Last month, my friends and I did the Golan Trail, a beautiful trail that goes from the foot of Mount Hermon to the southern part of the Golan Heights. Most of the time, we stayed outside in camping sites. But one night, we saw that it was supposed to rain. Luckily, we planned to finish that day in Givat Yoav, one of the first Israeli villages established in the Golan. In Givat Yoav, they have a fantastic view of the Sea of Galilee and also several accommodation options with a similar concept – many of them have yurt tents. We chose the most affordable option, which was Village on the Cliff.
If you’re planning to hike the Golan Trail and are looking for indoor accommodation, Village on the Cliff is a great option. It’s also a good option for those who don’t plan to hike the trail and just want to explore the Golan Heights. The price is per yurt, so the more people you have in your group, the better the price will be for each person. We were six people and didn’t need bed linens for the mattresses, so we got a really good price.
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Here’s a short video by Village on the Cliff, which also shows some places you can see in the Golan:
Table of Contents
Short summary about Village on the Cliff
Location: 5 stars – Village of the Cliff is located in Givat Yoav, on the cliff overlooking the Sea of Galilee. So, I believe it’s one of the most beautiful locations in the Golan Heights. There’s also a commercial center with a supermarket and a bank at the entrance to the moshav, which doesn’t exist everywhere in the Golan! And if you’re hiking on the Golan Trail, it’s right next to the trail. Ideal.
Cleanliness: 5 stars – Everything was clean and organized. Even the common kitchen was spotless.
Staff: 5 stars – We mainly talked to the owner of the place, who was very friendly and helpful. He brought us whatever we needed and was available on phone for any questions.
Security: 4 stars – I didn’t see any security measures. There’s no guard at the entrance to the accommodation or anything like that. But we felt completely safe, so I guess it’s not needed.
Facilities: 5 stars – The facilities are top-notch. The yurt where we stayed was well equipped with comfortable mattresses, electricity plugs, a coffee and tea corner, and more. There’s also an en-suite shower which had soap and shampoo. The common area outside the yurt is also amazing, with an herb garden and a shared guest kitchen. The kitchen has everything you need, and if you’re lucky, even some ingredients.
Atmosphere: 5 stars – It was SO relaxing! The beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee really adds to the chilled-out atmosphere. After several days of hiking, we really enjoyed this small piece of quiet and calm. It seemed like there were no other people when we stayed, so it might be a bit noisier if you’re coming during busy times.
Value for money: 5 stars – The place was beyond our expectations. The mattresses were comfy, the shower was wonderful, the shared kitchen was great, and the view – extraordinary. For us, it was worth the money.
Detailed review of Village on the Cliff
Location
Village on the Cliff is located in Givat Yoav, a moshav near the western edge of the Golan Heights. It’s located on a cliff overlooking the Sea of Galilee. And it’s only about 1.8 km from the Golan Trail. If you want, you can also reach the Sea of Galilee from here, on a 6-km hiking trail that passes on the hill of Qeren `En Gev. If you prefer exploring the area by car, the Sea of Galilee is about 20 minutes by car. There are also many water springs and archeological sites in the area.
About 10 minutes on foot from the accommodation, there’s a restaurant called DUDIS. We went there and really enjoyed the food. They have hamburgers made from local beef raised in the Golan Heights. The prices are average.
If you prefer to buy ingredients and make your own food in the accommodation’s shared kitchen, there’s a grocery store about 8 minutes from the accommodation called Ha’Shuka. There’s also a bigger supermarket at the entrance to the moshav, beyond the entrance gate, about 20 minutes on foot from the Village on the Cliff.
The yurt
When staying at Village on the Cliff, we stayed in a yurt, a traditional circular tent typical in Middle Asia. The tent was very spacious and clean. There were six comfortable mattresses on the floor. Because we wanted a better price, we asked for mattresses without linens and slept inside our sleeping bags.
There were several electricity plugs inside the yurt, which was good because we had to charge all our phones. Also, there was an open closet where we could put our stuff, a small table, and a tea and coffee corner.
The en-suite shower was excellent. There’s a rain shower with good water pressure and hot water. There were also body soap and shampoo.
Outside the yurt, we had a small “porch” towards the view of the Sea of Galilee with a picnic table and a hammock. It had rained before we arrived, so we couldn’t use the hammock because it was soaked. But we had a good time simply sitting around the picnic table with a hot cup of tea or coffee. And when the rain stopped, we hung our wet clothes on the drying ropes which are right next to the table. The next day they were already dry.
The place has a HUGE and well-equipped shared kitchen. There are boxes full of plates, pots, pans, and cooking and eating utensils. There is also a microwave, a toaster, a toaster oven, and electrical cooktops. You can store your ingredients in a large refrigerator or check out the ingredients that former guests left behind in the left-hand refrigerator. The first shelf is for the staff members, but everything else can be used free of charge. We had a look there and found lots of things for breakfast.
Make sure to clean the preparation surfaces and wash your dishes after eating!
Outside the kitchen, there’s a large space full of dining tables, where you can eat whatever you made. There’s also a closet full of board and card games, so you can spend some social time with your travel companions.
I also saw a BBQ grill, but we didn’t use it. I suppose that if you buy meat and coal, you can also do some barbecue here.
Staff
Several staff members were on the property, but they seemed to be only in charge of the maintenance, so we didn’t have much connection with them. They all seemed friendly.
Our main connection was with the owner of the place, who was very friendly. He was available for any question or need. When we arrived, we realized that there were not enough towels for all of us, so we gave him a call, and he came quite quickly with the towels we needed. Also, when we wanted to pay for the stay, he came all the way to our yurt to collect the payment. Maybe it was because no other people were there, so he could give us special attention. Or maybe that’s what he does.
We talked to him a bit and found out that he opened this place with Golan Trail hikers in mind. He wanted it to be a place where hikers would stop on the way. “But it seems like Israelis don’t hike so much,” he said, “And when they do hike, they usually go to Trail Angels when they want a shower.”
Security
From what I saw, there are no special security measures. The main entrance gate to Givat Yoav gets closed at night. But we felt completely safe when staying at Village on the Cliff. Sometimes we even left our yurt unlocked.
Bottom line
Village on the Cliff is a beautiful place to stay in the Golan Heights. Unlike traditional hotels or hostels, here you’ll be staying in a yurt, which is on its own a unique experience. The place is clean, calm, and friendly, and you have everything you need for a great stay.
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I stayed at Village on the Cliff in October 2022 at my own expense and the review is 100% authentic.
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Yours,
Lior