Dead Sea Bikes
Self-Guided TourWelcome to the Lowest Place on Earth!
Great to have you here! We've prepared an independent riding experience facing the ancient landscapes of the Dead Sea.
Here you'll find everything you need to enjoy safely: maps, explanations, and important tips.
Let's get started!
Preparation & Safety (Mandatory!)
✅ Personal Equipment Check:
- • Tires inflated? Brakes working?
- • Do you have a helmet and water (in a small bag)?
- • For Long Route: Phone mount & charged battery?
Mud & Thorns Warning
DO NOT ENTER MUD! It destroys the bike systems. See mud? Dismount and lift the bike over it.
Mud damage will be charged.
Also, stay strictly on the trail to avoid thorns and flat tires.
Which route will you choose?
Long Route (Challenging)
6 km | Sea Access | Smartphone Required
Long Route (Challenging)
6 km | Sea Access | Smartphone RequiredSuitable for: Experienced riders. Includes ascents, descents, and walking sections.
Duration: Approx. 2 hours.
- Crossing Kidron Stream: On asphalt, LEFT of the safety rail! (see video).
- Descent: Ride slowly and carefully near the white pipe.
- Sea Access: Leave bikes at the marked spot, walk down.
- Cleanliness: The lagoon has debris (from the stream). Feel free to pick up some trash if you like.
Tap the location icon in the map to center on yourself
Short Route (Family)
3 km | Flat | No Mud
Short Route (Family)
3 km | Flat | No MudSuitable for: Families with kids, short on time, or without a smartphone.
Duration: Up to 1 hour.
Advantage: Skips the Kidron Stream crossing (the scary part) and stays in the safe flat area.
- Exit the complex and bypass the big Hangar from the North.
- Continue East and circle the Date Plantation.
- You can ride on the internal paved road (do not leave the path!).
- There is a nice lookout point to sit and relax.
- Return the same way.
Points of Interest
Open the tabs to learn about the area:
Where did the sea go? (History)
Look around. 2,000 years ago, the water reached the road above us! Right here is **Khirbet Mazin** - an ancient shipyard from the Hasmonean period. Yes, ships used to anchor here.
About 120 years ago, British researchers (PEF) marked a line on a nearby rock. Since then, the level has dropped by hundreds of meters.
Watch: Ancient boats in the desert
Ptilat HaMidbar (Sodom Apple)
It's not cotton!
See the big bush with fruit that looks like green apples? That is "Sodom Apple", or in Hebrew: Ptilat HaMidbar.
Why "Ptila" (Wick)? If you open the fruit (carefully, the sap is toxic!), you'll find white fibers inside. The Sages in the Mishnah (Tractate Shabbat) discuss whether they can be used to light Shabbat candles.
Shabbat vs. Hanukkah: Forbidden for Shabbat because the flame flickers. But for Hanukkah? Definitely allowed! On Hanukkah we only need the light, not to use it for reading.
The Secret of the Dates
You are riding near a green plantation in the arid desert. How? Date palms are strong. They are irrigated here with treated wastewater, which is rich in natural fertilizer.
The Three Musketeers: Only 3 varieties grow in this area, ripening first in Israel (peak summer - July/August) thanks to the heavy heat:
- Medjool (Large and sweet)
- Barhi (Yellow, eaten frozen)
- Dekel Nour (Elongated)
The "Honey" in the Bible ("Land of Milk and Honey") is Date Honey (Silan), without a doubt.
Kidron Stream: Prophecies
The stream you cross flows from Jerusalem. Unfortunately, today it carries sewage from the city, which causes the debris in the lagoon.
The Vision of the Prophets:
Three prophets - Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Malachi - predicted the moment when living water would burst from Jerusalem and heal the Dead Sea.
- Zechariah 14
Ezekiel even describes fishermen standing on the shores of the Dead Sea from Ein Gedi to Ein Eglaim. Let's hope the stream becomes clean again soon.
Ovnat: Life on the Edge
Above us lies the settlement "Ovnat". It is a special community with no grocery store, no clinic, and no basic services - everything is ordered online, just like in New York, but in the heart of the desert.
Special Education: Unique educational institutions operate here, including the "Yiftach" high school - a framework that embraces youth who dropped out of other systems, finding here a warm home and space to grow.
Finish & Return
Finished? Hope you enjoyed!
Please return the bikes neatly to the complex.
Make sure you haven't left any personal gear (or trash) in the field.
We are available
