Adventure through Gush Etzion
July 5th 2012
Israel may be best known for its religious and historical sites, but travelers in the know have discovered that the country is also an adventure lover’s heaven. After visiting Jerusalem, head just south into the Judean Hills to a cluster of settlements known as Gush Etzion. In this unassuming area, visitors can embark on a zip line adventure, rappel down cliffs, go ATVing through the Jerusalem Hills, and finish up the day with a satisfying tour and tasting at a local brewery.
Get some serious adventure credibility by zooming down the world’s second longest zip line (aka omega) at Deer Land Park. Pick up tremendous speed as you zip down an exhilarating 600 meters of slope, at 120 meters above the surface, through lush wildlife. It’s sure to get your adrenaline pumping! The park offers shorter zip lines that kids and beginners will love as well.
In addition to the zip line, there are plenty of other family-friendly activities to choose from at Deer Land Park. Visitors can select between rock climbing, bungee trampolining, paintballing, a ropes course, 4×4 jeep adventures, a petting zoo, a carousel, and much, much more!
For those seeking even more extreme adventure, head to the Shilat Cliff, a beautiful and steep ridge in the Ben Shemen Forest with a running stream below. Go rappelling and/or top rope rock climbing down the cliff for a real thrill, led by experts. Larger groups can even request to have a special zip line built from the top of the cliff down to the bottom.
Next, continue your adventure sitting down with an ATV trip around special off-road trails in the Jerusalem Mountains. See the area’s most breathtaking and exhilarating terrain from a unique perspective, between forests and rivers and along the villages of Motza and Beit Zeit.
Driving has never been so fun! Kids can take part in the fun too by riding with adults, and everyone is provided with the appropriate safety equipment like helmets and goggles.
Finally, after a long day of exploration, fun, and physical exertion, there’s nothing like a delicious, cold beer. One of the many impressive new microbreweries to open in Israel, Lone Tree Brewery offers a variety of traditional ales, all of which are kosher l’mehadrin. Founded by immigrants from Tunisia, Scotland and the United States, the brewery offers tours and tastings and is the perfect place to unwind from your exhilarating Israeli adventures.
