December 8, 2010, Updated September 13, 2012

From birdwatching on a major migration route, to staying at an eco-friendly B&B, tourists to Israel can have a great time traveling with minimal impact on the environment.

Environmental tourism is on the upswing in Israel, especially in the Galilee region in the north. Tourists and locals alike are traveling the country and enjoying activities that have minimal impact on the environment and build cultural and environmental awareness.

“Green” lodging, organic eateries, biking and hiking trails, bird-watching sites, ecological study tours – all these and more are springing up across the country.

Ecotourism in the Galilee

Photo by Yossi Zamir/Flash 90.
Environmental tourism is growing fast in Israel’s beautiful Galilee region.

A good example is Hemdatya, situated on a Galilee moshav called Sedra Ilaniya. It’s a small, five-room, bed and breakfast in carefully restored stone farm buildings from the early 20th century. The complex includes vineyards, goats and seasonal organic vegetable gardens, providing food and wine for the guests.

This eco-friendly holiday spot, which also boasts green building methods and water reclamation, was one of the first farms in Israel started by Jews returning to their homeland in the late 19th century.

ISRAEL21c’s Harvey Stein visited Hemdatya, where he learned that its vision is to be a “window to a simpler past.”

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