On May 28, 2025, the tranquil Alpine village of Blatten in Switzerland's Lötschental Valley, about 75 miles west of Geneva, faced a catastrophic event. A massive section of the Birch Glacier, estimated at 1.5 million cubic meters, collapsed, unleashing a torrent of ice, mud, and rock that engulfed the village. Some 90% of the village was destroyed, and one man is missing. Climate change is to blame.
If you’re fortunate enough to live within a reasonable drive to the beach, start visiting more often and dig your toes into the sand. If you don’t like to swim in the ocean, you don’t have to – just getting your feet wet is enough.
The most striking feature of Israel’s landscape is its variety. This tiny area has a dramatic desert in the South and the green Galilee mountains in the North. Two areas that are so different, but you can drive from one to the other in less than 3 hours. Israelis love their country and love to […]
A natural retreat from the traffic and crowds of Istanbul, the 296-hectare Atatürk Arboretum, above, receives few visitors. But it contains more than 2,000 foreign and native plant species, including some species that can’t be found anywhere else in Turkey. Situated within the city’s Belgrade Forest, the arboretum is a research site for Turkish and foreign scientists, […]
Take everything you ever learned about Iran and banish it from your mind. Do it. Do it right now. Because this country is far more interesting than mainstream papers would have you believe. Boasting one of the world’s oldest continuing civilizations and a trove of architectural, cultural, historical and natural treasures, not to mention some […]
Everyone older than ten has likely experienced the exquisite agony and transformation of a broken heart. Which means that just about everyone has probably developed their own recipe for healing as well. Some people go on “retail therapy” sprees to sweeten the pain, others crawl up in a tiny ball on their bed and stay […]
Lebanon boasts one of the world's most sophisticated hiking trail networks, which traverses 75 towns and villages.
Eco-tourism in Lebanon can do a lot to bolster local communities, if it gets off the ground.
What is the best way to visit Israel? By plane, by bus, or maybe by car? Derech Hateva believes the best way to see this small but fascinating country is by foot. Registration is now open for Derech Hateva’s annual Israel Trail Teen Adventure (ITTA), a month-long outdoor program for Jewish teens from North America […]
As a Green Prophet studying at Ben Gurion University, for the last two weeks I have been out of school due to rockets on Beer Sheva. Earlier this week I took advantage of BGU’s location in the desert to hike away from the sirens and remember the beauty of being outside in the undeveloped areas […]
Green Prophet recently wrote about the rise in environmental activism and awareness amongst Palestinians, including conservation biologist and educator, Sami Backleh. In this guest post, Sami, a resident of east Jerusalem, writes about the flora and fauna of Wadi Qelt in the Jordan Valley near Jericho. (Article originally published in This Week in Palestine.) It […]
If you don’t know what a yurt is, have no fear. Most people don’t (including yours truly). But yurts, with their portability, suitability for nature trips, and simple low-tech structures are highly suitable for eco-tourism – so they definitely deserve our attention. And it certainly is exciting that yurts are entering the Israeli tourism scene. […]
It’s September already and officially the end of the summer (not that you would notice by the still-scorching Middle Eastern climate). As the temperature begins to cool down (slightly), the next couple of months offer the ideal time to hit one of the many hiking trails, forests, or natural springs in Israel. But sometimes enjoying […]
Bicycles are becoming trendy here in Israel, and as a result the government has been spearheading initiatives to promote this eco-friendly, congestion-fighting trend. What’s more, bicycle tourism is becoming increasingly popular as well, as bikers savor the open green spaces that Israel has to offer. Israel’s Ministry of Tourism has just announced that the government […]
Fall is the season when Israelis take to the trails. Hiking is more than a pastime here—it’s practically a national sport. With the kids out of school, the long days stretching into golden evenings, and the lure of mountains, wadis, and streams, families, soldiers, and groups of friends lace up their boots and head outdoors.