ISLAMABAD: In the Indian Himalayas, the villages of Dharamkot, Kasol, and other hill settlements — termed as the “Hummus Trail” by travelers — have evolved into “mini Israel,” a corridor of Hebrew signboards, Jewish community centers, and cafés that draw waves of ex-Israeli military officials.


Villages like Dharamkot and Shabbat meals at Chabad Houses have contributed to the creation of "microcosms of Israeli society" beneath the Himalayan peaks


Dharamkot was once recognized for its dimly lit cafés and budget-friendly homestays


The same narrow lanes now host a Hyatt resort — the first five-star hotel in the region — signaling the shift from a humble backpacker destination to a luxury retreat popular with Israeli tourists


According to TOI, the village originally belonged to the Gaddi shepherd community of Himachal Pradesh.


As Israeli visitors began coming “in routines” from the 1990s onward, many Gaddi homes were turned into guesthouses and rooms for rent, bringing what locals described as a “culture shock” to a once-quiet tribal settlement, the Times of India reported.


Who are these Israeli tourists?

A 2015 feature in the Jerusalem Post described the Hummus Trail as the “informal route across India where Israelis, especially in their 20s, flock after compulsory military service. Former Israeli ambassador to India Daniel Carmon told the paper that around 80,000 Israelis visit India each year and use the country “to decompress after their military service,” often staying for months.


Second home for Israeli tourists

The Times of India reports that Dharamkot is the only village in the state with a Jewish community center, the local Chabad House, and is widely seen as a second home for Israeli tourists. Most restaurants serve falafel, shakshuka, and hummus with pita, while Hebrew is often seen on signboards along the steep streets. 


Residents told the Times of India that tourism in the area wasn’t developed through state initiatives, but rather "by the vision of the Israeli people" who began arriving in the 1990s.


In a broader context of Israeli presence in India, the Orthodox Union, a Jewish organization based in the US, reported sending a group of volunteers to Mumbai in late October. The group included 12 members of Ben Gurion University’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus, many of whom had recently served in Gaza, who combined volunteer work with time away from Israel.