The journey on line 486 from Jerusalem’s Central Bus Station to the shores of the Dead Sea is not just another ride – it feels like stepping into the story of creation from the Book of Genesis. From the bus window stretches a land that seems carved from another planet: flat-topped mountains, burning skies, and desert rolling endlessly toward the horizon. The sounds of Jerusalem slowly fade, and the road moves from the silence of stone to the silence of open space.
The Road from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea – Signs and Villages Along the Way
It is hard to believe, but this is the simple road to the Dead Sea, and it looks as though it was taken straight from the moon’s surface. Jerusalem disappears behind, and the road moves south, through Mount Scopus Ridge, Ma’ale Adumim, and Michmash. Road signs carry names of Arab villages alongside Jewish towns: Issawiya, Geva Binyamin, At-Tur, Anata, and more. The signage is precise – no Waze required.
At certain points on the roadside, a Bedouin tent appears. Life is sustained here modestly in the heart of the desert, like a living painting of resilience against emptiness. A jeep parked near a herd of sheep hints at connection with modernity. The scenery is stark, and the descent below sea level begins – vast expanses of date palm groves, thriving where almost nothing else can survive. Humanity once again created something from nothing. The desert’s austerity has been transformed into agriculture, industry, and hope.
Wildlife at the Dead Sea – Ibex and Rock Hyrax
Approaching Kibbutz Kalia, one encounters the site of the Qumran Caves, where the most ancient biblical scrolls ever discovered were unearthed beneath the cliffs. Further down the road are Einot Tzukim and the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve – places where water and salt become sources of beauty, healing, and raw materials for skincare products born in the heart of the desert.
The ibex are given special warning signs to protect them. These are not merely road signs, but signs of life in this realm, a world where even the horned creatures and those nicknamed “Bambi” have their own rightful path. On the harsh rocks and steep cliffs, calm rock hyraxes add another layer to the desert’s wonder.
Mitzpe Shalem greets visitors with a huge sign inviting families to join the community – a reminder that even in the wilderness, people dream of building a larger, rooted society. The road then demands careful and expert driving before revealing the oasis of Kibbutz Ein Gedi – a green dream in the desert, a community whose story is one of resilience against the forces of nature.
(Pigeons Hide a Major Change – Jerusalem’s Autumn 2025)
Tourism at the Dead Sea – Holland and Siberia
And then,
the sea. The Dead Sea.
Its colors shift between azure, turquoise, and silver, depending on the angle of the sun.
Among the bathers – not only Jerusalemites and Israelis but also smiling tourists from Siberia, Holland, and across the globe. All float silently, gazing at the horizon ahead, with sukkahs on the shore reminding everyone of the season.
Here, at the Dead Sea, healing has long been promised: skin conditions, joint pain, and other ailments. And for those who made the journey from Jerusalem to the cleansing waters of salt, the reward is not only physical relief but also an expanded sense of awareness – a reminder that even in the heart of the desert, the Israeli dream shines like gold.
