Ein Gedi Botanical Garden is set in Kibbutz Ein Gedi, right next to Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. It offers a spectacular mix of desert and savanna flora from all around the globe, flourishing in the heart of the Judean Desert.

The Foundation of the Botanical Gardens

Kibbutz Ein Gedi was established in 1956 in a beautiful oasis in the Judean Desert. Eager to make their communal settlement lush green, the kibbutz members collected and planted various plants apt for desert climates. Over the years, they planted over 1000 trees and plants and another 1000 types of cacti. Thanks to drip irrigation (the Israeli invention), these plants adapted quickly and formed dense jungle-like gardens between the Kibbutz homes.

In 1994, the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) registered Ein-Gedi’s botanical garden. They are also the only botanical gardens with people living in it.

A tour of Ein-Gedi’s botanical gardens can be integrated into a guided day tour of the Dead Sea.