I was a bit nervous of the drive to our final destination - the Dead Sea, as we’d have to enter the West Bank to get there; an area rife with conflict between Israel and Palestine since the early 1900s, and no closer to a  resolution despite international attempts. 

After leaving Tiberias, we drove an hour before entering Jericho. Brent’s mom and dad had been in Jericho 50 years ago, so he had anticipated retracing their footsteps. 

We stopped at a market and bought some beautiful fruit. Ann, Brent’s mom, remembers eating a very sweet fruit in Jericho. We purchased a “Pomilet” thinking that might be the fruit she was referring to, but now that we’ve tried it, we are pretty sure she is not referring to the Pomilet - it’s not sweet - more grapefruit-like. After our purchase, we sat down for a treat of baklava and coffee at the only sweet shop across the road. The people at both shops were super friendly and accommodating as we maneuvered through the language barrier. 

Jericho looks like it is in a state of disarray yet we did see some evidence of building. With eyes wide open traveling through the city, we couldn’t help feel sad on so many levels. 

After leaving Jericho, we drove about 20 minutes to Qasr el Yahud, the apparent baptismal place of Jesus. I say apparent because there are two other places that claim the honour. Right across the Israeli site sits  “Beyond Bethlehem” on the Jordanian side of the Jordan River. With a UNESCO designation, and archaeological evidence, Jordan lays claim to the “real” place of Jesus’ baptism, while further North on the Sea of Galilee, the native Jews of Israel insist that Yardenit was where John performed the baptismal. 

Regardless, it was a bit circus-like when we arrived at Qasr El Yahud as there were many onlookers, photographers and tourists queuing to be baptized.

We hit a checkpoint to exit the West Bank shortly after leaving Qasr El Yahud. My nerves were calmed as we pulled up to four young soldiers handing out chocolate, albeit with assault rifles slung over their shoulders. 

A further 20 minute drive South, the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, came into full view. And what a glorious view it was with salt mounds building up along the edge of the coast. 

The Dead Sea is divided into two sections; namely the North and South. Although there are a couple of resorts in the North, the area looked deserted and abandoned; no doubt because much of it is located within the West Bank. Further down the coast, you will find the uninhabited Ein Gedi. Once a thriving tourist destination, it is now full of abandoned resorts as the Dead Sea continues to evaporate and retreat at an alarming rate; taking  with it communities and economic prosperity. We stayed at The Leonardo Club Hotel located in Ein Bokek. In the South, you will find many accommodations with direct access to the Dead Sea.

Floating in the Dead Sea is truly a lifetime experience. There is no swimming, just floating, with arms wide open and head slightly tipped back; soaking in the sunshine on your face. It was magical and our skin felt so silky afterwards.

At 4 o’clock, the next morning, we drove about 15 minutes North of the resort to Masada National Park, a UNESCO site, where we hiked up Snake Path to catch the sunrise over Jordan and the Dead Sea. We’ve never climbed in the dark and it was super cool, steep and very rewarding in the end. The fortification is the site where King Herod built his palaces between 37 and 31 BCE and where the first Jewish-Roman War in 73 BCE took place. The walk through the ruins was a great way to end our stay in the area.

If you want to see our trip to the Dead Sea, you can find it on our Youtube Channel. Enjoy! Click below.

Driving Through the West Bank to Dead Sea

Cheers everyone. Don’t forget to leave a comment!