St. George’s Monastery & Wadi Qelt

Wadi Qelt is a natural rift in the hills with high, sheer rock walls, extending 45km between Jerusalem and Jericho. The Monastery of St.

Hermits have inhabited the Wadi since the third century. Today, it is a wonderful place for hiking tours, especially in winter. George, Deir al-Qelt, is carved out of the rock and clings to the canyon walls impressively. Built in the fifth century, the monastery was destroyed during the Persian invasion of Palestine. Most of the present monastery dates back to the 1901 restoration by the Greek Orthodox Church.