Nahal Tur

Judean Desert

 

Tur 0-0 Main (1st fall)

 

 

 

 

The route quality:   ***  

 

 

The route type:

   

Rappelling trip.

The canyon is dry all the year round but be wary about floods during winter rains.

All rappelling stations are equipped with anchors (Glue-in bolts). *  

 

 

Getting there:

 

Drive on the road number 90 along Dead Sea to the south.

Right after the road mark 261km you will arrive to the mouth of Tur canyon.

The route ends at this place and you can leave here your car, but there is a safer option: to park it 2km farther near the block-post at Metzukei Dragot junction. It means of course you will have to walk these 2km at the end of your trip.

For the starting point drive to Metzukei Dragot village and park your car in the village or near the gate.

From Metzukei Dragot follow a dirt road going north and marked with red marks. After about 1.2 km the road will come across multiple shallow beds of nahal Tur sources. The route starts here. 

 

 

Google - Tur

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After 200m of walking down the dry bed you come to a point where it deepens abruptly. The canyon awarded a special information-board which informs us that rappelling activity is permitted here. Blessed place!.. J

Right behind the information-board a 8m high dry fall is located. Bypass it on the right side and descend into the canyon.

The first dry fall that requires rappelling is located 50m further.

 

 

Tur 0-1 approach

Approaching the canyon

 

Tur 0-2 approach

The information-board at the canyon entrance

 

Tur 0-3 approach

A view back on the bypassed dry fall

 

 

 

 

Route description:

 

 

Google - Tur1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are 7 dry falls to be abseiled:

 

 

1.  52m. First 42m are vertical with ledges, then a big ledge and then 10m of sloped descent (can be down climbed).

 

Rappelling station: 8 bolts (4 pairs). *

Be careful pulling the rope: sticking is probable!

 

 

Tur 1st fall 1

The 1st dry fall rappelling station

 

Tur 1st fall 2

The 1st dry fall rappelling station

 

Tur 1st fall 3

The 1st dry fall rappelling station

 

 

 

 

Tur 1st fall 4

The 1st dry fall

 

Tur 1st fall 5

The 1st dry fall

 

Tur 1st fall 6

The 1st dry fall

 

 

 

Walk down the canyon and bypass the next 7m high dry fall on the left side. The second rappelling dry fall is nearby.

 

2.  55m (from the station). Vertical, then 20m of overhang, then vertical till the ground.

 

Rappelling station: 8 bolts (4 pairs) in 2-4m from the edge. *

 

 

Tur 2nd fall 1

The 2nd dry fall rappelling station

 

Tur 2nd fall 2

Rappelling from the 2nd dry fall

 

Tur 2nd fall 3

The 2nd dry fall

 

 

 

 

Tur 2nd fall 4

The 2nd dry fall

 

Tur 2nd fall 5

The 2nd dry fall

 

Tur 2nd fall 6

Learn by mistakes of others!!! ☺

 

 

 

The third dry fall is located in 200m from the second one.

 

3.  Two sloped descents separated by a pit. The second descent can be down climbed easily. Overall length 28m, the first descent only – 20m.

 

Rappelling station: 2 bolts on the right. *

 

 

Tur 3rd fall 1

The 3rd dry fall rappelling station

 

Tur 3rd fall 2

The 3rd dry fall

 

Tur 3rd fall 3

The 3rd dry fall

 

 

 

The fourth dry fall is located just at the foot of the third one.

 

4.  75m. Vertical.

 

Rappelling station: 8 bolts (4 pairs). *

 

 

Tur 4th fall 1

The 4th dry fall rappelling station

 

Tur 4th fall 2

Rappelling from the 4th dry fall

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tur 4th fall 3

The 4th dry fall

 

Tur 4th fall 4

Rappelling from the 4th dry fall

 

 

 

 

 

The fifth dry fall is located in 200m from the fourth one.

Just before the fifth dry fall an obvious trail branches on the right side. It allows you either to bypass all three residuary dry falls and to exit from the canyon or to bypass the fifth dry fall only. In the last case walk along the trail for 30-40m and descend back to the canyon floor.

 

5.  16m (from the station). Sloped.

 

Rappelling station: 2 bolts in the middle of the bed in 4m from the edge. *

 

 

Tur 5th fall 1

The 5th dry fall rappelling station. The bypass trail is signed with arrows

 

Tur 5th fall 2

The 5th dry fall

 

 

 

 

 

The sixth dry fall is located in 100m from the fifth one.

 

6.  14m (from the station). Sloped.

 

Rappelling station: 2 bolts in the right wall near the edge. *

 

 

Tur 6th fall 1

A view from the 6th dry fall rappelling station

 

Tur 6th fall 2

The 6th dry fall rappelling station

 

Tur 6th fall 3

The 6th dry fall

 

 

 

The seventh dry fall is located in about 30m from the sixth one.

The approach to the station is along a steep, narrow and somewhat tricky channel, so be careful!

The station is located on a narrow ledge. Self-belay is indispensable!

 

7.  19m. Sloped, then vertical.

 

Rappelling station: 4 bolts (2 pairs). *

 

 

Tur 7th fall 1

Approaching the 7th dry fall rappelling station

 

Tur 7th fall 2

The 7th dry fall rappelling station

 

Tur 7th fall 3

Rappelling from the 7th dry fall

 

 

 

 

Tur 7th fall 4

The 7th dry fall

 

Tur 7th fall 5

The 7th dry fall

 

Tur 7th fall 6

The 7th dry fall

 

 

 

It is a short walk from the foot of the last dry fall to the final part of the canyon: some narrow conglomerate slot that normally should be bypassed.

Walk above its left side for some 200m then descend to the floor and cross to the right side aiming to a small saddle marked with a rudjum.

Follow an obvious trail leading to the main road.

 

If your only car is parked in Metzukei Dragot you can easily climb there along an old dirt road (2km, 40min.) The road runs up along some dry channel (next to the mouth of the Tur canyon).

 

 

 

The route quality:

 

*****  - The only one of its kind. A "must do" trip!

****    - Very interesting, highly recommended!

***      - Pretty nice route.

**        - Inexpressive one.

*          - Do it if you have nothing to do...