The northern Dead Sea is an area that is relatively close to Jerusalem. The sites here can also be very suitable as a stopping point on the way from Jerusalem to Eilat or to the Dead Sea hotels.This is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful areas in Israel: Ein Feshkha, Qumran, Minus 430 Gallery and Kalia Beach are just some of the special sites in the area.
So Let’s get started!
The northern Dead Sea area is one of my favorite areas in Israel: the desert landscapes against the azure waters of the Dead Sea are a mesmerizing and unique sight. Here are some recommendations for well-known and lesser-known sites.
Kalia Beach – the northernmost beach at the Dead Sea
Kalia Beach is the northernmost beach in the Dead Sea and is located right in the upper part of the dead sea. To get to Kalia beach you will only have to drive 22 minutes and say goodbye to a decent amount of shekels (the so-called “light wallet in heavy heat”…) Yes yes, the entrance is not cheap, especially for families and it certainly sucks.Kalia beach has a fun restaurant with a nice view, umbrellas, sunbeds and lawns. The coastline is quite far away (and it keeps getting farther and farther) but there is a shuttle near it. Not recommended for those who have difficulty accessibility.
Besides a lovely view and a lot of mud to spread around, the place has a big advantage: it is active all year round and the weather is suitable for bathing even on beautiful days in autumn and spring, when the center is cold and gray.
A few months ago, they opened a glamping roast that seemed very worth it. I didn’t have time to be in it but if any of you were, they are welcome or welcome to write as a mother below, in the comments corner.
Gallery minus 430
Also in the north of the Dead Sea, literally a few minutes drive from Kalia Beach, is a unique complex: Gallery minus 430.
Instead of a Jordanian camp that was abandoned in 1967. When I was a teenager, the youth movements used houses to accommodate the campers on trips. The sight of the abandoned one-story houses I remember as a strange and surreal sight. A setting for some youthful adventures, some beautiful and some a little less…
Either way, in 2018, the Megillot Regional Council initiated the establishment of the gallery.
36 artists from Israel and around the world created murals on the walls of the buildings in one of three selected themes:
- Saving the Dead Sea
- Ecology in the region
- Coexistence between religions in the region.
A mural by Dioz and Puka – the painting is caricatured and expresses strong criticism of the exploitation of natural resources in the region by companies and financiers.
Although the paintings are less than four years old, some of them are in a state of weathering, due to the harsh terrain conditions there. The place is fully exposed to the sun so it is important to come in the evening or in a non-hot season.
A work by the artist Dede that expresses the struggle of wildlife to survive in the region
Qumran
We stay in the northern Dead Sea area and travel only a short drive from Kalia to our next destination:
Qumran National Park is a short drive from Kalia Beach, at the foot of the Replica Cliff. In the 2nd century BC, a mysterious community lived there, leading a cooperative lifestyle that included a great emphasis on purity. The place is famous for the hidden scrolls, which were found nearby and can now be seen in the “Shrine of the Book” in the Israel Museum. The Scrolls, from the Second Temple period, are the oldest found in the Land of Israel!
The garden has an accessible path that passes through archaeological remains, a path that leads near the cave where the scrolls were found, and a film – a performance that will be of great interest to children. If you are traveling to Eilat as a family ensemble, this is a recommended refreshment point on the way.
To Qumran National Park website
Ein Feshkha – Ein Tsukim
Only 3 km from Kalia is one of the most special nature reserves in the country. A lovely oasis with pools of water bathed in greenery.
The name Ein Feshchah comes from the Arabic word meaning “crack”. The water in the pools comes from the rainwater that falls in the Judean region, seeps into the depths of the earth and pops up at the foot of the Copy Cliff. Due to the decline in the level of the Dead Sea, there has been a change in the place of the pools over the years.
Ein Feshcha opening hours
Summer : 8am-5pm
Winter : 8am-4pm
What can I do in the reserve?
- First and foremost, take a dip in the waters of the pools. The Tamar water pool is the deepest of them. The pool water is sometimes regulated to other places so if you arrive out of season or on weekdays, sometimes you will find it empty.
- Families with young children can find many more shallow places to sit and enjoy.
- Within Ein Feshkha there are the archaeological ruins– a villa from the Roman period. The remains are not particularly impressive and are only recommended for those who are interested in the subject.
- Ein Feshchah has a section that is closed to the public and is only open for groups only. Tours to the “Hidden Reserve” take place on weekends (on Fridays at 10:00 and 14:00 and on Saturdays at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00). The tour passes between small and pastoral “lagoons”, in a beautiful observation tower and is highly recommended.
The reserve has undergone several severe fires. In its closed part you can find a herd of donkeys brought to the site to moisten grass and thus prevent the spread of fire during a fire.
To the Ein Zurim Nature Reserve website
Top of cliffs (Ras Feshkha)
Ein Feshkha Nature Reserve is very suitable for families. A more difficult route can be reached by crossing Route 90 from a combat lineup. A small sign will direct you to the Rosh Tzurim lookout. The trail is steep and has no shade at all so it’s really not recommended on sunny days.
The ascent is 1 km to a spectacular view of the area. From the lookout you can continue on the path to the Qumran reserve mentioned earlier or to the settlement of Avnat.
🥄A bite by the way
The northern Dead Sea region does not have much to offer from a culinary point of view. But since we’ve traveled a lot and we’re already hungry, here are some ideas anyway:
Persilia – a deli café at the Kfar Adumim junction. To the Web site
food Truck website – hamburgers – behind the Kfar Adumim gas station. Open every day until almost midnight. To the site of the last chance – a buffet in a pastoral atmosphere in the area of Almog Junction.
me casa – an Italian restaurant in the settlement of Vered Jericho. Open on Saturday. Site
Grandpa’s Kitchen – Food Truck – pizza is located alongside Route 90. Open mostly on weekends. To the Facebook page
Agalgala coffee and pastry in the north of the Dead Sea. Opening hours vary – to the Facebook page from theMatsoki of the bar-pub located on a cliff 400 meters above the Dead Sea.
The place is open daily and serves drinks and light meals. Site
So far for today excursions in the northern Dead Sea area. There are quite a few other beautiful places to visit in the area, here are some ideas:
- Circular hiking trail in lower Og stream.
- A visit to the well-kept monastery of Deir Hajala – you can read details in a post about monasteries in the Judean Desert
- The prat river t St. George’s Monastery and the Prat River
- Glide in the natural water slides of Ein Auja
You are welcome to stay in touch and register here – once every few months I will update on new posts that have come out on the blog with recommendations on trips and sites.