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Nestled in two dramatic canyons that plunge from the arid moonscape of the Judean Desert to the shores of the Dead Sea, Ein Gedi Nature Reserve is one of Israel’s most magical desert oases. Its freshwater pools, cool streams, Eden-like waterfalls and luxuriant vegetation, fed by four year-round springs, are a haven for wildlife such as the majestic Nubian ibex (ya’el in Hebrew) and the boulder-dwelling hyrax (dassie or rock rabbit; shafan sela in Hebrew), both of which you’re very likely to encounter (the ibex is easiest to spot during the first and last hours that the reserve is open). Ein Gedi is the northernmost natural habitat of a number of plants that are more usually found on the savannahs of East Africa, thousands of kilometres south along the Great Rift Valley.
Kibbutz Ein Gedi is on a low hill 3km south of Ein Gedi Nature Reserve.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Ein Gedi.
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This reserve consists of two roughly parallel canyons, Wadi David and Wadi Arugot, each of which has its own entrance complex and ticket office. It is also home to an ancient synagogue. When you buy your ticket, you receive a colour-coded map-brochure that has invaluable details on the area’s trails (indicated using the same colours as the trail markings), how long each route takes, and the times by which you need to begin each circuit to finish by closing time.
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Generally less crowded but no less lovely than Wadi David, Wadi Arugot has a couple of streamside trails, rich in vegetation, that afford hikers an excellent introduction to the oasis' geography and ecosystems. Some routes are quite challenging, especially so in the midday heat. Most people linger in the small pools rather than push themselves to the top.
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Ein Gedi Nature Reserve’s most accessible – and popular – pools and waterfalls are situated along Lower Wadi David (Nahal David Tachton), ie the area downstream from David’s Waterfall (Mapal David; one hour return). The entrance pavilion has bathrooms where you can change into your bathing suit, free lockers (ask staff for a key) and free cooled drinking water.
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Situated about midway between the Wadi David and Wadi Arugot ticket offices, this 5th-century-CE synagogue sports a superb mosaic floor decorated with the 12 signs of the Zodiac and three Aramaic inscriptions, one of which calls down a curse on anyone who is quarrelsome, slanderous or larcenous. A small model of the synagogue as it looked 1600 years ago was added in 2016.
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These famous botanic gardens, near the entrance to the kibbutz, are home to about a thousand species of indigenous and exotic plants, from near-mythological biblical species such as frankincense and myrrh to the highly poisonous Sodom apple, and from gargantuan baobab trees to tiny plants that can survive with minuscule quantities of water.