Page 101 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Israel & Petra

Dead Sea and the Negev ❮❮ 99

Mitzpe Ramon
8 ALONG THE DEAD SEA IN A DAY
MAP B2 • Route 40, 15 miles
(24 km) S of Avdat • Egged bus 392, Jerusalem
Metropoline bus 60 from Be’er Sheva Qumran
Perched at the rim of Makhtesh
Ramon, this little town makes a Dead
great base for exploring the crater. Ein Gedi Sea
Its industrial center has been Nature Reserve
revamped into the Spice Routes Botanical Gardens
Quarter, with old hangars turned
into boutique hotels, dance studios, Masada
restaurants, and shops. Ein Bokek
Eilat
9 MORNING
MAP D2 • www.coralworld.co.il
This Red Sea resort town draws Start with an early breakfast in
Jerusalem, then drive 29 miles
visitors with its year-round sun, (47 km) east to the archeological
beaches, nightlife, and VAT-free site of Qumran (see p98); if the
shopping. The unbe lievably diverse weather permits – it’s often too
and colorful marine life makes for hot – hike to the caves where the
fabulous diving and snorkeling. At Dead Sea Scrolls were found. The
the Underwater Observatory Marine next stop is the Ein Gedi Nature
Park, you can see Red Sea corals Reserve (see p97), where you can
walk through one of the spring-
and fish in their natural environment fed wadis, spot desert wildlife,
without getting wet. Trips to Petra and visit ancient ruins, including
can be easily organized in Eilat. a 5th-century synagogue. Spend
at least a couple of hours here. In
2015 sinkholes forced the nearby
Ein Gedi Beach and all its cafés
to close, so for lunch – either sit-
down or a picnic purchased at the
grocery store – head to Kibbutz
Ein Gedi, 2 miles (3 km) south.
While there you can also visit
the lovely Botanical Gardens.
AFTERNOON
After a short break from the
midday sun, head 12 miles
Colorful shoals of fish, Eilat (20 km) farther south to the
mountaintop fortress of Masada
Timna National Park
0 (see p97). Stop first at the excel-
lent museum for some back-
MAP D2 • Route 90, 18 miles
(29 km) N of Eilat • (08) 631 6756 ground, then take the cable car
• Adm • www.parktimna.co.il (or hike up the Snake Path) to the
This expanse of rocky desert holds top to visit the evocative ruins,
some built by Herod, others by
archeological remains, stunning rock the Jewish rebels. Take in the
formations, and the oldest known spectacular views across the
copper mines in the world. Ancient Dead Sea to Jordan; see if you
Egyptians mined here around 1500 can spot, far below, the remains
BC, and left two temples dedicated of eight Roman military camps.
to the goddess Hathor. Solomon’s End the day at Ein Bokek (see
Pillars offer stunning views, while the p100), where, before dining at one
of its several cafés or restaurants,
Mushroom Rock is a favored photo you can enjoy floating in the briny
stop. A re-creation of the Tabernacle waters of the Dead Sea – beach
carried by the Israelites during the access is free to the public.
Exodus can be visited at set times.
See map on p96

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