Travelling Israel – Backpacking the Israel National Trail

Israel is a very attractive destination for tourists and backpackers.

The country offers diverse landscapes as well as abundant nature.

There are also many historical sites to visit, alongside modern cities and all kinds of modern technology.

Backpackers are presented with a wealth of touring options, ranging from lush countryside to desert, from mountainsides to seas and beaches.
There are numerous routes or trails in Israel, and many of these are mapped out.
Some are even accessible using Google Street View.

One of the longest and most important trails in Israel is the Israel National Trail, also known as the Shvil Yisrael.
This hiking route stretches the entire length of the land, running through a multitude of notable sites along the way.
Backpackers can do the entire route from North to South or select certain parts of the trail to navigate.  Famous and popular locations along the trail include the Sea of Galilee, Makhtesh Ramon, as well as the fascinating cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

The Shvil Yisrael starts at Kibbutz Dan close to the Israel-Lebanon border, and descends all the way down to Eilat located on the Gulf Aqaba.
Hikers tackling the trail will experience a diversity of cultures and a fantastic variety of flora and fauna. It truly is a wonderful hiking adventure, so much so that National Geographic recently named it as one of the 20 top hiking trails in the world.

Measuring an impressive 1100km, the Shvil Yisrael is managed by the Israel Trails Committee and can actually be viewed on Google Street View. The way is maintained and marked, and you may even bump into one of the “trail angels”.  Some parts of the trail are more travelled than others, meaning that there are some genuine areas of wilderness for the more intrepid backpackers.

In brief, the Shvil Trail offers an amazing experience for backpackers in Israel.