Situated in the heart of the Jerusalem Hills, the Yearim Hotel serves as a base for tours in the vicinity that are no more than a short drive away. Many of the routes are easy and comfortable, and they are fascinating. Routes can be covered by foot, car, bike, or by combining a short drive with a pleasant walk and the opportunity to enjoy nature and the excellent air.
Where?
Moshav Beit Zayit, about 10 kilometers southeast of the Yearim Hotel.
How to get there?
Exit the hotel and drive to Highway #1; the moshav is situated south of the highway, near Motza Junction. Signs will lead you easily and directly to the dinosaur park, located in the center of the moshav.
What’s worthwhile?
A dinosaur stomped on muddy ground about 70 million years ago, on land on which Moshav Beit Zayit is now situated, seven kilometers west of Jerusalem, and imprints of the prehistoric creature’s three sharp claws are still visible. These are the only dinosaur footprints to have been discovered in Israel, and researchers surmise that the animal weighed about 250 kilograms and stood 2.5 meters tall. The footprints, embedded in a level of rock that hardened from the primordial mud, are still clearly evident.
Some people with an active imagination have erected two dinosaur dolls in a little garden, near the tracks.
The garden is closed Saturdays; at other times, visitors need to take the key from the Beit Zayit secretariat, situated directly opposite the garden. Tel: 02-5346334.
B’Derekh Hagefen (Hebrew for “Along the Vine Route”) is a very short distance away, and
also is well worth a visit. It is a café/restaurant highlighted by a flowering garden, and the
view through the windows is great. A chef restaurant, it features kosher Mediterranean
cuisine from the French and Italian kitchen. Address: 1 Hagefen Road. Tel: 02-6502044.
