Nahal Sa'ar, a narrow wet canyon in the Golan near Route 99 where you rappel into deep pools and swim, on a circular route unsuited to large groups.
Also known as: וואדי ח'שבה, Wadi Khashabe, Nahal Sa'ar
Information as of 17 Sept 2023
At a glance
- Approach
- 5 min
- Tallest waterfall
- 32 m
- Number of waterfalls
- 14
- Rope needed
- 50 m
- Circular route:
- Yes
- Reserve:
- No
Field reports
How much water there was and how it went, from people who were here. Every report is reviewed before it is published.
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Meeting point (parking)
חניון מול תצפית מפל סער
The meeting point is the parking spot. You continue on foot from here.
Coordinates: 33.23921, 35.70240
About
The stream comes down from the Hermon heights, crosses the Ya'afuri valley and starts to cut in below Mas'ada, along the contact between the Hermon's limestone and the Golan basalt. Today it is dry most of the year and carries water only after rain; a few weeks into a wet spell a seasonal spring starts at the foot of Rasisim Fall and fills the pools with clear water for part of the winter.
Below Mas'ada the channel runs between large boulders, with one low fall that can be passed without a rope. About two kilometres down comes a ten-metre fall, and right after it Rasisim Fall, the highest in the stream (about thirty-two metres). Some nine hundred metres later, by the HaYedidut bridge, is HaYedidut Fall. From there a run of four short falls with pools follows, then a six-metre fall into a deep pool, a nine-metre fall, HaEr Fall (sixteen metres), HaArubba Fall, and finally the three Saar falls below the road bridge, the middle one eighteen metres high.
A green-marked trail follows the stream on the south bank from the foot of Rasisim Fall to the Saar falls, so you can drop to the pools or leave the bed at several points. After the last fall you climb steeply up the south bank to the viewpoint. The book's sketch shows the stream in the flow season; without flow the bed is dry along its whole length.
Access notes
The canyon section starts by Mas'ada. By the HaYedidut bridge a dirt area is used for parking, and the green trail on the south bank starts there. At the end, after the last of the Saar falls, climb the south bank to the viewpoint.
Parking
The book says a dirt area by the HaYedidut bridge serves as hikers' parking. It gives no coordinates for it.
Difficulty and suitability
- Water activity
- Yes
- Route type
- Wet
Descent profile
Scroll sideways for details
Waterfalls(14)
| # | Name | Height | Obstacle | Profile | Landing | Anchor | Bolts and stations | Rope | From previous | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Height: – | Downclimb | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| ||||||||||
| 2 | א | Height: 10 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 3 | בRasisim Fall | Height: 32 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | Pool | – | – | – | – | |
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| 4 | גHaYedidut Fall | Height: 8 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | Pool | – | – | – | 900 m | |
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| 5 | ד | Height: 5 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | Pool | – | – | – | – | |
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| 6 | ה | Height: 10 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | Pool | – | – | – | – | |
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| 7 | ו | Height: 4 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| ||||||||||
| 8 | – | Height: – | Pool / swim | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 9 | ז | Height: 3 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 10 | ח | Height: 6 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | Pool | – | – | – | – | |
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| 11 | ט | Height: 9 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | 1 km | |
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| 12 | יHaEr Fall | Height: 16 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | Pool | – | – | – | 1 km | |
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| 13 | כ | Height: 3 m | Downclimb | – | Pool | – | – | – | – | |
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| 14 | למפל המרזב | Height: 9 mOther source: 7 m (canaan-canyoning.xyz, 2023) | Waterfall / rappel | – | Deep pool (swim) | Chemical bolts | – | 20 m | – | |
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| 15 | – | Height: – | Downclimb | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 16 | – | Height: 6 mOther source: 5 m (canaan-canyoning.xyz, 2023) | Waterfall / rappel | – | Deep pool (swim) | Chemical bolts | – | 20 m | – | |
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| 17 | מפל סער | Height: 18 mOther source: 20 m (canaan-canyoning.xyz, 2023) | Waterfall / rappel | – | Pool | Chemical bolts | 2 stations | 50 m | – | |
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| 18 | – | Height: 13 mOther source: 10 m (canaan-canyoning.xyz, 2023) | Waterfall / rappel | – | Pool | Chemical bolts | – | 30 m | – | |
| ||||||||||
Points on the map
- ParkingPrimaryחניון מול תצפית מפל סער
33.23921, 35.70240
- First waterfallמפל ראשון (מפל המרזב)
33.23956, 35.70540
- Route startStart of the canyon section, by Mas'ada
33.23422, 35.75188
- WaterfallDrop A
33.22716, 35.74039
- WaterfallRasisim Fall
33.22678, 35.73898
- LandmarkHaYedidut bridge
33.22858, 35.73009
- WaterfallDrop D, head of the run of four falls
33.23042, 35.72520
- WaterfallHaEr Fall
33.23644, 35.71391
- WaterfallHaArubba Fall
33.23970, 35.70536
- LandmarkRoute 989 bridge
33.23958, 35.70420
- WaterfallSaar Falls, head of the high fall
33.23992, 35.70369
- Route endRoute 99 bridge, before the Banias confluence
33.24540, 35.69139
Safety
After rain the stream runs hard and the flow can be dangerous. On rainy days and in winter the pools are dangerous and the current can sweep you away. In the flow season you have to swim in cold water. The sketch marks a hazard at the pools of drop K and HaArubba Fall.
Escape routes
- From the foot of Rasisim Fall to the Saar falls a green-marked trail runs on the south bank, close to the bed, with no water crossing; the sketch marks several exit points along it.
- By the HaYedidut bridge an old dirt area serves as parking for green-trail hikers.
Weather constraints
Water only after rain. A few weeks into a wet spell a seasonal spring at the foot of Rasisim Fall flows for about half of the winter months.
Recommendations
In summer, with no flow, the rappels are fairly simple. In winter only for very experienced canyoners with gear for water, and not on rain or flood days.
Equipment
Full rappelling gear and a helmet; in the flow season also gear for cold water.
Data sources
The information on this page was collected from these sources.
- canaan-canyoning.xyzcanaan-canyoning.xyz
- Based on the Hebrew guidebook "Golan Heights Streams" by Ronen Kalimi (2026)
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