El gedi. Beach vacation at the dead sea in ein gedi. Ein Gedi Nature Reserve in Israel

The heat of the day and the cold of the night are unbearable, asphalt, as it was called earlier, the sea with undrinkable water, but something has attracted people here from ancient times to the present. What is it? Ein Gedi literally means - "Source of goats", or "Goat source". As I already wrote in the article about the Judean Desert, this area consists of limestone, through the cracks in which water seeps, which rained down over the Judean mountains in the Jerusalem area. The water, having traveled more than a kilometer high and several tens of kilometers long, comes out here as a pure spring, forming a natural oasis around it. Nowadays Ein Gedi is familiar to us as a kibbutz that bottles the mineral water of the spring of the same name, as well as a nature reserve and a national park, but does this place have something more interesting than fresh water? There is and how! Ein Gedi, once a large settlement, is a place of sometimes bloody disputes over the right to possess it and its wealth. What exactly were these very riches, and are they there today? Archaeologists, the Old Testament, Josephus (aka Joseph, son of Mattathia, Joseph ben Matityahu) and other sources help us to consider the history of the settlement here, as always. Let's start with deep antiquity. Not far from the source in Ein Gedi are the remains of an ancient temple. The temple is dated by scientists as a structure built in the Copper Age, that is, 4000-3000 years BC. As for the Old Testament, one of its most striking heroes, David, lived at one time in Ein Gedi. As it is written: "And David went out from there and lived in the safe places of Ein Gedi." On the territory of the reserve there is a stream of the same name - " Stream of david”, Where there is a large waterfall, several pools, as well as damans and flocks of mountain goats walking on steep cliffs. Scientists date the first agricultural settlement in Ein Gedi to the 7th century BC. linking it with the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel. At that moment, a mass of refugees moved to the region of Judea, and they settled partly near large cities, like Jerusalem, and partly in hard-to-reach places like Ein Gedi. The settlement was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in the 6th century BC and rebuilt during his return from the Babylonian exile some 70 years later. The further history of Ein Gedi was longer, beginning with the arrival of the Hellenistic period in our region and ending with the arrival of Islam. John Hyrcanus (in the sources also Johanan or Johanan Hyrcanus), perhaps the first who turned Ein Gedi from an ordinary settlement into a personal estate, populating it with his sharecroppers The remains of this settlement represent a large developed system for collecting water, 15 cisterns for its storage, small of which 80 cubic meters m, and the largest 1500 cubic meters. m. In total, according to the calculations of scientists, in Ein Gedi they could collect up to 6,000 cubic meters of water and use it to process 1,100 dunams (dunams - 1,000 sq. m) of land. For comparison, today Kibbutz Ein Gedi cultivates only 500 dunams of land. The main thing that the settlement was famous for is not famous dates, and the plant called in the sources “ Afarsemon". Of course, this is not the Afarsemon, which means persimmon fruit in Hebrew. It was a bush from which the inhabitants of Ein Gedi learned to extract an unusual and very expensive fragrant oil. To own the plantations of Afarsemon meant to be rich. This was achieved by many, including such famous personalities as Herod and Cleopatra. Not many had the knowledge of how to get the desired oil from the plant, and this secret was kept a closely guarded secret among the inhabitants of the Ein Gedi settlement itself. In connection with this secret, the inscription on the mosaic floor of the synagogue, which was excavated by archaeologists in the national park, is very interesting. In particular, in addition to two inscriptions that describe the philanthropists who gave money for the construction of the synagogue itself, its inhabitants and the purpose of the settlement, there is another inscription of a more strict content. The inscription says that a curse will be imposed on the one who reveals the secret of this settlement. Scientists consider the secret of this settlement to be knowledge on the manufacture of fragrant oil or perfume, from the same Afarsemon. But the people in Ein Gedi were not alone Afarsemon. I have already mentioned one more of the names of the Dead Sea - the Asphalt Sea. This is the name given to the Dead Sea by Josephus Flavius, who writes that the inhabitants of this settlement collected clots of asphalt from the surface of the sea. Asphalt was used in various fields, such as for repairing ships, roofing, medicine, as well as for mummification in Egypt. After these two expensive sectors of the Ein Gedi economy, there are still two less profitable than the previous ones, but still monetary. This is the extraction of salt and the collection of dates, which in turn also had a sick demand. Salt was in the ancient world a precious and practically irreplaceable product in the directions in which it was used. Salt was used not only in cooking, it was an ancient refrigerator, it was used in the process of drying fish and meat, it allowed these products to be stored for a long time. She also used it when dressing skins. In later times, when the Roman Empire was in a state of economic crisis, soldiers were paid their salaries with bags of salt. This process was called salary, and perhaps the soldier later began to be called - soldier. Dates were used both simply for food and for extracting sugar, honey from them, and even making date mash. Date palm trunks were used to build houses, and wonderful baskets and decorations were woven from palm leaves. And so, before us is a rich settlement that exports its products throughout the entire Middle East, but like all the rich cities of Ein Gedi has been destroyed more than once. Now, of all the listed benefits, only dates and spring water remain in Kibbutz Ein Gedi. The secret of making Afarsemon perfume is lost, asphalt no longer floats above the surface of the Dead Sea and salt is now produced in other places, but Ein Gedi is not so poor. A large number of tourists come here to look at the remains of a large synagogue with a magnificent mosaic, which is located in the national park, walk to the David's Falls, or to the "Hidden Falls" in the wadi Arugot... Ein Gedi National Park and Ein Gedi Nature Reserve are located at a distance of only 500 meters from each other, but they are independent units, the price of entry to which differs. There are several routes connecting these places, which will be described separately in the hiking reports section.

Additional Information

Phone: - 08-6584285

Entrance fee: The cost of the entrance to the "Nahal David" reserve and to its second part "Nahal Arugot" are the same. In addition, with this one ticket you can visit both parts of the reserve + the ancient synagogue. Adult: 28 NIS Child / Senior citizen / Soldier NIS 14 Student: 24 nis Entrance fee only to Ein Gedi National Park where the ancient synagogue is excavated: Adult NIS 14 Child / Soldier NIS 7 (pensioners are entitled to a 50% discount) Student NIS 12

Working hours: April to September 08: 00-17: 00 October to March 08: 00-16: 00 Entrance maximum one hour before closing

On the territory of the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve at the Dead Sea there is a kibbutz of the same name. Sometimes it is also called Nahal David (translated from Hebrew "David's stream), thanks to the stream that flows in this area.

In 1948, after the War of Independence, the territory was annexed to the State of Israel. Since 1953, a kibbutz was founded here - an agricultural community operating on the principle of equality and joint labor of all members. In total, there are 263 kibbutz in Israel. Initially, there were 40 families here. Now the number of members of the kibbutz is 250 adults and 300 children.

The first tasks of the kibbutz were to protect and develop the territory. 60 years ago there was a rocky desert here. The members of the kibbutz had to clear the ground from stones. The work was carried out mainly by hand using machinery - tractors. The kibbutz was engaged in the cultivation of vegetables. The world famous cherry tomato variety was developed here. Despite the arid climate, hard work has turned this land into a flourishing oasis. This was facilitated by the proximity of several sources - the streams of Ein Gedi, Nahal David and Arugot.

Tourism and agriculture are now the main sources of income. There is a youth hostel on the territory of the kibbutz. There are also walking trails in the reserve. Visitors to the kibbutz can visit the botanical garden, visit the zoo, where monkeys, turtles, donkeys, and mountain goats are kept. The kibbutz supplies Ein Gedi-branded bottled water from local sources that is popular in Israel. In addition, the production of cosmetics with healing minerals from the Dead Sea has been established.

Ein Gedi from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Ein Gedi.

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Ein Gedi is a unique oasis-reserve located in the Judean Desert, on the western coast of the Dead Sea. Nearby many centuries ago there was an ancient city of the same name, the ruins of which are one of the most interesting places for archaeologists.

Ein Gedi translated from Hebrew means "the source of the kid." Rich pastures on its territory, fed by the waters of a natural source, served as a guarantee of the city's prosperity and a place for grazing numerous livestock, among which goats occupied not the last place.

The settlement of Ein Gedi existed here even before our era, around the 7th century. It was an important supplier of figs, dates, grapes, wine, valuable incense and a rare type of balsam known far beyond the ancient city. A kind of successor to the traditions of the past is the kibbutz, founded in 1953. Dates are not the only cultivation in this agricultural commune. Kibbutz Ein Gedi produces the famous mineral water, the source of which was known 3000 years ago, and cosmetics based on Dead Sea minerals. There is a museum and a cactus garden. Ein Gedi also includes a medical complex on the shores of the Dead Sea with hydrogen sulfide baths and a beach.

How to get there

The most convenient way to get to Ein Gedi from Tel Aviv is direct. Departure - from the bus terminal Arlozorov (Arlozorov Terminal), located in the northern part of the city. There is only one bus number 421 per day. The approximate departure time for Ein Gedi is 8:40 am and back at 2:27 pm. Travel time is two and a half hours. One way fare is 95 ILS.

Prices on the page are as of April 2019.

Search for flights to Tel Aviv (nearest airport to Ein Gedi)

Weather in Ein Gedi

How to navigate the city

The territory of Ein Gedi is divided into several parts, each of which can be reached by bus from Tel Aviv. The distance between the stops is significant, so in case of the wrong choice, you will have to walk a rather long distance in the heat. The first stop is the famous oasis reserve, with stunning waterfalls, caves, streams, rich flora and fauna and an ancient synagogue. There is also a hotel near this stop. The second stop is the beach on the shores of the Dead Sea, a restaurant and a gas station. The third is for those who want to visit Kibbutz Ein Gedi, which currently has several hundred people. The last stop is the famous Ein Gedi Spas, offering a range of beauty and wellness treatments for everyone, including pools with special warm water rich in minerals and salts. Initially, the medical complex was built on the seashore, but later part of the Dead Sea "left", and now you can get to the private beach by a special road train or on foot.

Ein Gedi beaches

There is a public beach in Ein Gedi. The entrance is free. The beach is rocky, practically equipped with nothing. There are only plastic umbrellas to protect from the sun, showers and toilets. It is recommended to take special shoes with you, as you can injure your feet not only on the stones on the shore, but also in the water of the Dead Sea itself. The descent to the water is not very convenient. The private beach in Ein Sedi Spa is much better equipped, but also rocky. There are special walkways for more comfortable immersion in the water.

History and culture

The emergence of the settlement of Ein Gedi is associated with the decline of the northern kingdom. The choice of a place for the future city was connected, apparently, with a unique location - next to a natural source of water, which is a spring that falls down from a height of two hundred meters and feeds the surrounding territories. The remarkable water supply system that has survived to our time indicates a high level of technical development. Moreover, Ein Gedi was a rich city. The basis of the well-being of the inhabitants was agriculture and the production of very expensive and fragrant oil, which is in great demand outside the city. The secret of the creation of the oil was kept in the deepest secret, as evidenced by the inscription on the mosaic floor of the preserved ancient synagogue, according to which a curse will be imposed on the one who reveals the secret of Ein Gedi, that is, the recipe for production. The city is mentioned in ancient texts, including the Bible.

It is believed that it was in Ein Gedi that the Old Testament David hid from the wrath of King Saul. In honor of this event, one of the reserve's streams is named - "David's Stream". There are references to the settlement in the Song of Songs of King Solomon.

Ein Gedi was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. This seemingly endless process continued until the 6th century AD. e. The nomadic tribes who came to this land finally destroyed the city.

Shopping and shops

Since Kibbutz Ein Gedi is home to the famous Ahava, a cosmetics factory based on minerals and salts from the Dead Sea, the store located there is the best place to buy a variety of face and body skin care products.

Ein Gedi entertainment and attractions

Ein Gedi National Reserve is open from April to September - from 8:00 to 17:00, the rest of the time from 8:00 to 16:00. The entrance ticket costs 29 ILS. Discount for children. The ticket entitles you to visit the ancient synagogue. Ticket offices stop working an hour before the closure of the reserve.

According to National Geographic, Ein Gedi is one of the ten must-see places on the planet.

The botanical garden at Kibbutz Ein Gedi is one of the local attractions. More than 900 species of different plants grow here.

Forgotten filming from the month of March. We went with the teachers of the embassy school to the Dead Sea region. We visited the monastery of St. Gerasima, the place of the Baptism of the Savior on the Jordan, and after that, having driven along the shores of the Dead Sea, 50 kilometers were in the Ein Gedi nature reserve (the Source of the kid), where they made a bold hike under the warm spring sun. Of the wild animals of the reserve promised in the guidebooks - leopards, mountain goats, hyenas, foxes and jackals (and historically, even tigers lived here, but they were probably killed in Roman times), we saw only Domanes (shafans), who are not gophers at all, but quite yourself elephants - pictures below. Kozlov was only seen at the end, as they understandably prefer roadside cafes to desert mountains and stones, where they beg for food from visitors.

(beginning of the trail to the gorge and waterfalls)

According to Wiki: Ancient Ein Gedi supposedly existed from the 7th century BC. e. In those days, the City was famous for its grapes, figs, dates and wine. But the main fame and a very substantial income to the city was brought by valuable incense and the famous far beyond the borders of these places balsam from the balsam tree "afarsemon" or "opobalzamon", the secret of production of which was owned by local residents. Throughout its history, the city was destroyed by conquerors and rebuilt several times. This continued until about the 6th century, when the ancient city was finally destroyed by the nomadic Arab tribes who came to this territory.

The Tel Goren Hill, on which Ein Gedi is located, is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Judean Desert. Here are the ruins of a unique water supply system of the ancient city and the remains of a synagogue from the Roman-Byzantine period, in which fragments of a mosaic were found, including an image of a swastika from the beginning of the new era. A well-preserved mosaic floor of the synagogue also bears an Aramaic inscription. It talks about the punishment of the Almighty, which will befall the one who divulges the "secrets of the city." Modern researchers believe that these "secrets" could be the secret of making the balm.

We did not get to the excavations, but went to the waterfalls of the Ein Gedi gorge. On this day, it was noisy in the reserve - a couple of dozen buses with local pioneer trackers arrived on a school excursion, so we practically did not hear the silence of the desert, in some places it was even difficult to walk along the trail, but all the same, the beauty of the place did not shake.

Please watch and enjoy. And yes - about this place is not clingingly written even in the Bible, 1st Book of Kings, chapter 24. In the Ein Gedi desert (En-Gaddi as it is written in the Russian Bible) David hid from the persecution of King Saul. Quote ladies in the appropriate place. In Roman-Byzantine times, people came here from distant lands as a resort (I would like to clarify this point)

i have not found it anywhere on the Internet, but according to the scanty information of foreign sources, for example - "Monasticism in the Negev Desert", one can make assumptions that the caves of the David Creek Gorge could have been used by monks of 4-7 centuries,

1) 2 Chronicles Chapter 20

1 After this, the Moabites and the Ammonites, and with them some of the Maonite country, went to war against Jehoshaphat.

2 And they came and told Jehoshaphat, saying: A great multitude is coming against you from across the sea, from Syria, and here they are in Hatzazon-Tamar, that is, in Engeddi.

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and turned his face to seek the Lord, and declared fasting throughout all Judea.

2) Joshua Chapter 15

62 Nivshan, Ir-Melach and En-Gedi: six cities with their villages.

63 But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, could not be driven out by the sons of Judah, and therefore the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah in Jerusalem even to this day. (the inheritance of the sons of Judah is listed)

3) Prophet Ezekiel, Chapter 47

8 And he said to me: This water flows to the east side of the earth, will descend into the plain and enter the sea; and his waters will be made healthy.

9 And every living creature that creeps where two streams enter, it will live; and the fish will be very abundant, for this water will enter there, and the waters of the sea will become healthy, and where this stream enters, everything will be alive there.

10 And fishermen from En-Gaddi to Eglaim will stand beside him, they will cast their nets. The fish will be in its own form, and, as in the great sea, there will be many fish.

11 Its swamps and its pools, which are not made healthy, will be left for salt. (one of the visions of the Prophet)

4) Song of Solomon, Chapter 1

12 A bundle of myrrh — my beloved is with me, he dwells at my breasts.

13 As the brush of a keeper, my beloved is in the vineyards of Jenged.

So this place is quite biblical, the remains of a Copper Age settlement of the 4th millennium BC with the ruins of a temple were found nearby, the climate at that time was probably more favorable - the sea was not yet so salty, according to Scripture it was an extremely fertile area, before the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah.

and here are the domanes (shafans) - they are, according to the Bible, hares - "a stone of refuge by a hare" (Psalm 103). According to zoology, they are relatives of elephants, probably this greatly increases their self-esteem.

and here is the first waterfall on the way!

paths "there" and "here" are divorced in space, but for most of the pioneers this is not a decree and often had to pass a whole caravan of oncoming people on the way "there".

more waterfalls

shooting with "frozen water", slow shutter speed

continuation of the meeting with the domans

lie to themselves, bask, look at the tourists passing by

and we are slowly climbing higher and higher. Let me remind you that the level of the Dead Sea is now somewhere around -430 meters (below sea level), but this is near the coast, the highway and the entrance to the reserve are 100 meters higher, and then we still climb several hundred meters around the mountain, but this is an illusion, so to speak - they only rise slightly above sea level at best.

view of the Dead (aka Salt) Sea

water oozes even from stones - this is a very large spring (the entire stream of David) - in the kibbutz below, the mineral drinking water "Ein Gedi" is poured from it in millions of bottles.

triple waterfall

our traveling companions

the same waterfall - top view

and here - a real adventure - a long tunnel formed by dense thickets of reeds, water under your feet, reeds on top, dark, romantic!

after the tunnel we go to the end of the gorge, where there are large caves and a waterfall - both the cave and the waterfall are named after King David

but it's not him yet

the pioneers are guarded by real militia - that is, it is the armed people who accompany the groups of tourists

and here we see the cave of David - the following is written about it in the 1st book of Kings:

v. 1 “And David went out from there, and lived in the mountain fortifications of En-Gaddi.

v. 2 When Saul returned from the Philistines, they told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-Geddi.

v. 3 And Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to look for David and his men on the rocks of the Alpine goats.

v. 4 And he came to the sheep's pen by the way; there was a cave, Saul went in there for the need; David and his men were sitting in the back of the cave.

v. 5 And his men said to David: This is the day about which the Lord spoke to you: "Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you will do to him what you please." David stood up and quietly cut the hem from Saul's outer garment.

v. 6 But after this it hurt David's heart that he cut off the hem from Saul's garment.

v. 7 And he said to his people: May the Lord not allow me to do this to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to lay my hand on him; for he is the Lord's anointed.

v. 8 And David restrained his men with these words, and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul got up and went out of the cave onto the road "

1 Kings Chapter 24

there is also the largest waterfall - 36 meters

the waterfall comes out of another upper cave, they say that it is man-made, it was made to give the water more outlet

and on the way back

now you can see the sea - and the coast with the mountains of Moab, now it is Jordan, the Hashemite kingdom

more caves in the rocks

in some places you need to walk directly on the water, but here it is shallow

rather dangerous slippery passages

and we go back - to a huge reed awning

there are ticket offices of the reserve, toilets, kiosks and places for picnics and snacks

and a couple of photos from the Metro (Salt) Sea, at a distance of 20 km you can see the Dead Sea resorts on the Jordanian side

and this is the northernmost tip of the Dead Sea - behind a small scythe - the confluence of the Jordan River into the Dead Sea, and the border of Israel with Jordan goes right there.

Ein Gedi is an extraordinary nature reserve in the Judea desert near the western shores of the Dead Sea. Previously, an old city was built nearby, the ruins of which still attract many archaeologists.

The entire area of \u200b\u200bEin Gedi in Israel is divided into a couple of parts that can be visited together or taken to each separately by bus from Tel Aviv.

Note! You need to be careful when choosing the right stop. The distance from one point to another is quite large, so if you make a mistake, you will have to walk for a long time under the scorching sun.

There are four stops in total:

• an oasis-reserve with mesmerizing flora, fauna, waterfalls and an old synagogue. The hotel is also located here in Ein Gedi;
• a beach by the Salt Sea with a restaurant and a gas station;
• kibbutz Ein Gedi;
• wellness complex with spa treatments.

National Israel Park

Ein Gedi nature reserve

The Ein Gedi reserve is translated from Hebrew as "goat source". In ancient times, the favorable location of the pastures helped the city flourish, as it served as a place for grazing goats and other livestock.

The territory of the national park is up to 15 sq. km. Four streams flowing through its area allowed the formation of a kind of tropical oasis, sharply dominating the surrounding desert. One insolent (from the Hebrew stream) was named Nahal-David. After all, the future king David was hiding behind the legend.

The main attraction of the park is the complex of waterfalls, which is located in the center of the dry desert. The reserve forms several terraces located at an altitude of 100 to 400 meters above sea level. Here nature created waterfalls from a stream heading towards the gorge.

Along this "river" of David and the route of tourists. It leads to the largest waterfall of the same name, also known as the Sulamith waterfall.

Among the plants, reed and papyrus prevail here, further from the watery area - unabi, acacia, Sodom apple. The fauna also pleases: Nubian ibex, hyraxes, leopards, wolves, striped hyenas. It is noteworthy that the jumping mouse living here provides a kind of ventilation system for local plants. Also, poisonous snakes are found on the territory, it is better not to disturb them and be more careful.

Near the gorge is the Tel Goren elevation, it is an important attraction. Archaeologists have discovered five layers of the hill, especially the ruins of a pagan sanctuary. In the church on the floor it is written that the city that has discovered the secrets will be overtaken by the punishment of the Almighty.

The reserve accepts visitors from 8 am to 5 pm in the period April-September, in other months only until 4 pm. The ticket price is 25 shekels, which includes a tour of the ancient sanctuary.

National Geographic has included the park in the top ten must see places on the planet.

Next stop is the beach

Ein Gedi Beach is public and free, anyone can visit it. There are plastic umbrellas, a shower and a toilet.

Getting down to the water is not very convenient. There is a private beach near the spa complex, which is much more comfortable. Its shore is also stone, because shoes are also needed. For convenience, when immersed in water, special bridges were equipped.

Note! It is worth getting special shoes so as not to hurt yourself on the coastal stones and in the water of the Dead Sea.

Settlement near the reserve

Kibbutz Ein Gedi, named Nahal David, in honor of the gorge of the same name, was founded after the annexation of the oasis to the territory of the Israeli state. Economically, this settlement is very beneficial for the country. The production of mineral water and cosmetics from the Dead Sea minerals has been established here. Also, residents plant dates and various flowers. Widespread and poultry farming.

The settlement itself was on this territory even before our era. Then figs, dates, grapes were also grown here. The settlers were suppliers of wine products, various incense and the famous mysterious balm (according to scientists, it is mentioned in the inscription).

On the territory of the kibbutz there is a botanical garden, which contains up to 1000 species of various plants. There is an interesting museum and cactus garden.

Dead Sea health resort

The Ein Gedi spa is located in Hamei, a medical complex based on four elements - water, air, sun and dirt (earth). The resort offers hydrogen sulfide baths. They attract many tourists here.

The Ein Gedi spa was built on the shores of the Dead Sea, but the sea has "gone" and now you need to get to the water. You can take the mini train or walk on your own.

Dead Sea

Water keeps a person on its own, no effort is needed. Then you should smear yourself with mineral mud and relax a little. Salt Sea mud will not only heal the body, but also heal the soul. The next procedure is a pool with water from the source itself. The temperature here is optimal for taking water procedures - 38 ° C. Then you should head to the hall to enjoy a massage or pamper yourself with a cup of coffee.

The complex offers guests six sulfur pools, as well as specially equipped baths. All pools are located in a specially designated area with air conditioning. It is worth visiting the health and beauty center, relaxing in the relaxation room, and going to the solarium.

The visitor is provided with towels and a bathrobe, a camera to store personal belongings. The total price includes sun loungers and umbrellas by the sea.

The Ein Gedi spa complex offers to visit a souvenir shop to buy cosmetics based on Salt Sea minerals, products from local craftsmen, all kinds of souvenirs.

Visitors can choose from a cafeteria, buffet, restaurant, or you can use a picnic table.