The Dead Sea and Judean Desert are found in an historical and geographical fascinating area at the East of the country. At the lowest point on earth lies the Dead Sea, an exceptional lake for the high concentration of minerals and salt in its water. Surrounded by the Judean Desert's rocky mountains of lime and dolomite, you will discover unique scenery of geological formations: steep cliffs, valleys, gorges, canyons, oases, springs…
Nature hides in itself an age-old history. Two sites stand out: (1) Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls where found and (2) Masada fortress, the most visited site in Israel.
In addition the area offers desert tours suitable for all ages: jeep tours, camel tours and of course, the extraordinary experience of floating on the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth!
The private tours include various sites and can be tailored to meet your interests and time schedule.
Qumran
North of the Dead Sea, along the Judean desert cliffs, lies Qumran, known for the ancient manuscripts or Dead Sea Scrolls that were found by accident in this site in 1947. More than 2000 years ago a small group of Jews, the Essenes, split from Jerusalem's mainstream Judaism and settled in this area. For more than 200 years the members of this community wrote on parchment scrolls, mostly in Hebrew, i.e. the same Hebrew we use today (!). Among their writings there are books and chapters of the Bible, biblical translations and writings describing their ideology and lifestyle.
You will visit the remains of the library, the dining room, the 'mikveh' (ritual bath) and you will view the caves where the scrolls where found. You will also learn about the modest lifestyle, the egalitarian ideology and the apocalyptical beliefs of this community.
Ein Gedi
Ein Gedi Nature Reserve is an enchanting oasis in the heart of the Judean Desert. Ein Gedi gives you the opportunity to be close to nature, to learn more about the flora and fauna of the desert and to take a swim in the several springs along the way. Besides its beautiful nature, you can visit the area where David hid in a cave from King Saul and you can visit other archeological ruins dating back to the First and Second Temple periods, such as: the remains of a Jewish village and the well-preserved mosaic floor of an ancient synagogue. In addition to there re reserve there is also a kibbutz with a well-preserved botanical garden.
A visit to Ein Gedi offers you multiple options:
-
An outlook on the nature reserve, the spring, the kibbutz and the Dead Sea
-
One hour walk: light hiking (suitable for all the ages) along the ponds and waterfalls of the David Stream (don't forget your swimming suit!)
-
Three to four hours hike: for the more adventurous, the hike goes beyond the David Stream; you will climb through the mountains to reach other springs and ruins. The whole path you will be accompanied by magnificent panoramic views.
-
Half a day to one day tour: you will explore the area from bottom to top. You will hike along ancient agricultural aqueducts, until you will reach streams, caves and ruins of old civilizations. Along the way, you will enjoy the magnificent views of the strange geological formations.
Masada
The Masada fortress lies on a mountain that stands out from its background. It was first used as a military fort, which then turned into one of King Herod's resorts and finally it was inhabited by a small community of about thousand Jews. About 2000 years ago, during the Great Revolt, Jews fought to liberate their country from the Roman rule. One of the most memorable battles was held at Masada. After heroically resisting a siege of seven months the Jews had no choice but to give in to the foreign power, yet they decided to take their destiny into their own hands and collectively committed suicide. They were hence never defeated and entered history as heroes.
On top of Masada remain the traces of the various generations that inhabited it. You will walk along the storeroom complex, the bath house, the king's palaces, the wall and the watch towers. You will view the ramp from which the Romans attacked it. And you will learn how the water was collected and stored by a system of aqueducts and cisterns.
The whole visit you will be surrounded by the astonishing views of the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea.
The Dead Sea
After a day of hiking, history and sun… it is time to relax. What better place on earth than the Dead Sea? You will never forget the once in a lifetime experience of floating on its salty waters! Cover yourself with black mineral mud and relax in the sulfuric pools.
They are many ways to enjoy the Dead Sea, you can either choose to spend some time on a quiet beach or pick one of the spas in the Dead Sea resort area.