Three Peaks challenges in Israel

The landscapes of Israel

Israel's landscape changes markedly between the Mediterranean coastal plain, the central uplands and the desert country of the south. The Jordan Rift adds another pronounced contrast along the eastern side, where low basins sit beside higher ground.

The Galilee's northern hills differ from the open desert uplands of the Negev. Around the Dead Sea, escarpments rise sharply from a deeply depressed basin, while the Mediterranean side has a much broader coastal plain. These changes in elevation and aridity create strongly contrasting landscapes within a relatively narrow geographical span.