Moses' Spring

Mt Nebo


This spring is one of two places where Moses is believed to have obtained water by striking a rock. Six giant eucalyptus trees mark the spot, and there’s an occasional waterfall over the lip of the rocks if it’s been raining, but there’s little to see except the low-lying ruins of a couple of churches nearby. There's no public transport to the site. Walking down from the main road is easy; coming back up is the killer.

To reach the site from Madaba, turn right at the sign about 1km before the church at Mt Nebo. A 2.4km switchback road to the spring is steep (but sealed) and offers a close-up view of Bedouin encampments, hunkered down against the elements. Arums grow in abundance among the rocky patches of tilled ground, and small, fertile wadis bristle with citrus and olive trees. Sadly, the littered site is disfigured by discarded concrete buildings and is badly in need of a clean-up.