- Address: Netanya, Israel;
- Opening hours: April - September from 08:00 to 17:00, October - March from 08:00 to 16:00;
- The cost of visiting: adult - $ 8.5, child / pension - $ 5.
In Israel, a huge number of national parks and reserves. Most tourists tend to visit them in the summer, when nature is decorated with the brightest and juiciest colors. However, there is one park that accepts most of the guests quite the opposite - late autumn and early spring. This is the Agamon Ahula Park, which is part of the Hula National Park . This is explained quite simply - the main attraction of this place are huge flocks of migratory birds that stop in the Hula Valley to rest from a long flight.
History of the National Park
What has been happening for the past 100 years in the Hula Valley is a direct proof that nothing in nature is random. Any interference of a person in its laws can be fraught with great consequences.
Lake Kinerit was always famous for its cleanliness and was the main source of drinking water for the whole region. And the secret was very simple. The Jordan River, carrying its waters to Kinerite, passed through a small Hula Lake, which, due to peatlands, was a kind of filter-settler, where the water was cleaned naturally.
But at the end of the 19th century people began to settle in a marshy valley. These settlements could not be called prosperous. Around completely unhygienic, the Turkish authorities forbade building houses here, so everyone lived in papyrus huts, people died every day from malaria. The reason for all these disasters was that the new inhabitants of the Hula Valley were seen in the local marshes, that is why they often turned to the higher bodies to help them drain, even in Bedouin villages they even wrote songs about it.
Since 1950 active works on land reclamation were carried out, but only after their completion it became clear what fatal mistake was made. The water from the Jordan went directly to Kinerita through the diversion channels, bypassing the previous stage of sedimentation and filtration. The quality of the once cleanest water in the country has sharply deteriorated.
But the ecosystem of the valley suffered most. Many representatives of flora and fauna disappeared, migratory birds were in danger, who had long used the shores of Lake Hula for rest during migration.
In 1990, a new project was launched to restore the natural balance of the valley and revive the former ecosystem. The previously drained lands were again partly bogged, the artificial lake Agamon Ahulu was created. Fires and dust storms ceased. Even managed to adapt a separate section of the valley for agricultural work. Today, they successfully grow wheat, peanuts, corn, cotton, vegetables, forage crops, fruit trees.
What to see?
It so happened that most of the migration routes pass through the Hula valley. And given the favorable conditions for rest from a long flight, it is not surprising that many migratory birds stop here. Moreover, according to observations of local ornithologists, some birds even change their plans on the way and, not reaching the hot Africa, remain wintering in Israel.
Agamon Akhula Park visits more than 390 species of birds. Among them: kingfishers, cranes, cormorants, sea eagles, herons, pelicans, ruffians, karavaykas and many others. More migratory birds stop only in the Panama Canal area. In the evenings in the midst of the migration process, one can observe here an amazing picture - the sky literally turns black from the flocks of birds that fly overnight to the lake.
In the park, Agamon Ahul also hosts many animals (wild cats, muskrats, wild boars, buffaloes, otters, turtles). There is a lot of fish in the artificial lake. The plant world is represented by a wide variety. Particular pride of the reserve are thickets of wild papyrus, which from afar looks like a huge dandelion.
Information for tourists
- the best time to visit Agamon Akhula Park is the end of autumn, December and January;
- entry to private transport is prohibited;
- at the entrance you can rent a golf machine (for 2, 4 or 6 people), mountain, sports or paired bicycles;
- there are also several options for large groups: there is also a minibus in the park, and a trailer for tourists is attached to the tractor that carries the feed;
- The reserve operates: April - September from 08:00 to 17:00, October - March from 08:00 to 16:00;
- in the Agamon Akhula Park, various festivals are often held: arts, nature, origami and others;
- on Fridays and pre-holiday days the reserve closes an hour earlier;
- Ticket price: adult - $ 10, child / pension - $ 6, group - $ 5;
- you can visit the bird ringing station and order special tours: "Night Safari" (observation of the hunting of night predators) and "Sunrise" (an amazing sight of the awakening of birds at dawn);
- three observation platforms with telescopes (the most popular "Green Bridge"), an information center, a small cafe, a rental point for binoculars, and a cinema hall where you can watch a film about the Agamon Akhula park and its inhabitants are located throughout the Agamon Akhula Reserve.
- in the territory of the park, the service "telephone guide" is available - dial 050-805-55-55, and then the code on the topic: 501 - general information about the reserve, 502 - history and features of the reservoir, 503 - the story of nesting birds, 504 - all about waterfowl birds, 505 - the history of the Green Bridge, 506 - the section dedicated to pelicans, 507 - the story of the Jordan River, 510 - the history of the drainage of the Hula Valley, 511 - a little about what the valley was before draining, 512 - all about local peat bogs, 513 - the story of the restoration of a destroyed ecosystem in the Hula Valley (approximate duration s each story - 3 minutes).
How to get there?
The Agamon Akhula Park can be reached only by personal or excursion transport. Buses do not go here.
If you are traveling by car, follow highway No. 90 to the junction of Yesod HaMa'ale. After the congress, you need to drive a kilometer. There are signs along the road, so it will be difficult to get lost.