The grottos at Rosh Hanikra National Park
Rosh HaNikra is on the western terminus of the Sulam Tzur (Ladder of Tyre) Ridge, a prominent east-west mountain ridge that drops dramatically into the sea at Rosh Hanikra, continues eastward into the Upper Galilee, and constitutes the border between Israel and Lebanon. As a result of fractures that developed in the cliff face, rainwater has seeped into the fissures and eroded its soft chalk. This, together with the relentless sea waves, has carved a 200-meter network of branching corridors and interconnected chambers. The grottos at sea level are usually visited by cable car, although with prior arrangements it is possible to visit them via the coastal road.
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​Directions and parking: Enter into Waze “Rosh Hanikra cable.” There is free parking at the entrance.
Admission: The grottos are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the summer, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the winter, Friday and holiday eves 9 a.m.to 4 p.m. and Saturday and holidays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are ₪53 for adults, and ₪43 for children (ages 3–18) and senior citizens. A bicycle or electric car ride along the coast is an additional charge. Online purchases offer a discount of approximately 12% compared to at-the-gate prices. Combined tickets are available that include Old Acco and Chai Park at Kiryat Motzkin. Their telephone number is 073 271-0100. This is their website:
Public transport: There is an infrequent bus from Nahariya. Enter “Rosh Hanikra Grottoes” into Moovit. The closest bus stop is a 600-meter/8-minute walk.
At the summit are restrooms, the ticket office for the cable car, a kosher l’mehadrin restaurant, a tourist store, a store for snacks, and the entrance to the cable car. The cable car is steep, takes 2 minutes and provides panoramic views of the coast.
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At the bottom of the cable car is a café, shaded area with picnic benches and the entrance to the grottos. There is an audio-visual presentation in an adjacent tunnel that reviews the grotto, its animal and sea life and the history of the cliffs.
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The 200-meter walking path can be a bit slippery, especially when wet. Comfortable, non-slip footwear is recommended. There are continuous railings for support. Access is partially wheelchair-friendly: the cable car, audiovisual presentation, and restroom facilities are accessible; however, due to the narrow and uneven nature of the grotto path, wheelchair users can only safely reach the first grotto and a portion of the second before needing to turn back.
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The Rosh HaNikra railway tunnel through the mountain ridge was constructed during the British Mandate between 1941–1942 and was part of the Haifa–Beirut–Tripoli rail line. An audio-visual presentation is in a small part of this tunnel. This ambitious project would have connected the Israeli and Lebanese rail networks to a continuous rail network from Egypt via Sinai, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey to Europe. Engineers from the South African and New Zealand armies were tasked with blasting through the mountain at Rosh HaNikra to create the tunnel. This allowed trains to travel from Haifa to Beirut and Tripoli during World War II, and facilitated the movement of goods and personnel. During Israel’s 1948 War of Independence, the bridge leading into Lebanon was destroyed by Israel because of concerns it would be used to bring in fighters and supplies into Palestine from Lebanon. The tunnel was subsequently sealed and backfilled.
There is a picnic area by the bottom of the cable car.
The audio-visual presentation is in the tunnel that once contained the railway line to Lebanon.