Traveling through the deserts of Israel, we noticed that they are incredibly diverse. The southern desert is dry and mountainous, while the northern part is more flat, and during those rare winter and spring days when it rains, the Negev Desert transforms. Torrential streams of water flow through its canyons, and soon after, the desert is covered in delicate greenery.
Northern Negev: A Blooming Desert
The Negev Desert covers about 60% of Israel’s land area. It is typically divided into the Northern Negev and the actual Negev Desert. The Northern Negev has a water supply system, which has allowed for its “greening.”
In the heart of winter, at the end of January, we set out to admire the blooming desert. There are several places in the Northern Negev where anemones bloom profusely during this time. We decided to visit Yar Shokeda (Shokeda Forest), located near Netivot. Initially, the sands are covered with small patches of green, preparing a green carpet on which countless bright red anemones begin to bloom. These areas are considered protected, and various festivals are held there during the blooming season.
The flowers were still asleep under a whitish blanket of frost. It was overcast, but the air temperature gradually rose, and the flowers began to awaken and lift their heads. As the Bedouins prepared their morning tea, which they graciously shared with us, their animals grazed on fresh, dew-washed grass.
Hearing the hum of an airplane in the morning silence, we looked up and saw an early worker in the sky, likely spraying fertilizer on the farmers’ fields. We walked along specially designated paths; it was completely calm and quiet, as the local tourists probably hadn’t woken up yet. We wanted to take endless photos; each flower was unique in its beauty and charm. Gradually, more people arrived to witness this indescribable natural beauty, and the event organizers began setting up their tents—the hustle and bustle of human activity was looming. So, we decided to continue our journey and head to the desert area near the Dead Sea.
The “Southern” Negev Desert
As we moved south, the landscape and colors of the scenery changed.
The southern desert blooms with different hues, but they are no less enchanting. It’s amazing how much strength and love for life these flowers have as they push through the rocks to reach the sun. I must say that the desert has quite good roads, which are also accompanied by beautiful landscapes. Along the way, we passed a salt processing plant from the Dead Sea.
Our path led us to the Judean Desert and its gem—the Dead Sea. We decided to hike along the trails around Mount Sodom.
Sodom and Gomorrah are two well-known biblical cities that, according to the Bible, were destroyed by God for the sins of their inhabitants. These cities were part of the Sodom Pentapolis and were located, according to the Old Testament, in the area of the Dead Sea, though the exact location is still unknown. Mount Sodom itself is a hill in the Judean Desert, stretching 8 kilometers along the coast of the Dead Sea. Interestingly, the mountain has a height of 226 meters above the Dead Sea level and 170 meters below sea level.
If you drive along the main road by the Dead Sea, you’ll see a sign for Mount Sodom—turn off and follow the road, then turn right at the fork and drive to the parking area. From here, there is a hiking trail marked with signs leading to the viewpoint on Mount Sodom with views of the Dead Sea. The mountain is composed of sand, limestone, and, largely, salt deposits. For thousands of years, water has washed away the salt, creating fantastic caves, canyons, and formations of various intricate shapes in the mountain. We navigated through narrow canyons, squeezed between converging cliffs, climbed steep trails, and hopped over tall rocks as the path skirted deep depressions. All of this was accompanied by such breathtaking, otherworldly landscapes that we didn’t feel the difficulty of the route or the heat of the midday sun.
From the very base of the mountain to nearly its peak, we were accompanied by two feathered “guides.” It was impossible not to notice them: they constantly circled around, teased us by hopping from peak to peak, and coquettishly posed, drawing attention to themselves. Perhaps they were guarding their territory? In any case, we didn’t see any other birds in the area at that time. And at the top of the mountain, we were greeted with “lunar landscapes.” Even more impressive views of the Dead Sea unfolded from the mountain’s summit.
On this day, after traveling over 550 kilometers, we saw such varied landscapes: one in the north, rich with greenery and flowers, and the other desert-like, in different tones but no less beautiful. And this is just a tiny part of the beauty of Israel’s deserts…
