12 – The Iris Reserve

The Iris Reserve is a unique natural reserve at the southwestern end of the city. This is the habitat of the largest concentration of purple irises in all of Israel (and in the entire world!). The purple iris is undoubtedly one of the most impressive flowers that grows in our country, and its silhouette is the symbol of the Israeli Society for the Protection of Nature. These rare irises bloom here from mid-February until the end of March, surrounded by white broom shrubs, boxthorns, Sharon tulips and even common cyclamens. Its blooming period ends toward the beginning of May, but in the summer, you can still see various coastal flowers in bloom along the length of the high ridges. Most prominent is the aromatic sea daffodil, which is also the city’s symbol. The site is also home to various animal such as porcupines, mongooses and jackals, but we probably won’t see any of them on our tour. During the day, they hide in the thick brush, only coming out to roam at night.
There are two hiking trails at the site – the trail where colorful flowers are in bloom, recommended especially between January and May, and the soaring cliff trail, which provides an amazing overlook of the ocean and is wonderful all year round. The two trails connect to a sandy valley from which you can access the beach. Each entrance of the reserve features a map for your convenience. (There is one entrance from Ben Gurion Boulevard, and two more along the length of Uzi Chitman Street on the southern end of the reserve.) At a comfortable pace, each of the trails takes about an hour.
The reserve is home to protected natural elements, so nothing should be collected and flowers should not be picked. Do not go off the marked trails and please do not leave litter behind. Help us keep the site naturally beautiful, and enjoy! From the Iris Reserve, you can continue your day at Winter Lake Park, which connects to the Iris Reserve via an overpass bridge overlooking the entire region.
Address: On Ben Gurion Boulevard, near the Givat Ha-Irusim neighborhood.