Rosh Hanikra (“Head of the Grotto”) is a geologic formation on the border between Israel and Lebanon, located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in the Western Galilee. It is a white chalk cliff face which opens up into spectacular grottos
The Rosh HaNikra grottoes are cavernous tunnels formed by sea action on the soft chalk rock. The total length is some 200 meters. They branch off in various directions with some interconnecting segments.
A tunnel was built by the British for the Haifa-Beirut railroad line, and in 1968 a second one was dug, both connecting the grottoes with each other and allowing access (currently: only exit) along the former route of the British railroad.
Soon after, a cable car was built to take visitors down from the top of the cliff to the tunnels. With a 60-degree gradient, this cable car is advertised as the steepest in the world.
Accessibility
The Rosh Hanikra site is only partially accessible – the 100 meter bridge leads comfortably, facing a spectacular view, to the cable car that will easily take you down to the grottoes.
The grottoes due to their natural quarrying in the rock are not entirely accessible. A wheelchair user can enter with a wheelchair until the first grotto and watch it from above and part of the second grotto. At this point, he should be reverted back as the rest of the route involves a narrow aisle and stairs.
The audiovisual display and the toilets are accessible.
