In and around Jerusalem
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- Summary of walks in Jerusalem
- The City of David
- An introduction to the Old City
- The Jerusalem Archaeological Park, Davidson Center and the Western Wall
- On the Temple Mount
- The Jewish Quarter - community building, destruction and renewal
- The northern Rampart of the Old City wall and the Via Dolorosa
- Mount Zion via the southern rampart of the Old City wall
- Nachla'ot and Mahane Yehuda Market ('the Shuk")
- Teddy Kollek - a great builder of Jerusalem
- Ein Kerem and its artisans via the Jerusalem Forest
- Yemin Moshe to Nahalat Shivah
- Givat Ram - birds, roses, the Supreme Court and Knesset
- The German Colony and Liberty Bell Park
- Jerusalem during the British Mandate - from Mamilla Mall to the First Station
- Pioneers of modern Jerusalem - Dr. Ticho, Ben-Yehuda and Rav Kook - in the city center
- The Sherover and Haas Promenades and water supply system for Second Temple Jerusalem
- The haredi neighborhoods of Zikhron Moshe and Meah She'arim
- The gorgeous Jerusalem Biblical Zoo
- Nature walk: the Cedar Trail in the Jerusalem Forest.
- Nature walk: Gazelle Valley Park
- The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens
- A countryside hike on the Gazelle Trail in the Ramot Forest
- Mount Scopus - its university, botanical garden and lookout points
- The Mei Neftoah (Lifta) Nature Reserve and Arazim Valley Park
- The Judean Mountains (west of Jerusalem) - Summary of hikes and overview
- The Shvil Hamaayanot and Yad Kennedy memorial
- To Ein Kerem via Ein Hindak and the Ein Kerem National Park
- The springs of Emeq Refaim
- From Tzomet Ora (near Hadassah-Ein Karem) to the springs of Ein Lavan and Mayan Itamar in Emeq Refaim
- Ancient agriculture in Sataf
- The unusual cave formations in Nahal Halilim
- To Tzuba Spring and the crusader ruins of "Belmont"
- To Ein Hindak and Ein Bichura in the Sataf Reserve
- The spring of Ein Kobi and the luscious ravine of Nahal Kobi in the Begin Forest
- The beautiful Nahal Katlav
- Outpost 21 via the historic Burma Road
- Hiking above Nahal Sorek
- The spring of Ein Hod and Crusader castle at Hurvat Beit Itab
- Derech HaKaiser (The Caesar's Way) and overlook of Nahal Zanuach
- Castel National Park
- HaHamisha Forest and visit to the Harel Brigade Monument In Har Adar
- Hiking or biking around Har Eitan
- The HaHamisha Forest and Ein Kfira spring
- IN THE SHEFELAH (LOWLANDS) - Summary of Hikes and Overview
- Hiking to Tel Azeka
- A walk to the ruins of Qeiyafa - Goliath will you please stop hollering?
- To the ruins of Quiyafa from the Elah Valley
- Tel Tzafit and the Philistines
- Neot Kedumim and agriculture in ancient Israel
- A circular hike around Givat Hatourmusim (Hill of Lupins)/ Tel Socho
- Tel Adulam
- Hiking in the Bet Guvrin-Maresha National Park
- The ancient synagogue at Um el-Umdan, Sher Hill, and the Maccabees of Modi'in
- Midras, Itri and the Bar Kochba Revolt
- Burgin
- The Judean Desert, the Dead Sea, and the Jordan Valley - Introduction, summary of hikes, and attractions
- Attractions from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, including Ma'ale Adumim
- A nature walk In the wadis of Maale Adumim
- Ein Prat Nature Reserve
- Ein Mabu'a
- Ein Qelt
- Nahal Og
- Qumran
- Enot Tsukim/(Ein Feshkha for swimming and nature stroll
- The Botanical Gardens in Kibbutz Ein Gedi
- Nahal David, Ein Gedi Spring and ancient synagogue at Ein Gedi
- Ein Gedi - Nahal Arugot
- Along the Jordan Valley
- Qasr el Yahud National Park
- South of Jerusalem - Herodium, Gush Etzion Springs and Nahal Tekoa
- North of Jerusalem - Nebi Samuel, Beth El, and Shilo
- Fun family cycling in the Judean Mountains, Shefelah and Judean Desert
- From the First Station to Ein Lavan and Ein Haniya
- A desert ride around Ma'ale Adumim
- The Arazim bicycle trail from Arazim Valley Park
- Spectacular views from the Aminidav Forest and Yad Kennnedy
- The Burma Road in the Shefela
- From Tzafririm to the ruins of Itri in the Adulum Park - a village frozen in time
- In Adulam Park - views, lupins and tels
- Britannia Park and Tel Azeka
- A ride around Har Eitan
- Horseback riding close to Jerusalem
- Outdoor swimming in spring-fed pools and swimming pools in and around Jerusalem
- The Zippori Center in the Jerusalem Forest
- The "Country Club "in Ma'ale Adumim, the most beautiful city in Israel
- Ein Hemed National Park (Aqua Bella) - swimming, picnicking and fortified Crusader home
- The Palm Pool at Ein Prat
- The artesian pool at Ein Mabu'a
- The Sport's Club at Ramat Rachel
- Mesilat Zion swimming pool
- Ein Lavan
- The spring-fed pool of Ein Haniya
- Swimming in Shoresh in the Judean Mountains
- The swimming pool at Kibbutz Almog close to the Dead Sea
- Swimming at Enot Tsukim/ Ein Feshkha by the Dead Sea
- A natural-style rock pool by Mevo'ot Yericho in the Jordan Valley
- The spring pool in the Mei Neftoa (Lifta) Nature Reserve close to the Central Bus Station
- The kids pool at Rechelim
- A timeline of Jerusalem and list of essays on this website
- Outdoor trips suitable for a stroller or wheelchair
- Common flowers in the Judean Mountains
- Trees, bushes and flowers of the Desert
- Contact Us
Ein Gedi - Nahal Arugot
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.
Are you finding this website useful? You will also find my new book “In and Around Jerusalem for Everyone,” extremely valuable. It is a guide to the best walks, hikes and attractions in and around Jerusalem. For more details, incredible reviews and purchasing options see our Home page.
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Distance: Just over 8½ Km
Time: 3¾-4 hours of walking (leave additional time for swimming and picnicking)
Type of hike: Partially circular
Difficulty: Most of the trail is easy, but there are some areas that are slightly difficult once you are past the turning to the Hidden Waterfall. Bring footwear suitable for walking through shallow water, especially if you will be turning off to the Hidden Waterfall. Walking sticks can be helpful, especially if you would rather not get your feet wet when walking across or by the stream. The upper pool is large enough for adult swimming.
Starting point: The entrance to Nahal Arugot. There is free parking here and also water, and WC's. There are picnic benches close to the entrance. In the summer, the coffee bar may be open.
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 part a miss and continue along the red trail.
- Ignore the sign at this stage to the Hidden Waterfall on the blue trail, but continue on the red-marked trail. After about 1¼ hours from the beginning of the hike, you will again meet the blue-marked trail sign signposted to the Upper Pools. Resign yourself to getting your feet wet as you continue along the stream unless you are 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 will lead you on to the red trail. Continue on the red trail back to the park entrance
- However, after some distance you do have the option of taking the blue-marked trail to the Hidden Waterfall. There is a signpost marked 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. It will add about 20 minutes to your hike. This blue trail eventually joins back with the red trail, and this will take you 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.
Overlooking the Hidden Waterfall from the red trail. Wading through the stream is a lot of fun.
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.