The Makhtesh Ramon (also Machtesch Ramon) is an erosion crater in the central Negev, the whole area is as National park placed under protection.
background
The Makhtesh are a geological phenomenon that - although they look like meteorite impact or volcanic craters - arose in a completely different way.
The erosion craters in the Negev were created in the same way: the primordial sea deposits a sediment that becomes limestone, the sand below is compacted into sandstone. As a result of a folding, elevations have formed in a northeast - southwest direction, which rise up as islands in the primordial sea and erode, exposing the sandstone. With the opening of the Jordan Rift and the rise of the plateau, the sea level receded, the streams running to the Jordan Rift washed away the soft sandstone for millions of years, the crater edges, protected from erosion by the limestone cover, remained and developed into the mountains on the crater edge.
landscape
The Makhtesh Ramon is the largest of the erosion craters, it measures 40 km in length and is 8-10 km wide, the difference in height between the level bottom of the crater and the surrounding mountain cliffs is about 500 m. In contrast to the other Makhtesh, two lead Wadis from the crater towards the Arava Depression, the Nahal Nekarot and further to the northeast the Nahal Kamay.
The highest peaks on the crater rim are the Mount Ardon in the east and the Mount Ramon in the southwest of Makhtesh, the locality Mizpe Ramon is about in the middle of the northern rim of the crater, at the point where Highway 40 coming from the north leads down in serpentines to the crater floor.
Flora and fauna
In the dry bottom of the crater, some desert vegetation (Saharo-Arab flora) only grows in the winter / spring months after the sparse rainfalls. In addition to some shrubs, there are only a few trees in the crater, only in the area of the source A Saharonim is it green. Temperatures are lower on the high plateau surrounding the crater and Iranian-turanic vegetation prevails here.
In the mid-1990s, the Asian wild ass (from the successful breeding program of Hai Bar Yotvata) in the Makhtesh Ramon, Nubian ibex, Dorcas gazelles, some striped hyenas and Arab leopards also live here.
In the crater one encounters lizards, geckos and various species of birds.
Anyone who has not yet seen a Nubian ibex is very likely to be lucky here: when it gets dark, as soon as the larger tourist masses have traveled on and it is quieter, they look for the grass along the promenade in Mitzpe Ramon to graze, nowhere is the table for the animals are "as well covered" as in the well-watered village of Mizpe Ramon.
climate
The Makhtesh has an arid desert climate, the annual rainfall is very low, the temperatures in the crater floor are higher than at 850 m above sea level. located Mizpe Ramon.
getting there
By public transport
The place Mitzpe Ramon and the Makhtesh Ramon can only be reached by bus, and there is a connection to the Israeli railway network in Beer Sheva. The most important connection there is line 60 of the Metropoline company, which runs once or twice an hour.
In the street
The main road 40that crosses the Makhtesh Ramon leads from Beer Sheva through the Negev to after Eilat, south of the village Mitzpe Ramon she winds on Ma'aleh Ha'atzma'ut down several serpentines into the erosion crater.
Fees / permits
Access to the Makhtesh Ramon Nature Reserve is free, but the site - apart from the camping areas - can only be visited from sunrise to one hour before sunset.
Mizpe Ramon Visitor Center: in the visitor center you can get information about the different tours in the nature park. An exhibition is partly dedicated to the formation of the Makhtesh and the geological conditions, from a panorama window you can enjoy the view into the crater. The other part of the exhibition is the first Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, who died on the STS-107 mission aboard the Columbia space shuttle, dedicated: 29/15 NIS.
Bio Ramon: In the small zoo the different animal species of the region and the Makhtesh can be seen, in different areas biosphere with corresponding desert vegetation were reproduced: 22/10 NIS.
mobility
In order to reach the various sights in Makhtesh, the starting points for the various tours, the use of your own vehicle is almost indispensable. A number of gravel access roads can be tackled with a normal passenger car without any problems, other slopes can only be used with four-wheel drive vehicles, quads or motorcycles.
The most beautiful places can only be reached on foot; an extensive network of hiking trails is marked.
Tourist Attractions
- 1 Mizpe Ramon Visitors Center. Tel.: 972 8658 8691, Fax: 972 8621 9859. Open: Sa-Thu 8 am-5pm, Fri 8 am-4pm, in winter on weekdays until 4pm, on Fri until 3pm.Price: 28/14 NIS., Visitor information, shop, exhibitions
- : Small zoo with the desert-dwelling animals.
- many will drive through the Makhtesh Ramon on the main road 40 in the direction of Eilat and can enjoy the landscape from the car while passing through, a stop at the visitor center with the footpath along the 3 Viewing terraces is highly recommended. Numerous sculptures related to the desert landscape were set up along the promenade to the viewing terraces.
- is close to the through road 4 Carpentry (Ha Minsara, "The Sawmill" or "Sawmill"). The parking lot can be reached on an easily drivable gravel road, from there a short footpath leads to the natural attraction. Here the sandstone is crystallized in peculiar pentagonal and hexagonal bar-like column structures when it was created and was "baked" and made permanent by the action of heat. Even if the piles of up to 1 m long brownish-blackish sandstone pillars look like piles of thrown wooden beams in a sawmill, this is not petrified wood.
- Petrified marine life can be found in a large part of the sand deposited by the primordial sea at the bottom of the crater. There is a one-off accumulation on 5 Ammonite Wall. On a footpath starting from road 40 at the southern exit of the crater, the point is reached in approx. 10 minutes. From a distance the "rocky slope" does not seem spectacular, only when you get closer you can see that it is made up of layers and layers Ammonites from a size up to that of a car wheel. Of course, it is strictly forbidden to take souvenirs here (as in all park areas)!
- the only source of the Makhtesh is that A Saharonim Source in the southeast of the crater. The only green vegetation in the larger area has developed around the spring water, where wild animals come to water in the morning hours and when it gets dark (when visitors have to leave the park), and their traces can be found during the day.
- The oasis was the way station of the ancient Nabatean spice route from Petra to the Mediterranean Sea, the square one comes from this time 6 Saharon in the fort, The caravanserai offered the travelers and their pack animals protection at night. You can get here on easily drivable gravel roads (red and white route).
- the "Painted Ramon Road" was called the so-called Scenic Road Established in 2017. Former mine areas have been renatured by a renaturation fund, the former access roads lead to various cliffs made of reddish to greenish colored sandstone, a lookout point and industrial ruins. Information boards give information about the exploitation of minerals in the Makhtesh Ramon Information desk. The
The blue and white marked route starts west of the Be'erot Campground and leads to the main road 40 back. It is worth making the detour to the colored mineral cliffs; the 7 Painted Ramon Road / 8 - / 9 - has meanwhile been made more attractive and paved is easily accessible with a standard (rental) car, but from the north / Mitzpe Ramon Coming from here a left turn ban, so you have to turn around at the next opportunity and turn right from the south if you do not want to drive on the road on the way back from the Be'erot Campground.
The blue and white marked route starts west of the Be'erot Campground and leads to the main road 40 back. It is worth making the detour to the colored mineral cliffs; the activities
- Hiking: Suggested tours for the whole Makhtesh area can be found in the article
- - Hiking in Makhtesh Ramon (East): here suggested tours for the eastern areas of the Ramon crater
- - Hiking in Makhtesh Ramon (South): here suggested tours in the central / southern area of the Ramon crater
- - Hiking in Makhtesh Ramon (West): here suggested tours for the western areas of the Ramon crater
- around the Makhtesh Ramon became the hiking route Makhtesh Ramon Circular Trail,
purple-white markings, furnished. You can hike around the entire Makhtesh in eight daily stages, the stages and routes are described in the special hiking map (available in the shop of the national park administration, among others), the optimal hiking months are end of October - April. - the Israel Bike Trail, which leads over 1,100 kilometers of mountain bike trails on paths and gravel roads through the whole of Israel. The route leads past Makhtesh Ramon to the east, where Mitzpe Ramon suitable as a stage stop.
- Drive along the "Painted Ramon Road", along the way there was also an off-road bike passable bicyclecalled trail.
- Visit of Lotz cisterns
purple-white markings, furnished. You can hike around the entire Makhtesh in eight daily stages, the stages and routes are described in the special hiking map (available in the shop of the national park administration, among others), the optimal hiking months are end of October - April.shop
- In the souvenir shop at 1 Makhtesh Ramon Visitor Center snacks and ice cream, but also souvenirs and cards are offered.
- in the 2 Supermarket everyday items are available. Every Friday morning, fruits and vegetables are sold in the square in front of it; on the upper floor, which can be circled from the west, there is a shop with a wide range of spices, nuts and dried fruits. There is also one in the complex Bank and the Post office.
kitchen
- Restaurants can only be found in Mitzpe Ramon, especially in the complex of the Spice Route Quarter, a snack (shwarma or falafel) can also be found in the central square by the supermarket.
accommodation
Hotels and hostels
- , Luxury hotel with rooms in separate bungalows with an overwhelming desert view, some with a swimming pool.
- , The SPNI Field School has guest rooms, reservations via the central reservation number.
camping
- on the 3 Be'erot Campground Near Ein Saharonim in the eastern part of the crater, you can spend the night in your own tent or in Bedouin tents; there are sanitary facilities, hot showers, sinks, electricity connections and barbecue areas; drinks, ice cream, snacks and also firewood and charcoal are sold in the snack bar .
- There are other overnight accommodations in the designated areas in the crater area Campgroundswhich essentially consist of a demarcated gravel area without any infrastructure. The National Parks Authority is increasingly in the process of equipping these tent areas with organic dry toilets. From the east these are the 4 Mount Ardon Campground, the 5 Nahal Gvanim Campground (Dry toilet), that 6 Bedouin tent / campground western, the comfortless 7 Shen Hill Campground, at the southern exit of Makhtesh Ramon's 8 Nahal Nekharot Campground, the 9 Mifaar Pitam Campground and in the west of the 10 Har Ido Campground, 11 Borot Lotz Campground and the 12 Nahal Nitzana Campground. You can only spend the night in the Makhtesh Ramon Nature Park on these campsites, you have to bring your own water and food, waste must be disposed of, simple dome tents that are sufficient for use in the warm summer months are even offered in petrol station shops.
security
- Crime is not a problem in the Negev desert, although it is advised against obviously leaving valuables in the vehicle. In the desert, there is more danger from heat and lack of fluids, the article provides information on safety measures Hiking in Israel.
trips
- The erosion craters are just as worth seeing Makhtesh Gadol and Makhtesh katan.
literature
- map Makhtesh Ramon Circular Trail, 1: 40,000, with descriptions of the circular route around the Makhtesh Ramon and the sights, Hebrew and English.
