Deer forest at Odem is located on Golan heights, next to berries (mostly cherries) picking farm. You can combine these attractions and have a fun day with kids. I said kids since Deer Forest is targeted at families with young children. There are various attractions for kids and not so many for adults who love animals.
Notes:
- Deer forest is also called Yaar Hayalim (in Hebrew), and Ayalim Forest (mix of two languages).
- If you want to find additional info about animals and wildlife, then check out Zoos and Aquariums in Israel.
Map
Dears Forest is located at Odem. As you enter this Moshav, you will see signs that lead you to this site.
Map of the area:
Opening Hours
Friday- 9:00 – 16:00
Saturday- 9:00 – 16:00
Entrance Fee
Adult (above twelve years old) – 25 NIS
Child (2 – 12) – 50 NIS
You can also stay overnight at the Deer forest. There are places for tents (270 NIS for a tent platform for up to three people. Moreover, there are two types of huts (550 NIS or 750 NIS per night).
Note: the opening hours and the entrance fee were updated in March 2020. In any case, recheck the official site before visiting.
Guided Tour at Yaar Hayalim
In the beginning, our guide explained to us about different kinds of deers, ibexes, and goats. Who changes horns every year and who was Bambi. It was a nice, 30-40 minutes tour. Here are some photos from the tour:
After the tour, we went to the petting corner. There are turtles, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other animals.
In the end, we did some pony riding, and since it was quite late (about 2 pm), we stopped at that. Why did we stop? Not because there no more attractions in the Deer forest, there are plenty of playgrounds and other stuff. As I mentioned in the beginning, Deer forest and Odem harvesting can be combined. But, this is more adequate for older children that do not have a day nap. So, if your toddler is still having a day nap, then choose only one of those attractions.
Summary
Overall it is an excellent place, but not a cheap one. If you are planning your visit, then you can find coupons and deals online.
That’s all for today, and I’ll see you in future travels!
Stay Tuned!
Additional Resources
Here are several resources that I created to help travelers:
- Israel Trip Planner is the page that will help you to create your perfect travel route.
- National Parks And Nature Reserves page lists and put all national parks on the map. There is also a top list, information about ticket types and campsites.
- If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, and Makhtesh Ramon.
- Wondering what events are there in Israel? Here is the Events And Festivals By Season guide.
And if you have any questions then check out Useful Information For Tourists To Israel.
