Frommer's Review
This very personal place is the creation of Yehuda Avni, originally from Chicago (he immigrated to Israel in the late 1940s) and his Israeli-born wife, Yonah, who created a paradisiacal enclave with gardens, a pool, and buildings that fit in with nature where there had once only been acres of impassable thistles. Now their children and grandchildren, as well as a carefully chosen young staff, contribute to the attentive but informal spirit of Vered HaGalil. The Guest Farm and its facilities are ideal for those who want to ride and to intimately explore the Galilee countryside. It is also a beautiful retreat and a fine base for travelers who want to explore the region by car. A well-informed tour desk will advise you about all kinds of special places in the area.
There are four kinds of accommodations: two simple bunkhouse rooms, each sharing bathroom facilities and available for from two to six people; rustic, 1960s Northern California-style one-room cabins, each with private bathroom, double beds, and shaded porches overlooking the countryside; studio suites, with roomy living areas, kitchenettes, private bathrooms, and terraces; and a country apartment with cathedral ceilings, 1 1/2 bathrooms, a spacious living room, separate bedroom, and private garden. A family or group of four or five can easily share these accommodations. Backpackers are welcome (in limited numbers) to sleep on the lawn or in the barn for free, so long as they pick up their litter. Vered HaGalil will make special efforts to adapt to the needs of visitors with disabilities for both accommodations and riding.
Yehuda Avni has designed trail rides by the hour, day, or week, into the hills or down toward the Sea of Galilee. Other planned tours last several days, exploring places such as Nazareth, and combining Arab meals with camping or hotel overnights to Gilboa, Mount Tabor, around the Sea of Galilee, and into the Golan Heights. The horses are beautiful and very well cared for. There are two ponies for children, and horses with extragentle dispositions for inexperienced riders.
Riding lessons begin at $20 for 30 minutes. Horseback rides cost $25 for an hour, $42 for 2 hours, $80 for half a day on the trail, $150 for an entire day with lunch, and $190 for an overnight "Bonanza." There are also 2- to 5-day all-inclusive trips. All rides are accompanied by guides. There is a 10% discount for overnight guests at Vered HaGalil, and if guests pay for riding in foreign currency as part of their hotel bill, the 17% VAT is also deducted.
Facilities:
Restaurant; bar and grill; outdoor pool; picnic area; equestrian stables; table tennis; horseshoes
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
