Ein Hemed (Aqua Bella) is a lovely place for a family visit. There are picnic tables, greenery, water, and archeology. Moreover, many photographers visit this park during autumn due to the foliage.
Table of Contents
Map
Ein Hemed National Park is close to Castel, and both are situated not far from Jerusalem.
Directions for drivers: Link to Waze and Link to Google Maps
Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit
Interactive map of the area:
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You will receive a brochure at the entrance with info about this park. And here is the map from the official booklet.
Note: you can click on the map to enlarge it.
Trail
A red circular trail is marked on the map of the park. The length of this trail is about 1.5 km, and walking usually takes about one hour at a slow pace.
Opening Hours
Sunday – Thursday and Saturday: 8:00 – 17:00 (16:00 in winter).
Friday: 8:00 – 16:00 (15:00 in winter).
On holidays eves usually 8:00 – 13:00.
Note: since the pandemic, Israel Nature and Parks Authority has started to limit the number of people in each park. Thus, reservations are recommended through the official site (you can find the link below).
Entrance Fee
Adult 22 NIS, child 9 NIS, and student 19 NIS. Free for National Parks annual subscribers.
If you visit several National Parks, then consider purchasing a combo ticket. You can find additional info at National Parks And Nature Reserves.
Note: opening hours and ticket prices were updated in December 2022. In any case, recheck the official site before visiting.
Contact Information
Phone: 02-5342741
Email: gl.ein-hemed@npa.org.il
Campsite at Ein Hemed
There used to be a camping option at this national park. And from what I understood, it is available only for big groups (use the contact information above). If you are interested, you can book the nearby Castel campsite.
Lighting Fire and Barbeque
Fire and barbeque are permitted in some parts of this National Park (close to the entrance). Just follow the signs.
Hiking at Ein Hemed
Ein Hemed National Park lies in the Nahal Kesalon riverbed. There are springs in the park and remains of a 12th-century Crusader castle. It is also known by its Latin name Aqua Bella.
Ein Hemed is not an extensive National Park. It takes only about five minutes to go from one end to another. And as you enter this park, you will see a lot of families with kids. There is a lot of greenery, water, shade, and a place for kids to run. Thus, many families come here for a picnic and relaxing time.
We arrived on a Saturday morning in September. September is usually not too hot, but it is before the rainy season. Thus Ein Hemed Spring barely had any water.
The water in the pond was not clean, but there was another place where kids could splash in the water. Thus if you visit in the summer, bring swimsuits for the children.
The water route is almost completely dry.
You rarely see autumn in Israel. Therefore when I saw these leaves, I decided to make a small photo book for them 🙂
The Crusader Farmhouse
We walked along the water canal to the Crusader Farmhouse.
This farmhouse was built during the Crusader period (1140 – 1160). It is one of the buildings constructed along the road to Jerusalem, and members of the Hospitalier family owned it.
Look at the thickness of the walls:
In the inner courtyard. The second and the third floors.
We exited The Crusader Farmhouse and followed the sign (next to the bridge) to the lookout trail.
The lookout trail takes you a little into the mountain, but you do not see much because of the trees.
After about a five-minute walk, we returned to the parking (located near the entrance to Ein Hemed National Park). And since it was time for brunch, we had a small picnic.
Summary
Since that visit, we have been at Ein Hemed several times. Usually, after a half-day visit to Jerusalem. You can take food with you. And this is the perfect place for a picnic.
That perfectly sums up Ein Hemed. It is a lovely shaded park with water and grass that allows kids to explore and have fun. Thus, it is the perfect place to have a family picnic in the Jerusalem area. Alternatively, you can combine a visit to Ein Hemed with nearby attractions for a half-day or a full-day trip. That is what we did on one of our visits. After having brunch at Ein Hemed, we continued to Castel.
Have you ever been to Ein Hemed National Park? Tell us in the comments below.
That’s all for today, and I’ll see you in future travels!
Stay Tuned!
For nearby attractions, browse the interactive map above or see Jerusalem.
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.
