What counts as glamping at the Dead Sea
The word covers three sleeping styles here. Dome tents and lotus tents furnished with proper beds and climate control. Fitted caravans and vans parked permanently on kibbutz ground. And wooden capsules or igloos, small rigid huts with solid walls.
Almost no unit here has private plumbing. The comparison table flags the one confirmed private bathroom and the one listing that stays silent on the question. Anyone who needs an en suite should book a Dead Sea hotel or a zimmer instead.
The northern camps: Kalia and Biankini
The northern shore is the closest desert to Jerusalem, and both camps sit on the water.
Camp Sahara occupies a 10 dunam site beside Biankini Beach, roughly 35 to 45 minutes from Jerusalem via Route 1, per DeadSea.com’s Biankini Beach guide, though the camp’s own site quotes 25 minutes. It has a swimming pool, a toddler pool, a Moroccan restaurant, a convenience store, and RV pitches with fixed water and electricity hookups on 16 square meter private yards.
Camp Sahara’s official accommodation page lists 32 family dome tents of 30 square meters each, with 3.85 meter ceilings, air conditioning, a king size bed plus three singles, and shared bathroom blocks with hot water around the clock, which makes it the largest of the six Dead Sea glamping camps in this guide by unit count.
One villa dome stands apart: 110 square meters, three bedrooms, room for eight, and the only private bathroom on the property, per the same listing.
Glamping Minus 420 is the Kalia Beach operator’s own camp. Its glamping page lists 12 lotus tents in two sizes, for couples and for families, each with a double bed, a small fridge, power outlets, air conditioning, and WiFi. The page also lists two freshwater splash pools, heated in winter and chilled in summer, a field kitchen, a campfire and BBQ zone, breakfast in an air conditioned space, and a beach bar the operator calls the lowest bar in the world.
Ein Gedi: three camps on one kibbutz
Kibbutz Ein Gedi holds three separate glamping operations, all a short drive from the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. Our kibbutz accommodation guide explains how this style of stay works.
The Tamar Regional Council’s official Dead Sea tourism listing describes eight round wooden sleeping capsules at Badolina, each with a double bed, set on ground that was once Kibbutz Ein Gedi’s equestrian ranch, with the Dead Sea on one side and the kibbutz date plantations and a nature reserve on the other.
Badolina also runs a bring-your-own-tent area with solar lighting and mattress rental. There is a shared kitchen, a public space with a bar and a snooker table, sprinklers that spray a cool mist, and a short menu of shakshuka, hummus, and pizza, per the regional listing.
Dory Caravan parks fitted caravans on the same kibbutz. Each has air conditioning, a fully equipped private kitchen with a fridge, a bunk bed plus a sofa bed for two, bedding and towels, and a personal campfire spot. Entry to the shared kibbutz pool is included. The regional council listing does not say whether the bathroom is private or shared, so ask the operator before you book.
Ein Gedi Camp Lodge is the budget tier of the three. Its own site lists family tents for up to five guests with fans and quality mattresses, couples vans with air conditioning and a double bed, a VIP caravan with a fridge, online TV, and heating and cooling, and a bring-your-own-tent zone. No unit has private plumbing, and the site says so plainly for both the vans and the VIP caravan. Everything shares the same hot showers, cooking area, and BBQ corner, plus a central tent with charging stations, hammocks, and pool and ping pong tables.
The far south: Neot HaKikar, plus a Bedouin-style option
Neot Camping sits in Moshav Neot HaKikar, a 20 minute drive south of Ein Bokek according to the Tamar Regional Council’s official listing, with tent pitches shaded by tall date palms, a choice between simple sites and sites with electricity, and three desert igloos that must be booked in advance.
Facilities at Neot Camping are basic: shared showers and toilets, BBQ corners, fridge access, WiFi, take-away, and play areas for children. It runs year round. The moshav deserves a slow afternoon; see our guide to Neot HaKikar desert village.
West of the ridge, Kfar Hanokdim does Bedouin-style hospitality in the Kana’im Valley between Arad and Masada, with goat-hair Bedouin tents, hand-built sukkot, and en-suite guest rooms. It sits inland, 7.6 kilometers from Arad and 11 kilometers from the Masada West entrance according to the lodge’s own site.
Six camps compared
| Camp | Area | Sleeping style | Bathrooms | Officially listed extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camp Sahara | Kalia, near Biankini Beach | 32 dome tents, 1 villa dome, RV pitches | Shared (villa dome private) | Swimming pool, toddler pool, Moroccan restaurant, store |
| Glamping Minus 420 | Kalia Beach | 12 lotus tents, two sizes | Shared, wooden blocks | Two splash pools, field kitchen, bar, breakfast |
| Badolina | Kibbutz Ein Gedi | 8 wooden capsules, own-tent area | Shared | Shared kitchen, bar, misting sprinklers |
| Dory Caravan | Kibbutz Ein Gedi | Fitted caravans | Not stated on the official listing | Private kitchens, kibbutz pool entry included |
| Ein Gedi Camp Lodge | Ein Gedi | Family tents, couples vans, VIP caravan, own tents | Shared | Central tent with charging stations, cooking area, game tables |
| Neot Camping | Neot HaKikar | Tent pitches, 3 desert igloos | Shared | Date palm shade, electricity pitches, play areas |
Facilities change. Confirm the current setup with the camp when you book.
Nights, heat, and the right season
The desert night is the real product here. The shoreline sits roughly 430 meters below sea level, light pollution stays low outside the hotel zone, and the Moab Mountains hold the last color of the evening. Our guide to the Dead Sea at night covers stargazing, and early risers should read about the Dead Sea sunrise over the Jordanian side.
Summer is the honest caveat. Canvas heats fast, and even an air conditioned tent works hard on an August afternoon. Read our heat safety guide first, then plan a summer visit as an early morning and evening trip with a long midday break. October through April is the comfortable window for canvas.
Booking and the bottom line
Every camp here asks for advance booking, and the smaller ones fill around Israeli holidays and spring weekends. Bathrooms are shared almost everywhere, so pack sandals and a headlamp. Bedding varies, since Dory Caravan and Minus 420 include it while Badolina’s own-tent area and Ein Gedi Camp Lodge rent mattresses separately. None of the operators published rates on the pages we checked in 2026, so book direct.
If you want scale and a pool, book Camp Sahara. Couples doing a short desert night from Jerusalem should look at the lotus tents at Minus 420. Hikers belong at Ein Gedi, where three camps sit above the trailheads. And for silence, Neot HaKikar.
Frequently asked questions
Is glamping at the Dead Sea realistic in summer?
Yes, with planning, and only at camps with real cooling. Air conditioned units at Camp Sahara, Glamping Minus 420, Dory Caravan, and Ein Gedi Camp Lodge handle the nights, but afternoons still demand shade, water, and patience. Minus 420 lists splash pools chilled in summer and Badolina lists misting sprinklers. If your dates fall between June and August, read heat safety guidance first.
Which glamping camp is closest to Jerusalem?
Camp Sahara, at Kalia beside Biankini Beach, with Glamping Minus 420 a few minutes further along the same shore. Reckon on 35 to 45 minutes via Route 1, the figure DeadSea.com’s Biankini Beach guide uses, rather than the 25 minutes the camp quotes on its own site. Traffic on the descent to the shore decides which end of that range you get. Both camps work as a one-night desert add-on to a Jerusalem stay.
Do any Dead Sea glamping units have private bathrooms?
One, as far as the official listings show. Camp Sahara’s villa dome, a 110 square meter dome with three bedrooms that sleeps eight, has its own bathroom. Every other unit whose arrangement is published, from lotus tents to capsules to the Ein Gedi Camp Lodge VIP caravan, uses shared blocks. Dory Caravan’s listing does not say either way, so ask the operator. Book the villa dome if an en suite is non-negotiable.
Can I bring my own tent to a glamping site?
Yes, at three of the six camps. Badolina, Ein Gedi Camp Lodge, and Neot Camping all keep bring-your-own-tent areas alongside their fitted units, with shared showers, toilets, and cooking areas included. Neot Camping also lets you choose a pitch with an electricity hookup. Wild camping on the open shoreline is regulated separately, and our Dead Sea camping guide explains where a tent is legal.
Sources
- Camp Sahara, official site, about and accommodation options. Camp Sahara. https://campsahara.co.il/en/about-us/ and https://campsahara.co.il/en/accommodation-options/
- Glamping in the Dead Sea (Glamping Minus 420), Kalia Beach official site. Kibbutz Kalia. https://kaliadeadsea.com/en/glamping-en/
- Kalia Beach, official operator page. Kibbutz Kalia. https://kaliadeadsea.com/en/kalia-beach-en/
- Badolina Ein-Gedi Camping, Dead Sea Land official regional tourism site. Tamar Regional Council. https://www.deadsea.co.il/accommodations/badolina-ein-gedi-camping/?lang=en
- Dory Caravan Ein Gedi, Dead Sea Land official regional tourism site. Tamar Regional Council. https://www.deadsea.co.il/accommodations/dory-caravan-ein-gedi/?lang=en
- Ein Gedi Camp Lodge, official site, accommodation page. Ein Gedi Camp Lodge. https://eingedicamp.co.il/en/accommodation/
- Neot Camping, Dead Sea Land official regional tourism site. Tamar Regional Council. https://www.deadsea.co.il/accommodations/neot-camping/?lang=en
- Kfar Hanokdim, official site, location and accommodation. Kfar Hanokdim. https://www.kfarhanokdim.co.il/en/