Hiking En Gedi

 So many amazing places to visit here in Israel.....another family favorite was definitely En Gedi. En Gedi nature reserve is located near the Dead Sea in the Negev.  It is a National Park that has wildlife and waterfalls you can hike to and pools you can swim in. This time of year is perfect because it is not too hot. 

We were immediately greeted in the paring lot by 30 ibex wandering around looking for creative ways to reach the trees. They jump onto the roof and hood of your car to nibble at the trees above....it was hilarious! Especially since all the cars in the paring lot were rentals:)  The hike was EASY and somewhat short.  Zoe(4) and Lily(6) did great, not to mention there were  waterfalls and pools to swim in on the way. (We had to try all the waterholes!) We also managed to see some wildlife on the hike. We spotted tons of small animals called Rock Hyrax. Also black and orange birds called Grackles. This was another highlight for the kids! En Gedi is where David hide from King Saul. Caves line the canyon walls in and around the waterfalls. The bible talks about David hiding and living in the caves of En Gedi. (1 Sam. 24) It was amazing!  We swam and snacked and hiked.  What a fun day!

Rachel