The Dead Sea
Hiking in Mujib Biosphere Reserve
Grab a lifejacket and take the plunge. The river is your only path as you trek uphill from the Dead Sea through the narrow, 50m high walls of the Reserve. Your guide will take you through a series of cascading waterfalls, each more challenging than the one before.
The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) offers many different adventures in Mujib Biosphere Reserve; its most extensive trek is known as the ‘Lost Trail to the Dead Sea’ - a full day expedition that descends from the rugged highlands above Mujib, down to the Dead Sea. Not for the fainthearted!
For those who appreciate Mother Nature and the thrill of the outdoors, a hike through the Reserve system may prove to be a challenging exercise rejuvenating the body as well as the mind.
The Jordan Valley is part of the Great Rift Valley that runs from Turkey to east Africa, formed by a series of geological upheavals millions of years ago. The Dead Sea originally stretched the entire 360km from Aqaba, in the south, to Lake Tiberias (the Sea of Galilee) in the north.
The therapeutic water of the Dead Sea, combined with the valley’s fertile land and warm climate, have attracted people to live, hunt and farm in the area since the Stone Age. Over 200 archaeological sites have been discovered, but there are believed to be many more.
With its reputation as the regional peacemaker, Jordan has hosted many high-level political and corporate meetings and conferences. Its facilities are second to none, with excellent hotels and purpose-built conference centres, all equipped with the very latest amenities needed to hold a successful event.
The Dead Sea is becoming an increasingly popular location for business meetings, conferences and incentives, and the main hotels offer some of the best facilities available in Jordan.
King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre managed by Hilton
Nestled in the heart of the Dead Sea area,King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre's managed by Hilton state-of-the-art facilities are the perfect place for meetings of any size or occasion.
The unusual attributes of the Dead Sea have been known for centuries. It is the only place in the world where this particular combination of spa benefits exists. Peculiar sun radiation and climatic conditions, enriched oxygen atmosphere, mineral-rich sea salt, thermo-mineral springs, and mineral-rich mud all offer effective medical treatment and therapeutic benefits that attract visitors from all over the world. The plants that grow at the lakeside, particularly the balsam tree, produce highly valuable and sought-after cosmetics, perfumes and medical substances.
The growing demand on water consumption in the region has seen the natural inflow to the Dead Sea diminish rapidly over the past years. So much so, that there is a risk of the sea drying up altogether within the next 50 years. This would be a devastating loss, not only for tourism and the economy, but also for the loss of the Dead Sea’s unique properties, the surrounding environment, and its flora and fauna.
For Christians, this region inspires their faith. This is the place where God first spoke to Man. It is the Holy Land where God gave his Ten Commandments to Moses, where Job suffered and was rewarded for his faith, where Jacob wrestled with the angel of God, and where Jesus was baptized by John.
In the Book of Genesis, God refers to the Jordan River Valley around the Dead Sea as the “Garden of the Lord,” and it is believed to be the location of the Garden of Eden.
The infamous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and many other places were the subjects of dramatic and enduring Old Testament stories, including that of Lot, whose wife turned into a pillar of salt for disobeying God’s will.
Twelve hundred years after the death of Moses, the Bible claims that John the Baptist preached and baptized in a place called Bethany Beyond the Jordan. This place has now been identified as Tall Al-Kharrar and Elijah’s Hill.