Ein Gedi an oasis near the Dead Sea Israel

On the slopes of the Judean Desert west of Dead Sea Israel the traveler will find Ein Gedi, an oasis in the middle of the desert. The name meaning ”The young goat’s spring” in Hebrew is mentioned in the Bible several times. In the Song of Songs of King Solomon it’s mentioned several times.

In the middle of a dry and arid land that leads to an even drier Dead Sea, lies Ein Gedi with many streams of sweet water that flow freely for the pleasure of tourist and locals alike. There are a few pools and people swim and take advantage of this miracle at 400 meters below sea level. As you may know the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Planet Earth.

There are ruins of ancient synagogues, streets and buildings from the Byzantine periods some depicting the signs of the Zodiac. The ancient Ein Gedi was an important source of Dead Sea minerals and balms for the Greco Roman World. In 1956 a Kibbutz of Collective farm was founded here.

Flora and Fauna

Due to the special conditions and the supply of water, Ein Gedi features hundreds of species of trees, shrubs and flowers including some Biblical plants like the Myrrh and the Frankincense as well as trees like the Baobab, the Sodom Apple and many palm trees, fruit trees and tropical plants.

As part of being a park showing all these marvels, the site is a sanctuary for wild animals like mammals and reptiles. For the bird-watching enthusiasts there are many species of birds supplemented by another 200 species during migration periods. 

Israel, more specifically the southern Negev Desert is in the path of hundreds of thousands of birds migrating north from Africa to Europe during spring and backwards during autumn.

While staying at Ein Gedi you may enjoy their famous spa with all kind of Dead Sea treatments, you can also visit the Dead Sea and swim ( I mean float) there.

A visit to Masada, the last stronghold of the Jews against the Romans is a short distance away. It is a visit no tourist should miss.

On your next visit to the Holy Land of Israel make a point to visit Ein Gedi. I always recommend to my friends that come to visit Israel to spend a couple of days at Ein Gedi. You’ll leave totally rejuvenated.