- Address: Kiryat Shmona, Israel;
- Website: parks.org.il;
- Phone: +972 4-681-7137;
- Working hours: from 8.00 to 16.00, on Fridays and pre-holidays from 8.00 to 15.00;
- Admission cost: adult - $ 6.5, child - $ 3.4.
The Hula National Reserve is located in a unique place of Israel , amazing with its picturesque nature. Travelers who visited it will be able to enjoy unforgettable views and get acquainted with the natural features of this country.
Hula Nature Reserve - description
The main part of the reserve is the valley of Hula , it surrounds the lake, which was formed as a result of a volcanic eruption many millennia ago. The reserve has a territory of 3 hectares, which is located in the Upper Galilee and granite with the Lebanese mountains and the mountains of Naftali.
Previously, this area was swamped, but the government decided to use these lands for agricultural purposes. In 1951, the first work began on drying the marshy valley of Hula, but not everyone was happy about such changes in the landscape, because they led to the burning of the terrain and the death of fauna.
In 1964, it was decided to leave a small site for the creation of a nature reserve. The area was amenable to some reconstructions, as a result, the reserve was opened in 1978. It equipped a system of locks to maintain the necessary level of water in the lake for its inhabitants, built paths and paths for travelers and built a pontoon bridge that towers over impassable places.
In 1990, another artificial lake, Agamon Hula, was created by artificial means, where a park of the same name intended for migratory birds was located. A natural park is taken care of by a non-governmental organization, it copes with the protection of the environment perfectly.
Features of the Hula Nature Reserve
The main feature of the Hula Reserve is that it is rich in bird flocks that choose this place for their stop. Here come migratory birds from countries such as Scandinavia, Russia and India. Every year, in the sky above Israel, migration of birds can be observed, which flock to winter for this country, and some rest here and fly to other countries, even to the continent of Africa. Only the most persistent nests in the southern and northern regions of Israel, but most of them are located in the valley of Hula.
On the territory of the reserve you can see storks, pelicans, flamingos, cormorants, cranes and many other species, there are more than 400 of them. For example, twice a year 70 thousand cranes stop for a period of several days to several weeks in the Hula valley. In the afternoon they circle over the lake, and at night they rest among other migratory birds. Herons in the reserve are also not rare, with each coming more and more. They settle on the trees and they turn into snow-white balls. Surprisingly, predatory and songbirds gather in one locality.
The reserve has observation platforms and towers, from which you can observe the movement of birds in the air, as well as their location on the lake and marshes. In addition, many wild animals live here, such as buffaloes, wild boars and donkeys, and mammal fauna representatives also occur. In the water, many varieties of turtles and fishes swim, and in the swamps there is a famous wild papyrus, from which, according to the scriptures, the Egyptians made their "papyri". Among the thickets of this plant you can see nutria, ducks and other inhabitants.
The Hula reserve becomes a paradise for feathered birds, since the depth of the lake is not large (about 30-40 cm), and the climate is overloaded with moist sea air, it is softened by eucalyptus trees growing on this territory. Even food for birds is provided, here in the fields they deliberately scatter tons of corn to feed birds, and in the rivers there is a very diverse fish.
The migration period of birds runs from November to January, at which time you can watch for hours the birds flying in the sky. Early spring is a period of flamingos that travel in groups along the coastal banks and color them pink.
How to get there?
The 90th road leads to the valley of Hula , in which the reserve is located. The landmark is Moshav Yasod ha Maala, the reserve is located slightly north of it. From the road number 90 you need to move to the east and turn towards the Golan Heights.