Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
March, and October and November, are the high seasons. The region is extremely hot and
dry for most of the year, so guided treks usually begin early in the morning. For the wet
trails, you may be wading up to your chest in water (or swimming) so bring a swimming
costume, towel, walking shoes that can get wet, and a waterproof bag for your valuables
and camera. A spare set of clothes is also recommended.
Getting There & Away
There's no public transport to the reserve: hire a car or take a taxi from Amman (125km),
the Dead Sea resorts, Madaba or Karak.
IN SEARCH OF SODOM
Say the words 'Sodom and Gomorrah' and dens of iniquity spring to mind. The topic of Genesis (Gen 19:24-25),
responsible for the wicked reputation of these two terrible towns, describes the last straw - namely, when local
Sodomites demanded to have sex with the angels sent by God to visit Lot. In response 'the Lord rained upon Sodom
and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire…and he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of
the cities, and that which grew upon the ground…'
Fanciful legends of a fevered biblical imagination? Not necessarily. The edge of Wadi Araba is located on a major
fault line, and it's possible that the towns were swallowed up by collapsing soil. Another possibility is that an earth-
quake released large amounts of underground flammable gas and bitumen (the infamous 'slime pits' referred to in
the Old Testament), which were ignited by fire or a lightning strike.
Whatever the cause of their demise, archaeologists have long speculated about the location of the world's most
sinful cities. Many archaeologists favour the southern shore of the Dead Sea. But there's also the Bronze Age site of
Babh adh-Dhra, on the edge of Wadi Karak. This town (population roughly 1000) was destroyed in 2300 BC, but in-
triguingly it holds the remains of 20,000 tombs, containing an estimated half a million bodies - as such it's odds-on
favourite for Sodom. Both Babh adh-Dhra and the nearby site of Numeira, believed to be Gomorrah, are covered in
a 30cm-deep layer of ash, suggesting the cities ended in a great blaze.
Natural disaster or the wrath of God? Some believe it amounts to the same thing.
Lisan Peninsula
From Wadi Mujib, the Dead Sea Highway continues along the remaining length of the sea
until it veers inland at the Lisan Peninsula. This area, together with the shallow waters of
the Southern Ghor (Depression), is now dominated by the potash plant. Huge quantities of
