Your Travel Guide to Palestine

Explore new destinations and amazing experiences and food and plan your trip like a local.

Swim in the Lemon Valley

Posted on by ahlanpalestineinfo
The Lemon Valley Garden and Pool. (Photo by: Alena Jabarine)

They say the best destination is not on any map yet.

It is on trips like these that we truly feel and appreciate the spirit of Ahlan Palestine, that aims to discover and find the best destinations in Palestine that are not heavily advertised or talked about.

A hidden treasure in Aboud

Malak takes a photo of Bisan with a watermelon at the entrance to the Lemon Valley Garden and pool. (Photo by: Alena Jabarine)

On a very early Friday morning, Malak and I decided to discover a new trail in the village of Deir Ghassaneh, a small village north of Ramallah with many old stone-houses and palaces that stand to bear witness to the village’s rich and mesmerizing history.

After walking for few hours in Deir Ghassaneh, we decided to go back to a destination we loved and wrote about before, Ein Zarqa Spring. We drove through Beit Rima down to the Lemon Valley in Aboud village. Aboud is located 30 km northwest of Ramallah, sitting 450 meters above sea level. It is also known as the “City of Flowers” and has a beautiful mountainous landscape cultivated with olive trees.

Besides its rich natural heritage, Aboud is equally rich in its historical treasures. It has several churches, monasteries, and mosques that are built on foundations dating back to Byzantine, Ottoman, and Crusader periods.

While we were driving towards Ein Zarqa, we passed by a place surrounded with trees and a wooden fence. Being the curious beings we are, we decided to go in to find out what this place is exactly.

Malak (left) and Bisan (right) at the Lemon Valley Garden and Pool. (photo by: Mohammad Zarour)

We were surprised to find a very cozy garden filled with lemon trees and two swimming pools filled with the water of a fresh spring from the surrounding mountains.

The place is built, owned and run by Abu Radi, a very humble Palestinian man from Aboud. Abu Radi showed us around the place and we were very impressed and decided to come back during the week. 

Few days later, we prepared ourselves, put on our swim wear, packed few snacks and headed to the Limon Valley Garden and Pool. It was a special day, as two of our friends joined our adventure. Maha who came all the way from Jerusalem and Alena, a Palestinian-German journalist who works with Malak. 

Hussien Abu Eida, a Palestinian originally from Hebron but lives in Ramallah. His watermelon stand is located at the entrance of the Rihan residential compound on the way to Birzeit. (photo by: Malak Hasan)

On the way to Birzeit, we spotted a watermelon seller exactly by Jabal Al Nijme road at the entrance of the Rihan residential compound. Malak immediately asked Maha to stop so we can buy a water melon to take with us on our trip. We also bought white cheese to eat with the watermelon, because nothing beats a chilled watermelon with white cheese while swimming on a hot day.

(Side note: Malak asked Hussein to give us the best watermelon he has and she promised to visit him again and give him her feedback. Guess what? We actually went back to tell him the watermelon was amazing! He was so happy and gave Malak another watermelon as a gift. And you wonder why we love this land and its people.)

We also bought some fresh Fakous “Armenian cucumbers” on the way as this area is very well known for planting organic Fakous, a vegetable widely known in Palestine that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae gourd family. We enjoyed Alena’ss reaction trying her first Fakous ever.

Splash, Splash, Splash!

The minute we arrived at the garden Abu Radi welcomed us and led us to our table under the shade of the lemon tree. We spent our day swimming and having the best time around the pool area, making the biggest splash and playing ball in the water with children from villages around Aboud, who came that day to enjoy the chill water too. (Check our instagram for more videos and photos from the day)

The place had a different vibe every few hours. And as the sun started to go down, and the pool got empty, the place became magical and we were tempted to camp at the garden, which is also a possibility if you have the necessary camping gear!

We did not camp this time, but we promise to do that and report on it for you all. We left the valley around sunset and headed back to Ramallah.

(From left) Malak, Bisan and Abu Radi sit at the spring that feeds the pools at the Limon Valley Garden and Pool. (Photo by: Mohammad Zarour)

We Recommend:

  • Visit this place very early in the morning or later in the afternoon if you have the ability to camp to enjoy the quiet sunset or sunrise.
  • Visit this place during the week instead of the weekend, if you prefer a quiet place because it could get really loud during the weekend.
  • Take your food, snacks and drinks with you or ask Abu Radi to prepare a meal for you that day. You can also buy your snacks from his small cafeteria to support him.
  • If you are a big group, you can ask for Zarb, a meal cooked based on an ancient technique of preparing food in underground pits and is usually prepared with chicken, goat, or sheep, as well as various vegetables such as carrots, onions, potatoes, or tomatoes. If you decide on this option you will have to call Abu Radi a day before so he can prepare it.
  • Take a comfortable footwear as the beauty of the surrounding areas might tempt you to go for a walk or a hike to Ein Zarqa spring, which we wrote about before.
  •  For questions or reservations call Abu Radi at +970599281815.
  • This is the best destination for people traveling on a budget. It is cheaper than anything that you will find in the Ramallah area.

Directions:

  • Leave Ramallah through Birzeit town towards Rawabi city. At the Rawabi roundabout, keep driving straight towards the entrance of the village of Nabi Saleh.
  • Once at the intersection, take your left away from Nabi Saleh and drive straight. You will pass by Deir Abu Meshal before you see another intersection with a sign saying Aboud on the right side. 
  • Take your right and enter Aboud and drive straight until you find a sign saying Wadi Al Limon or Lemon valley, take that exit driving between the old houses and backyards of the village.
  • Keep driving down a steep hill and you will reach another intersection with another road going up the hill on the right side.
  • Keep driving straight and only few meters ahead you will see the Lemon Vally Garden and Pool on your right. 
  • The road on the right side of the intersection will take you straight to Beit Rima and Deir Ghasaneh. You can also arrive at the Lemon Valley driving through Nabi Saleh (See Map above).

Hope you enjoyed reading this as much we enjoyed the experience and writing about it! Stay tuned for more adventures and do not forget to share this with your friends.

Early morning dip in Ein Bubin

Posted on by ahlanpalestineinfo

Check our instagram for more photos and videos from this trip.

Bisan chilling next to Ein Bubin after an early morning dip in the cool and clear water. (Photo by: Malak Hasan)

Something we hear often from people who visit Ramallah, is that there is nothing to do other than explore the city and its many restaurants and bars. “We finished exploring the whole city in one day”, they always say.

While we understand that Ramallah is a small city in comparison to other places we have all been to, we feel the need to make the distinction clear: Ramallah the city is different than Ramallah the governorate, which includes 94 villages, all within a 40-kilometer radius. This means that by renting a car for a couple of days during your visit, you can tour and explore Ramallah’s nature and beauty in the amazing villages just few kilometers away.

One of these amazing places we recently discovered and explored for you is the Ein Bubin natural spring in the village of Deir Ibzi, 10 kilometers west of Ramallah.

Arriving at the natural spring

Go to: Mapquest to find detailed maps of Palestinian villages. Adjusted by Ahlan Palestine to show exact directions to Ein Bubin.

To arrive at the spring is fairly easy even for people unfamiliar with the area. You can either rent a car and drive to the village or find public transport in the city center. But if you opt for a rental car, just drive out of the city center on the main road leading to Betounia. It is a beautiful 10 kilometer ride where you will get to see the beautiful nature of Palestine, its lovely homes and the simple lifestyle which is very different than in the city.

We highly recommend you stop at one of the supermarkets or stores on the way to buy something for breakfast. We like buying from the local stores in every place we go to because this is the best way to support them. Bisan and I bought Labaneh (strained yogurt), traditional Taboon bread, cucumber and tomatoes.

We did not know we arrived in Deir Ibzi until we asked someone on the way. He also directed us to finding the exact entrance to the spring. It is exactly between a school and a supermarket called Barafili, you should be able to find it easy but if not just ask people around for directions to Ein Bubin. Palestinians are very helpful and friendly and you wouldn’t find trouble finding anything if you ask people.

Bisan and I drove down an unpaved road for maybe another 10 minutes until we hit a blocked road. The Israeli occupation closed off the main entrance to the spring with a yellow metal gate, which meant that we had to leave our car and hike down to the spring. Anyways, the hike was a lovely addition.

The yellow gate is often closed by might be open sometimes, therefore, if you find it closed just park your car, walk straight and hike down to the spring.

A mistake we made was that we headed left at the yellow gate and ended up walking down a steep hill all the way to a main road next to the illegal Israeli settlement of Dolev. However, we realized with the help of a friend that we should have walked straight from the yellow gate to the spring. We hiked back up and then straight from the yellow gate and down another hill. This time we could feel that we are back on track.

The road was unpaved but surrounded with all kinds of trees and plants. It was becoming more and more green as we went further down, a sign that we are getting closer to a water source. It was very quiet and surreal. We could only hear the insects buzzing and birds singing. Suddenly, Bisan and I heard the sound of flowing water. We couldn’t be more happy and Bisan actually made a funny squeaky sound.

We climbed up to the spring and found the most amazing thing: a big pool with clear water surrounded by a berry tree and endless grape vines. We put our things down and took our shoes fast in preparation for the best part yet: swimming!

The pool is not really deep but deep enough for a jump and a good splash.

Honestly, it seems difficult to describe how amazing we felt the minute we jumped into to the spring. There is something magical about swimming in the nature surrounded by green landscapes and complete silence. The sun was reflecting off the pool and few birds would fly down so fast to the pool to take a sip of water or maybe snatch an insect they saw floating at the surface of the water.

We sat at the side of the pool just enjoying the scenery but jumped back into the spring as soon as we dried up. We spent another two hours chilling and relaxing and then we took some time to explore the surrounding area and caves. We then hiked back up to where we left the car and headed back to Ramallah within 15 minutes.

Ahlan Palestine tips for the best experience:

  • Leave early to the spring to enjoy the place for yourself, before other people show up.
  • Grab some breakfast to eat when you arrive at the pool because you will be far away from the town and from our experience you would want to spend some good time relaxing in the area.
  • We recommend you do not go alone. Go with friends or at least a group. Due to the tense political reality and the pool being in a location between the illegal settlement of Dolev and the village of Deir Ibzi, some Palestinians have reported being harassed by the Israeli settlers who visit the pool.
  • Do not forget to bring a towel and some extra clothes because you will want to take a dip in this beautiful pool.
Our usual 360 at the beautiful Ein Bubin natural spring

Camping over the Dead Sea

Posted on by ahlanpalestineinfo
Sunrise over the Dead Sea in Palestine from the area near Arab Al Rashayde Bedouin community. (By: Malak Hasan)

Bisan and myself have camped in many places around the world; we camped in the golden deserts of Dubai in the UAE, the medieval city of Visby in Sweden, the majestic mountains of Malga in Spain and last but not least the Rose City of Petra in Jordan. Shockingly, we have never camped in Palestine, our homeland and the place where we spend most of our time.

But this finally changed this week when my friend Nayef Hamouri, a talented Palestinian photographer invited Bisan and I to join him on a hiking and camping trip in Arab Al Rashayde, a bedouin community in the southern West Bank, close to an area overlooking the Dead Sea. The trip has been done annually under the name “Tent and a Moon”, a very romantic name I must admit! And we were so excited to finally have the chance to camp in Palestine.

I think the reason why we never camped here before is because we were so preoccupied with camping and traveling abroad, we were unsure if it is safe or not, or if it can be done properly like in other countries. Turns out many people camp in many areas and it all is a matter of good preparation and knowing the right locations to camp safely. (Check out or new series about camping in Palestine).

Leading up to camp day,

The group was consisted of 30 people, from all parts of Palestine. Photo in 360 by: Malak Hasan.

Deciding that we would like to learn more about camping in Palestine, we signed up for the trip and it cost us 165 shekel per person. The price was actually very affordable, especially because the cost was shared by a large number of people. Sometimes you take part in other outdoor activities in Palestine and unfortunately you pay a lot for a simple hike, which is why we were eager to join this specific group.

It was important for us to be prepared as well, because camping in the desert comes with its own set of challenges such as the low temperatures at night, painful insect bites and the lack of access to any shops or stores while camping in a remote desert. For that reason, Bisan and I purchased a 4-person tent, sleeping bags, hiking back bags, torch lights a bit more. (Check out our Camping 101 video to see what you need for a camping trip).

Bisan shares her top essentials for a camping trip. (by: Malak Hasan)

Being the photographer in this gang, I also had to make sure that my gear is ready and that I have everything I might need for a successful photography trip. I took a DSLR camera, one wide lens, a polarizing lens, a wired shutter release, extra charged battery, car battery charger, tripod and extra memory card.

You probably would need more preparation if you are planning to shoot through the night, but because my main goal was to photograph the sunrise, I did not feel the need to bring a long more lenses and batteries. It would be very heavy to carry in the hike.

Camping Day,

Dareen, Abu Al Abbas, Bisan and Malak posing before starting the hike at Arab Al Rashayde Bedouin Community. (By: Yazan Taha).

We all met at 3PM to take off to the camping site and it was so lovely getting to know people in the bus. I am not sure if this is a universal phenomena, but a bus ride is the best chance to get to know companions in travel, laugh, chat and most importantly dance before you even get to your destination. Our group was simply the best and we laughed so hard it was ridiculous.

The funniest part was when we noticed that we are driving through Bethlehem. We were a bit shocked because we honestly thought that we are going to camp over the Dead Sea near the city of Jericho. We realized then that the camping site is actually near Arab al-Rashayida, a Palestinian village located twelve kilometers east of Jerusalem. The village is in the Bethlehem Governorate, central West Bank.

Approaching the bedouin community, we started to see sheep herds and shepherds scattered over the hills, the empty and vast yellow mountains and small kids waving at the bus from afar. This is one of the most precious characteristics of Palestine; you can find all sorts of landscapes and experience different climates in such a small space.

We arrived at the site and were told that we will hike for a few kilometers to the camping site overlooking the Dead Sea. We were offered a chance to leave our heavy bags in one of the cars, which will be driving to the camp site. That was actually a good offer because without the heavy bags, we were able to enjoy the walk and spend more time taking smashing pictures.

The hike was actually very easy and the weather was cool, because we started around sunset. We left Ramallah around 3PM and arrived at the bedouin site around 5PM, and this meant we were hiking with the sun setting and the weather was not as hot as we thought. While this was a good aspect hiking at night, this also meant that we will arrive at the camping site after dark and miss the chance to see the Dead Sea at sunset.

Bisan and I were divided on whether it is better to hike in the afternoon or at sunset, so we decided to leave it up to you to decide what you like more.

Sunset Hike VS. Afternoon Hike

  • You hike in cooler temperatures, but have limited daylight.
  • You see the sun set over the yellow dunes from the west (great for photographers).
  • You hike in the moonlight especially if it is a full moon night.
  • The weather is still relatively hot, but you have enough daylight.
  • You arrive around sunset at the Dead Sea, but will not get a great shot because the sun is setting behind the mountains behind you.
  • You avoid hiking in the dark, which could be riskier.

Camping at site,

The group gathered up around the fire sharing stories of travel, photography and life. (By: Malak Hasan).

Mid hike the organizers decided to transport us in cars instead of hiking the remaining few kilometers for reasons I am honestly not sure about, but Bisan and I agree that it would have been an amazing hike for lovers of hiking. We arrived at the site and the food was waiting for us; rice, lamb and a green Arabic salad. We ate, cleaned up and began to set up our tents. It was a bit windy at first which made the process of setting up tents a bit fun! (Watch our story highlight to see how one tent required the help of 5 people!)

The bedouin group we were with provided us with camping mats which we used to sleep in the tents and they also stayed the night with us for protection and guidance. The group we were with is that of tour guide Farhan Ali, a Palestinian bedouin from Arab Al Rashayde community and an expert in this field, which we recommend you contact him in case you want to camp at Arab Al Rashayde. You can find his contact info on his Facebook page.

It was an experience dinning with the Bedouin tour guides and hearing their stories from the past and sharing their insights about life as a bedouin. While it seemed like a difficult life to adopt for me and the rest of the group, it was clearly the only thing they want and enjoy. Abu Hussein, a very funny old man, told me that while our kids in the city were locked up in cement blocks and are fearful of going anywhere, their children are free with the wilderness as their home and backyard. He made us want to try to explore their lifestyle further and experience life as free bedouin souls. You never know, maybe Bisan and I will move into a Bedouin community for few days!

Abu Hussein posing in front of the sunrise over the Dead Sea near Arab Al Rashayde Bedouin community near Bethlehem (By: Malak Hasan).

During the night, we sat in groups around the big bonfire and shared our stories about travel, life and the future. It was a beautiful experience and chance to leave our phones and technology behind and simply enjoy the moment. But soon, Bisan and many others sneaked into their tents and decided to get some rest before dawn. Meanwhile, I stayed up to watch the moon dive slowly behind the mountains and the sun rays start to light up the day.

Around 5am and as a few hikers started to wake up, we moved to sit at the edge of the camp sit to set up our cameras and phones on the tripods in anticipation of a majestic sunrise. We drank Arabic coffee and talked about how blessed we are to be able to see another sunrise. As the sun peaked from behind the Jordan mountains, everyone was quiet for the first time since we arrived at the site. It was definitely a moment that reminded us of everything beautiful in life, including being able to share such a moment with the people you love and care about.

We then had a very simple breakfast made of jam, Labaneh (strained yogurt), Qalayit Bandura (A tomato pan with garlic and green chillies) and hot black tea. As the sun continued to rise along with the temperature of the location, we gathered our belongings, dismantled our tents and cleaned up in preparation for departure and the last exciting part of our day; racing in pickups through the desert!

We got in the back of a 4×4 pickup with Abu Rasheed, also a local from Arab Al Rashayde community who clearly enjoyed drifting in the desert too much. He got too excited when we started cheering for him to go faster and we ended up racing other cars and beating a few on the way back to the bedouin community.

We are so happy to have been able to experience this amazing trip and we plan to camp in more places around Palestine and continue to provide you with the more experiences to learn from and maybe live yourself. We have a lot more stories and videos from this amazing day and you can find all of it on our instagram page and the stories highlights.

Breakfast at Ein Zarqa

Posted on by ahlanpalestineinfo

^^^ Check out our Instagram highlights for videos and more photos!

Bisan enjoying her morning tea with mint and fresh vegetables.

Last week, Bisan and I decided to visit a place called Ein Zarqa in the village of Deir Ghassaneh near Ramallah. It was not a planned trip but ended up being one of the most beautiful locations we have visited in a while.

I was scrolling through my Facebook feed when my friend Khaldoun, originally from Deir Ghassaneh, posted a slow motion video of a rock being thrown into this beautiful crystal clear spring. The sun was reflecting off the beautiful splash and I was intrigued right away. I called Bisan at night and said lets go see this place. Bisan being the craziest travel buddy said yes with no questions asked!

She picked me up at 6:30 in the morning and we drove outside Ramallah in the direction of the town of Birzeit and Nabi Saleh village. While the location of the spring itself is not far from Ramallah, finding it was difficult due to the lack of clear signs. We drove all the way to Deir Ghassaneh village, because that is where we thought the spring is located. But after asking around, we were told to go back to Beit Rima, the village just before Deir Ghassaneh to find the easiest entrance into Ein Zarqa. The Deir Ghassaneh road is extremely steep and bumpy.

Going back to Beit Rima, we asked some of the drivers at the taxi station to show us the way and honestly we do not think we would have made it without their help (Tip: Do not be shy to ask people about directions). After we failed to find the right path, one driver offered to lead us to the closest street leading to the valley.

While we managed to arrive at the spring in a small car, we think that it would be much more stress free to rent a bigger car to avoid falling into one of the many holes in the unpaved road. Along the way we stopped multiple times to take in the amazing scenery. We were surrounded by what seemed like a million Olive trees. The valley below was filled with beautiful flowers and plants and the fog was clearing just as we arrived offering us to see the sun rise into the sky.

Again, there was no sign to indicate that we arrived at the spring, but we found a huge white cement water tank with the words “please take your trash with you”. That was enough for us to know that we arrived at the spring.

Our breakfast date in 360

Having left at 6:30 in the morning meant that we were able to enjoy the area by ourselves. The place is usually packed by visitors but arriving in the morning hours will guarantee you enjoy hearing the birds sing and the water without human interruption. We took sometime to drink in the view, which was honestly breathtaking! The minute we stepped out of the car we could hear the spring running. We took out our food basket and surveyed the area around and finally decided to climb the cliff overlooking the spring and have our delicious breakfast, which Bisan had prepared in the morning, watching the sunrise and hearing the water flow so peacefully.

We had our hot black tea with fresh mint and devoured the vegetables with the ever delicious Jerusalem Ka’ak and Labaneh. After taking few amazing shots and recording some videos, we decided to go back down and venture into the valley to see what we could find. As the weather was getting warmer, we realized that we have made the best decision to come early. Two families joined us but we were not bothered because we had enough time to enjoy the tranquility.

Miss Bisan enjoying her fresh pick.

We walked a bit into the valley and could see the hike trail directions marks and we knew that this trail is something that we will be doing very soon. Bisan being the knowledgable person about plants, started picking some herbs and plants and I was taking more videos of the two of us.

After walking for another hour we decided to head back to the car and drive to the village of Deir Ghassaneh that has amazing architecture mostly in the center of the Old town. The day did not end here but we will have to share that with you soon in another post so stay tuned!

End

Exploring Ein Qinya

Posted on by ahlanpalestineinfo

This blog post is part 1 of a longer series where we explore the beauty and richness of Ein Qinya, a village around 5 kilometers northwest of Ramallah.

Ein Qinya is known not only for its many springs but old homes and agricultural rock structures called Al Manateer. (Photo by: Malak Hasan)

The beautiful village of Ein Qiniya is bordered by the lands of Ramallah city to the east, Al-Zaytouneh town to the north, Al Janiya and Deir Ibzi’ to the west, and ‘Ein ‘Arik and Beituniya to the south. This close location to Ramallah, is an added value for people who are based in Ramallah for work or just a visit and want to immerse themselves in nature without driving long hours.

The village with its surrounding mountains is rich with natural resources and dense history. Archeological evidence shows that the village has existed since the Roman-era of rule in Palestine.

During the Ottoman era, ‘Ein Qiniya village was called ‘Al Mahatta’, literally meaning the station, as it was the station for travelers between the coast and Ramallah and Jerusalem’s cities. Later on, the village was renamed Ein Qiniya due to the many springs in the village. In the village of Ein Qinya there are 5 natural springs.

Ein Qinya is famous for its natural springs and various plants, birds, and animals. It is considered the perfect place for spending time in nature. The location offers many activities including jogging, hiking, and rock-climbing or camping. Its location has made it a very famous stop for travelers for more than 400 years.

Arriving at Ein Qinya

Driving through Al Tireh neighborhood you will end up at a cross roads either leading to Ein Qinya or on a new road to the right leading to Birzeit town.

Bisan and I drove straight until we arrived at Ein Qinya. At the village’s main junction, we took the road on our left, also known as the Betounia road. We asked a young boy to direct us to the right road and he was so kind to help in his own funny way.

He said we should drive straight until we see an electricity pole next to a speed bump. Once there, we will find an unpaved offside road and we should be able to park the car and climb up on foot.

Shockingly, it was exactly as he described and Bisan and I couldn’t be more proud of ourselves. However, what we did not know is that there was a more easy way up but instead we climbed rocky walls until we arrived at one of the two grand homes located at the side of the hill.

Bisan leads the way with confidence now that we are no longer walking through heavy green bushes and unknown territories. (Photo by: Malak Hasan).

We kept walking up through what now seemed like marked passageways and found ourselves at a second home, but this one was being renovated. But we are going to leave this story until later, because we found the most fascinating project and we plan on going back soon!

Bedouin friends and Goat Milk

Jihad tending to his source of livelihood and happiness. (photo by: Malak Hasan)

Bisan and I purchased new camping chairs and we were too excited not to put them to the test in the mountains. Therefore, we decided to hike up the hill and chill under one of the many giant oak trees.

When we arrived up the hill we found out that our chairs are not only great but that up that hill, there are any beautiful people living and working daily.

We met Jihad, a bedouin from Arab Al Jahalin bedouin community, a Palestinian locality in Jerusalem Governorate located 6.2km southeast of Jerusalem City. Jihad and his family move in the summer to Ein Qinya in search for water and green landscapes for their 500+ herd.

He said the family used to relocate entirely during the summer months, but they no longer do that because they risk being denied going back to their locality by Israel, the occupying force of Palestine. Now the family remains in Arab Al -Jahalin and only those who must leave relocate to Ein Qinya until its time to go back.

Jihad was so kind to let us chat with him, discuss bedouin life and their relationship with the locals of Ein Qinya and even added us on Instagram! We asked him if he preferred modern life over their bedouin lifestyle but he said who enjoys being locked up in cement cubes. Bedouin life for him is freedom and he enjoys spending his days tending to the family’s herd in the lush mountains of Palestine.

As a gift, Jihad gave us fresh goat milk to try and we promised to visit him soon in Ein Qinya and we even planned to visit him in his locality once its time to move back to Arab Al-Jahalin. And that is one promise we intend to keep!

Relaxing under the Oak tree

After an eventful morning meeting Jihad, playing with his herd near the Ein Qinya Spring, we said our goodbyes and found shelter under a majestic oak tree. We opened our camping chairs and spent hours drinking in the amazing view of the valley until it was time to go back to Ramallah.

Ein Qinya village and parts of the northern parts of Ramallah. (Photo by: Malak Hasan)

We recommend:

  • If you plan on spending the day in the mountains, make sure you have enough food and drinks because the climb up is long and you would not want to cut your visit short because you are thirsty.
  • Bring a blanket or a foldable chair to make yourself comfortable.
  • Go early to Ein Qinya to enjoy the morning hike when the weather is cool and breezy.
  • The hike is family friendly, especially that there is a designated path leading up to the spring.
  • If you decide to go, please respect the nature, avoid damaging trees or leaving trash behind.

Well since you made it this far, check our intsagram for more video and photos from our day at ein Qinya and check out our other destinations in the highlights section!

Spain, Turkey and a fresh salad in Till

Posted on by ahlanpalestineinfo

This blog post is very special to us because it was one of those trips that we started but never expected how surprising it would turn out to be. The initial plan that Malak and I set was to drive to Nablus and hang out a little bit in the old town in Nablus and enjoy the beauty that the city has to offer. We also wanted to visit a few places along the way, but ended up spending the bulk of our time in one small yet breathtaking village called Till (Also written as Tell). 

And while the way from Ramallah where me and Malak live is just an hour drive to Nablus, it took us more than 4 hours to actually get there, because we could not resist stopping every 10 minutes to marvel at the amazing scenery we came across. 

In our small rented red car we left Ramallah through Birzeit town and headed north on road 60 that passes through many beautiful villages such as Sinjil and Turmusaya. The landscape changed as we drove closer to Nablus and left behind the bustling city atmosphere. As I was driving, Malak was playing DJ and finding us the best 90s Arabic pop music to groove on along the way. 

Passing by Luban e-Sharkiya, Malak told me that every time she passes by this village she is just eager to stop the bus or car she is in and take a few pictures in what seems like an endless field of wildflowers and farmers’ crops. And who am I to say no to yet another opportunity to take more amazing photos?

Even Though I am terrified of green landscapes especially in the heat and what could be hiding there, such as snakes and spiders, I needed to comply with my annoying friend’s nagging for me to stand in a field of yellow flowers. And I am so happy I did, and that no creatures creeped up on me, because the peace I felt just standing there listening to birds singing and feeling the breeze on my face was definitely worth it! 

At the roundabout that leads to both Tulkarem and Nablus, we took the second exit and headed to Tulkarem. Driving for another 10 minutes, we took a small exit with unfortunately no clear sign, and headed up a very steep road that would lead us to Till. Malak was again very eager to take a photo there because the view was priceless! Finally we saw a sign that reads Till and were assisted by a very nice old man who was selling zucchinis on the side of the road (Hint: Do not shy away from asking strangers for directions!). 

Arriving to Till, I think Malak was completely speechless. We were greeted by an amazing view that reminded us instantly of European castles and the landscapes in Spain. Hills stretching for miles and dotted with lush Olive trees that looked like tiny fluffy clouds sprouting from the ground. Malak left the car with her camera and just walked ahead of me with me driving slowly next to her. Every time she looked at the monitor of her camera she would look back at me and just say WOW.

Till is an extremely gorgeous and off the grid town that is located 5 kilometers southwest of Nablus. The name comes from Syriac and it means height. The first view definitely screams height as the old houses in the village are built over a very majestic and rocky hillside. We initially intended to go up to the old houses but what we found ahead of us was as beautiful and decided to just spend the day getting to know the lovely people of Till. 

We stopped for about half an hour at a lovely place called Orjin Cafe. The cafe is built in a location that allows you to have an uninterrupted view of the entire valley of Till. It reminded us of Turkey’s amazing scenery and for a good reason.  The owner of the cafe is the biggest fan of Turkey and was inspired by its simple cafes and peoples’ desires to just sit down and enjoy a warm cup of tea and maybe smoke Shisha while enjoying the view. Nothing fancy. Urwa, the owner kindly offered us two hot cups of tea prepared on wood fire and while I enjoyed the fantastic contrasting views, Malak chatted with Urwa as she always does. I do not think she can resist the journalist in her!  

And after we sipped our tea in peaceful silence, Mohammad who works with Urwa came over with two deserts. The desert is called Madlooqa, a delicious and famous sweet made of layers of cold cream, Kunafah dough and topped with Cashew nuts. Safe to say we devoured the whole thing in a matter of minutes! 

Malak then told me that she saw a farmer walking in his farm below the cafe and that she asked him if we could stop by and of course they welcomed us with open arms. Abdul Raziq and his friend took us on a tour in their farm and were adamant to give us enough produce to prepare our own fresh lettuce salad. The farm itself is called Al Fawar, which is a reference to the spring that runs through the farm from the mountain. We were amazed at how we were transported into a forest of fresh produce that had everything you would ever need. As I was struggling to carry all the goodness Abdul Raziq was handing over to me, Malak was enjoying her little game of trying to name every plant and tree we passed by. She was able to guess some but I think she will be able to guess more on our beautiful journey discovering Palestine. 

After a long farewell and a promise of visiting them again, we took off and headed up the mountain on our way to Nablus, but of course stopped again at the hilltop to explore the most impressive location to see Till uninterrupted from east to west. 

While we feel sorry that we never knew about Till and its amazing landscapes before, we felt blessed that we had a chance to discover what it has to offer. We are so happy that we have this platform to share these experiences with you because we simply want you to get to experience the beauty and the pure magic of this amazing village.