In and around Jerusalem

Most visitors to Ein Gedi walk no further than to Nahal David - but they are missing out on fantastic hikes, interesting sites, and exceptional views of the Dead Sea and Moabite mountains. This hike visits the waterfalls of Nahal David and then ascends to Ein Gedi Spring. The Dodim Cave can also be visited. There has been settlement and agriculture in this area for thousands of years and you will see the ruins of a Charcolithic temple and ancient synagogue and village from Roman and Byzantine times. 

Time: About 2½ hours (and about 3¼ hours if visiting the Dodim Cave).

Distance: About 7½ Km

Type of hike: Circular

Difficulty: The trail is minimally difficult, but there are handrails at difficult points.

Starting point: The entrance to Nahal David in the Ein Gedi Reserve. There are shaded benches  by the store close to the entrance to the reserve and additional shaded picnic benches adjacent to the parking area.

Driving directions and parking: Enter "Ein Gedi Reserve" into Waze. The entrance to the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve is clearly marked from Route 90. There is free parking outside the entrance to Nahal David.  

Public transportation: Enter "Ein Gedi Reserve" into Moovit and click on "שמורת טבע עין גדי". Buses 486 and 444 leave from the Jerusalem Central Bus Station and stop outside the Ein Gedi field school. From here it is a short walk to the Nature Reserve.

Admission: The reservation is open from 8.00 AM to 4.00 PM in the winter and 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM in the summer. It closes one hour prior to this on Friday and holiday eves. A brochure is available in Hebrew or English and contains a detailed map. Admission for adults is 29 NIS, and for children 5-18 and senior Israeli citizens 15 NIS, and this includes admission to the ancient synagogue. Keep your ticket for this. Ein Gedi is administered by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and entry is free with a year's pass. 

  

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OVERVIEW

WHEN WAS THE CHALCOLITHIC PERIOD? 

The Chalcolithic Period was a period between the Stone Age and Bronze Age, and extended from about 4300 BCE to 3300 BCE. It was a time of transition between simple farming communities and more complex sociopolitical communities. The term is applied not just to one culture but to a mosaic of cultural entities. Chalcolithic means “Copper Age,” and a feature of this period was the widespread use of copper. Bronze was not yet in use. Many copper vessels have in fact been found in a cave 11 Km from the temple, and it has been suggested that they might have been hidden there because of approaching danger. This temple may have served a number of Chalcolothic communities in the area.

Most Chalcolithic settlements were abandoned at the end of the Chalcolithic Period and new people moved in during the Early Bronze Age. The Middle Bronze Age, beginning in about 1950 BCE, is probably the time that the Canaanites and other tribes mentioned in the Bible settled in Canaan, and therefore also the time that the Biblical patriarchs lived here. 



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The Hike: 

• Follow the crowds to the scenic waterfalls of Nahal David. At the fork after the Lower Waterfall take the right branch, the Waterfall Trail. This crosses the stream on a wooden bridge. Shortly before the Upper Waterfall it crosses the stream again on a wooden bridge. 

• After viewing David's Waterfall, the signs direct you towards the exit of the reserve. Shortly after turning back you will see a path on the right signposted to "En Gedi Spring." 

• This path leads you past Shulamit’s Spring and shortly after this is an intersection. 

• [At this point you may wish to visit the Dodim Cave. It will add about three quarter of an hour to your hike. At the end of this trail you will need to go down a short cliff face on metal rungs to reach the cave. However, if this does not excite you, you need go no further than the observation area above the cave and the side trip will still be worthwhile. After visiting the cave, return back to the intersection just beyond Shulamit's Spring.]

• From the intersection after Shulamit's cave, continue up the hill to the next intersection. From here take the right fork in the direction of the Charcolithic Temple. There are a few footpaths to the temple, but the one on the far right is the easiest. From the crest of the hill there are great views of the Dead Sea and Moabite mountains. 

The temple is worth exploring. On its southern wall is an entrance with a gate house. Proceed through the courtyard to the main building adjacent to the northern wall and enter through an entrance on its southern wall. In front of you is a hoof-shaped niche surrounded by a stone fence. Within it were found animal bones, sherds, ashes, and a clay statuette of a bull, and it probably contained an altar. Notice the round piece of white limestone, which could have been the base for a statue of the deity. Stone benches are laid out along the walls. The temple shows no signs of destruction and was probably deserted, possibly because of impending danger. 

• From the top of the hill follow the sign down to En Gedi Spring. The pool is just beyond the signpost on the black-marked trail. If there are no crowds, you may be fortunate enough to see Nubian ibex drinking in the pool. Nubian ibex are wild goats that became almost extinct as a result of hunting. They were rescued by the Nature Protection movement and the Wild Animal Protection Law of 1955. Next to the spring is a flourmill from the Mamluke period.

• Continue on the black-marked trail down the hill. You will pass a small stream leading from the spring. Further on, you will cross a jeep trail. Continue on this black-marked trail. Towards the end of this trail is a memorial on the left to 6 youngsters from HasShomer HaTzair who were killed in 1946 when one of their own grenades blew up. 

• When you come to the paved road turn left. Just before the bottling factory is a concrete covered footpath on the left and this will lead you to the ancient synagogue and village.

In addition to WC's, there are shaded picnic benches, a cooled water fountain, and a store selling cold drinks and ice cream. Look at the model of the reconstructed community buildings adjacent to the picnic benches. Some of the homes of this village have been excavated and you can now walk between the houses in an excavated area adjacent to the synagogue. This street will lead you to the synagogue. 

These ruins are from the late Roman and Byzantine periods (3^rd to 6^th centuries CE). Beneath them are the remains of an even earlier Second Temple Jewish settlement that extended to the foot of Tel Goren. The mosaic floors of the synagogue are impressive and indicate the prosperity of this community. This prosperity was based on a secret. In fact, an inscription on the synagogue mosaic floor pronounces a curse on anyone who reveals it. And the secret? The people here grew a plant from which a highly valued perfume was extracted. To this day the plant has not been identified, although not for lack of trying. The Jewish settlement and synagogue were destroyed by fire, probably from persecution during the reign of the Emperor Justian the First. Coins were found in the ruins from this period.

•  Exit the site and turn right on the paved road. A concrete footpath on the right shortly after exiting the Synagogue will bring you to the parking lot and your car. 

 

Nearby places of interest:

A visit to the very beautiful Botanical Garden at Kibbutz Ein Gedi is highly recommended. It is only a few kilometers along Route 90. In actuality, the entire kibbutz is one large, impressive botanical garden!  After passing through the kibbutz entrance, go to to the adjacent office and for 20 NIS per person you are provided with a map containing information about advised stops and lookouts. The brochure also provides descriptions of the plants. In the kibbutz hotel is a kosher cafe for coffee or dairy meal. 

A visit to Masada is also a must. It is a distance of 20 Km and about an 18-minute drive from Ein Gedi along Route 90.

 

 

Map of the route. The hike starts at the entrance to Wadi David

 

 The upper waterfall, David's Waterfall, in Nahal David

 

The ruins of the Chalcolithic temple near to the Ein Gedi Spring

 

If you arrive at Ein Gedi Spring when there are no crowds you may be lucky enough to see some ibex (mountain goats).