Walking in Palestine: Masar Ibrahim and Battir's Terraces

Palestine is small, but on foot it feels much bigger. In a single week you can walk from green northern hills covered in olive trees to the dry, silent valleys of the desert near the Dead Sea.

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Masar Ibrahim al-Khalil

The best-known long-distance route is Masar Ibrahim al-Khalil, the Path of Abraham. It runs for roughly 330 kilometres through the West Bank, from the village of Rummana near Jenin in the north to Beit Mirsim south of Hebron. It is divided into day stages, so you can walk a single section or the whole route.

Sleeping in villages

One of the joys of the trail is where you stay. Many stages end in villages where families offer homestays, with dinner on the floor, sweet sage tea and conversations that go on long after dark. Walkers often say the hospitality is what they remember most.

Battir's terraces

South-west of Jerusalem, the village of Battir is famous for its stone terraces and ancient irrigation channels, still shared between families in turns. In 2014 UNESCO listed the landscape as a World Heritage Site, under the name Land of Olives and Vines. A short circular walk takes you past springs, vegetable gardens and old Roman-era pools.

Desert valleys

East of Jerusalem, the land drops quickly into the Judean Desert. Walks here follow dry wadis between pale cliffs, past monasteries built into the rock. Go with a local guide and carry more water than you think you need.

When to go

Spring, from March to May, brings wildflowers and green hills. Autumn, from October to November, is cooler and coincides with the olive harvest. Summer is very hot, and winter can be surprisingly cold and wet in the hills, so pack layers.

Our Palestine Hero design shows the flag of Palestine bursting through the fabric, made for long days outdoors.