What is the Jesus Trail?
Follow in the footsteps of Jesus along the Jesus Trail in northern Israel. The Jesus trail is a hiking route of 65km which runs from Nazareth to Capernaum, a journey which Jesus himself may have taken. The Jesus Trail connects significant Christian points of interest as well as providing an original way of getting to know the land of Jesus through the historic and religious stops along the way.
On the Jesus Trail you can see the Holy Land as Jesus would have, by foot, and at the same time experience the Israeli countryside as it is today taking in panoramic views of the Sea of Galilee.
If you travel the entire route of the Jesus Trial it takes 3 days with stops over night along the way. Otherwise there are smaller portions of the trail that you can take.
What will you see along the Jesus Trail?
While hiking (or biking) the Jesus Trail through the beautiful green countryside of the Galilee the hikers will experience the village of Nazareth as it was in the time of Jesus; a Byzantine Synagogue, see Byzantine mosaics in Zippora; visit a religious Jewish kibbutz; a Druze place of worship; a Franciscan church and many more fascinating historic and cultural landmarks.
Christian significance of the Jesus Trail
For Christian pilgrims to Israel, the Jesus Trail allows you to feel the same earth beneath your feet that Jesus would have felt. Instead of being bused around from religious site to religious site the Jesus trail allows you to meet locals along the way, breath the clean fresh air of the Galilee and discover Jesus’ homeland for yourselves.
The number of Christian religious sites which the Jesus Trail covers is exhausting: The churches of Nazareth; Cana is where Jesus is believed to have turned water to wine; the remains of a Roman Road connecting Acre and Tiberius is most definitely a road Jesus would have used; the home town of Mary Magdalene; the Sea of Galilee where Jesus walked on the water; the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish the site of this well know Biblical story; the site of the sermon on the Mount; Capernaum Jesus’ home town where he lived while in the Galilee ; Mount Tabor or the Mount of Transfiguration where Jesus radiated light while talking to Moses and Elijah and the Jordan River where Jesus and John were baptized! After walking the Jesus Trail you will have an intimate knowledge of the events of Jesus’ life and his surroundings in the Galilee.
Details about Hiking the Jesus Trail
The Jesus Trail is an exciting and adventurous way to explore the hills and valleys that Jesus would have walked while seeing all Christian sites and the Israeli villages, Kibbutzim, countryside, Moshavim and towns along the way. Perhaps the best time to hike the Jesus Trail is in spring or autumn (fall) although the north of Israel has pleasant weather all year round.
The entire Jesus Trail is within the pre-1967 borders and is completely safe, locals will welcome you along the way and you only have to be of average fitness to manage the walk which has plenty of stops along the way but be sure to wear good hiking shoes.