Ein Gedi Reserve at the Dead Sea 2024 (Detail)

The Promised Land is an amazing place where you can experience the great beauty of nature in the middle of the desert. On the way you will discover amazing landscapes, Bedouin settlements, strange caves. The groves, the sea - the traveler will see it from the car. Ein Gedi is an area protected by law. Under the same name - a kibbutz, a beach on the shore, a SPA-center, with hot springs for bathing. This was the town where the battles against the enemies took place. The name used to be translated as “row of palm trees.

There is extraordinary beauty here, created by non-handmade (this place can be safely attributed to the best sights in Israel). National Geographic magazine called this area mesmerizing. The Ein Gedi reserve is the outskirts of Israel. It is an oasis in the middle of a lifeless desert. It is transformed only in time, when the raindrops fall on it. After the fall, during the cold season, it may begin to bloom. At these times the rain begins to fall here. Everything turns into bubbling rivers. It is best to visit in the morning, when the sun is not scorching here.

Official website: https://en.parks.org.il

Tour of the wilderness

There are majestic cliffs in the Judean Desert. They all consist of limestone rock. Streams flow over these uplands into a salt lake called the “Dead Sea.” Watching the streams flow down to the sea is a breathtaking sight. They are slowly eroding the highway, though. The moisture has formed local depressions. It happened after millions of years. The cascade is a consequence of water’s constant work on the landscape. There are about 20 creeks flowing into Ein Gedi. Two of the streams are full all the time. Rainfall ranges from 50 mm. to 200 mm. The park has various waterfalls that descend from Mount Hebron (Jerusalem). The amount of precipitation here rises to 800 mm.

Water streams, once inside, go through all the distance and flow out among the cracks of the mountain. This spring is what created the green paradise. It is located between the mountains and the Dead Sea. The combination of words is translated as “spring of the goat.”

View of the Dead Sea (Ein Gedi Reserve)

The climate is warm in summer and rainy in winter. The reservation sort of lies between two streams. The fresh moisture and climate have created the atmosphere of a garden of the gods. Together the valley of the king and the Arudot from the south are connected. Peculiar vegetation and animals appeared. Damans are unusual members of the animal kingdom to be seen here. They are genetically the closest relatives of elephants. You can see them during the day in the sunniest places here. Tristram is a starling with a long tail and can be found. The bird’s orange-colored feathers are fascinating. Especially stand out during flight. Its name comes from the surname of the priest who first discovered the species and described it. A wide variety of plants grow in the area, there are more than a thousand species.

Trees, shrubs and unique grass - this is only part of the vegetation, which can be admired here. Near the reservoir grows real oleander and papyrus. In the oasis look at the carob trees, lawns on which grow pistachios, hawthorn. They are a symbol of dignity. Acacia sprouts from the stone. There is also the fruit of the apple, called sodom. The fruit of the tree, if pressed on it can burst. People in these parts were engaged in winemaking, dates, figs. They traded in white ointment, balsam “afarsemon” and incense.

The town was destroyed several times and then rebuilt. The last destruction was by the nomadic Arab tribes.

Be sure to watch this beautiful video about Ein Gedi!

Kibbutz Ein Gedi

A kibbutz founded by young people who came here to live. People planted fields and continued farming. The Moabi reserve of neighboring Jordan is visible from here.

It’s easy to get to the address - just turn south, where Highway 90 is located. The road stretches along the entire country from north to south for 500 km. It is not recommended to visit the reserve in July and August. Choose to visit in the morning when it is not very hot. From mid-spring to September is open from 8.00 to 17.00. From October to March until 16.00.

For 25 shekels you can pay your own admission. Children can get in for 13 shekels. Bring a bottle of water and a hat. The entrance is equipped with free parking. Do not want to say goodbye to a beautiful place, then settle in the hotel. Beach and swimming pools with mineral water, restaurant, gourmet cuisine are provided for residents of the hotel.

You can choose both a long route on the map to visit, and a short one. Mostly choose the route along the length of the creek, bypassing the waterfall of David. There is an opportunity to continue the walk from it into the desert.

The entire area is dissected into a canyon. There are bamboo thickets, rocks, and a canyon with an oasis in the middle of it. A waterfall descends into the grotto. David was hiding from Samuel, who was preparing to assassinate him. This was before Christ.

Saul thought David had a claim to his throne, so he almost killed him by throwing a spear at him. The king was a victim, hiding in the reserve.

It is important to see the ancient church built in Chalcolithic in these parts as well. The remains of the temple were found in the mid-twentieth century, when excavations were conducted. A mosaic in the form of a swastika was found in the temple. The images date back to the period of the New Era. An old water pipe was also found here.