Check out my solo female travel to Jerusalem!

As I was researching things to do in Jerusalem, I came upon the site called Hezekiah’s Tunnel. A lot of people were saying it was their favorite part of their visit! So I had to go.

First time in Jerusalem

When I arrived, I noticed, based on the signs, that it fell within the City of David archaeological park. There was an entrance fee for the park, and I made sure to ask if it included Hezekiah’s tunnel, which was carved out of stone to bring fresh water into the city and keep the water supply safe from attack. As I explored the park and followed the signs to Hezekiah’s Tunnel, suddenly I came upon an entrance to a tunnel carved out of rock. It was completely dark inside with rushing water and there was no one around. Of course, I went inside!

Exploring City of David

I wandered through the 533-meter-long tunnel, completely alone. At times I stopped to turn off my light and I was completely in darkness. Except for the sound of rushing water around me, and any sounds I was making, there were no other sounds. It was truly incredible. I wandered along, not knowing how much further, until eventually I saw the end of the tunnel and light!

Quick tips for visiting Hezekiah’s Tunnel

If you plan to visit, I recommend bringing a headlamp or flashlight, as your cell phone light will get foggy on the inside if you bring it in the tunnel. They also have flashlights for rent there. I wore a small backpack inside the tunnel and it did not get wet at all, but I got wet up to about my hip and of course, my shoes and socks were wet, so be sure to wear something with good traction that can get wet. I wore tennis shoes and that worked out fine.

It is truly an incredible place to visit and definitely stands out as one of the most memorable places I visited in Jerusalem from an adventure perspective. In case you’re not up for the adrenaline, you can also choose the dry tunnel options to wander through.

The Old City of Jerusalem

The rest of the park has some lovely views and reconstruction. It’s within the old city of Jerusalem, so if you have the chance to visit for the day you can easily visit other sites nearby within walking distance. 

Remember that the restaurants in the Old City are quite expensive, even the shawarma restaurants, so you might want to plan ahead and bring some beverages and snacks if you’re on a budget.

Exploring Machaneh Yehudah Market

After that adventure, I headed over to Machaneh Yehudah Market—a popular marketplace in Jerusalem with both locals and tourists alike—for a little bit before I had to get back to my Airbnb to work online. I took the bus there, and while I was glad to explore, to be honest, I was pretty underwhelmed. It was well-rated, but I’ve seen so many markets all over the world that there was nothing much that caught my attention.

However, I did have a tasty ice cream outside of the market and I was glad I went to check it out. If you’re pressed for time and not a huge market lover, you can probably skip it. On the plus side, I felt quite safe as a solo female travel to Jerusalem.

This was just one of many days in the Old City of Jerusalem. Stay tuned for more and check out my vlog below! 🧡

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