Located at the Northwestern edge of Israel, just south of the border with Lebanon, are the magnificent Rosh Hanikra Grottoes, one of the most popular and beautiful sites you can find in Israel. Here, you can find all of the important information about visiting Rosh Hanikra, with its multitude of attractions, places to visit, and interesting natural phenomena.
How were the Rosh Hanikra Grottoes formed?
Rosh Hanikra Grottoes are essentially the results of a relationship of thousands of years between the rocks and the sea. Several underground shocks that had occurred through the years, had created many cracks in the rocks here. The rainwater that accumulated here penetrated through these cracks into the heart of the rocks, melting and expanding them until they created holes and small caves inside. The sea waves breaking into the cracks continue the work of expansion to this day, grinding the rocks and carving shapes into them.
Best ways to experience Rosh Hanikra
Tour the grottoes
Of course, the biggest highlight of Rosh Hanikra is the stunning Rosh Hanikra Grottoes. In the past, it was only possible to reach the Nekrot by swimming, but today they can be easily reached by a cable car, which descends to them from a height of 70 meters/230 feet above sea level at an angle of 60 degrees, making it the shortest and steepest cable car in the world.
The ride itself is only 1.5 minutes, and after going down, you can start exploring the grottoes. During the short walk, you’ll see the spectacular turquoise waters, alongside impressive caves, arches, and other unique rock formations, while hearing the loud waves crash on the rocks at all times. In addition, you might see pigeons and Rock hyraxes, who often reside around here.
If you want an even more unique experience in the grottoes, you can visit Rosh Hanikra at night. At specific times of the year, the site is open at night time, with unique light displays on the grottoes and rock formations, for an incredible experience to remember, especially beloved among children. The night tour is only available in pre-registration, mostly during summer.
See the old British train tunnels
During world war 2, which took place at the time of the British mandate (1918-1948) in Israel, the British rule needed a convenient, cheap, and efficient transportation line from Egypt to Europe through the Land of Israel, to easily transport soldiers and weapons to the frontline. Therefore, they decided to connect trains from Egypt to Europe through Israel, Lebanon, and Turkey. Here, you can see a part of the railroads. At the time, the British decided to build the railroads through the cliff of Rosh Hanikra and not over it. And so, with a tremendous effort, two tunnels of about 190 meters in length were dug here, and between them, a bridge stretched over the opening of the biggest cave in Rosh Hanikra was built.
During your visit here, you can explore the area of the northern tunnel, which had remained unchanged to this day. In addition, inside the tunnel, you can watch a short and impressive display about the history of Rosh Hanikra. The 10-minute display tells the story of the place and visually presents the creation of the grottoes. It includes very unique photography angles, and among the original photographs you can see how the railway tunnels were cut and how the railway bridge was blown up during Israel’s War of Independence in 1947-1948.
Other Rosh Hanikra attractions
In addition to the cable car, there are various other attractions in Rosh Hanikra. Those include a guided train ride, which goes from Rosh Hanikra to the nearby Achziv Beach, and back, through the area’s beautiful landscape. During the ride, you will hear interesting explanations about the formation of the grottoes and the region’s history. In addition, you can rent bicycles or electric cars, and ride on the beautiful Rosh Hanikra Promenade, going along the coast with stunning views all around.
Best places to visit nearby
Rosh Hanikra promenade
After your visit to the Rosh Hankara Nature Reserve, we strongly recommend going to the Rosh Hankira Promenade. Here you can go on a short, circular walk with stunning views all around. The blue-marked trail starts at the beginning of the promenade and passes at the edge of the cliff from where you can see the nearby beach and the cliffs of Rosh Hanikra from a different angle. It is highly recommended to visit here at sunset time when the area is painted in amazing colors. It is important to note that swimming here is prohibited.
Betzet Beach
A five-minute drive from Rosh Hanikra, is Beztet Beach, the northernmost beach in Israel. Beztet Beach is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Israel and is known as a beach that is popular among sea turtles, who tend to lay their eggs on the beach. The entrance to the beach is free, and from here, you can have a great look at the cliffs of Rosh Hanikra, as well as several islands, which lie not far from the beach. It is also one of the best beaches in the country for camping, with several options including glamping and RV rental. so if you want to stay overnight here, you are in for a great experience.
