Kalia Beach
Northern Dead Sea, Kibbutz Kalia
Quick Facts
- Location: Northern Dead Sea, Kibbutz Kalia
- Entry fee: Confirm current adult and child prices before travel
- Hours: Confirm the current seasonal schedule
- Facilities: Subject to current operation
Overview
Kalia Beach is a paid northern Dead Sea facility with shoreline mud and visitor services. Admission prices, child rules, hours, and included facilities can change. Confirm the current terms before travel.
Why Visit Kalia
The Natural Mud
Unlike Ein Bokek’s manicured hotel beaches, Kalia gives you direct access to the Dead Sea’s natural mineral mud. It accumulates naturally along the northern basin shoreline. Scoop it directly from the water, slather it on, and let it dry in the sun. The minerals (magnesium, calcium, bromide, potassium) are the same ones that cost you treatment fees at resort spas.
The Proximity to Jerusalem
At 25 to 35 minutes from Jerusalem, Kalia is the closest Dead Sea beach to the capital. This makes it an ideal day trip option. You can leave Jerusalem mid-morning, spend 4 to 5 hours at the beach and mud therapy, and be back in the city by evening. No overnight stay required.
The Quieter Vibe
You won’t find five-star hotels here, and that’s the point. Kalia attracts serious mud-therapy seekers, day-trippers from Jerusalem, and travelers looking to skip the resort infrastructure. The pace is slower. The crowd is thinner. The atmosphere is closer to a community beach than a destination resort area.
Practical Information
Operating since: 1968 (Kibbutz Kalia)
Season: Year-round, daily
Hours: 8 AM to 6 PM in summer (April to October), 8 AM to 5 PM in winter (November to March)
Entry fee: 54 NIS per adult, children under 13 free
Free entry for guests of: Kalia Holiday Village, Almog Resort and Khan Eretz HaTamar
Parking: Free
Closest city: Jerusalem, 25 to 35 minutes by car
Elevation: 440 meters below sea level
Best time: Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) for comfortable temperatures
What to Bring
Water shoes, the shoreline is rocky and pebbled
Sunscreen, reapply after mud therapy
Towel, or rent one on site
Cash, some facilities may not accept cards
Change of clothes for post-mud cleanup
Getting There
From Jerusalem, take Route 90 south. The drive takes 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic. Kalia is the first major beach you’ll encounter coming from the north. Signs are clearly marked.
The Takeaway
Kalia Beach delivers the authentic Dead Sea mud experience without the resort price tag or crowds. If you’re a serious mud-therapy seeker, live in or are visiting Jerusalem, or want the real Dead Sea vibe rather than a five-star hotel version, this is your spot. The fee is minimal, the mud is genuine, and the setting feels like the Dead Sea should feel: less manicured, more natural, and deeply therapeutic.
Salty: Greek Food at the Beach Entrance
Salty is a Greek and Mediterranean pop-up restaurant at the entrance to Kalia Beach. Its schedule can be limited or seasonal, so call before traveling. Read the Salty Restaurant visitor guide.
Stays That Include Free Beach Entry
Food and drinks at Kalia Beach
Kalia Beach includes a food and drink venue inside the paid beach complex. Access depends on the beach’s current admission and operating conditions. Confirm opening information, entrance arrangements, and service changes before travel.
Last reviewed: 21 August 2026.
Showers 
Toilets 
Changing rooms 
Parking 
Lifeguards 
Bar 
Restaurant 
Gazebos What Else Is On Site
Beyond the basics, Kalia runs a full day-visitor operation. A shuttle takes you from the entrance down to the waterline, which matters more than it sounds once the shore recedes in summer. There are paid personal lockers, towels to rent or buy, hot showers and changing rooms, and a juice bar alongside the Lowest Bar on Earth. A Dead Sea cosmetics centre sits on site if you want to take the minerals home. Camel rides run from the beach area, and there is an organised BBQ compound with shade and running water for groups bringing their own food.
FAQs
How much does it cost to enter Kalia Beach?
Kalia Beach charges admission. Confirm the current adult and child prices, inclusions, and operating hours before travel.
Is there natural mud at Kalia Beach?
Yes. Black mineral mud collects along the shoreline and you can scoop it and apply it yourself at no extra cost. That free access is the main reason people choose Kalia over the managed hotel beaches at Ein Bokek.
How far is Kalia Beach from Jerusalem?
Between 25 and 35 minutes by car on Route 90, depending on traffic. It is the closest Dead Sea beach to the city, which makes it a realistic half-day trip rather than an overnight one.
Is there food and drink at the beach?
Yes. The Lowest Bar on Earth sits down at the waterline, there is a juice bar, and Salty restaurant opens at the entrance on weekends and holidays. Groups who prefer to cook can use the organised BBQ compound, which has shade and running water.
Do I have to walk far to reach the water?
No. A shuttle runs from the entrance down to the waterline. It matters more in summer heat and as the shoreline continues to recede.
Where can I leave my belongings?
Paid personal lockers are available at the beach, along with changing rooms, hot showers, and towels to rent or buy.