Dead Sea, Masada, Jericho

by Philip Greenspun; created 2000

Home : Travel : Israel : Dead Sea, Masada, Jericho


Above the shore of the Dead Sea. Here is a nice, though long, day trip from Jerusalem:

Navigation is reasonably straightforward for all but the final Jericho/Wadi Qelt bit. There aren't too many roads in the desert. Thus you could take a rental car with confidence if you don't wish to spend the big bucks ($300 or so) on a guide and car for the day.

Leaving Jerusalem

As you leave Jerusalem in the early morning, the light on the city walls and "Jerusalem stone" buildings is very warm:

Sunrise on Jerusalem Sunrise on Jerusalem

Masada

Here's the snake path with a reconstructed Roman camp in the foreground ...

Desert around Masada, Israel

Here's a comparison of the snake path and the cable car in the same frame:

Cable car to Masada

Herod only came up to Masada once or twice. The place, however, was fitted out with massive stores, ample water, and hot baths. The view from every part of the palace is superb:

Masada Masada

The fame of Masada rests upon the Roman siege of the fortress from AD 70 to AD 73. The Romans had 10,000 men; the Jews numbered only 1,000. When the Romans were on the point of conquering Masada, by dint of having built an earth ramp up the back of the mountain, each Jewish man killed his family and then himself.

Best to take the cable car down now...

Cable car to Masada

Qumran

Arriving at Qumran, you will first find a crowd of people on top of one hill staring across at another:

Crowd of tourists at Qumran, taking pictures of the cave where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

The stared-at hill contains caves in which jars of linen-wrapped scrolls were hidden in AD 68. The scrolls dates range from the 3rd-century BC up to the Roman conquest of AD 68. Some are portions of the Bible. Some are records of the monastic Essene sect, which had withdrawn from a corrupt society to live simply in the desert.

Cave in Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found Cave in Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found

If you're lucky, on the way north toward Jericho, you'll pass Bedouin herding camels:

Camels owned by Bedouin tribe in Israel Camels owned by Bedouin tribe in Israel

Jericho

In the center of Jericho, the camels are more commercialized...

Tourist camel rides in Jericho Tourist camel rides in Jericho

It is easy to see how Jericho would have been a very attractive oasis to those who'd been wandering in the desert:

Jericho

Now let's go up Wadi Qelt to St. George's Monastery...

Hills above Jericho Hills above Jericho Monastery of St George, in Wadi Kilt near Jericho


Text and pictures Copyright 2000 Philip Greenspun.


philg@mit.edu