Nestled between Israel and Jordan, where the Yarmouk River meets the Jordan River, Naharayim Park (Peace Island) is a scenic park that offers visitors a variety of scenic and historical tours through the Jordan Valley.
Credit: Heritage Conservation Project Trains Pikiwiki Israel, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Naharayim Park Tour
So the tour of Naharayim Park itself goes along the giant dams and tunnels built in the area over 80 years ago by Pinhas Rutenberg, with a particular focus on the Michal Observation Point, a splendid overlook located in Israel with an overview of the significant locations which will be presented during the tour:
- The confluence of the Jordan and Yarmouk rivers, a location which is at the origin of the name Naharayim (“two rivers”).
- Ashdot Yaakov is an impressive electrical power plant established in Israel on the Jordanian border near Naharayim.
- Tel Or and Betei HaPitrya, where the workers in the power plant resided.
- The vast lake and upper water canal supplied water to the giant turbines.
- The location of the “White House,” where Golda Meir met with Emir Abdullah before the Independence War, was destroyed by the IDF during the War of Attrition in 1969.
In addition, you can also visit the observation point of Tel Shaharit, west of Highway 90, overlooking the Golan and Gilad Mountains to the east, the kibbutzim of the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee to the north, the Jordanian villages, the confluence of the Jordan and Yarmouk rivers, and the Great Rift Valley.
Sea of Galilee Cemetery Tour
This unique nostalgic tour follows in the footsteps of the poetesses Rachel and Naomi Shemer through the eucalyptus forest and the Sea of Galilee Cemetery.
War Stories Tour
This tour covers the Independence War in the Jordan Valley, the Syrian conflict and the story of the tank in Degania, the story of the mythos, and more.
The Commemoration Site at the Island of Peace
Located on the border between the two countries, Naharayim Park is dedicated, among other things, to Israel-Jordan relations. The park features a beautifully maintained commemoration site in memory of seven Israeli girls shot to death in 1997 by Ahmed Daqamseh. This Jordanian soldier was in the area while the girls were visiting the site as part of a school field trip.
The monument is constructed of seven dirt mounds surrounded by grass, and on each of these, the name of one of the victims is planted with live flowers.
Furthermore, Naharayim Park also offers informative and enriching experiences that combine history, Zionism, and amazing landscapes for adults and children alike.
The tours are given by local experienced tour guides and must be booked in advance. There are shaded huts, grass areas, parking facilities, toilets, and a snack bar on site, and Kosher lunches can be arranged for groups. Here is a link to their website.