The Bible records that 3,000 years ago David hid from King Saul at Ein Gedi. When David surprised the king and spared his life after finding him unarmed, Saul said David would succeed him on the throne.

Located on the Dead Sea's western shore, Ein Gedi ("Spring of the Goat") is a desert oasis with waterfalls, pools of water and two large streams. It is a hiker's paradise with beautiful foliage, exotic birds and a range of wildlife, including rabbits, deer, ibex and leopards (don't worry, you're not likely to run into any).

Ein Gedi served as a water source during biblical times. The spring begins to flow 656 feet above the Dead Sea. About a half-hour's hikewill take you to the Nahal David-Ein Gedi waterfall and pool. Another trail leads to Shulamit Spring, the top of the falls and the Dodim Cave. Further along are the ruins of a Chalcolithic sanctuary believed to be from the year 4,000 BCE. From atop the trail it is possible to get a spectacular view of the Dead Sea, the mountains of Moab and Kibbutz Ein Gedi.

The oasis is known for its thriving date palms, which are the principal crop of nearby Kibbutz Ein Gedi. The Kibbutz also owns a spa further south where you can take a hot mineral bath and coat yourself in Dead Sea mud. A campsite is also situated near the Dead Sea beach.

Just north of Ein Gedi (about 40 minutes south of Jerusalem) is oneof Israel's most important archaeological sites, the Qumran National Park. It is in the caves of this ancient settlement that the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947.

Learn more about Ein Gedi.

Virtual Tour content provided by the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise(AICE). To find more information about the sites on our trip and general facts about Israel visit the Virtual Israel Experience at AICE's Web site.