In addition, the reserve is a sanctuary for many types of plants, birds and animal species, too. Take the Nubian ibexes, for example!
People do not live right on the Ein Gedi reserve, but the people who live in its surrounding areas experience blazing temperatures for most of the year because of its desert location. When I visited, it reached the temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and it was only the morning, so I can only imagine how much hotter it can get there!
The earliest evidence for human settlement dates back to the Chalcholite period, 6,000 years ago. How did they manage to survive? The key to making a desert a home, first and foremost, is to have a solid water supply. Thanks to the abundance of water in the area, this has been possible!