Golan Tours with Amitai Elon · A 7-Day Journey from the Farm

I am Amitai, though most call me Tai. For more than twelve years I have guided people across this land as a licensed Israeli guide, and these journeys begin and end at my farm, Havat HaChaim, in Natur on the southern Golan Heights. This is not a packaged bus tour. It is seven days lived close to the border I have known my whole life, with my farm as your home base, alongside the people who actually farm it, defend it, cook it, and pray over it. Truffle hunting, locally raised beef, wine and whisky crafted on these hills, and history you can put your hand on. I fell in love with this region long ago. Let me show you why.

The Seven-Day Journey

Day One

Home Base: Havat HaChaim, the Farm of Life

Everything begins and ends at my farm in Natur. Havat HaChaim means the Farm of Life, and it has become exactly that. Since October 7 we have opened our gates to survivors of the Nova festival, to soldiers, and to families across Israel who carry the weight of this war. We hold gatherings of healing here, where the quiet of the Golan, the open sky, and the company of others begin to mend what the violence tore. You settle in around our long table, because the farm is the heart of this whole journey and your home for the week.

Day Two

The Borders by Jeep

A geopolitical jeep tour along the Lebanese border, with caviar and Israeli sparkling wine in Kibbutz Dan, and Tel Dan where the Jordan River is born. We cross to the Syrian border too, hearing the story of Operation Good Neighbor, the aid Israel gave during the Syrian civil war, and pick fruit in the Golan near the old city of Quneitra.

Day Three

In the Footsteps of Eli Cohen

A day moving through the Golan on the trail of Israel's spy Eli Cohen, his life and his unsolved mysteries, along the Syrian border.

Day Four

A Druze Day in Majdel Shams

We spend the day in the Druze village of Majdel Shams. We forage herbs, cook together, share a traditional meal, and learn about the Druze faith and their ties across the Syrian border.

Day Five

Cowboys, Biking and Wine

An active day on the land. We ride with the Israeli cowboys who help secure the northern border, then cycle through Israel's wine country, tasting at small, characterful wineries along the way.

Day Six

Mount Hermon and Whisky

With special permission from the IDF, we hike Mount Hermon, the eyes of Israel, for the view from the very top of the country. We come back down to the craft of locally distilled whisky, with a tasting at a renowned Golan distillery.

Day Seven

Roots in the Land: Planting Olive Trees at the Farm

We close where we began, at the farm. Together we plant olive trees, the tree of peace and of this land. This is the heart of it all: our way of giving back to the Golan and to Israel, and of leaving a part of your soul rooted in the soil of the Bible. The trees you plant will stand here long after you fly home, holding your place on this hill. A farewell meal at the long table sends you off.

Where you'll rest along the way: Pereh Hotel, Marom Golan, a night under canvas, and Kfar Blum.

A Life on This Border

We live and breathe the spirit of Israel's northern border, and now it is your turn to feel it.

This is family work, run from our home at Havat HaChaim, the Farm of Life, in Natur on the Golan Heights. We have spent our lives close to this border, and we know its people, its valleys, and its quiet corners the way you only can when it is home. Truffle hunting in the season, beef raised on these hills, whisky and wine made by neighbors, the stories soldiers and farmers and cooks will only tell you face to face.

I guide slowly and with reverence, because this ground deserves nothing less. Come and walk it with me.

A golden-hour gathering at Havat HaChaim, the Farm of Life

What Makes This Different

Authentic Experiences

You meet the real people of this border, generals and cowboys, Druze cooks and winemakers, and share the genuine flavors and traditions of the region.