In and around Jerusalem

This botanical gardens in Kibbutz Ein Gedi overlooking the Dead Sea is a jewel in the Judean Desert - and is a must to visit. In reality, the entire kibbutz is one big Botanical Gardens! As one website put it – this is the only botanical garden in the world in which people live. 

At the office by the entrance to the kibbutz you are provided with a map in either Hebrew and English with instructions on the route and the location of guided stops and lookouts. It also contains descriptions of the plants, although these can also be found adjacent to the plants. The plants are from a variety of climes and continents, including Madagascar, the Caribbean, India, Africa, America and Australia.

Admission to the botanical garden: Adult 20 NIS; children (3-12), senior Israeli citizens, soldiers, students and persons with disabilities 15 NIS.

Hours of the garden: Sunday-Thursday 9:00 AM–1:00 PM. The gardens are closed on Friday and Shabbat.  

The kibbutz web site contains lots of information about the kibbutz and its ornamental gardens.

You can also stop at the reasonably priced, kosher cafeteria within the kibbutz hotel for coffee or a dairy meal. 

Directions: Enter "Ein Gedi Hotel" into Waze. The kibbutz is only a few kilometers from Ein Gedi Reserve along route 90. 

Public transport: Enter "Ein Gedi" into Moovit. Bus 486 goes directly to the kibbutz from the Jerusalem Central Bus Station. Bus 444 goes only to the kibbutz access road on route 90. From here it is about a 0.7 mile, 15 minute walk to the kibbutz.

These exotic plants overlooking the Dead Sea create incredible views. 

Almost every path in the Botanical Gardens is a botanical spectacle. The hills of the Judean Desert can be seen in the background.

BACKGROUND

THE DEAD  SEA - DEAD AND STILL DYING

The Dead Sea is at the lowest point on earth, is the deepest hypersaline lake in the world, is 6 times saltier than the ocean - and is in deep trouble. 

The Dead Sea is located in the Jordan Rift Valley that extends through the eastern part of Africa and into Turkey. This valley results from the moving apart of two tectonic plates – the African Plate and Arabian Plate – leading to a thinning of the earth’s crust. They are in fact still moving apart at a rate of about 13 inches a year.   

About 3.7 million years ago, oceanic water from the Mediterranean poured into the Jordan Rift Valley through the Jezreel Valley. Subsequently, there was a rise in the intervening mountains and the precursor to the Dead Sea became landlocked. Sediment gathered at the bottom of the lake and pushed out thick deposits of salt. This is why “Mount Sodom” at the southwest aspect of the lake is a mountain made of salt. 

The source of water for the Dead Sea is the Jordan River, rivers on the eastern side of the lake, such as the Yarkon River, and subterranean springs that enter into and around the lake. Most river water has been syphoned off for agriculture. Industrial potash production from the Dead Sea Works also leads to water evaporation. As a result of this and normal water evaporation from the high ambient temperature, the level of the Dead Sea has been receding at a rate of about 3 feet a year. As a result of this, the peninsula that formerly ended in the middle of the lake has become a land bridge. The ground water level has also dropped and this is flushing out brine near the shoreline leading to sinkholes. In fact, it is dangerous to get too close to the Dead Sea in many parts of the western Israeli side of the lake. Sink holes are not a problem on the Jordanian side because the cliffs descend steeply into the lake.  

There are currently no viable plans to save the Dead Sea. Bringing in water from the Mediterranean would probably change the nature of the lake. Gypsum (calcium sulfate) would be deposited and could turn the Dead Sea white. There is currently a plan budgeted by the World Bank and signed onto by Israel, Jordan and the Palestine Authority to bring in water from the Red Sea. Water will be brought by channels to feed a power station in Jordan and some of the water will be desalinated. The power and the desalinated water will be shared among the parties and the natural sea water and hypersaline water from the desalination plant will be fed into the Dead Sea. However, as one article stated: "the Dead Sea will next decade be swallowing waters it never tasted and thus launch a new chapter in its history". Nevertheless, the amount of water from the desalination plant will not be that grea, and it will hardly solve the Dead Sea's problems.

Despite all this, there is no reason not to benefit from this unique and remarkable area. The sunlight at the Dead Sea has weaker ultraviolet radiation than at sea level and the atmospheric pressure is slightly higher. The atmosphere also has a slightly higher oxygen content and less allergens. These probably account for the health benefits claimed for visiting here, including healing of psoriasis lesions. The hotels in Ein Bokek on the Dead Sea are also highly popular. This town is actually on the banks of an absorption basin for the Dead Sea Works, and its level is rising each year because of deposition of salt within the basin. Clearly, there are many challenges ahead!