22- 25 May 2017, Masar Ibrahim - Spring Northern Part
The Masar Ibrahim al Khalil offers travelers the rare opportunity to go beyond the headlines and the stereotypes, to get away from the ordinary Holy Land tours, and to explore for themselves the remarkable landscape, hospitable people and compelling historical sites of Palestine. The Masar (‘The Path’) provides a chance for visitors to be welcomed into ordinary Palestinian homes; to share traditional homemade meals and listen to stories of traditions and customs; and to learn about the daily lives, concerns, and hopes of the people. Palestine is an extraordinary land. Take the first step to walk the Masar, and you are guaranteed to be rewarded with a life-enhancing experience.
The northern trail starts in Nablus and ends in Taybeh, and is based on four days of walking with mini bus transfers to and from the trail.
More information: http://masaribrahim.ps/en/
Itinerary
Day One:
Meet at the Jerusalem Hotel, 4 Anatara Ben Shaddad St., East Jerusalem, near the Damascus Gate for an early morning transfer to Nablus.
Walk to Tel Balata, site of the Bronze Age city of Shechem,
In the afternoon, transfer to Huwara, on the outskirts of Nablus, then continue walking to Awarta. The village is 8 km southeast of Nablus.
Total walking time: 3 hours
Distance: 10.2 km
Difficulty: Easy
Overnight: Local host families
Day Two:
Leave Awarta in the morning for a full day’s walk to Duma, visiting Jabal Awurma and the villages of Aqraba.
Walk through Majdal and Bani Fadil along the way.
Total walking time: 5 – 7 hours
Distance: 18.6 km
Difficulty: Moderate - Difficult
Overnight: Local host families
Day Three:
Walk from Duma to Kafr Malek
Pass through the village of Mughayyar to visit Ain Samia.
Total walking time: 5 – 7 hours
Distance: 14.9 km
Difficulty: Moderate - Difficult
Overnight: Local host families
Day Four:
Hike from Kafr Malek to Taybeh.
Visit Taybeh Brewery and taste local beer
Late afternoon transfer back to Jerusalem or Bethlehem.
Total walking time: 5 – 7 hours
Distance: 14.4 km
Difficulty: Moderate - Difficult
More Information:
http://www.walkpalestine.com/files/Walking_in_Palestine_North.pdf
Highlights
Day One:
Take a walking tour of the ancient city of Nablus
Visit the olive oil soap factory
Taste Nablus’ delicious ‘kanafeh’
Walk to Tel Balata, where Abraham arrived in the Land of Canaan
Explore the Greek Orthodox Church and Jacob's well
Dine on a traditional Palestinian dinner in Awarta
Day Two:
Visit Jabal Awurma and the villages around Aqraba
See the mosque in Aqraba, which was originally a Byzantine-era church.
Day Three:
Hike alongside the deep, rocky wadi to the natural springs of Ain Samia
Visit the archaeological site of Ain Samia.
Enjoy local food and evening conversation with local families in Kafr Malek
Meet members of the local women’s union.
Day Four:
Hike along the edge of a high plateau and enjoy spectacular views of the Great Rift Valley,
Visit the historic village of Taybeh, a majority Christian town
Tour the first microbrewery in the Middle East, one of the only breweries in Palestine
Visit the ruins of the 4th century Greek Orthodox ancient church of St. George.
Route
- Jerusalem