Guesthousing It In Israel: Get Your Eco-Farm On

Jan 25th, 2008 by Karin Kloosterman

Israel has a number of Eco-Tourism options. But we suppose, at the end of the day, it all depends on semantics, marketing and what one classifies as “ecological.” We are of the notion that an eco-trip could be as simple as a walk in the forest, basking in the sunshine at your local cafe, or a trip to the sea on your bike. Keepin’ it simple, and not traveling far, is very environmentally-friendly.

But if you must have that “Eco” seal of approval stamped on your next outing (and hey it makes good dinner conversation), try the website Ecotourism Israel.

We’ve covered a range of organic farm produce options here on Green Prophet (eating organic for cheap); and today we go one step further, by featuring four organic farms which offer guesthouse and overnight stay options, to boot.

The first is Bein Haruv Lezait Organic Farm and Guesthouse, located in the western Galilee, and tended by the hippie shakers at Moshav Clil. “Upon the hills, with a sea view, you will find a different place that believes in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere where you can sit back, enjoy the view and experience the “old farming way,” with our magnificent organic village,” they write.

Last we heard, there were no actual signs pointing to Clil, so best visit with an experienced traveler or a local.

::Bein Haruv Lezait (in Hebrew)

Bustan Peqiin Organic Farm and Guest House in the western Galilee area, offer their ecological and tourist farm holiday.

“After a short visit to Bustan Peqiin,” they write, ” after experiencing the silence, the isolation, the nature and simplicity, the things that we have forgotten about, the spirit of the Galil region and the holiness of Peqiin, each one of us finds their own meaning.”

::Bustan Peqiin

Lotan Center for Creative Ecology- Farming Experience is a great place to stop if you are headed down to the Eilat region. Based in Kibbutz Lotan, their guesthouse is part of one of the more hard-core environment groups in Israel.

Theirs, they write, “is a multi ecological programs experience center, which provide for you the ability to enroll in various ecological aspects, from organic farming and nature reserves, to true recycled art programs and green building.”

We’ve tried to call them to book a place at their guesthouse in the past. No one answered our call or email. Give them a try if you are lost in the Arava.

::Kibbutz Lotan

If Lotan’s booked, and you are still lost in the Arava, try the Desert Days- Ecological House & Art Workshops. They write, “Weekends at Desert Days includes living in an earth hut, eating by the fire, walking in the desert (next to your house), building and creating with earth.

“We invite our gusts to come Thursday afternoon until Saturday afternoon, to a double hut which fits 2 families who want to be together.”

Sounds cozy.

::Desert Days

If you’ve had an experience at an “ecological” farm in Israel, or anywhere, please share.

::Ecotourism Israel

(image credit: urban ronin)

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5 Responses to “Guesthousing It In Israel: Get Your Eco-Farm On”

on 28 Jan 2008 at 1:39 pm1Daniel

I’m a bit skeptical about Eco-tourism Israel, if only because they have apparently given a green seal of approval (I couldn’t access their eco-criteria) to at least one lone farm in the Negev - ones that were established without proper planning and approvals and for questionable political reasons. Israel has enough existing kibbutzim, moshavim and other rustic communities for nature tourism (as my 10 year-old daughter asked me at Rosh HaNikra a month ago, “why did all the kibbutzim get the good spots?”) that we don’t need to encourage new ones that are more about eco-selfishness than eco-tourism. I like GreenProphets recommendation about staying close by, not traveling a lot, and would add, take advantage of existing infrastructure. Keep it simple, pack out your trash, and don’t build a new farm in an empty wadi and call it ecological.
on 03 Feb 2008 at 12:30 am2DYI Home for About a Thousand Bucks « Green Prophet

[...] Lately, we are of the notion that it’s more green to build and rebuild in the city rather than develop new tracts of land, but if you must build that eco-village in the desert, an earth-friendly approach is key. See more on Kibbutz Lotan here (eco-guesthousing in Israel. [...]
on 02 Jul 2008 at 12:22 pm3Eco Tourism Spreads Across the Middle East - Mideast Youth - Thinking Ahead

[...] There are a lot of organic and environmentally guesthouses in Israel where you can learn about organic farming and waste-free living. These include the Lotan [...]
on 07 Jul 2008 at 6:15 pm4Avi Arzuni

Hello , we are building an organic farm based on nabatian water fload orchird in the Negev (southern Israel) - We are looking for volenteers to work and stay with us .
Thanks

Avi Arzuni and the Family
on 30 Jul 2008 at 9:48 pm5Judy

For all those guest houses and places that do not answer emails and phone calls, Drive-Israel.com arranges your trip to the small and unusual places in Israel.