Deer forest at Odem, Golan Heights – Visitors Guide
The deer forest at Odem is known for its deer, camping, lodging facilities, and attractions for kids.
Table of Contents
Is Deer Forest Closed?
In the middle of October 2022, the following news article was aired. It stated that the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority took all deer due to the owner’s illegal activity. The official site does not say anything, so it is unclear whether they are open at this time. I suggest calling them before visiting.
Notes:
- Deer forest is also called Yaar Hayalim (in Hebrew) and Ayalim Forest (a mix of two languages).
- If you want additional info about animals and wildlife, check out Zoos and Aquariums in Israel.
Map
Deer Forest is located at Odem. You will see signs leading to this site as you enter this Moshav.
Directions for drivers: Link to Waze and Link to Google Maps
Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit
Interactive map of the area:
Offers:
- Hotels, hostels, and apartments in this area:
- Buy photos of Israel and support this blog.
- Get 10% off for your next tour at Bein Harim with coupon code LEV10#12306.
Opening Hours
Friday and 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 November 2022. In any case, recheck the official site before visiting.
Guided Tour at Yaar Hayalim
The deer forest at Odem is located on Golan heights, next to Self-Picking Odem. You can combine these attractions and have a fun day with the 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.
We visited Deer forest several years ago after Self-Picking Odem and, in the beginning, joined a guided tour.
In the beginning, our guide explained regarding different kinds of deer, ibexes, and goats. Who changes horns every year, and who is 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 pretty late (about 14:00), we stopped at that. Why did we stop? Not because there are no more attractions in the Deer forest, there are plenty of playgrounds and other stuff. As I mentioned, Deer forest and Self-Picking Odem 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, choose only one of those attractions.
Summary
Overall it is an excellent place, but not a cheap one. If you plan your visit, you can find coupons and deals online.
You can find various nearby attractions on the interactive map above.
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:- Trip Planner with Attractions and Itineraries is the page that will help you create your perfect travel route.
- What is the Best Time to visit Israel? To answer this question, we will consider the weather, prices, holidays, festivals, and more.
- Information and Tips for Tourists to Israel will answer the most common questions tourists have about Israel (including safety, passports, weather, currency, tipping, electricity, and much more).
- Israel National Parks and Nature Reserves include a complete list, top ten, map, tickets (Israel Pass, Matmon, combo), and campsites.
- If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, Akko (Acre), Eilat, Nazareth, Safed (Tzfat), and Makhtesh Ramon.
