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Ghor es-Safi
ℹ️Practical info — Ghor es-Safi
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🌤 Weather — 5 days
📍 Nearby
Sights nearby
💡 Tips
- The area is exceptionally hot in summer; plan any outdoor exploration for early morning or late afternoon.
- Visit the Museum at the Lowest Place on Earth to see artifacts from the ancient Byzantine monastery of St. Lot.
- The landscape here is agricultural rather than purely desert; watch out for heavy farming equipment on local roads.
- Public transport is scarce; it's best to have a rental car or hired driver to explore the surrounding Dead Sea sights.
🍽 Food
The region is Jordan's breadbasket for tomatoes; try them in a fresh local salad at a roadside diner.
Jordan's national dish of lamb and yogurt, available at larger restaurants in town.
Ghor es-Safi produces small, very sweet bananas, sold at fruit stands along the main highway.
🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots
Look for the local women's cooperative selling hand-dyed fabrics and textiles using natural colors.
Although mostly industrial, you can find locally packaged bath salts in some tourist-facing shops.
A steep climb leads to this quiet Byzantine ruin and cave, offering views over the Dead Sea valley.
Take a walk along the edges of the lush banana and tomato plantations for a surprising contrast to the arid surroundings.
Water temperature…
Ghor es-Safi is located at the southern end of the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea, making it one of the lowest inhabited places on Earth. The town is steeped in biblical history and is widely identified as the ancient Zoar, the city where Lot fled following the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Its most significant archaeological site is the Monastery of Saint Lot, built around a cave where Lot is said to have sought refuge. The region's unique climate, characterized by intense heat, allows for year-round agriculture, particularly of tomatoes and bananas. Economically, Ghor es-Safi is a vital industrial center, housing the Arab Potash Company's massive evaporation ponds. The Museum of the Lowest Place on Earth provides a comprehensive look at the region's archaeology, geology, and its history as a center for sugar production during the Middle Ages.
- Location: Jordan
- Top sights: Al Mashnaqah · Lot's Cave · Museum at the Lowest Place on Earth
- Nearby: Tafilah (22 km)
- Population: ~15.200 (2013)
Best time to visit & climate
The most pleasant time to visit is Apr, May, Oct.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °C | 10 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 22 | 17 | 12 |
| Rain mm | 66 | 50 | 24 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 19 | 34 |
Geography
Facts
- Ghor es-Safi is roughly 400 meters below sea level.
- It is traditionally identified as the biblical Zoar.
- The Sanctuary of Saint Lot features Byzantine mosaics.
- The town is home to the Arab Potash Company.
- It hosts the Museum of the Lowest Place on Earth.
- The area was a major sugar production center in the 7th century.
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Sights in the town Ghor es-Safi (3)
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