Desert Camel Trek day 6 | Shorashim - Israel with Israelis

Desert Camel Trek day 6

By Evan Schmidt

We awoke in the Bedouin tents to the "blauraugh" of the camels we would be riding later in the morning. The tent was bright and warm, and everyone was ready for our next adventure! We paired up and hopped on our camels.  A few of the best names we gave the camels were: Donald Hump, Alexander Camelton, and Chewy Bacca.

  

Our caravan proceeded through the Negev where we saw an endless supply of rocks and sand and took an excessive number of selfies.  We waved goodbye to the camels and boarded the bus, yet again.   

We arrived at Sde Boker and took in an awesome view. We sat next to the grave of Israel's first Prime Minster David Ben Gurion and learned about his life and dreams. We packed up our water, sunscreen, and hats, and began hiking through the desert oasis that Prime Minister David Ben Gurion's grave overlooked.

  

Despite the ladders and incredibly steep rocks, it was a natural beauty. At the top of this mountain, we felt accomplished as we overlooked Machtesh Ramon, the largest naturally formed crater in the world.

Our ears popped as we then descended 800 meters below sea level to the lowest land point on earth: the Dead Sea. Though the water was 95 degrees, we formed a cuddle puddle and floated in masses together as a group. Afterwards, we slathered each other with mud, which dried within seconds from the hot air temperature.

 

After floating in the Dead Sea, all of us were ready for a shower and dinner, which the Masada guest house gladly provided. After dinner, the Israeli soldiers had a group activity planned for us, which we affectionately called "jewpardy" as it involved Israeli trivia and a series of challenges.

You may see pictures and videos of us shoving Bamba into our mouths, frantically dressing into proper IDF uniform, and popping balloons with various body parts. Excited for an early night, we are ready for our 3:30am wake up call. Masada, here we come!

Photo Credits: Header Image-@snurieli, Image 2-@_dickeyp, Image 3-@michaelarnone, Image 5-@bethalicious_def, Image 6-@dafivzi, Image 8-@snurieli