In and around Jerusalem

If you find the hikes on this site too short and easy, you will find this hike a bit more challenging – although it is not at all difficult.  It is a non-circular walk on the Schvil Yisrael, and you come back the way you came. Ein Hindak is a well known spring and has the longest underground tunnel in the Judean Hills.

Distance: 7.52 Km (non-circular hike)

Time: 3¾ hours (with opportunities for extending the hike in the Sataf Reserve)

Difficulty: This is a minimally difficult hike on a dirt trail.  

Starting point: Head towards Hadassah Medical Center.  At the traffic circle located just before the entrance and security to the hospital campus, take the furthest exit off the roundabout - this heads to Tel Aviv and Even Shapir.  After a very short distance turn left.  After a few minutes you will see a road on the left leading to a gravel road and parking area for the Anidav Forest. 

Public transport:  The walk is very convenient to public transport. Take buses 27, 27A, 19, 19A, 12 or 42 to Hadassah Medical Center, and alight at the first stop within the campus.  (If you are using the light rail, alight at the last stop which is Mount Herzl and bus 27 is waiting for you straight ahead as you walk out the train door). From the hospital campus, walk towards the traffic circle and follow the directions down the hill as above to the parking area.  The distance is 0.7 miles and it should take you about 15 minutes.

Go out of the parking area for the Aminadav Forest and cross over the main road.  Immediately in front of you on the other side of the road there are green and schvil yisrael markers (white, orange and blue stripes) indicating the trail.  Take the steps down into the valley.

After a short while you will pass an agricultural watchtower labeled #19.  If you call 02 677 8839 you can learn more about the trail and this watchtower.  You can clearly see that this is former agricultural land.  It is no longer in use but must have looked extremely beautiful when the terraces and land in the valley were in use.

After about 35 minutes and just over 1¼ miles you will come to Ein Chandak.   The name is Arabic in origin, and means spring of the cave or canal.  This well-known spring has one of the longest shafts in the Judean Hills.  However, there is a notice not to enter the spring because of danger of collapse.  In former times, an aqueduct system led the water to the agricultural land in the valley (Wadi Yusuf).  As you walk along you will see a large dam wall built as a retainer for the soil.  Because of the similarities of the stones to the Western Wall It has been suggested that it was built during the Herodian period.

Ein Hindek is also junction point for the Jerusalem Trail in the direction of Ein Kerem.  However, follow the green-marked trail in the direction of Sataf.  After the dam wall, you will come to the bottom of the wadi and a pine forest.  The latter especially is very beautiful.  In the wadi the going is a bit more challenging.

After about 1¾ hours of walking you will come to a parking area. The green-marked trail continues up the side of the valley on a easy stairway of rocks.

At the top of the stairway on your right you will see an irrigated vegetable garden area.  Walk along the top of these gardens until you come to the spring Ein Bichorah, just before a vine-covered structure.  You are now half-way on this walk.  You are welcome to explore Sataf if you wish.  Otherwise head back down the hill.

Nearby places of interest:

Hadassah hospital is worth a visit – even if you are not sick!  The Chagal windows in the synagogue are famous. There is also a shopping mall (yes, a shopping mall!) in a lower floor of the hospital.  There are stores for clothing, telephones, sweets, bakery, pharmacy and many very reasonably priced eating establishments – all kosher and many mehadrin.  Many of the stores are open from fairly early in the morning until late in the evening.  Ask for directions – otherwise you will never find it.

The rock stairway to the Sataf Reserve. It's a rather long walk up.

Ein Handak is below Even Sapir and can also be reached by car from the road to the moshav