Touring Israel with a tour guide

The Great White Pelican It is pelican migration season in Israel & the Hula Valley is one of the best places in the world to witness it. Each autumn, tens of thousands of Great White Pelicans descend on the valley’s wetlands in a spectacular stopover on their long journey south. 🌍  Pelicans thrive in shallow freshwater lakes, marshes & fish-filled wetlands, which is why the Hula Valley, with its restored habitats, is such an essential refuelling point on their route. 🍽️  Their diet is almost entirely fish. In Israel, wildlife authorities coordinate with local fishponds to provide feeding stations, helping to protect commercial fisheries & keep the pelicans healthy during migration. 🛫  These pelicans migrate from Europe & western Asia to warmer wintering grounds in Africa. Israel sits on the Great Rift Valley flyway, used by around 500 million birds each year. ⚠️  Adult pelicans have few natural predators, but chicks & eggs can be threatened by ...

The Narcissus - blooming across Israel right now! One of my winter favourites, the Narcissus appears across the country after the first rains. It thrives in both woodland & open areas, especially in the Galilee, Carmel, Judean foothills & northern Negev, emerging in clusters from damp hollows. 🐝 Attracting bees, hoverflies & other nectar-seekers when little else is flowering, with its strong scent & bright inner corona, it flowers from late November to January 🌼 Identification White petals with a golden-yellow cup Sweet, unmistakable fragrance The myth of Narcissus, is a well-known story from Greek mythology - of the man falling in love with his own reflection. In some rabbinic interpretations, the Narcissus story is used as a parable to discuss themes of vanity & the importance of humility #Narcissus #IsraelNature #WildflowersOfIsrael #WinterBloom #NaturePhotography #IsraelHikes #Botany #MediterraneanFlora #FlowerSeason #NatureLovers #imagineisraeltour...

The  Canaan Dog Israel’s national dog & one of the world’s oldest surviving landraces**, was developed in the early 20th century from semi-wild desert dogs that roamed the hills & deserts of the ancient land of Canaan.   This agile & alert breed traces its lineage back to biblical times; they were the watchdogs of ancient villages, caravans & shepherding communities, living on the edges of early Israelite settlements. 🌍 Traditionally found in the deserts of the Negev & Judean regions , the Canaan Dog thrived in a landscape of rocky hills, sparse vegetation & extreme temperatures. Their natural independence & intelligence come directly from surviving in the wild. A medium-sized dog (about 50–60 cm tall; 18–25 kg) it has upright ears, & a short dense coat built for Israel’s climate. ⚠️  Historically threatened by wolves, hyenas & other desert carnivores, the Canaan Dog has evolved to be alert, agile & exceptionall...

Shaggy Inkcap Season in Israe l After the first proper rains, the Shaggy Inkcap mushroom (Coprinus comatus) begins appearing across Israel’s parks, open fields, roadside verges & damp grassy patches. It's one of the most distinctive fungi you will see in early winter.   It develops very quickly after rain, sometimes erupting overnight! 🔍 You can identify it by its white, cylindrical cap covered in shaggy scales & it's thin white stem. The cap gradually turns black & “melts” into an inky liquid as it matures, & the  cap auto digests. This process is known as  deliquescence & the  “ink” helps release its spores. 🌧️ These mushrooms thrive in moist soil after rainfall & are found in both  gardens & the edges of woodland, often in small 'family' groups. 🍽️ As a 'saprophytic fungus', it feeds by breaking down organic matter in the soil, helping to recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem. 🦊 Various insects, slugs & small mamma...

Solomon's Gate at Tel Megiddo  Last week I led an enthusiastic group to  Tel Megiddo , one of the most strategically important sites in ancient Israel. Megiddo controlled the Via Maris , the international trade & military route linking Egypt with Mesopotamia. Whoever held Megiddo effectively controlled movement through the northern approaches. One of the clearest indicators of Megiddo’s significance is the six-chambered gate often attributed to the Solomonic period (tenth century BCE) . These monumental gateways appear at three major sites *Tel Megiddo *Tel Gezer *Tel Hazor An identical architectural pattern across all three locations provides strong evidence for a centralised construction programme , matching the biblical description of Solomon’s fortification projects. The gates stand out due to their symmetry, their massive blocks & their defensive measures, which allowed guards to control entry, trap intruders in a confined space & protect the city with mult...

Simon says: "Let's Tour!" Last week Imagine Israel Tours led a fabulous group, all from ourhome town of Zichron Ya'akov. One of the sites we visited was the Palmach Cave The cave, the forest & Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek where the cave is located, served as one of the first and permanent bases of the Palmach It was used as a place for Palmach units to stay, for conferences, courses, training & commanders' meetings. In particular, the members of the German (1942), Arab (1943), Pilots' (1944-48) & Special Rangers' (1944-48) platoons of the Palmach camped in the cave In 1942, the place served as a training base, in view of the danger of the occupation of the Land of Israel by the armies of Nazi Germany & Fascist Italy. Today, the place serves as a centre for passing on the Palmach heritage to groups & IDF soldiers. The cave was restored by the #meggidoregionalcouncil & the Society for Preservation of Israel Heritage Sites - SPIHS Visits are...