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Hiking Wadi Qelt, one of the most beautiful places in the West Bank

Andreas and I love hiking and exploring the great outdoors, and Israel and Palestine have so much hiking to offer it can be a bit overwhelming! One place we highly recommend checking out is Wadi Qelt, a vastly underrated area common with hikers and people who want to enjoy the natural pools of water in the valley.

About Wadi Qelt

Wadi Qelt is a valley located in the West Bank, running from Jerusalem to Jericho. It is unique in Israel because both Israelis and Palestinians have access to the area. You can find many locals hiking, swimming, and picnicking in the valley. We did not see many tourists so if you are looking for a place that is more local, Wadi Qelt should be at the top of your list!

Andreas climbs down a small cliff face in Wadi Qelt

Our guide told us that many believe that Wadi Qelt is the same as the Valley of Achor which is mentioned in the book of Joshua (chapter 7). In this story, the Israelites were unable to defeat their enemy because one man, Achan, had lied and stolen goods that God had expressly commanded to be destroyed. Because of his deceit, Achan and his family were stoned to death in the valley. A pile of stones was built over their bodies to remind the Israelites of the consequences of sin.

Getting there

If you are not sure about the way I would suggest hiring a local guide. We used Salah, who was recommended to us by a friend and he was excellent! We actually entered Wadi Qelt from the road and not through the main entrance. There is an entrance fee, but it seemed unnecessary as many locals come down from their villages directly into the park from all sides so it is very hard to regulate entrance.

Hiking Wadi Qelt

You will find it very difficult to get to Wadi Qelt without a car. If you do rent a car there is parking at the main entrances along with bathrooms. There is no public transportation to the main entrances. We found many hitchhikers along the way!

Hiking Wadi Qelt

We started out in a very dry part of the valley. Salah showed us small herbs and flowers along the way. He said that it was also possible to camp in the valley. If we had come earlier in the year in January or February it may have been too dangerous to hike with flash floods. In late March there was still a little water at the bottom of the valley.

Andreas crosses one of the many streams we encountered on our hike through Wadi Qelt

As we hiked further in the vegetation became more lush. We began to find more people swimming in natural pools and taking a break from the intense heat of the sun. The rocks were quite slippery and every single one of us managed to dip a foot into the water accidentally at some point. Thankfully it was so hot that our shoes dried quickly!

Awkward stream crossings and natural tunnels in Wadi Qelt

The water was not cold and was a very pleasant temperature. We stopped at one point to sit with our feet in a deep, natural pool and eat some snacks. Surprisingly we had some fish come and nibble at our toes. It was a very funny feeling and the fish were not shy at all! Supposedly people pay lots of money to have this treatment done with the same fish in spas. It’s a nice, free perk of the hike!

Locals lounging by a natural swimming pool in Wadi Qelt

Although our hike did not feel strenuous to us, I would classify this as a moderate level hike. You do have to do a bit of scrambling over loose rocks, and crossing streams can get a bit treacherous. We had to make our own bridges sometimes and heard a lot of people falling into the water behind us!

How to prepare

You can plan for a short or a long hike, although I would recommend working up a sweat to get to the streams so you can enjoy the water! We hiked over 15k (10 miles) in a few hours.

Bring lots of water or a water filtration unit. Our guide drank straight from the stream but he was used to the local water. Snacks are also a good idea since you will likely be hiking for several hours.

Karis hiking in Wadi Qelt

The sun is also intense so bring appropriate clothing and sunscreen. Be aware as a woman that covering up is still important due to the orthodox area you are hiking in. I definitely startled some Israeli boys a few times simply because I was the only woman out hiking that day!

There are no bathrooms along the trail so be prepared for this and bring your own toilet paper. Also make sure that anything you bring in you also take out in order to keep trash from accumulating in this beautiful area.

Visiting the public restrooms at the end of the hike was very funny. There were several hundred Israeli young men playing around in a pool near the restrooms which I had to walk past to get to the ladies’ room. I was grateful my legs were covered! They were very startled to see me there and I can hardly imagine what might have happened if I decided to jump in the pool with them!

For some perspective, see if you can find the people hiking in this photo in Wadi Qelt!

Hiking in Wadi Qelt was a great way to experience a national park in the West Bank, and appreciate the beauty of the country. If you have been to Israel have you hiked Wadi Qelt? I’d love to hear about your experiences below!