A hot spring originates from groundwater that has been heated deep in the earth's crust and its waters are considered healing due to the concentration of minerals that have dissolved in them over thousands of years. The formation of the spring usually results from relatively shallow magmatic (volcanic) activity underground. When the water reaches a very high temperature, it tends to erupt as steam in the form of a geyser.
Personally, I am a fan of cold and even frozen water for all its advantages. Hot springs are an opportunity for a different experience and it's wonderful to have the option to combine the two depending on the seasons and the mood.
In Israel, most of the hot springs are located in the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea, as part of the volcanic history in the Syrian-African rift. Only two hot springs are distant from the rift, such as Hami Yoav and Hami Geash.
The most popular site for hot springs in Israel is Hamat Gedar, where you can find springs of water at different temperatures (25-52 degrees) and with concentrated and mineral-diluted chemical compositions. The hot springs in Hamat Geder are estimated to come from a depth of 2 km and around the site are remains of luxurious and elaborate baths from the Roman period (63 BC).
Al-Makla spring – up to 52 degrees, concentrated in sulfur and various minerals that are considered healing. Its waters flow into the Yarmouch outside the Hamat Geder site and served as the site of the abandoned Roman baths. This spring used to flow in the Roman baths into a series of 7 pools, each of which is separate from the other and each of them has a different temperature due to the cooling of the water along the way from pool to pool. It is highly recommended to visit these antiquities to be impressed by the wealth and splendor that can be imagined and can still be seen in the remains of the baths that are still intact.
Ein Balzam spring – 40.6-42 degrees, similar to Al-Mekla concentrated in various minerals that are considered healing, but less than El-Mekla located outside the Hamat Gedar site.
E-Rih spring – 40 degrees. This spring is located outside the Hamat Geder site and is used for bathing in the pool known as Ein Jones, the details of how to get there will be detailed later. This pool is located on the site of the Roman baths on top of which the Turks built a stone structure whose remains are still partially standing.
Sahna spring, Ain Saad al-Far – 28 degrees, concentrated with a few minerals and used mainly for the fish ponds of the Hamat Gader restaurant.
Bulus spring – 25 degrees, fresh and cool water used for drinking.
The properties of the water in the mountain are defined according to the composition of the minerals
Besides a high concentration of minerals and a high temperature, due to the decay of uranium found in deep rocks in the earth, two isotopes of the elements radium and radon dissolve into the water and make it radioactive.
Hami Tiberias: At the Hami Tiberias site, 17 springs spring up at different temperatures and with different qualities of the water. The site is divided into two parts, the first of which is "Hami Tiberias SPA" in which an ancient Turkish bath and a center for treatments and recreation are active. In this complex there are pools at a temperature of 38 degrees and a complex of complementary treatments. The second complex is known as "Hemi Tiberias National Park" and contains antiquities of a Jewish settlement and synagogues from ancient times, in addition to heated pools at a temperature of 25 to 38 degrees. The original temperature that comes from the depth of the earth is about 60 degrees and in order to adjust it for public use, the water is cooled in a system of channels until it reaches the first pool and continues to cool from one pool to the next.
Beneath the Hot of Tiberias there is a pipe where hot water drains most of the year from one of the springs of the Hot of Tiberias. The approach from the nearby square is towards the Sea of Galilee and the pipe spills over the lake. The flow is very weak, but the temperature is high and warm and can be nice for a casual visit. This point is known as: "Hot springs in the tomb of Meir Baal Hans", but it is actually a drainage of one of the hot springs of Tiberias.
Hami Zohar: Hemi Zohar hotels are located next to the shores of one of the industrial pools in the southern basin of the Dead Sea. In the 1950s, sulfur-rich water at a temperature of 32 degrees emerged from the ground, and this bathing and healing site was open to the public. Today the sulfur-concentrated healing springs of Hami Zohar are used by hotels.
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In practice, this is one real spring that bursts out of one of the springs of Hammat Geder (E-Rih spring) and 2 water pipes that originate from a well near Kibbutz Shamir that flows the excess water into reservoirs used to irrigate plantations in the Golan Heights and fish ponds in the Hula Valley.
The only real natural spring among the four in the Golan and the Hula Valley. The main advantage of Eye Jones found in the remains of a Turkish bath is that the hot water is not subject to moods or a person's decision to open and close. The hot water flows without human intervention all year round and the site has been open in recent years without any difficulty and less than 5 minutes' walk from the parking lot. The main disadvantage of Eye Jones are the people who visit it and the great crowding. This is a central complex of one hot pool at a temperature of 40 degrees and a secondary pool adjacent to it at a lower temperature of 4-5 degrees. A single guest who decides to play loud music and smoke is enough, thus ruining the experience for the hundreds of other visitors.
The pools in Ein Jones are magical and special and there is nothing like them in Israel in the open spaces of nature and without any cost or maintenance by any public or commercial body. It is possible to learn from these pools, which tens of thousands of people pass through each year, the advantage of a place that has restrictions and laws that maintain the quiet atmosphere, relative cleanliness and the prohibition of smoking in public places. When you are in these pools without visitors who lack environmental and social awareness, the visit will be remembered as pleasant and unforgettable, especially as the weather is cooler.
A disadvantage or an advantage (depending on the point of view) is that Hamat Gedar is in the lowest part of the Golan Heights (150 meters below sea level), which means that the climate is relatively arid and very little rain falls, as well as the average temperature, even in winter, does not cool down enough to enjoy the hot water and the cold air that combine together into a delightful experience. Even at the height of winter the air temperature is relatively high and during most of the summer months and between the seasons it is much hotter which makes the hot water less attractive, unlike the hot springs that I will expand on later. Another difference between Ein Jones and the hot springs below is that the pool is protected by the remains of the walls of the Turkish bath, which protects against outside wind.
I usually bring ice packs and buckets of water with me to use them alternately between bathing in the hot water and the possibility to cool down a little in between. From experience, everyone who is there enjoys it a lot and therefore it would be nice if there were always visitors who would bring a little 'cold' with them to cool down the hot temperature of the air and water.
I personally find it very uncomfortable to enjoy the special atmosphere of the place when every few hours a very large amount of cigarette butts and garbage accumulates in the water and in the seating areas around them. Every time I visit the place, we usually bring large garbage bags and gloves with me to start a quick cleaning of the compound and only then enter the water and enjoy the pastoral and relatively clean atmosphere. Near the pool there is a net that allows the internal cleaning of the water from garbage and cigarette butts, so that within 15 minutes the place can be prepared in a much more inviting and pleasant way for everyone.
If you have come from afar and are not expected to visit the place often, the experience of touring the nearby ancient Roman ruins is highly recommended. This is a fascinating and amazing 20-30 minute tour. The site of the baths they discovered dates back more than 2000 years including construction to the highest standards that were acceptable at that time. Large halls, magnificent arches and mosaic and marble flooring are specially designed and invested. The place will leave a strong impression on you even if you are not a fan of archeology by nature. The spring that was written about earlier under the name of Al-Makkala Spring is the hottest of the springs in the area and was the one that was used to fill each of the pools at the Roman bath site. You can go right to its sources and as of these days it is a pool that is not clean or inviting to bathe.
Samar waterfall on the Ein Jones and Hamat Geder route
Samar waterfall on the Ein Jones and Hamat Geder route
Samar waterfall for cooling down on the Ein Jones and Hamat Geder route
Nahal Samar on the Ein Jones route and Hamat Geder. Closed military area
Waze link to the Ein Jones hot springs. From the parking lot, look for a passage through the bushes in the east direction (further in the direction we came from). Cross the bushes at a distance of 30 seconds of walking until you reach a neat road and a border fence (with Jordan) that cannot be passed or missed. Turn south (right) and walk on the road next to the fence. You pass through a military base located in the remains of the ancient Khan and immediately when you pass the gate of the base you reach the parking bay and the stone structure of the Turkish bath with the Ein Jones pool.
This reservoir was used for many years by the residents of the Golan and the surrounding area without a break and the hot water flowed in it for consecutive years to the great pleasure of the regular visitors to the place. As of the beginning of the year 2023, the hot water in the Raven reservoir flowed several times throughout the year 2022, for reasons that are not clear or known.
As in the Bental reservoir and in the 'Cold/Hot' of the Bashan flames, here too, a pipe that originates near Kibbutz Shamir flows water at a point that spills into the reservoir and feeds it. When the pipe is open and the water is flowing, the view is amazing to the surrounding mountains and the magically beautiful reservoir.
In cold winters, the snow around the reservoir and at the exit point of the hot water makes the entire complex romantic, pastoral and especially delightful.
The hot spring that bursts from a pipe into the Oravim Reservoir is located at an altitude of 800 m above sea level, which makes it possible to experience the intense cold of the Golan on fine winter days and enjoy in a special way the hot water that is right next to the parking lot. The temperature of the water at its exit from the pipe is about 40 degrees and during its flow along the stream it cools down to about 32 degrees at the point of connection to the reservoir.
Link in Waze to the hot springs Agar Orevim. From the parking lot of the vehicles, face northeast and as long as the pipe is flowing, the steam and power will focus your attention on the target. To get to the parking lot next to the pipeline, you need to drive 500 meters uphill, which is suitable for private vehicles and drive carefully and slowly. After 500 meters, turn right to the parking lot next to the pipe that hopefully flows hot water.
Bental Reservoir is largely similar to Raven Reservoir, same pipe, same water and similar landscape. The main difference is in the height jump of 200 meters more than 'Orvim' Reservoir, which increases the chances of snow in border systems and which also makes the air cooler for most of the year.
Similar to the Raven reservoir, here too a pipe breaks through and flows along hundreds of meters of a stream that starts at 40 degrees and along its entire length gradually cools down to 32 degrees at the connection point to the reservoir.
As of February 2023, the hot spring in Bental Reservoir is open and flowing 90% of the time, almost 7 days a week between 07:00 and 16:00. It is not accurate and there are days when the water is open even during extra hours and there are also days when the water does not flow at all or the water coming out of the pipe is cold. There is no way to anticipate or know this in advance because there is no body that is responsible for what happens when the water comes out of the pipe and there is no entrance fee. The ways to update in real time on the water situation in all reservoirs and pipes will be detailed later.
Waze link to the hot springs Bental Reservoir. From the vehicle parking lot, cross a standard cattle gate on foot and the pipe with the hot water tens of meters away facing the huge reservoir. There is no off-road driving except for going down a few meters from the road
Nahal Oravim, whose sources are tens of kilometers away to the north, flows in a water channel until it connects to the Jordan River. Less than a kilometer before its connection to the Jordan, hot water erupts from a pipe whose sources are near the well near Kibbutz Shamir. The water bursting from the pipe directly into the stream makes the experience one of a kind due to the cold temperature of Nahal Oravim (15 degrees in winter) and the hot temperature of the water from the pipe (40 degrees).
There is no source of an actual spring here at this point, but in a pipe that discharges excess water from a well many kilometers away.
Waze link to the Lahavat HaBshan hot spring and Nahal Oravim. Turn west from the road and drive 200 meters on a dirt road until you reach a pipe which hopefully flows from the south (left). You can also park the vehicle right down the road due to the short walking distance to check and make sure that the water is indeed flowing and the road is not disturbed by the passage of a private vehicle.
19 years ago (in 2004) between droughts and a lack of precipitation, a lot of resources were invested on behalf of the state and the water authorities for drilling in the Golan Heights and the valley to locate water sources that can be used for drinking and agriculture. In the drilling near Kibbutz Shamir, a hydrothermal spring surprisingly and unexpectedly erupted and for years hot water flowed from a geyser unlike any of the hot springs today. The geyser was a pilgrimage center and the only one of its kind in the Golan Heights (apart from Hamat Geder, at that time also Ein Jones was inaccessible due to an IDF blockade). The uniqueness of the geyser in Shamir was that the flow of water erupted from a well from a depth of 1500 meters using artesian pressure – pressure Self without pumping and need for human intervention and investment of energy. This was the only natural geyser in Israel.
The geyser near Shamir erupted at a temperature of 47 degrees and its dimensions were not huge, but they were impressive and gave a feeling of nature in a natural and special eruption. For months and years the word spread slowly at a time when WhatsApp social networks were unfamiliar terms and applications. Peace and quiet were guaranteed on every visit and there is no way to describe the happiness possible for all of us if we were to cultivate self and environmental awareness to the best of our ability.
The geyser began to become famous and along with it more and more people began to arrive. Since getting to it was more complicated than the existing reservoirs, many vehicles got stuck on the road and blocked the road, which created quite a few problems and rescues at odd hours and an unwanted commotion for the people of Kibbutz Shamir, which is located nearby. Like any site that is freely open to the public, the garbage and endless stupidity of the people has led to actions that do not make any sense. People brought tubs and placed them in the field and connected pipes to them and claimed ownership of them. 'Teva' parties of the type unaware that the nearby Kibbutz Shamir suffers from the noise. The use of the magical site for purposes less considerate of the environment turned the entire site into one big noisy dump, which probably caused it to be closed definitively without reopening since then and for obvious and understandable reasons.
For history buffs, the drilling point can be reached without any difficulty. H.C. On the map in Nabiah marked as Ein Shamir and it is on a jeep road marked in red that connects Kibbutz Shamir to Kfar Sold.
In 2010, a company jointly owned by 20 kibbutzim in the Galilee was established to jointly establish a bathing site called "Basalt Baths" from the source of the same water in an agricultural area of 30 dunams near Kibbutz Amir. The plan was announced to the public and preparations began for the construction of the tourism and spa complex in the Galilee. The plan was even entrusted to the district committee for planning and construction in the North district. Since then, a lot of water has passed in the river and the plan has not been realized.
There are times when hot water is pumped into the Shamir reservoir itself which is near the oil axis east of Shamir. Over the years there is sometimes a security company that prevents entry to the place and sometimes the place is open. The reservoir is surrounded by a fence that tries to prevent visitors from entering in any way and like all fences this fence is breached at a certain point and God forbid it comes back. Personally, I do not recommend or like the place due to the artificial structure and the plastic sheeting used as a covering for the reservoir.
The mouth of Nahal Kedem to the Dead Sea centers around small and large ponds, each of which has water at a slightly different temperature. You can enjoy the hot water at a temperature of 40-42 m from the sources of Nahal Kedem before it flows into the Dead Sea and actually move with the water along the stream.
The parking lot is near the 'Nahal Kedem' sign on the side of the road and from there you walk down towards the northeast to the shores of the Dead Sea. In the 1 km strip between Nahal Kedem to the south and Nahal Salvadora to the north, springs and shallow and deep pools are scattered. It is important to pay attention to the many pits in the area and the sinkholes that form from time to time.
During floods the nearby Kedem waterfall spills from a height of 330 meters! This is the highest and most impressive waterfall in Israel.
Waze link to the hot springs Ainain and Ein Kedem. The parking is near the road and off-road driving is not required or recommended on the descents towards the springs and the Dead Sea. Jeeps and off-road vehicles travel on these roads and they also tend to get stuck there often.
That's the million dollar question. There were many years when people would come from all over the country and be disappointed to find that there was no flow. Today, with the various social networks and applications, it is possible to transfer information in real time between thousands of people, which makes it possible to create groups of many visitors who update each other on the status of the water in each of the different pipes.
Today, two central groups are active which are updated on a daily basis and throughout the day on the status of the active reservoirs throughout the year.
Hope you enjoyed reading and enjoyed a million times more in the field and the wonderful nature that we all received as a gift. May we also know not only to keep it, but also to nurture it and leave it natural and pleasant for those who come after us.
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