JERICHO 

Jericho lies twenty-two miles east of Jerusalem 853 feet below sea level making it the lowest town on earth. Jericho and its surrounding area is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the world. On a mount overlooking the Jericho oasis, excavations have uncovered settlements dating from 9000 BC and the Oldest Walled Town (7000 BC) yet discovered. Jericho deserves a visit as the history is absorbing and the atmosphere with numerous outdoor cafés and excellent restaurants, is refreshingly laid-back. Hisham’s Palace The site is 2km north of Jericho and was built by the Omayyad Calif,  Hisham Ibn Abdul Malek. The remains are of a magnificent winter palace which was destroyed by an earthquake in 747A.D. shortly after construction. The site contains royal buildings, a mosque, water fountains and spectacular mosaic floors.  The Dead Sea The Dead Sea, 400 meters below sea level, is the lowest spot on the surface of the earth. For miles around, arid  hills eroded by wind form a silent moonscape that is at once eerie and beautiful. The heavy salt (33%) of the water makes animal life impossible and swimming an unusual experience. It is almost impossible to sink. One can even lie on one’s back and read a magazine. The Dead Sea is a scenic oddity unique in the world .  Qumran and Ein FashkaThe archaeological site of Qumran lies at the northern end of the Dead  Sea. It consists of a monastery and the remains of a tower, kitchens, dining hall and a "Scriptorium" ( where the Dead Sea Scrolls were written) can be seen. One can also find various cisterns, aqueduct and channels, evidence both of the importance of water in the desert, and of the role ritual bathing played in the life of the Essenes - a religious sect who first emerged around 150 B.C. This was their religious centre from then until 68 A.D., when it was destroyed by the Romans. At the far side of the site one can look out to the caves where the Scrolls were found. Ein Fashka lies just 3km south of Qumran. A fresh water spring, whose waters tumble down from the hills leading down to the Dead Sea shores, creating pools of lush vegetation and attracting wildlife.     Deir Quruntal and Monastery of Temptation  To climb up the bare, rocky slopes of Jabal Quruntul to the Monastery of the Temptation might sound daunting, but in fact it is a trek of only 15-30 minutes. The Greek Orthodox Monastery lies about 350m above Jericho, perched on a rocky ledge about 3km northwest of the town. The present monastery was built at the end of the last century around a cave chapel that marks the stone on which Jesus reputedly sat during the temptation. The spot is another of the holy sites said to have been identified by Queen Helena in her pilgrimage of 326 A.D. Other sources however date the place only as far back as the twelfth century. This casts doubts on the claim that some of the gold leaf icons in the chapel at the southern end of the building are of Byzantine origin.    Nabi MusaAccording to Muslim tradition, Nabi Musa is where Moses is buried. The tomb of Nabi Musa (the prophet Moses) has been a site of annual pilgrimage since the time of Salah al-Din. The main body of the present shrine, however was built by Mamluk Sultan Baybars in 1269. You can see a beautiful and serene mosque, with a white domed roof, glazed green mihrab (prayer niche) and painted green wooden minbar (pulpit) .   Tell as-Sultan (ancient Jericho) A little over 2 km northwest of Jericho, Tel as-Sultan is a huge mound of earth covering 10,000 years of previous civilization dating from the Early Bronze Age. The elaborate defences include a seven meter high Neolithic Tower. It pre-dates the Biblical Walls of Jericho, of which there are no remains. Wadi Kilt & Monastery of St. George (Deir al-Qelt) Wadi Qelt is a natural rift in the hills with high, sheer rock walls, extending 45 km between Jerusalem and Jericho. Hermits inhabited the Wadi since the third century. Today, it is a wonderful place for hiking tours, especially in the winter. The Monastery of St. George, Deir al-Qelt, is carved out of the rock and clings to the canyon walls like a fairytale fortress. Built in the fifth or sixth century, the monastery was destroyed during the Persian invasion of Palestine. Most of the present monastery dates back to the 1901 restoration by the Greek Orthodox Church. Good Samaritan Inn (Al-Khan al-Ahmar) Located 10 km east of Jerusalem, on the main road to Jericho, al-Khan al-Ahmar is a 16th century structure where travelers on this ancient trade route stopped to rest. Today, a souvenir shop and a Bedouin tent serving refreshments to tourists occupy the inn. On the other side of road are the remains of St. Euthymius Church, built in the fifth century to commemorate the famous story of the Good Samaritan.  The Jordan River The Jordan River is a strange stream that flows from 3,000 Mt. Hermon in Syria to the Dead Sea at 1,300 feet below sea level. With an average width of 100 feet, the Jordan River twists and curves for 160 miles but covers a straight-line distance of only 65 miles. Jesus came to the Jordan River from Galilee to be baptized by John. Since then, the river has been holy to all Christians who bathe in the river in a spirit of faith and piety.