Ramat Hanadiv is a complex of gardens and a nature park spread over 4,500 dunams (about 450 hectares / 1,100 acres), located south of Zichron Ya’akov. The site was established around the burial plot of Baron Edmond de Rothschild and serves as his memorial.
The garden is an enclosed complex with free entry (there’s a parking fee).
In the nature park surrounding the garden, three walking trails have been prepared: the Manor Trail, the Spring Trail and the Vultures Trail. The names of the trails hint at what you can expect to encounter along them.
General Information
Opening hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 8:00 to 16:00 Friday: 8:00 to 14:00 On Saturdays and Jewish holidays the burial cave is closed. I recommend checking the opening hours on the official website, click here to go there. Update, September 2021: From Wednesday, September 1, 2021, parking fees are charged at Ramat Hanadiv.
- Private car: ₪25 per day
- Area residents and senior citizens*: ₪10 per day
- Soldiers in compulsory service, national civic service volunteers, people with disabilities (on presentation of the appropriate certificate), free
Facilities:
The Ramat Hanadiv complex has: a restaurant, a kiosk, a picnic area, a playground and an information shop.
In addition, every half hour on the hour a film presenting the story of Ramat Hanadiv and the story of Baron Rothschild is screened at the visitor center.
These days a sustainability garden is being built, which is also due to open in the complex in the nature park area.
Entry to the Hanadiv Gardens and the nature park is free. For more information, visit the Ramat Hanadiv website.
The Hanadiv Gardens: The Memorial Gardens
In the gardens you can see lawns, sculpted trees, roses and seasonal flowers.
Along the route the gardens are woven together: the Cascade Garden, the Rose Garden, the Palm Garden and the Fragrance Garden.
The garden grounds also contain the ‘amphitheater’, where concerts are held, and the burial cave located in the center of the gardens.
The Cascade Garden:
This garden is another viewing window from the gardens, facing west toward the Mediterranean. The cascades reminded me of the Tivoli gardens near Rome.
The Fragrance Garden:
The garden is designed especially for the blind and visually impaired, and engages additional senses: fragrant herbs, plants with a unique texture that can be felt by touch, the sound of trickling water in the fountain at the center of the garden, the rustle of the wind in the leaves.
Respect the rules of the place:
- No dogs allowed.
- No smoking in the gardens.
- No food allowed in the gardens.
Ramat Hanadiv: Walking Trails
In the nature park you’ll find several options for circular trails at different difficulty levels.
The trails pass through spectacular viewpoints, a hidden spring, ancient settlement sites, sheep grazing areas and more.
You can walk in the nature park with dogs, but on a leash.
The three main trails are marked in green, red and blue.
The Red Trail at Ramat Hanadiv, The Long Trail.
The trail is also called the Manor Trail. It starts and ends at the trail junction at the entrance to the nature park. Trail time: 1.5 hours, slow pace but without stops. Trail length: 4 kilometers (2.5 miles). Terrain: Easy, suitable for families. Not suitable for strollers. Points of interest along the way: An ancient quarry, the cypress grove, Horvat Aqav (ruins) and a viewpoint over the Carmel coastal plain. Note, most of the trail is exposed to the sun, so it’s best not to walk it on very hot days.
The Blue Trail at Ramat Hanadiv, The Short Trail.
The trail is also called the Spring Trail. It starts and ends at the trail junction at the entrance to the nature park.
Trail time: An hour, slow pace without stops.
Trail length: 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles).
Terrain: Easy, suitable for families.
There’s a small ascent and descent.
Not suitable for strollers.
Points of interest along the way: Ein Tzur spring, a shaded stream, viewpoints toward the Hanadiv Valley and the Samarian hills, reconstructed ancient farmland and remains of a farmhouse from the Ottoman period.
Ein Tzur
Ein Tzur is a water tunnel within the grounds of Ramat Hanadiv park. The water from the Ein Tzur tunnel flows through an ancient aqueduct to the Ein Tzur spring pool. This pool was built by the settlers of Tel Tzur in 1939 to 1943. The pool is suitable for bathing on hot days; the water depth reaches up to 1.2 meters (4 feet). Next to the pool stand the remains of a Roman bathhouse that used the water of Ein Tzur. If you don’t want to walk the whole blue trail, you can reach the spring from the car park of the ORT Binyamina school (follow the Israel National Trail markers from the school car park).
The Green Trail at Ramat Hanadiv, The Challenging Trail.
The trail is also called the Vultures Trail. It starts with black markings from the trail junction at the entrance to the nature park, and it’s circular. Trail time: 2.5 hours, regular pace without stops. Trail length: 4 kilometers (2.5 miles). Terrain: Challenging, suitable for families who are good walkers. Points of interest along the way: Dense Palestine oak woodland, viewpoints toward the Carmel coastal plain, a prehistoric cave that’s home to bats, and an acclimatization cage for birds of prey. Note, the trail has cliffs about a meter and a half (5 feet) high that you need to climb down. My dog couldn’t get down the cliff (kids and adults shouldn’t have a problem, as there are hand- and footholds).
Places to Stay in the Area
If you’re planning to visit the park and then stay overnight in the area, I’ve gathered recommendations for places to stay nearby.
Luxury accommodation
The Elma Hotel is located in Zichron Ya’akov and offers spacious rooms with a beautiful view toward the coast.
The hotel has a spa center including an outdoor pool and an indoor pool.
Standard accommodation
Tzimmer HaMeyasdim 36 is located in Zichron Ya’akov and offers a terrace and guest units with a kitchenette and free Wi-Fi.
The on-site restaurant serves a range of Argentinian dishes.
Camping
A 20-minute drive away is the overnight campground of HaBonim Beach.
The overnight campground has toilets, a kiosk and a stunning beach. Overnight stays are paid (free for holders of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority’s Matmon annual pass).
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