Ein Gedi, Nature reserve and national park near the Dead Sea, Israel
Ein Gedi is a nature reserve and national park in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea in Israel. Four permanent springs feed waterfalls and pools that wind through limestone cliffs and create pockets of green vegetation amid the barren landscape.
People settled here as early as the Chalcolithic period around 6000 years ago and left behind a temple between two springs. Byzantine inhabitants built a synagogue with mosaic floors in the fifth century that survives today.
The biblical name means "spring of the kid goat" and refers to the ibex that still gather near the water sources today. Local farmers once extracted precious balsam oil from plants that grew only in this microclimate, making the oasis a center of ancient perfume trade.
The reserve opens daily from 8 AM to 5 PM with marked hiking trails leading to the waterfalls and springs. Paths can be slippery, so sturdy shoes and plenty of drinking water are recommended.
Nubian ibex and rock hyrax move freely across the rocks and often approach visitors near the water sources. The springs sustain a rare mix of desert animals and tropical plant species that otherwise occur hundreds of kilometers away.
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