Palestine, also known as the ‘sacred bridge’ for its historical role as the only way to travel between Egypt and Mesopotamia, is now a popular destination for hiking. The dry riverbeds of Wadis, once part of the trade routes, now provide a perfect terrain for hikers to explore the ancient history, indigenous plant, and animal life of the region. However, many Palestinians are surprised by the developing trend of Europeans coming to Palestine for hiking, as some are forced to walk in circuitous routes around checkpoints and fences on a daily basis to access their homes, places of work, or education. Despite this, hiking has sparked a new trend among Palestinian university students for ‘tajawal’ or hiking.
The Abraham Path: Connecting the Places Associated with Biblical Patriarch Abraham
The Abraham Path (Masar Ibrahim al-Khalil), the most famous of Palestine’s increasingly popular hiking trails, is a 170km route that connects the places associated with Biblical patriarch, Abraham. Conceived just over a decade ago by William Ury, an academic working in the field of negotiation at Harvard University, the motivation behind the path was to connect the places associated with Abraham, an important figure in each of the three monotheistic faiths. The path stretching all the way to Mecca is a possibility that lies far off in the future. However, the route, dominated by Palestinian agricultural life, permeated by the smell of citrus fruits, or scattered with wild dates and olive pickers, remains unchanged since Biblical times: rural hospitality.
The Turkish, Jordanian, and West Bank Paths
The Abraham Path begins with the 170km Turkish Path through SE Anatolia, which highlights ancient Mesopotamia, including Gobekh Tepe (the world’s oldest discovered temple), and Harran’s beehive house architecture. The route offers plenty of opportunities for homemade meals at rural homestays. Next, is the 58km Jordanian path through the NW of the country, which offers spectacular panoramas from the hill country of Northern Jordan’s olive and fig orchards. The path isn’t short of historical interest either, with Ajloun’s Crusader Castle, and Byzantine ruins.
The walk for history enthusiasts is the 182km West Bank Path, which stretches from Nabus to the ancient city of Hebron. Jericho’s ancient desert castle and Temptation Mount is followed by the desert monastery of Mar Saba and Bethlehem. The two-day trail from Bethlehem through the desert to Hebron offers spectacular Rift Valley views and a chance to see a very different side of this area frequently featured in the international media.
The Nativity Trail Walking Tour: An 11-Day Epic Journey
The most famous hiking trail in Palestine is the Nativity Trail Walking Tour, which stretches from Nazareth to Bethlehem. This 11-day walking tour is one of the most famous Biblical epic journeys, the trek which Joseph and Mary took from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. It is inadvisable to attempt this trail without a guide to keep you on track. It’s a good idea to have some experience in hiking, or at least to be physically fit before this trail. Six to nine hours are spent on the trail per day, and the terrain is sometimes challenging, often involving hilly climbs and rough, rocky ground.
The Nativity Trail runs through predominantly agricultural areas of Palestine, offering spectacular views of the silver olive groves of the Palestinian hills. The route also guarantees plenty of invites for cups of sweet tea with hillside farmers, Bedouin shepherds, and olive pickers, as well as the chance for home stays in Bedouin tents.
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