important to remember is that the trail passes mostly through urban areas, where there are many places to fill up water and stock up with food. In addition, you can definitely find sleeping accommodation options along the route at prices of less than 100 NIS (~$30) per night per person, avoid the hustle and support local businesses.
The Gospel Trail
It is important to note that there is another route called “the Gospel Trail”, marked by the Ministry of Tourism at the end of 2011. Similar to the Jesus Trail, the Gospel Trail begins in Nazareth, though not in the city center, but at Mount Precipice, and ends at the northwest shore of The Sea of Galilee. Its length is similar to the Jesus Trail – about 62 kilometers – but unlike it, it does not enter the city-centers of the settlements along the way but concentrates on walking in open areas and forests, and therefore bypasses settlements and many holy sites for Christianity.
The Gospel Trail received quite a lot of criticism from various sources, including the Israeli Society for the Protection of Nature. According to critics, the Jesus Trail is more successful than the new trail, both because of its landscapes and because of its suitability for the Christian target audience. It is unclear what made the Ministry of Tourism invest in this other route, probably done for political reasons, but we recommend sticking to the “original” version.
In any case, the Gospel Trail is marked along the route by a prestigious small stone tower on which the logo of the trail is stamped.
I just received the Jesus Trail Travel Guide. Great resource! However, I was expecting information on elevation gain. Seems to have been omitted from the book. Any available resources for the elevation gains on each stage?
Hi Cheri,
We are glad you liked the book, thank you for your purchase!
It is meant to support a hike using a map (probably a topographic one), so the elevations on each part of the trail are not detailed. But no need to worry, there are many free resources you can use, the best one is the free Jesus trail map, which also includes a great elevation chart!