Mount Carmel is a shallow mountain range on the extreme northwest of Israel. This mountain range is not only geographically important but also historically and religiously. It is a holy and sacred place, considered by many scholars and clerics of the Abrahamic religions. From the Mediterranean Sea towards the southeast, this area is declared as an international world heritage site and a biosphere reserve by UNESCO. Located in the district of Haifa in Israel, it stretches approximately thirty-nine kilometers in length and eight kilometers in width.

There is a disagreement amongst many scholars regarding the exact meaning of the word Carmel but in the views of the majority it is described as “Vineyard or the Garden of God “. This mountain range stretches from Jezreel valley all the way to the northwest coast of the Mediterranean. One of its features is that there is a lot of greenery in this place and is full of steep mountains and trees.

Historical and Religious Importance This place is sanctified even in the old Egyptian records which mention it as A “Place of Sacrifice and Worship.” However, the most important element of this mountain range is the story of the biblical, Hebrew, of Prophet Elijah and in the Quran known as Ilyas. This is the location where Prophet Elijah slew 450 fake prophets of Baal. Baal was an idol false god, worshipped by the western Semitic, known as the god of thunder (like Thor in Greek mythology) and was worshipped by the locals of this area. Many preachers of this land worshipped him and claim themselves prophets. The story of Elijah betting with the false prophets and challenging them for sacrifice and true verification from the God after which Elijah slew the 450 false prophets are recorded in the Hebrew Bible and other religious books. In the reign of King Ahab, his wife Jezebel brought her belief in Baal and spread the religion in the entire region. Elijah rebelled against this at the will of God and thus made a challenge. He challenged the Baal prophets to offer a sacrifice with him and see whose sacrifice is accepted by the almighty God.

The event took place in Mount Carmel where all witnessed that Elijah’s sacrifice. It was accepted immediately by God and thus, the fire began to descend from the sky, burning the sacrifice and consuming it. The people there, saw the miracle, fell on their faces and calling out, “The Lord is God, The Lord is God” (Kings 18: 39). Elijah pursues the false prophets and they tried to escape the Kishon River, but it was all in vain. They begged for clemency but then Elijah refused and slaughtered each and every one of them. For this achievement, a statue of Elijah is displayed once you enter there.

Things to do in Mount Carmel There aren’t many things to do in Mount Carmel, but no need to worry about that, as once you get there, you’ll see that it’s the best decision you ever made to visit Mount Carmel especially if you are interested in history and religion. There is a Carmel national park located there which is known as the largest national park of Israel, comprising of over 10,000 hectares of pine, cypress forest, and eucalyptus. It extends to a lot of Carmel mountain range and is a perfect place to go for a long walk, picnic, pictures, relaxation and much more. Next comes Zichron Yaakov. It is located in Mount Carmel. It is one of the very first modern settlements In Israel. Zichron Yaakov is a winemaking town and also has a museum called the first Aliyah museum at the far end. It is the heart of Israel’s winemaking industry. It is lined with many shops and cafes.

How Do You Reach There? Mount Carmel is approximately 136 kilometers away from Jerusalem. There are many ways to get to Mount Carmel either from bus or taxi or by road. You can take a bus from Nazareth to Mount Carmel HaTamar/HaPa'amonit is around 1h 19m. There are many ways to reach there either by superbus, Egged, NTT, or GB tours. Rome2rio is a trustable and efficient travel guide by which, you may travel to Mount Carmel or any other place as well.