Hai-Bar Yotvata Nature Reserve
The Negev
Established in 1968 to reintroduce animals that had died out in Israel, this 32-sq-km reserve on the Yotvata salt flats is home to a wide variety of…
Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF
The Negev
The Negev is the only part of Israel that feels vast and boundless. Stretching from the Red Sea north for 250km, the region's rocky, treeless hills and dry gullies have been attracting travellers, traders and nomads since the time of Abraham (Genesis 12:9 and 20:1). These days, sun-seekers, scuba divers, birdwatchers and hikers flock to the resort city of Eilat, where the sun shines 360 days a year. North of there, the kibbutzim of the Arava – part of the Great Rift Valley – attract environmentalists and visitors interested in sustainable desert development. Other tourists follow in the footsteps of the Nabataeans, who established impressive cities not only at Petra (which can easily be visited from Eilat) but also at Avdat, Shivta and Mamshit, now Unesco World Heritage sites. Perched on the rim of Israel's multi-hued 'grand canyon', hip Mitzpe Ramon is a magnet for creative minds, quirky entrepreneurs and serenity seekers.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Mitzpe Ramon
Sometimes described as Israel’s very own grand canyon, Makhtesh Ramon is the largest protected area in Israel and is home to a huge number of hiking,…
Eilat
The crystal-clear waters of this 1km-long reserve are the best place on the Israeli Red Sea coast for snorkelling. Access to the reef wall is by two…
The Negev
En (Ein) Avdat comes as a huge surprise in this otherwise bone-dry desert: a year-round, freshwater spring that miraculously flows over a waterfall and…
The Negev
Dominating the surrounding desert, the beautifully preserved ancient Nabataean city of Avdat served as a caravan stop on the road from Petra to the…
The Negev
The site of some of the world's earliest copper mines (c 5000 BCE), the Timna Valley offers an awe-inspiring desert landscape of cliffs and rock…
International Birding & Research Center in Eilat
Eilat
Hundreds of millions of migrating birds pass through Eilat twice a year as they fly between Europe and Africa. The best place to spot them is this…
The Negev
One of the most gloriously isolated spots in Israel, Shivta was founded during the early Roman period (1st century BCE). Its well-preserved ruins –…
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