Dead Sea

One of nature’s wonders, about 400m below sea level, it’s the lowest point on earth,. For thousands of years, it has been evaporating far faster than water has been coming in, making it about 10 tens a salty a regular sea water. Over the past 60 years this super-evaporation has accelerated as Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria have each diverted its headwaters for local use, with the result that it is now shrinking at a rate of over 1 metre a year. The shallower, southern part of the Dead Sea, is now a series of evaporation pools serving the Dead Sea Chemical Works, and on the banks of the sea sink holes have appeared as encroaching, underground fresh water dissolves the salt substratum and the surface collapses into pits up to 10m’ deep and 25m’ across.

Salt crystals at the water’s edge

The shallower, southern part of the Dead Sea, is now a series of evaporation pools serving the Dead Sea Chemical Works. The evaporation pools are fed by a channel running from the deeper, northern section of the Dead Sea (some of which is fed back through another channel). In fact, most of the Dead Sea hotels are on the bank of an evaporation pool, not the true Dead Sea at all. As the water evaporates, salt and other minerals crystallise to create amazing patterns.

Mount Sedom

At 226m above the Dead Sea, and still growing, Mt. Sodom is a salt intrusion, capped by a layer of limestone, clay and conglomerate about 11 km long by 2 km wide. A dirt track takes us to the top of the hill from where we have a view over the whole of the southern portion of the Dead Sea and into Jordan.

Dead Sea Works

The original potash works were established at the north end of the Dead Sea in the late 1920’s. In 1952 the plant was reactivated at the southern (Israeli) end and the road to Dimona and Beer Sheva was paved. Today, they produce over 3 million tons of potash a year, which is transported up an 18km conveyor belt to Dimona. From there it is exported around the world.

Ein Boqeq

A commercial and hotel resort on the Dead Sea (actually Evaporation Pool no.5!) with shops, restaurants and a public beach for swimming in the “sea”.

Metsada

Probably the most famous landmark by the Dead Sea, Metsada is a flat rock fortress initially fortified in the Hasmonean period (2nd century BCE), heavily fortified by Herod (37-4 BCE) and the site of the rebels’ last stand against the Romans in 73 CE. There is much to see and discuss: Herod’s palaces and bath houses; the rebels’ synagogue and miqve; the Roman ramp; a Byzantine monastery, and much more! Ascent from the east side is by cable car or by the snake path.

Ein Gedi

A large oasis intermittently occupied since Neolithic times. A kibbutz was founded in 1953 and the nature reserve in 1971. Activities in the area include:

the spa, with hot, sulphurous springs; therapeutic mud; a beach on the (northern) Dead Sea and much more;
hikes through the nature reserve, ranging from one hour to a full day;
A 10 hectare (25 acre) botanical garden in the kibbutz, housing over 900 plant species from around the world.
A Byzantine era synagogue with its full floor mosaic