Bikepacking Israel
Manara Region
Current Tourism in the Area
The Finger of the Galilee has long been known for its extensive array of attractions, drawing millions of tourists annually. The primary demographic consists of families with children and relatively young travelers seeking the diverse activities offered in the region. In winter, the area attracts tourists heading to Mount Hermon for ski vacations.
To meet the growing demand, the "Travel Hotels" chain has tailored its offerings to suit northern Israel's travelers. Of the nine hotels owned by the chain, six are located in the Eastern Galilee.
To prevent overuse of existing attractions, there is a pressing need to develop new attractions, revitalize and refresh existing ones, and build new accommodations that align with tourist demand, as exemplified by Travel Hotels.
Accommodation in the Finger of the Galilee
To enhance existing tourism while attracting new visitors, we aim to promote sustainable tourism and ecological development that preserves the environment. This includes establishing new lodging facilities featuring alternative accommodations, such as glamping sites, caravansaries, and RV-friendly campgrounds.
Significant Elevation Differences: A 740-meter vertical drop from the top cable car station to the bottom station.
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Cable Car Accessibility: A critical component for a successful bike park, enabling multiple runs (downhill rides followed by cable car ascents). This approach mirrors European ski resorts that convert into bike parks during the summer, ensuring year-round activity.
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Optimal Terrain for Trail Construction: Natural elements suitable for creating diverse and exciting trails.
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At the base of the mountain, a range of cycling trails will be created to accommodate all skill levels, from children and beginners to professional riders and international competitions. While similar trails were previously built in the area, lack of maintenance has rendered them unusable.
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Attractions Development
The primary attraction under development is cycling, including road biking, mountain biking, and enduro trails. After consulting experts, the ideal area for developing this sector has been identified along the ridge stretching from Manara to Kiryat Shmona, due to:
Rock Climbing and Rope-Based Activities
In addition to cycling, rock climbing, rappelling, and via ferrata trails have seen significant growth in recent years. The physical terrain and mountain structure allow for the creation of dozens of new climbing routes, permanent rope parks, and ziplines, making the site one of the largest in the world and a central hub for the sport in Israel.
Manara Cliff Attractions Complex in Kiryat Shmona
At the former site of the Manara Cliff attractions, a new complex will be built to meet the current needs of tourists. The main target audience includes families with children, youth groups, cyclists, climbers, and more. The complex will feature:
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A large rope park with stations for all skill levels.
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Bike trails for all levels, along with a bike rental and sales shop.
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Team-building activities such as archery and additional group games.
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Electric ATV rentals with dedicated trails to minimize environmental impact and avoid conflicts with road traffic or cyclists.
Manara Kibbutz
Within the kibbutz grounds, a modern glamping site will be developed to meet tourist demand. The site will feature high-quality tents with bathrooms and showers, panoramic views of the valley and Mount Hermon, shared kitchen areas, a café offering food and drinks, and an evening pub. The glamping site will attract mountain bikers from around the world eager to enjoy the local enduro trails, climbers tackling the rappelling and climbing routes, and families seeking alternative tourism to traditional lodging.
Bike Park
The Manara Cliff Complex will serve as the starting point for one of the world’s largest bike parks.
Rope-Based Cliff Activities: Rappelling, climbing, and ziplines of varying lengths, restoring the site's former activities.
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Caravan Park: Addressing the growing demand for RV-friendly campgrounds, complete with basic infrastructure such as charging stations and water refill points.
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Glamping Site: A large glamping area with high visitor capacity, offering affordable options for families and groups.
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Food Truck-Based Bar: A casual bar and dining area with food trucks for daytime visitors, transforming into a night pub for local students and residents.
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Bike Trails for Enduro Riders: Several downhill bike trails will start from this station and end at the base attraction complex.
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Laser Tag and Paintball Arena: A fun, action-packed area for groups and families.
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Attractions at the Midway Cable Car Station
At the cable car’s midway station, the region’s largest attractions center will be developed, including:
Regional Cycling Trails
To expand the cycling offerings, a regional map of Northern Israel will be published, featuring trails of varying difficulty levels. Some trails will focus on downhill enduro riding, while others will cover longer distances, connecting the three main project anchors.
To address logistical challenges, such as the need for circular trails, we will establish point-to-point trails with organized stops featuring attractions, visitor centers, food trucks, and restaurants. During weekends and holidays, shuttle services will operate hourly to transport tourists and their bikes between these stops.
This model, common in international bike parks, incorporates attractions along trails, overnight camping, and organized transportation. For instance, a family cycling from Manara Cliff could stop in Rosh Pina for local dining or attractions before catching a shuttle. These trails will significantly boost the local economy and support regional businesses.
Tourism at Mount Hermon
Mount Hermon, Israel’s only ski resort, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors during its short winter season. However, in other months, visitor numbers drop dramatically. To utilize its tourism potential, cycling trails will be developed, descending from the mountain’s summit to the valley. These trails will cater to road cyclists, downhill riders, and first-time visitors.
A lower parking area will serve as the starting point, with shuttles transporting tourists and their bikes to the summit. Stops along the way will include sites such as Nimrod Fortress, local restaurants in Majdal Shams, and scenic viewpoints like Saar Falls. The activity fee will include entrance to Nimrod Fortress, coffee at local restaurants, and more.
Tourism Complex in Rosh Pina / Hatzor HaGlilit
One challenge in the north is the lack of a closed event hall for winter performances, exhibitions, and conferences. As part of this initiative, we will build such a facility to serve both residents and tourists.
The facility will include:
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Multipurpose event halls
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Winter-friendly dining areas and snack stations
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Interactive attractions for group activities, including cutting-edge AR, VR, and OR technologies
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Additional features like ninja courses and sports activities.
Kinneret Region
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