Masada to Neveh Zohar (along the Dead Sea)
with Al–Hashvil, guided by Avi Farjoun
Photo album: Israel Trail Hike 2025-11-26/27
Two days in the glorious Judean Desert. Crisp and clear panoramic landscapes. The Dead Sea’s stunning shades of turquoise and blue. Wide open expanses. And best of all — disconnected from civilization (truly, there was no phone service). A perfect escape on the Israel Trail.
Day 1 – Masada to Ein Bokek
We began the first day of our hike on the Israel Trail at the western foot of Masada, near the Roman ramp trail. Heading south, we climbed a steep ascent to Mount Elazar (named for Elazar ben Yair, the commander of the Jewish rebels at Masada).
At the peak we paused to enjoy the sweeping views of Masada to the north, the Dead Sea and Jordan to the east.
And the Judean Desert in all other directions.
We crossed Nahal Kina’im and Nahal Rahaf.
Unfortunately, my fear of heights prevents me from getting close to the edge of the cliffs, and I miss out on the really spectacular views.
Other than the one intense climb early in the day, most of the hike trended downhill. Sometimes steep but not treacherous. Sometimes flat. But almost always rocky.
The day was sunny, the temperatures were pleasant, and a nice breeze kept us cool.
A short detour off the trail to admire the view ….
… and pose for our group photo ritual.
From atop the plateau we headed down the winding and rocky descent of Ma’ale Mor.
We crossed Nahal Mor, and finally reached the Dead Sea.
We trekked a few more kilometers on the Ein Bokek promenade/bike path, whose lights lit up as the sun went down and darkness began to fall. Although exhausted from a very long day, the walk was a great way to stretch and relax our weary legs.
Day 2 – Nahal Rom to Neve Zohar
As soon as we descended into Nahal Rom on the second day of our hike, I began to smile. I could already tell this was my kind of trail.
Trees and vegetation fill this narrow, rocky ravine. Recent rains had cleared the dust (and even caused flash floods), giving the landscape a clean and fresh look. Over eras of time, flash floods and rainfall have sculpted basins, ledges and “waterfalls” (vertical drops). For about an hour we climbed up and over boulders, like children playing in nature’s playground.
Lots of high stepping and knee-bending required for this portion of the hike.
The hike continued through Nahal Yizrah — a wide, open riverbed with soft, crumbling slopes.
Gentle ascents and descents — less technical than Nahal Rom.
Then, on to the third and final nahal of the day — Nahal Zohar, with its beautiful patterns and ridges shaped by floods and erosion. I was amazed by the numerous and magestic acacia (שיטה) trees that filled the nahal.
We detoured to a hidden gem that our guide Avi called an “instagram beauty spot” — a pool filled by the recent rains and flooding. Word had spread quickly across social media, and this watering hole was jammed with visitors in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week. Since it is accessible to 4×4 vehicles (and cars with a short hike), I was not surprised to see the crowd.
The final stretch of our hike, in the shade of magnificent trees.
A final “playground” activity – descending a narrow gorge in Nahal Zohar.
Still smiling!
To view the complete set of photos from the hike: Israel Trail Hike 2025-11-26/27
