Sea to Sea (Yam el Yam) Voyage Tips and guide

Sea to Sea (Hebrew ים אל ים) is a hiking trail in Israel, running from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee. It is usually a three- or four-day trip, and a pleasant way to experience the Upper Galilee. Most hikers walk it west to east, and many carry a small bottle of water from one sea to pour into the other at the end. Another tradition is to swim, or at least dunk your head, in both seas.

The trail is one of Israel’s classic long-distance hikes. It is not technically difficult, but it does require normal hiking fitness, navigation ability and the ability to carry food, water and overnight gear. Much of the route follows marked trails, dry streambeds, woodland paths and rural roads.

The hike is usually done from west to east, starting near the Mediterranean coast and ending at the Sea of Galilee. A three-day itinerary is possible for strong hikers, while a slower pace allows more time for rest, swimming and side trips.

Carry Israel Hiking Map Number 2, which covers the Galilee and is scaled 1:50,000. The printed map is accurate and uses the same colour system as the marked trails. Digital maps, including the Israel Hiking Map layer in OruxMaps, are useful, but should not be your only navigation source in case your phone battery runs out.

The trek can be done most of the year, except in winter after heavy rain and during the hottest part of summer. Spring is usually the best season, though the trail can be crowded during Passover, especially with youth groups. Check the weather during the week before departure. Several sections follow streambeds that are normally dry or muddy, but may become dangerous or impassable after heavy rain.

The trail is not suitable for baby carriages, wheelchairs or wheeled luggage. Hikers should carry their own gear in a backpack. Overnight plans should be arranged before starting, whether using campsites, legal camping areas, field schools, hostels or other accommodation.

Bring enough food for the whole trek unless your itinerary deliberately passes through towns or villages where supplies can be bought. Shops may be closed on Shabbat, holidays or outside normal hours, so do not rely on resupply without checking in advance.

A camping stove is useful if you plan to cook at night campsites. In dry weather, avoid open fires except where clearly permitted.

Water is usually available at the end of each day, and sometimes during the day at parks, campsites or nearby communities. Carry enough water for a full day, especially in warm weather.

Do not drink from rivers or springs without treatment, as they may be polluted. If using natural water, filter and disinfect it first.

Most hikers sleep at campsites or simple overnight areas near the route. Some itineraries can use nearby villages, field schools, hostels or guesthouses, but this requires planning and may involve short detours.

Carry sleeping gear appropriate to the season. Nights can be cool in the Galilee hills, especially in spring and autumn.

Spring is usually the best season, with mild weather and green landscapes. Autumn can also be good. Summer is hot, and winter rains can make streambeds muddy, flooded or unsafe.

Check the forecast before starting, and avoid canyon or streambed sections after heavy rain.

You can start on the Mediterranean side by one of two popular options. The first option starts from the shore at Achziv, six km north of Nahariyya on Route 4. From here you follow Nahal Kaziv. You can reach Achziv by bus or taxi from Nahariyya. The second option is to start the trek 20 km east and take a taxi or bus from Nahariyya to start somewhere on Nahal Kaziv. A good place is Goren where there is a picnic area. This second option allows for a shorter trip.

32°58′26″N 35°18′25″E

Sea to Sea trail

Day 1: Akziv to Ma'alot

 22 km

From the shore of 33.04827835.1026521 Akziv follow 33.04162235.2479612 Nahal Kaziv. The trail will be unmarked but you will know you are hiking on Kaziv because it is the only Nahal (riverbed) starting from the shore of Akziv. When Nahal Kaziv intersects Route 70 there will be a trail marked green. This trail follows Nahal Kaziv. Continue until you reach Ein Zev. From Ein Zev you can hike into 33.01666735.2708333 Ma’alot and sleep in a hostel or hike northeast of Ein Zev and camp in the national park there. Be aware that there is no water at the national park. There is water available 1 km south in the settlement of Abririm.

Day 2: Ma’alot to Mount Meron

 17 km

From Ma’alot the trail for Nahal Kaziv picks up again on the eastern side of the town at Ein Tabat. If you stayed at the national park you will need to follow the road from Abririm for about 5 km through the town of Elkosh. At the intersection of Routes 89 and 8944, about a kilometer south of Elkosh, the trail on Nahal Kaziv starts again. There is a gap in the trail following Nahal Kaziv from Ein Zev to Ein Tabat because that section of the Nahal is a wildlife sanctuary.

Continue following Kaziv until it forks at the intersection of an unmarked road. Follow the eastern trail. This is Nahal Neriya. Nahal Neriya will take you to the base of 32.99759535.4122014 Mount Meron. At this point, there is a campsite under the jurisdiction of the Nature and Parks Authority.

Day 3: Mount Meron to Safed

 18.1 km

From this point on you will be following the Israel National Trail.

Start the day with a short, intense climb to the top of Mount Meron. Meron is the second highest peak in Israel. On a clear day you can see all the way to Lebanon.

After hiking up and over Meron you will be on Nahal Meron which quickly connects to 32.88091935.5032645 Nahal Amud.

Once on Nahal Amud you can decide if you want to walk up the ridge into the city of 32.96583335.4983336 Safed to spend the night, or continue down Nahal Amud for another few kilometers and stay in one of the two campsites on the eastern side of the Nahal.

Day 4: Safed to The Sea of Galilee

 23 km

Follow Nahal Amud until you reach 32.854835.53467 The Sea of Galilee. This section of the trail running along Nahal Amud is very steep and dangerous. Be careful and take it slow. You will pass some ruins of pump stations built by the British before Israel was a state.

At the end of Nahal Amud the Israel National Trail will continue to Migdal. When you enter into a banana grove, stop following the Israel National Trail and walk to the east. You will see the Sea of Galilee and the town of Ginosar.

Sea to Sea is a very popular trip for Israelis. Generally, Israelis are open people. It is not uncommon to be offered a cup of coffee or to be joined for a meal while hiking on the trail. It is acceptable to camp in a farm; some of the trails even run right through them. The farmers do not mind as long as you are respectful of their land. The biggest threat to your trip will be the weather. Also, keep your distance from wild boars. They can be aggressive at defending their young.

Part of the trail passes close enough to the border with Lebanon as to theoretically be within the range of Hezbollah rockets. However, the situation in this conflict has been relatively calm since the 2006 war and it is unlikely that Hezbollah fires anything without any advance signs of escalation. The conflict in Syria is far enough away as to not be of any concern, but it might be if you head further eastwards to the Golan Heights.

Once you arrive at the Sea of Galilee you can take a bus to the destination of your choice. There are buses that run and have stops on Route 90 which runs along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. These can take you to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The alternative is to call a taxi and drive to Tiberias and take a bus to almost anywhere in the country. Be aware that buses do not run on Saturdays in Israel.