Hiking routes in the area of the erosion crater Makhtesh Ramon in the Negev desert in the southern Israel. Hiking routes can be found in the western part of Makhtesh Ramon here.
background
In the area of the erosion crater Makhtesh Ramon A number of hiking tours can be undertaken with the nature reserve of the same name, the starting points are from the road 40 mostly easily accessible by private vehicle via side roads or gravel roads.
Preparations
The article provides information about the preparations for tours in the Israeli desert Hiking in Israel.
Water / food
- On all tours there must be a sufficient Beverage supply be carried. Purchased still or carbonated water in PET bottles is one option, and tea is another. In addition to the well-known drinking bottles, there are also drinking bags with valves that fold up when you drink empty, insulated drinking vessels and - quite popular in Israel - drinking systems with a water supply in a small backpack with a drinking tube with a valve.
- The tap water has drinking water quality in Israel, often leaves a slightly chlorine aftertaste. In the visitor centers of the INPA (the Israeli National Park Administration) there are practically always drinking water points in the sanitary facilities, partly chilled drinking water dispensers where bottles can be filled.
- it is best to ask the national park ranger about the water requirement, who can also provide information on the difficulty of the intended route, a rule of thumb
- at the cold days or if most of the route is in the shade, you can count on at least 3 liters of water per person per day
- at cool days in autumn, winter and spring, with 4.5 l of water daily
- at warm days (without extreme heat), add 6 liters per person per day Hardcore walks in the hot summer in the desert, the need is even higher; it's best to avoid the midday heat anyway and leave early in the morning.
- For a half-day tour you can get by with around 2 - 3 liters of drinking water. If you lose a lot of fluids through sweating, you should always think about the associated loss of salt, and you should think about an adequate supply of salt (for example in the form of broth or crackers with salt).
- For tours lasting several days, there are water delivery services that bring you to one of the campsites for around 80 shekels 6l of water.
- Catering must also be carried with you, in the sense of "no trace hiking", no waste may be left behind in the desert, which for example attracts wild animals. Fruits, dried fruits, nuts and savory biscuits washed before the start of the tour are good options.
- a little cash is advisable in order to be able to buy an ice cream or a sweet drink at least while waiting for the bus at the end point ...
clothing
- When choosing clothing, find out about the expected temperatures based on the weather forecast.
- Sun protection is a must for all walks in Israel. Visitors with light skin types in particular will - without adequate sun protection - inevitably suffer a severe sunburn, a product with at least one Sun protection factor 30 is recommended.
- to avoid heat build-up ("heat stroke"), it is advisable to to wear a hat. Models with good coverage of the ears and the neck region, which are available in the shops of the National Park Administration, are particularly popular.
- the Footwear should be selected according to the soil conditions on the planned tour. Will be used for most hikes walking boots recommended, for tours on which bodies of water are crossed or without rocky areas, are recommended Trekking sandals.
further equipment
- high quality Hiking maps are offered in the national park shops or on the Internet, these are only labeled in Hebrew, but are very helpful together with an overview map with the colored route markings.
- The "hiking trails" layer can be switched on on the open street map maps, the color markings of the various routes can be seen here.
- the English speaking hiking map Makhtesh Ramon Circular Trail of shvil.net 1: 35,000 is available in the national park shop in Mizpe Ramon or Avdat and is extremely helpful. Here, too, in addition to the purple Makhtesh Ramon Circular Trail, all other hiking trails are listed with the corresponding color markings.
- At the information point in the Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center, an overview plan (not quite true to scale) is handed out, which is sufficient for simple tours, see also Download.
- In the sparsely populated desert regions, a GPS hiking navigation device does a good job. The English-language maps of shvil.net are available, for example, as grid maps for the TwoNav navigation devices (with compass and altimeter) and also for the CompeGPS Land software, which is suitable for smartphones with GPS functionality.
- Marked hiking trails along gorges and cliffs are almost always secured in Israel and provided with climbing aids (ladders or steel steps).
- a small LED flashlight is useful when you want to explore caves or cisterns, binoculars are used to observe birds of prey.
landscape
The Makhtesh Ramon is the largest of the Makhtesh erosion craters; it measures 40 km in length and is 8-10 km wide, the difference in altitude between the level bottom of the crater and the surrounding mountain cliffs is about 500 m.In contrast to the other Makhtesh, two wadis lead out of the crater in the direction of the Arava Depression , the Nahal Nekarot and further to the northeast the Nahal Kamay.
Flora and fauna
In the winter and spring months, various plants bloom in the desert and the (evergreen) bushes and thorn bushes appear in a fresher green than in the summer months (from May) and in autumn.
Nubian ibexes can be seen again and again, especially in the dry months they come at dusk, when the nature reserve is quiet, to the watering holes with the vegetation (and also graze in the green along the promenade in Mitzpe Ramon, if you can didn't see any in the desert during the day); in spring, when there is more food available, the animals are less likely to come close to the settlements.
climate
In the arid desert climate, the maximum temperatures at the bottom of the Makhtesh in the winter months are 12-15 degrees, at night 5-7 ° C, in summer a maximum of 30-34 ° C during the day and 18-20 degrees at night, up in the village Mitzpe Ramon it is usually much cooler and there can even be a little snow. Rainfall practically only occurs in the winter months, according to the website of the Israel Meteorological Service warnings about the danger of flash floods caused by downpours are published in the canyon-like gorges; if necessary, ask the national park rangers about dangers.
getting there
The main road 40 leads from Be'er Sheva in a southerly direction Eilat and crosses the Makhtesh Ramon. A side road leads past Mitzpe Ramon to the western slopes around Mt. Ramon.
A red and white marked gravel road leads to the eastern areas (Mount Ardon, Ein Saharonim). The scenic route marked blue and white is even more beautiful to the north. Due to the safety line (and therefore no left-turn-turns when approaching Strase 40 from the north), this can only be used when coming from the south or on the way back from the Be'erot Campground.
Fees / permits
An access fee of 28/14 NIS (2019) is only payable for visiting the exhibitions in the Visitors Center, access to the Makhtesh Ramon is free (and - as the national park area - only permitted during the daytime).
mobility
The streets with double solid lines on the map are to be driven on with the car (including to the Be'erot Campground), those with the solid - dashed line are mostly driven with a car with a little ground clearance and appropriate caution, the double dashed lines stand for Gravel roads passable with four-wheel vehicles with large ground clearance (but easy to drive with a mountain bike). In the entire nature reserve, only appropriately marked slopes may be used, it is forbidden to drive over the edges of the slopes marked with boulders into the terrain.
Simple, dashed routes can be hiked on foot; Prohibition signs for bicycles indicate that the route by bike is usually impassable in reality.
Starting point at Be'erot Campground
The Be'erot Campground is a starting point and overnight accommodation for most tours in the southeast part of the Makhtesh Ramon, which can be easily reached by private vehicle 
if you turn east on the 1 Track red and white marked Dirt road a, after the intersection you drive a short distance on the 2 Track black and white marked slope to the Be'erot Campground (with Bedouin tents, toilets and water points)
On the way back to the main road 40 Well worth the drive on the newly furnished 1 Scenic Road: the 
The blue and white marked gravel road leads back from the Be'erot Campground a little north of the driveway. Several rock formations with spectacular colors are worth a detour (due to the prohibition to turn left, coming from the north of Mitzpe Ramon you are not formally allowed to drive directly into the blue and white marked Scenic Road) - in 2019 the Scenic Road is closed due to construction work.
Tourist Attractions
- 2 Saharonim Stronghold or Khan Saharonim: the caravanserai on the Incense route ("Weihrauchstrasse") was built by the Nabataeans in the first century BC. The square building with an edge length of 42 m had stables and hostel rooms to accommodate those from Petra on the Incense route to accommodate operating caravans. The complex was excavated under the archaeologist R. Cohen in 1982/83 and restored in 1991/92.
Routes
"Horse Shoe Trail" in Nahal Nekarot (horseshoe canyon), 5 km 
The circular hike leads over 5 km and is easy and family-friendly, the shade offer is very limited. Drinking water must be carried.
- The starting point, the parking lot at the Saharonim fortress, can be reached from road 40 via
Red White marked leading to the east Dirt road, then after the intersection drive a little on the black-and-white marked slope past the Be'erot Campground with the Bedouin tents and take the next junction to the right. On the The red and white slope continues to the starting point, the 3 Saharon in Fortress Parking at the Saharonim Stronghold. - the fortress is worth it first Saharonim Stronghold or Khan Saharonim a detour: the 42 x 42 m square fortified caravanserai provided protection for the caravans traveling through on the incense road in the Nabatean era.
- the
The blue and white marked route now leads south, initially to the headwaters of 3 A Saharonim. The fresh water source, surrounded by tamarisks and other shrubs, is the most important water point in Makhtesh Ramon and is visited by wild animals to drink at dusk, animal tracks left by desert inhabitants can often be seen here. - The way leads a little further into the 4 Horseshoe Canyon: the reason of the Nahal Nekarot with its sand, which turns into fine gravel, testifies to the rare water currents. The drainage of the erosion crater runs through the U-shaped or horseshoe-shaped canyon, and the water from a large part of the Makhtesh flows off here when it rains infrequently.
- the path led through a very narrow, picturesque canyon. After heavy rainfall, the gravel at the bottom of the canyon was washed away in 2018, so that since then it has only been possible to wade through or swim through in the lowest section, as water lingers into the summer months. In the meantime, a "diversion" has been set up, with a few metal steps and clips you can cross the place on a ledge.
- at the exit of the canyon is the grotto 5 Nekarot Cave
- a short distance on one
The green and white marked path is a shortcut to the Dekalim Ascent coming up from the southeast. - the 6 Dekalim Ascent As a gravel road with high transverse rock ridges, it can only be driven by quads and off-roaders with large ground clearance, here the route leads back to the starting point.
Red White marked leading to the east Dirt road, then after the intersection drive a little on the black-and-white marked slope past the Be'erot Campground with the Bedouin tents and take the next junction to the right. On the 
The green and white marked path is a shortcut to the Dekalim Ascent coming up from the southeast.An original feature of the park administration is the dry toilet in the middle of the Negev in the parking area ...
Mount Saharonim, 4.1 mi, 
The highest point of an elongated cliff sloping steeply to the south is the 576 m high Mount Saharonim. A round tour is available from the hiking car park A Saharonim off, you can take the circular hike through the "Horseshoe Canyon" resp. can be combined by the Nahal Nekarot. Another possibility would be to start the tour at Nahal Gavinim Campsite.
- From the parking lot at A Saharonim (Approach as described above) you take the Blue and white marked route in a southerly direction and first arrives at the headwaters of the Saharonim spring, one of the only fresh water places accessible to wild animals in the Makhtesh Ramon.
- soon after the headwaters, some trees, bushes and puddles of water testify to the water supply, a green and white marked path goes in a south-westerly direction (to the right) and leads over a flank directly up to Mount Saharonim. Since the following section of Nahal Nekarot is still worth seeing, it is recommended to hike south on the blue and white marked route for a total of 1.3 km.
- 4 at the junction is the
black-and-white marked route with its rapid ascent can also be seen in the course. The ascent is steep, a little slippery in the scree, but not technically demanding. If, after 700 m, the height of the 7 cliff reached, there are beautiful views of the area around the Saharonim Stronghold and the parking lot and the eastern part of Makhtesh Ramon with the striking ridge of Mount Ardon. - the path runs north along the edge of the cliff, soon you come to a junction with the (green and white marked) direct ascent route, here you could already return to the starting point.
- the maximum elevation of the 8 Mount Saharonim is just hard to make out who is now The green and white marked path continues along the cliff. With a little bit of scrambling you can climb the cliff and catch a glimpse of the south, which is easier and safer along the path that leads along the cliff in a westerly direction.
- Overall, you follow the path along the cliff for 1.5 km, then the path runs downhill over a step in the terrain with some iron brackets as steps (the only easy climbing point).
- in the 9 When you reach the saddle of Marpek Gap, the green-white route ends at the one that now leads north black and white marked slope of the "Oil Route" from the British mandate.
- On the dead straight track, which is suitable for well-motorized off-roaders, it goes north. You pass the gravelled square of the 1 Nahal Gavanim Campground and turns into one at the next intersection marked green and white 10 A slope that leads back to the east in the direction of the starting point.
- the way back leads in the last section on Nahal Ramon along, here the water flows together in the Makhtesh to leave it through the "Horseshoe Canyon" as the drainage point of the whole crater. The palm trees growing in the bed of Wadi Ramon indicate the groundwater flow. The stream bed of the Nahal Ramon is usually dry, when the water in the crater area flows into the drainage area after the heavy rains, which are rare in the Negev, it can even be dangerous for hikers - under no circumstances should one attempt to flood the back bed. to cross.
- After 2.3 km on the green and white piste you have reached the starting point at the hiking car park at the Saharonim Stronghold.
- if you like (or if you started from there), you can take a leading north just before the parking lot Continue hiking on the blue and white route to the Be'erot Campground.
Mount Ardon, 6.2 km (from the northwest) 
The towering Table Mountain Mount Ardon is at 722 meters above sea level. the most prominent mountain in the east of Makhtesh Ramon. It rises in the middle between the Makhmal Valley and the Ardon Valley, the two valleys form the shape of a heart.
Mount Ardon is relatively easy to climb from Mount Ardon Parking, the descent to the south into the Adom Valley is steep and slippery through rubble - this fact makes the tour in the further course moderately difficult and not suitable for hikers and children who are not sure-footed. An alternative that is easier to walk is to return from the summit to the parking lot on the same path you climbed.
- The starting point, the parking lot at the foot of Mount Ardon, can be reached via the driveway to Be'erot Campground (See description above). From there it goes on a partly bumpy road black and white marked gravel road northwards. One problem is the crossing of the Wadi Ramon watercourse, which is dry in summer, and because of sand accumulations and washouts at the edge of the wadi, access to the parking lot 2019 is only possible for off-roaders. If you like, you can cover the distance to Mount Ardon Parking on foot, which increases the walking time massively.
- After a while, turn right onto a blue-and-white marked slope that is on 5 Mount Ardon Parking ends at the foot of Mount Ardon.
- From the parking lot, a blue and white marked footpath leads east and quickly gains altitude. After the first ascent, a black and white marked path goes off to the left, the The blue-white path continues uphill on a ridge with a slight zigzag. Some mountain habit and surefootedness are helpful here.
- The path reaches a first plateau and leads on this with only a slight ascent in a southerly direction, up to the summit there are still some rock ridges to cross. Cuts in the terrain provide spectacular views into the depths and the bottom of the Makhtesh.
- the summit plateau of Table Mountain 11 Mount Ardon is flat to the east, to the west towards the bottom of the crater the cliff falls spectacularly steep; Accompanying children must be closely monitored here at the latest due to the risk of falling (the edge of the cliff is unsecured) and are not allowed to romp around freely.
- Those who are not sure-footed and have a head for heights may consider returning on the ascent path here, the steep descent in the sandy gravel terrain is not suitable for children.
And so it goes on:
- After a descent over a rocky ridge, the blue-white path on a plateau along the edge of the cliff. The begins in a cut in the terrain with a rocky entrance 6 descent. The narrow path in the slippery terrain zigzags first in the opposite direction along the foot of a rock face and then steeply downwards.
- The ridge with the descent path in the middle becomes flatter as you approach the bottom of Makhtesh, here a signpost in the desert shows the way to the west.
- We continue along picturesque red-colored rock / sandstone formations, later black stone accompanies the path.
- The blue and white marked path continues south to the striking black cone of the Kharut Hill and from there on a black and white marked gravel road to the Be'erot Campground (longer alternative route).
- The way back to the starting point at the parking lot branches off to the right approx. 500 m after reaching the bottom of the crater. The one with one 12 "Steinmannli" outgoing The green and white marked path is not yet well trodden and therefore not very well recognizable.
- On the route, which is clearly recognizable by the green and white markings, it goes north in a wide arc along the foot of Mount Ardon to the starting point. The path crosses several wadis with some impressive black stone formations / gravel.
- After a short ascent you get back to Mount Ardon Parking, the path is hardly noticeable at the beginning of the tour.
Mount Ardon, 12.5 km (from the south)
An alternative, if the road through the Wadi Ramon cannot be passed with the vehicle, is the ascent from the south.
- The starting point, the hiking car park at Wadi Ardon, can be reached from Be'erot Campground by turning right and first driving a piece on the red and white marked slope in the direction of Ein Sahronim and then on the black and white run to the east 7 Parking lot for hikers moves.
- On the black-and-white route, you hike eastwards and after almost a kilometer you reach Wadi Ardon with a shadow tree.
- From there you take the blue-white path and after crossing the wadi rises to the foot of the impressive Kharut Hill with its black rock. Who likes can 13 Kharut Hill climb on a branch path in a few minutes.
- On the The blue-white path leads north, past impressive black and reddish rock formations. After the intersection with the green and white path, the ascent begins. This is easier to do upwards in the slippery Gerött than in the opposite direction. Nevertheless, the southern ascent to Mount Ardon remains unsuitable for children and hikers who are not sure-footed.
- After a narrow passage along a slippery mountain flank, you ascend to the plateau. After this 14 Ascent the path leads somewhat exposed along the cliff to the summit, here there are great views down into the Makhtesh Ramon.
- The summit plateau (after 5 km) invites you to take a break.
- The The blue-white path continues along the cliff to the northwest, then the path slowly descends to Mount Ardon Parkin, which it finally reaches over a ridge with colorful rock formations on both sides.
- From Mount Ardon Parking goes the green-white path to the south, it crosses several wadis with partly black, white or reddish rock.
- At the signpost known from the ascent, turn right again onto the blue-white route that leads past Kharut Hill back to the starting point.
- If you haven't had enough, you can still take the small detour via Wadi Adom ( red-white path, back in Wadi Ardon on the black and white run through the wadi) before hitting the black and white runway back to the parking lot.
A much longer alternative (14 km) is to start from the Be'erot Campground, the black and white marked route to the hiking car park described above at Wadi Ardon to follow and then on the blue and white route to climb Mount Ardon.
After descending to the Mount Ardon Parking follow the blue-white slope further west. On that too 
black and white route, the ancient Spice route, it goes back to the Be'erot Campground. Shortly after the junction at a stop you come to one 15 Milestone. A somewhat weathered specimen has survived here from the ancient milestones of the caravan route, which was already used in Roman-Nabatean times.
The white Negev lily (Pancratium sickenberger), which resembles the white beach lily, known from the coastal sand dunes on the Mediterranean beaches, blooms nearby in November.
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shop
- in Mitzpe Ramon there is a little one 1 Supermarket
- in the shop of Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center drinks, snacks and ice cream as well as sun protection hats, drinking bottles and topographic maps are available.
kitchen
accommodation
- on the 2 Be'erot Campground Near Ein Saharonim in the eastern part of the crater you can stay in your own tent (16 NIS) or in Bedouin tents (75/10 NIS); there are sanitary facilities, hot showers, sinks, electricity connections and barbecue areas, and drinks are available in the snack bar , Ice cream, snacks and also firewood and charcoal are sold.
- 3 Har HaNegev Field School. Tel.: 972 8658 8615, 972 3638 8688 (Reservations). has guest rooms, reservations via the central reservation number.
- in Mitzpe Ramon there is hotel accommodation in different price ranges
security
With regard to crime, the security situation is completely harmless, thefts and vehicle break-ins hardly ever occur in the hiking areas in the national park area (at most in the parking lots with a high number of visitors, if valuables are clearly presented in the car ...); At night you are only allowed to stay in the designated campground areas.
There is more danger from natural threats in the desert: above all there is danger from the glowing heat of the sun on summer days with only minimal supply of shade (heat stroke, lack of drinking water), storm surges as a result of very rare but occasionally massive rains in the desert, which the rivulets in the Being able to swell wadis into rapid brooks - consult weather forecasts and rain radar if the forecast is appropriate (winter months).
The routes marked in color on the map are well marked in the terrain. The waypoints are consequently always at most within sight of each other. Should you lose the route, you have to go back to the last waymark and look again for the next mark. Signposts mark the most important hiking destinations, but under no circumstances should you set off without a map on which the routes are marked with their colors.
On the marked hiking trails, some of which are secured with iron steps, ladders or railings in difficult places, the risk of falling is low, but in many places you can suddenly stand on a cliff over an abyss - small children are definitely not allowed to frolic unsupervised.
If in doubt, an intended tour should always be discussed with the park rangers in the Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center, who always advise caution in critical situations.
trips
- great opportunities for hikes in the desert area also arise in the areas of the large and small Makhtesh, around Sde Boker and on the slopes to the Dead Sea.
Literature / maps
- Makhtesh Ramon Area Map & Guide for Cyclists and Hikers, 1: 40,000, Shvil.net, approx. 30 NIS
- Prospectus / overview plan of the national park administration, approx. 10 NIS
