In and around Jerusalem

Most visitors to Ein Gedi head to Nahal David, but there are also other wonderful hikes in the area. As you hike through Nahal Arugot you will pass by luxuriant vegetation framed between towering cliffs. Walking through the stream in hot weather is also a lot of fun. There is swimming in the upper pools.

Distance: About 7¼ Km

Time: 3¾ hours of walking (but leave additional time for swimming and picnicking)

Type of hike: Partially circular

Difficulty: Most of the trail is fairly easy, but a few areas are slightly difficult. Bring footwear suitable for walking through shallow water. 

Starting point: The entrance to Nahal Arugot. There is free parking here and also cold water, WC's, and in the summer a coffee bar.  

Admission: The Reserve is open from 8.00 AM to 4.00 PM in the winter and 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM in the summer. The entrance fee is 29 NIS for adults, and 15 NIS for children 5-18 years and Israeli seniors. Admission is free if you have a paid seasonal pass from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

Driving directions: Enter "Ein Gedi Reserve" into Waze. From Route 90, go past the turning to Nahal David, and continue for a few minutes to the next traffic circle from where you turn off to Nahal Arugot. 

Public transport: Enter "Ein Gedi Reserve" into Moovit and click on "שמורת טבע עין גדי". Buses 486 and 444 from the Jerusalem Central Bus Station stop at the Ein Gedi Field School on their way to Eilat. This is within walking distance of the entrance to Nahal Arugot.



The hike: 

• Follow the red trail overlooking the wadi. 

• You will soon come to a blue-marked trail on your left that descends into the wadi. However, this section of the blue trail is fairly short and entails climbing up two sets of metal rungs to get back onto the red trail. So, unless the kids are insistant or you need to cool off because of the hot weather, you can easily give this a miss and continue along the red trail.  

• After about 1¼ hours from the beginning of the hike, you again meet the blue-marked trail. Take this trail through the wadi to the Upper Pools. Resign yourself to getting your feet wet unless you are very good at balancing on rocks. [The continuation of the red trail crosses the wadi and goes up the cliff to the Ha’issiyyim Ascent Trail].  

• The first of the Upper Pools is the largest of the pools, is quite deep, and is quite adequate for swimming. To go up to the other pools there is a path on the right, although you will need to wade through shallow running water. 

• To return to the park entrance, go back the way you came on the blue-marked trail, and this leads onto the red trail. 

• After some distance you have the option of taking the blue trail to the Hidden Waterfall. This trail descends to the wadi and then parallels the red trail. Some of the time you will be wading through shallow water and this is a lot of fun. This trail eventually joins the red trail to the park entrance.

 

The red trail overlooking the wadi has imposing cliffs on either side.

 

The Upper Pools are a delight for relaxing and swimming.

 

Some flora and fauna you will see at Ein Gedi: 

There are a lot of tamarisk trees (Tamarix palaestina) in the wadi. These are evergreens with small scale-shaped leaves. They blossom during the summer with a white-pink flower (see picture below). These trees were frequently planted by Keren Kayemet BeYisrael in arid conditions for shade - in the Negev, in the Jordan valley, and by the Dead Sea, but the trees here are natural. This tree (eshel) is mentioned in Genesis; "And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba ..." (Genesis 21:33) probably also for the purpose of providing shade. It is able to survive in saline soils by secreting salt from sweat glands on its leaves. 

There are also many acacia trees. The Acacia raddiana is a thorny tree that has a single trunk and round branches and is the most common acacia in Israel. It grows in the Negev, the Arava and Judean desert. The acacia tortillas is a another thorny acacia tree with a number of trunks. It is easy to recognize because of its multiple trunks and umbrella shape (see picture below). This tree also grows in the Arava Valley and on the Dead Sea shore up to Ein Gedi.

You may well see Nubian ibex (wild goats) on this walk. They became almost extinct as a result of hunting, but were rescued by the Nature Protection movement and the Wild Animal Protection Law of 1955.  

You might well be checked out by a Nubian ibex (a mountain goat) along the way.

 

Ein Gedi has the most tropical plants in Israel. Many tamerisk trees grow here.  

 

This species of acacia tree (acaia tortillos) is easy to recognize. It has multiple stems and umbrella-like folliage.

 

 

Nearby places of interest:

A visit to the Botanical Gardens at Kibbutz Ein Gedi is highly recommended and is only a few kilometers ride along route 90. It’s incredibly beautiful. In actuality the entire kibbutz is one big and extremely impressive botanical gardens!  After passing through the kibbutz entrance go to to the adjacent office and for 20 NIS per person you are provided with a map that contains information on guided stops and lookouts. The map also provides descriptions of the plants, although the plants themselves are also marked. You can also stop at the reasonably priced kosher cafeteria within the kibbutz hotel for coffee or a dairy meal. 

A visit to Masada is also a must. It is a distance of 20 Km and an 18-minute drive along route 90.