Why winter is the season for a Dead Sea trip (and where to stay)

If your only Dead Sea memory is an August afternoon on the Ein Bokek strip, it is easy to write the area off. Summer here is very hot, and the hotels are full. Winter is a different trip: days are usually comfortable for floating and short hikes, evenings are cool, and the desert around Neot HaKikar, Ein Tamar, and the Sodom Valley (Kikar Sodom) is quieter.

We, Noam and Michal, host at The Lowest Place on Earth in Moshav Neot HaKikar. From here you can build a winter stay without paying seafront hotel prices.

Why winter

In the southern Dead Sea, winter is generally the comfortable season for walking, floating, and easy day trips. According to Israel Meteorological Service averages at the Sedom station (the official station for the southern Dead Sea, for the 2006–2020 period), typical December–February temperatures are about 21–23°C during the day and about 13.5–15.5°C at night. You do not have to rush out before sunrise just to beat the heat, and you can come back to the moshav for a meal in the courtyard.

Our swimming pool and jacuzzi are open all year. In winter that is a real perk: you can come back from a day out, swim or sit in the courtyard jacuzzi, and still have the quiet of the moshav and a fully equipped kitchen.

Where we sit on the map

Neot HaKikar is in the Sodom Valley, next to neighboring Ein Tamar, at the southern end of the Dead Sea — not on the hotel strip. From the moshav:

• Ein Bokek beaches — about 30 km, roughly a half-hour drive, along the scenery of Mount Sodom
• Masada National Park — about 54 km
• Makhtesh Gadol (the Large Crater) — about 42 km
• Ein Gedi (Nahal David, Nahal Arugot, and the botanical garden) — about 70 km
• Amatzyahu Park — about 1 km from the moshav
• The Mushroom Rock in the chalk hills — about a 15-minute walk

These distances are taken from our home page. If a road change comes up, we will update them.

A typical winter day

Morning: the farm-to-table breakfast, booked in advance and at an extra charge (Israeli breakfast: ₪69 per adult and ₪45 per child; a lighter French breakfast: ₪59). These prices are the same all year. You can also cook in the kitchen, or walk to the moshav minimarket.

Later: a float at Ein Bokek, a short outing to Mount Sodom or the Flour Cave, or a local walk to the Mushroom Rock and Amatzyahu Park. A Masada sunrise means an early drive — it is not a walk from the courtyard. Shuttles and short rides can be arranged in advance with Michal; the price depends on the distance and the condition of the road.

Without a car: bus 321 leaves Neot HaKikar at 08:00 for the Dead Sea and returns at 16:30, year-round.

Who it suits

Couples and families who want a cabin or guest room near the Dead Sea without hotel noise. Dogs are welcome (₪100 per dog; please do not leave them alone in the room for long stretches). If you keep Shabbat, the moshav synagogue is about a 3-minute walk from the B&B, and a Shabbat hot plate and urn are available by prior arrangement.

How to book

Book on the website or call Michal at 054-543-7446. Check-in is from 15:00, check-out by 11:00. Free cancellation up to three days before arrival.

We would be glad to host you in winter — around here, that is when the desert is at its best.