Level of difficulty: 

7.8 Kilometers, difficult and tricky hike, fit walkers only

​

Recommended season - between October and June

 

Background:

Og Dry River, one of the most charming streams in the northern part of the Judean Desert. Its spectacular gorge winds through the northern hillsides of the Judean Desert, creating a deep, narrow canyon amid high and steep limestone cliffs.
Inside the gorge, cisterns, ancient monastery remains, hermit caves, and desert vegetation. 
The hike is challenging and fun, part of the track incorporates steel handles and ladders for passing the narrow crossings and the short climbs along the way.
After a rainy day, as water flows in the stream, this hike is even more exciting and enjoyable.

Description of activity:

After pick up in Tel Aviv at 08:00am, we'll head on east. After about one hour, we'll arrive at the Nabi Musa Military Camp at the northern part of the Judean Desert.

We will park the car at the gate of the base, put our walking gear and start our hike.

We will head north down along a small dry creek until we meet the main road. Then a short walk along the road until we meet a bridge crossing above the Og dry river gorge.

We will leave the road and slide down on a green marker straight into the gorge.

We will climb along the gorge and see how the impressive walls are closing on us until it is no more than two meters in width in some places and until the walls will rise up dozens of meters above us on either side.

We'll need to climb short dry waterfalls along the 1 km narrow gorge, some bolted with steel ladders.

When we'll reach a 5 meters dry waterfall this will mark the end of our route in the creek river bed.

A short climb on the northern wall and we are out of the creek; that would be exactly the place to have lunch.

After lunch we'll start heading south-east on a narrow Goats Trail marked green.

After 300 meters we will enter Deir Mukhlich, the ruins of a monastery, which became the first cooperative monastery of its kind in the world, founded by Theoctistus and Abtimius monks in 411 AD.

We will walk through the ruins and head west on the narrow Goats Trail, using still pegs that were installed in the narrow crossings and the short climbs along the way.

1 km and we are back on the canyon river bed. Another 600 meter and we are under the bridge of the main road crossing the Og dry river.

We will climb up to the road and walk back until we'll meet our car again.

 

Personal equipment:

3 liters of water (very important, we are in the desert) walking/sports shoes (closed shoe), Hat, light clothing, day pack (around 20-30 liters), food and snack, mosquito repellent, sun block, sun glasses, food.

 

Cost:Contackt us 

 

The cost includes: licensed Israeli tour guide, insurance, transportation, first aid kit, and coffee/tea.

 

The cost does not include: food, water, personal equipment.

 

I'll be happy to answer any questions.