Ein Gedi Nature Reserve

Ein gedi is awesome!
You can decide if you want the easy or harder bike.

Great waterfalls and magical views

Ein Gedi is a magical place. I've been there a number of times but before now I'd never done to the most popular hike in Nahal David, since I've always preferred to avoid crowds.

This time we went with young children, so we decided to go this route since it's the easiest and shortest trail. We actually entered the park pretty late in the day, when many people were already on their way out, so it wasn't quite as crowded as I'd feared - there were still definitely other people on the trail and in the waterfalls with us, but it wasn't unbearable.

Unlike the Nahal Arugot trail, there weren't deep pools to swim in, but rather a series of knee- and ankle-height pools at the base of different waterfalls. Still incredible and refreshing, but important to manage expectations if you're looking to actually get into a deeper pool. Overall highly recommended, both the shorter trails (at the end of the day on a weekend or during the weekday to avoid crowds) and longer.

Perfect short hike to do with young kids during all seasons of the year. Really special oasis in the middle of the desert. No bathrooms or food, but can find it easily at the top (before driving down into the canyon / paying for tickets), which is 5 minutes away. Be careful in the winter for flash flooding.

One of the best places in all of Israel. Can't wait to go back!