Why Ride Here: The Lowest Cycling on Earth
Cycling at the Dead Sea offers something no other destination can: every pedal stroke happens below sea level. Riders here choose between smooth road kilometres on Route 90 beside the water, marked desert singletrack and jeep tracks on the Israel Bike Trail, and short, easy spins near the northern shore. This guide covers all three, plus the two rules that decide whether the day succeeds: ride in the cool season, and carry more water than you think you need.
Cycling is one of the more demanding entries on the list of things to do at the Dead Sea in Israel, so match the route to your fitness honestly. The Dead Sea region map helps you place the routes described below.
The elevation is the headline. Descend from the Judean Desert plateau and you keep dropping long after the altimeter passes zero, until the road flattens out beside a turquoise sea ringed by salt.
The Dead Sea shoreline stands at approximately 440 metres below sea level, the lowest exposed land surface on Earth, so a cyclist rolling along Route 90 beside the water is pedalling lower than on any other paved road anywhere.
The depth is measurable in the air itself. This is the lowest road on Earth, carrying the tallest air column and the highest barometric pressure of any land surface, about 791 mmHg against roughly 754 mmHg at sea level, which raises the partial pressure of oxygen by about five to six percent. The effect is measurable rather than something most riders would feel. The scenery does the rest, with the Moab mountains of Jordan across the water, date plantations, salt formations at the waterline, and the fortress cliffs above Masada National Park.
Road Cycling on Route 90 and the Climb to Arad
Route 90 runs the length of the Israeli shore and gives road cyclists long, flat, fast kilometres with constant sea views. Be realistic about what it is: an intercity highway with trucks and buses, not a bike path. Ride the paved shoulder single file, use front and rear lights even in daylight, wear high visibility clothing, and start early, because there is almost no shade between Ein Gedi and Neve Zohar.
The signature challenge is vertical. The desert city of Arad, west of the Dead Sea, sits at about 600 metres above sea level, while the shore below it lies approximately 440 metres below sea level. The road between the two therefore packs about 1,040 metres of vertical into roughly 24 kilometres of sustained gradient on Highway 31, from Arad Junction down to Zohar Junction on Route 90. Strong riders climb it; everyone else can start in Arad and enjoy one of the longest continuous descents in Israel.
Competitive road cycling has real history here. The sixth edition of the international Gran Fondo Arad–Dead Sea was held on 23 and 24 March 2018: a 155 kilometre loop, 125 kilometres of it timed, starting and finishing at the Ein Bokek hotel resort at roughly 440 metres below sea level, climbing Ma’ale Akrabim (the Scorpion Pass) and passing Hatrurim Junction, with 1,873 metres of cumulative ascent and around a thousand Israeli and international riders.
The Gran Fondo has run periodically rather than on a dependable annual calendar, so treat it as a past edition to check on locally, not as a fixture you can enter this year. The region’s reliable date on the endurance calendar is the Dead Sea Marathon, held in Ein Bokek in early February. It is a running event, but its flat dike courses show how well the southern basin suits low intensity training rides too.
Mountain Biking: Israel Bike Trail Segments Above the Shore
The best marked off road riding belongs to the Israel Bike Trail (Shvil Israel LeOfanayim), a national mountain bike route planned to run from Eilat to the north of the country when complete. Two of its finished desert segments drop through the Judean Desert directly toward the Dead Sea, and the official trail guide publishes GPS files for both.
The Arad to Masada segment covers 40 kilometres from the Moav Lookout in Arad to the foot of Masada, descending from about 600 metres above sea level toward a basin floor roughly 440 metres below it, with about 300 metres of climbing along the way. The trail’s official guide rates it intermediate.
The continuation, Masada to Neve Zohar, is a 38 kilometre intermediate segment that traces the cliffs above the western shore, crossing the deep canyons of Wadi Rahaf, Wadi Ye’elim and Wadi Bokek before dropping to the southern shore near the hotel zone. Riders who prefer wider tracks can explore the jeep roads of the Amiaz Plain beneath Mount Sodom, terrain that motorised Dead Sea jeep tours use for the same reason: dramatic salt and marl scenery with honest, rideable surfaces.
One official circular option does exist. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority opened the 21 kilometre Almog Marls (Hawarei Almog) mountain bike loop at the northern Dead Sea in 2017, waymarked with a blue circle and cyclist symbol, with entry points at Almog Junction, Nahal Og and Lido Junction, about 200 metres of climbing and an intermediate rating. It circles a marl landscape, not the sea itself.
Guided Tours, Family Rides, and E-Bikes
Not every Dead Sea ride is an expedition. The main rental and tour base sits at Kibbutz Mitzpe Shalem on Route 90, about 50 minutes from Jerusalem, and its rides are short and self guided rather than long and led. The operator publishes a family route of less than 2 kilometres taking about half an hour with no phone needed, and a longer self guided route of less than 6 kilometres through the date palm plantations, taking up to about 2.5 hours with smartphone navigation.
The fleet runs to roughly 40 mountain bikes, mostly MARIN (USA), in a range of frame and wheel sizes, alongside children’s bikes from about age 6, rear child seats, trailer attachments and a tandem. A four wheeled e-Rider (MIA 4) guided ride is offered separately for ages 16 and over. Multi day road circuits taking in the Dead Sea are advertised by a handful of international operators, but no local Dead Sea operator publishes anything of the kind, so do not plan a trip around one without written confirmation.
E-bikes widen the map further, putting the longer segments within reach of riders who could not otherwise manage 40 desert kilometres. Availability changes from season to season, so confirm rental bikes, e-bikes, helmets and repair support with your hotel in Ein Bokek or with your tour operator before arrival, and remember that heat drains batteries as well as riders.
Dead Sea Rides Compared
Five ways to ride the Israeli side of the Dead Sea, from a half hour family spin to a full desert segment.
| Ride | Distance | Elevation change | Difficulty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self guided family ride, northern shore | Under 2 km, or under 6 km | Flat | Easy | Families, casual riders |
| Route 90 shore ride | Out and back, rider’s choice | Essentially flat, about 440 m below sea level | Easy gradient, highway caution | Road cyclists, e-bikers |
| Arad to Dead Sea descent (Highway 31) | About 24 km | About 1,040 m of descent | Demanding climb, fast descent | Fit road cyclists |
| Israel Bike Trail: Arad to Masada | 40 km | About 300 m of climbing on a net descent | Intermediate MTB | Experienced mountain bikers |
| Israel Bike Trail: Masada to Neve Zohar | 38 km | Rolling, repeated canyon crossings | Intermediate MTB, remote | Self sufficient mountain bikers |
Elevations are relative to sea level; the Dead Sea shore sits at approximately 440 metres below it.
Heat, Water, and Desert Riding Safety
Heat is the ruling constraint at the Dead Sea, and the region’s heat and sun safety guide applies double to anyone producing watts. Summer temperatures regularly pass 40 degrees Celsius, and desert air evaporates sweat so fast that riders underestimate how much fluid they are losing.
The official Israel Bike Trail guide warns that the 38 kilometre Masada to Neve Zohar segment contains no water sources at all and advises a minimum of 4 litres of water per rider, a standard worth applying to every unsupported desert ride at the Dead Sea regardless of distance or season.
Beyond water, the desert rules are simple. Start at first light, finish before midday, and tell someone your route, because mobile coverage fades in the wadis. Stay on marked roads and tracks: NASA Earth Observatory reports that the Dead Sea’s level has been dropping by about 1.2 metres a year over the past two to three decades, up from about 0.7 metres a year in the 1970s and 1980s, and the retreating shoreline has left unstable ground near the water in places. Pack a spare tube, sun protection and salty snacks; the full Dead Sea packing list covers the rest.
When to Ride: October Through April Is the Season
Winter is the Dead Sea’s riding season, the reverse of Europe’s. From roughly October through April, daytime temperatures suit sustained effort, and the Dead Sea weather guide notes winter daytime highs of about 20 to 22 degrees Celsius, climbing toward 25 degrees by March, under the 330 sunny days a year reported by the Israel Ministry of Tourism.
The Israel Bike Trail’s official guidance recommends its desert segments for fall, winter and spring only, and that restriction is not a suggestion. From May through September, treat the Arad to Masada and Masada to Neve Zohar segments as off limits. Summer riding at the Dead Sea means something much smaller: a short, flat spin on the shoreline or inside the resort area, started at first light and finished by 8 or 9 in the morning, with the afternoon written off entirely.
One winter caution balances the picture. On rainy days anywhere in the Judean Desert watershed, stay out of the wadis, since flash floods arrive from storms you cannot see.
Planning Your Dead Sea Cycling Trip
Most riders base themselves in the Ein Bokek hotel zone, which puts the southern trail ends, the flat dike terrain and evening recovery floats within minutes of each other. Getting bikes to the region is easiest by car or organised transfer; the Dead Sea transportation guide explains the realistic options, since intercity buses handle bikes inconsistently.
Build rest days around the riding. The waterfalls of Ein Gedi Nature Reserve and the region’s desert hiking trails reward legs that need a change of motion, and a 15 to 20 minute float in mineral rich water is a recovery ritual no other cycling destination can copy. Ride low, ride early, and the lowest place on Earth will give you a day on the bike you cannot repeat anywhere else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cycle all the way around the Dead Sea?
No, and no route can. The eastern shore lies in Jordan, the two shores are separated by a border with no shoreline crossing, and the dikes of the industrial southern basin do not form a public route. On the Israeli side, riding is linear: north to south along Route 90, or on the Israel Bike Trail segments that descend from Arad toward Masada and Neve Zohar. Marked circular rides do exist locally, such as the 21 kilometre Almog Marls loop at the northern basin, but they circle desert terrain rather than the sea. Plan out and back rides, or arrange a vehicle shuttle between start and finish points.
When is the best time of year to cycle at the Dead Sea?
October through April. Winter daytime highs of about 20 to 22 degrees Celsius make sustained riding comfortable, and the Israel Bike Trail’s official guide recommends its Judean Desert segments for fall, winter and spring only. Summer highs regularly exceed 40 degrees Celsius, so from May through September leave the desert segments alone and keep any riding to a short shoreline spin in the first two or three hours after sunrise. Whatever the month, avoid wadi crossings on regional rain days because of flash flood risk.
How difficult is the Arad to Masada bike trail?
The official Israel Bike Trail guide rates the segment intermediate: 40 kilometres from the Moav Lookout in Arad to Masada, with about 300 metres of climbing set against a much larger net descent from roughly 600 metres above sea level toward a basin floor about 440 metres below it. The surfaces are desert singletrack and jeep track with some long, steep drops through wadis. A confident recreational mountain biker with desert water discipline can complete it in half a day.
Are e-bikes available at the Dead Sea?
Rental availability changes by season, so confirm directly with hotels in Ein Bokek or with tour operators before you travel rather than assuming supply on arrival. An e-bike makes the flat Route 90 shoreline accessible to almost anyone and brings the longer desert segments within reach of moderately fit riders. Carry the charger, start with a full battery, and remember that extreme heat reduces both battery range and rider range.
Is Route 90 safe for road cycling?
It is rideable with highway discipline, not a leisure path. Route 90 carries intercity traffic including trucks, so ride the paved shoulder single file, use daytime running lights, wear high visibility clothing, and avoid dawn glare hours when eastbound sun blinds drivers. Traffic is lightest early on weekday mornings, which conveniently matches the heat rules for desert riding. Families and casual riders should choose a guided off highway ride instead.
Sources
- Arad to Masada segment guide, Israel Bike Trail (official trail site)
- Masada to Neve Zohar segment guide, Israel Bike Trail (official trail site)
- Getting Saltier, NASA Earth Observatory (2019)
- Gran Fondo Arad Dead Sea, sixth edition route and results, Israel Cycling Federation
- Dead Sea water level monitoring, Israel Hydrological Service, Israel Water Authority
- Arad city profile and elevation, Arad Municipality
- Dead Sea bike tours, fleet and route lengths, Dead Sea Rider (official operator site)
- Almog Marls circular mountain bike trail, Israel Nature and Parks Authority
- 330 sunny days at the Dead Sea, Israel Ministry of Tourism
- Sedom station climate normals, Israel Meteorological Service
- Barometric pressure at the Dead Sea shore, Dead Sea and Arava Science Center
- Dead Sea Marathon race information, Tamar Regional Council