The lowest place on earth, the fortress of Masada, the caves of Qumran, and a desert of refuge and revelation.
Ein Gedi: An Oasis in the Desert
A lush desert oasis with waterfalls, ibex, and the cave where David hid from King Saul.
Ein Prat (Wadi Qelt Springs): A Desert Oasis Near Jerusalem
Natural spring pools in the Judean Desert, a 20-minute drive from Jerusalem, where water flows year-round through a desert canyon.
Einot Tsukim (Ein Feshkha): Freshwater Springs on the Dead Sea
A hidden oasis of freshwater pools on the Dead Sea shore, surrounded by desert.
Kibbutz Ein Gedi and the Botanical Garden
A kibbutz botanical garden in the desert with over 1,000 plant species from around the world, including ancient baobabs.
Mar Saba: A Monastery in the Desert Abyss
One of the oldest inhabited monasteries in the world, clinging to the cliff face of a Judean Desert canyon since the 5th century.
Masada at Sunrise: The Iconic Experience
Climbing the Snake Path before dawn and watching the sun rise over the Dead Sea from Herod’s fortress.
Masada: The Fortress That Became a Symbol
Herod’s desert fortress where 960 Jewish rebels made their last stand against Rome. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and Israel’s most powerful national symbol.
Nahal Arugot: The Hidden Canyon of Ein Gedi
A quieter, longer hike through Ein Gedi’s second canyon, with waterfalls, pools, and far fewer crowds than Nahal David.
Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls
The caves where a Bedouin shepherd discovered the oldest biblical manuscripts in existence.
Ancient Synagogue at Ein Gedi
A Byzantine synagogue with a famous mosaic floor and a curse inscription protecting the secret of Ein Gedi’s balsam perfume industry.
Caves of the Bar Kokhba Revolt
The desert caves where Jewish rebels hid from the Romans during the last great revolt, leaving behind letters, coins, and personal belongings preserved for 1,900 years.
The Dead Sea
The lowest point on earth, one of the saltiest bodies of water on earth, and a geological wonder that is slowly disappearing.
The Dead Sea Scrolls: The Greatest Archaeological Discovery of the 20th Century
The story of the scrolls, from a shepherd’s accidental discovery to the revolution in biblical scholarship.
The Dead Sea Works and the Evaporation Pools
The mineral extraction industry that is both an economic powerhouse and one of the causes of the Dead Sea’s shrinking.
Good Samaritan Museum
A mosaic museum on the ancient road from Jerusalem to Jericho, on the site where Jesus set his most famous parable.
Herod Trail
A hiking trail connecting three of Herod the Great’s palace-fortresses in the Judean Desert.
Judean Desert: A Wilderness of Refuge and Revelation
The vast, barren wilderness between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, where prophets sought God, rebels hid from empires, and monks found silence.
Wadi Qelt and the Monastery of St. George
A dramatic desert gorge with a Byzantine monastery carved into the cliff face, on the ancient road from Jerusalem to Jericho.