Mitzpe Ramon

Mitzpe Ramon (Hebrew מצפה רמון) is a small town in the remote Negev of Israel. It's about an hour's drive south of Be'er Sheva.

Understand
Mitzpe Ramon has managed to become a lodestone for travellers seeking to enjoy the peace of the desert, far away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. On the one hand it is distant from any population center and offers magnificent views of the Ramon Crater (Makhtesh Ramon מכתש רמון), while on the other it's got a variety of lodgings ranging from luxury hotels to desert tents, as well as various eco-tourism options, new-age style activities and numerous trails for hikers, bike riders and Jeep drivers.

History
Founded in the 1950s as a military outpost and then as a waypoint station for local miners and road workers, Mitzpe evolved into a small town when newly arrived Moroccan immigrants were unceremoniously placed there and told that they would "be living an hour and half from Tel Aviv." Over time, various other groups, such as strains of the 1990s Russian immigration, have also been placed in Mitzpe Ramon.

The town remains small and somewhat struggling, although in the 2000s a variety of new age hippies and eco entrepreneurs have succeeded in turning the ailing town into something of a hip eco leave-the-city-behind destination. At the same time, there continues to be dissonance between some of the town's original residents and the more recent arrivals.

Today, Mitzpe acts as a stopping point for travellers going from the North of Israel to Eilat as well as catering to soldiers stationed at the nearby military bases. The town has also developed into a unique eco-tourist destination as it boasts the highest air quality in Israel and a series of breathtaking landscapes. Mitzpe also provides a haven for various kinds of performance artists, new-age healers, desert enthusiasts and the like.

The town's name, literally meaning "Ramon Lookout", refers of course to the Ramon crater stretching beneath it. The crater's name, in turn, derives from the Roman caravans passing through it on the Incense Route.

Climate
The Israeli Negev is hot and dry, especially in the summer. However, the Negev Highland – whose southern edge is Mitzpe Ramon – has occasional cool breezes that make the weather more bearable, although this is less common inside the crater. Additionally, the low humidity is a big advantage of these areas, making them feel sometimes no hotter than central Israel.

Rains are few in the area and occur only during winter. However, when they do, they can create flash floods in some of the streams, so travellers should be wary of them. The rest of the time, no water flows in the streams, and there aren't any natural sources of water inside the crater. The only exception is the Saharonim spring, and even there, the water doesn't show above the ground, and only feeds a single, large moonseed shrub.

Additionally, almost every year there's a little snow in Mitzpe Ramon, though usually not enough to actually pile up. This is a huge attraction for the locals and sometimes even for visitors from the rest of Israel, a country with only few snows that don't always spread beyond Mount Hermon in the far north, and even that only at the peak of winter. As a rule of thumb, snow usually falls at Mitzpe Ramon only when it also snows in the Upper Galilee mountains, and only if the storm clouds also spread to the central Negev.

Makhtesh Ramon
Makhtesh Ramon is one of the only seven Erosion Craters in the world – the others also being in the Israeli Negev as well as Sinai – and the largest of them at that. The formation of such craters begins with layering of rocks, with the bottom layer being soft (sandstone, in this case) and the topmost hard (limestone). Later, tectonic movements create ripples in the landscape, forming mountainous crests separated by valleys. The mountaintops, covered in hard limestone, are eroded away in time, revealing the soft rock beneath. Rainwater gradually washes the sandstone away, creating valleys that break out through the tough perimeter of the crest. In this process, the mountain is gradually emptied from within, leaving only the cliffs on its sides (made of hard limestone) while its entire content has been washed away.

The sandstone inside the crater displays in some regions in beautiful colors. Additionally, the formation of the crater has unearthed some more ancient volcanic rocks in some places, creating dark, sharp hills that stand in beautiful contrast with the surrounding soft, yellowish ground. Also, the Ramon Mountain at the western edge of the crater, being 1033m above sea level, is the highest point in the Negev.

Flora and fauna in the area is of the common species of the Israeli deserts. Animals include many ibexes (who frequent the town edges looking for food) and rock hyraxes, as well as the more rare foxes, jackals, wolves and hyenas. Some larger wildlife include the Asian and African wild asses; a very small number of leopards used to live in the area, but they have not been sighted in years. Several types of ravens are fairly common, as well as Tristram's starling (an invasive species that came from the Judaean Desert). More rare birds include a few types of vultures, found mainly in the northern cliffs.

Plants in the area are mostly limited to small shrubs such as saltbush and capparis. Thorn trees (acacia) can be found in the main streams, where water flows during rains. In the small ravines where garbage drains from the town and quarries, invasive species such as the tree tobacco have taken root.

The visitor center has exhibitions with detailed explanations of the geology and flora of the area, while the nearby Bio Ramon holds some individuals of the local wildlife species.

By car
Highway 40 passes through Mitzpe Ramon on its way from Be'er Sheva (about 1.5 hours away) to Eilat (2 hr). The road goes down from the southern edge of town into the crater itself.

The western part of the crater, including Mount Ramon and the Lotz cisterns, can be reached by route 171 that splits off west from highway 40 on HaRukhot junction, about 5 km north of Mitzpe Ramon.

By bus

 * Operated by Metropoline Transportation (website only in Hebrew):
 * The most common way to reach Mitzpe Ramon: lines 60, 64, 65 depart from Be'er Sheva every 20-40 min 06:30-21:00 on weekdays, as well as Friday until about 16:00 and on Saturday evenings. These lines have several stops in the town. Line 65 is an express bus that does not stop at towns and facilities on the way.
 * Line 55 from Dimona and Yerucham.
 * Line 340 from Eilat via Ramon Int'l Airport.
 * Line 660 from Tel Aviv via Yerucham. Runs once a day each direction.
 * Operated by Egg'ed:
 * Line 395 going between Tel Aviv and Eilat, departs only a few times a week. It travels through the crater, but there are no bus stops in there.
 * Lines 392, 382 going between Be'er Sheva and the Eilat area, departs only a few times a day. It also travels through the crater.

By foot, bicycle or Jeep
See map below.

'''All the following trails go through army firing zones. Entry is allowed only on Saturdays or when coordinated in advance''' except for all parts of the Israel National Trail (INT), which is accessible at all times.
 * The INT goes through Mitzpe Ramon and the crater. Details can be found below.
 * Hiking between Mitzpe Ramon and Sde Boker should take 2–3 days. The INT is one way to do it. The Khava Stream is a highly recommended addition to the trip.
 * Hiking from the Arava (eastern Negev), the crater can be reached in 2–3 days through the Nekarot stream or the INT. Best to acquire a travel map. Standard maps by the Survey of Israel can be bought on-line but are available only in Hebrew; number 17 is the one you want, as it includes all of the area between the central Arava and the eastern part of the crater.
 * From the Arava by Jeep or bicycle, the crater can be reached through the Nekarot stream (red-marked dirt road starting at highway 90 just in front of Ein Yahav) or the Incense Route (black dirt road  departing from highway 90 about 2 km south of Tzofar). Each of them is about 70 km long (between highways 90 and 40).

Get around
The town is best covered by foot, car or bike. The long distance buses that come through make a small circuit round the town, so it's also possible to use them. Taxis are virtually non existent. However, crossing the entire town by foot takes no more than 30 minutes.

Within the crater, your choices are: slowly and painstakingly on foot, bone-jarringly by 4×4, or, oddly enough, by llama hired out from the Alpaca Farm. Consult the Do section below and the Guided Tours subsection.

See

 * Additional viewpoints outside of Mitzpe Ramon are described in section Lookout points.
 * Additional viewpoints outside of Mitzpe Ramon are described in section Lookout points.
 * Additional viewpoints outside of Mitzpe Ramon are described in section Lookout points.
 * Additional viewpoints outside of Mitzpe Ramon are described in section Lookout points.
 * Additional viewpoints outside of Mitzpe Ramon are described in section Lookout points.
 * Additional viewpoints outside of Mitzpe Ramon are described in section Lookout points.
 * Additional viewpoints outside of Mitzpe Ramon are described in section Lookout points.
 * Additional viewpoints outside of Mitzpe Ramon are described in section Lookout points.



Do



 * Treks, bicycle trips and jeep tours of various lengths can be arranged in and around the crater. There are many strange rock formations in odd colors to be seen, as well as desert animals including the nearly tame ibexes who congregate around tourists, looking for handouts. Note that feeding them is prohibited as it threatens the already-endangered species.
 * Star gazing and meteor showers – The Mitzpe Ramon vicinity is considered one of the best areas in Israel for watching the night sky, and is even a candidate for nomination as an UNESCO Starlight Reserve. A great place to watch meteor showers, while local tourist businesses conduct special astronomy activities.

Special events

 * April – the Passover Holiday: Tourism businesses in Mitzpe Ramon are well prepared for the peak Israeli tourist season and will offer all sorts of guided tours, festivals, performances and the like. Best to check with the Jazz Club as well as Hangar Adama for festivals and culture events, and at the Field School for guided hikes into the crater. Also consult the various tour guide businesses. Additionally, this is one of the few times in the year that entry is permitted to the wilderness areas of Mount Ariff and Mount Karkom, just south of the crater, for the benefit of hikers and travelers.
 * June – the Israeli Acrobalance Convention at Hangar Adama, taking place on the Jewish holiday of Shavuoth.
 * August and December – Meteor Showers: Mitzpe Ramon, being in one of the least light-polluted areas in Israel, accommodates hundreds or sometimes thousands of visitors at the peaks of the Perseid and Leonid meteor showers. The Field School, operated by the Israeli Society for Nature, always offers astronomy related activities at these times.
 * October and December – the Sukkot and Hanukkah Holidays: Being popular vacation times for the Israelis, during the holidays the tourism businesses of the city will also offer various activities.

In the wild


The Ramon Crater is an amazing place to go hiking. It offers many one-day hikes and some multiple-day hikes. Other forms of wilderness travelling are also common, such as Jeep rides and bicycle trips.

Before starting a hike, you should go to the visitor center in Mitzpe Ramon and inform a ranger about your hike and route. Do review the regulations and recommendations regarding hiking and backpacking in Israel, and keep in mind the crater and most surrounding area are a nature reserve, and therefore you must use only marked trails and permitted campgrounds (most of which are free-of-charge). Consult the nearby Field School for travel information.

Lookout points
Lookout points at the town itself and the nearby Mount Gamal were mentioned above. Other recommended viewpoints on the surrounding cliffs are:



Trails
Also see above – Get In by foot, bicycle or Jeep.



Furthermore, check out the nearby trails listed under Negev.

Note, being in a nature reserve like the Ramon Crater after dark (except for marked campground) can cost you a fine of ₪700.

Buy

 * In the Spice Routes Quarter you'll find all sorts of local-made souvenirs and other items. Roadsigns will lead you there from the town's entrance.

Eat and drink

 * There is a small café-restaurant near the Visitor Center.
 * HadaSaar Natural Living (vegetarian restaurant) – See above
 * HadaSaar Natural Living (vegetarian restaurant) – See above

Camping
Camping is prohibited inside the crater except at permitted campsites. These are the rules for all nature reserves in Israel (and indeed, most parts of the Negev are a reserve). Following is a list of all permitted campsites. None, except Khan Be'erot, have running water or any facilities at all; but they are free of charge.



Shared tents and farms



 * Khan Be'erot Paid Campsite (see above) also has shared tents with mattresses.
 * The Alpaca Farm mentioned above.
 * The Alpaca Farm mentioned above.
 * The Alpaca Farm mentioned above.
 * The Alpaca Farm mentioned above.

Connect
The phone area code for Mitzpe Ramon (and the entire Negev) is 08. This means that, when dialing from a local phone to any number starting with +972 8, it's enough to dial the following 7 digits, omitting the country code 972 and area code 8. When dialing from elsewhere in Israel to Mitzpe Ramon, omit the country code 972 and dial 08 instead of just the last 7 digits. When dialing to numbers in any other area code, just replace the "+972" with "0"; for example, to call +972 50 1234567 (a cell phone number) from inside Israel, call 050 1234567. Of course, if you're using a mobile phone you can just dial the number exactly as it appears within our guides and complete with the "+972".

Connecting in Mitzpe Ramon shouldn't be much of a problem as it is a modern town with all the necessary communications infrastructure. There's cellular reception everywhere, and phone lines and internet connection are available. In some restaurants and hotels there'll be free or paid Wi-Fi or computers for surfing.

In surrounding farms which offer accommodation, there may not be telephone lines but only cellular reception.

Inside the crater and surrounding wilderness area, reception could be hard to come by. As a rule of thumb, most places which are in sight range of Mitzpe Ramon will have reception (though this is not always the case), and those there aren't – won't. Naturally, there won't be any internet access points in these areas, besides cellular data connection (which may be unstable).

Stay safe
Although the Israeli wilderness isn't particularly out to kill you, there are several safety guidelines which should be adhered to inside the crater:
 * Read the guideline summary regarding dangers and legal issues while hiking in Israel.
 * It's highly recommended to consult with Har HaNegev Field School to obtain up-to-date information regarding the crater and hiking trails.
 * There aren't any water sources inside the crater except the Be'erot campsite, so make sure to take enough drinking water with you. For a full day in the desert, carry 5 litres, and even more on hot days.
 * All areas surrounding the crater are military firing zones. If you intend to hike north of the crater, do it either on Saturdays or after coordination. If you intend to go south of it, you'll have to do it only on the Jewish holidays of Succoth (taking place at September or October) and Passover (April), after consulting the Field School. Note that the Israel National Trail is always open for hiking.
 * It's highly recommended to use sunscreen and put on a hat. See sunburn and sun protection. Travelers from more northern countries may not be aware of the dangers of prolonged exposure to the sun. For fair-skinned people, sunburns can begin after quite short exposure and hurt for several days. Exposure also increases the chance for getting skin diseases, including cancer. A hat alone is not enough to prevent these. Sunscreen lotions can be bought in pharmacies, and during the summer in all supermarkets. Choose one with an SPF (Skin Protection Factor) of at least 30.



Go next
Some destinations midway between Mitzpe Ramon and Be'er Sheva include:
 * Sde Boker – Ben Gurion's tomb and Negev residence, as well as the nearby World Heritage Site Avdat and the beautiful Ein Avdat canyon/lake reserve
 * The Lost City at Mitspor Eli – Near Mash'abei Sade, an early Muslim archaeological site

Further popular destinations apart include:


 * Dead Sea – One of the most famous things to see/do in Israel and Jordan. Check out Ein Gedi, a nature reserve and oasis along the Dead Sea.
 * Arad – Better alternative than Be'er Sheva, and a great starting point for trips to the Dead Sea, Masada and the Judaean Desert.
 * Eilat – Holiday town in the far south with border crossings to Jordan and Egypt.