Negev

The Negev is a large desert that covers the entire southern half of Israel.

Cities
In addition, cities like Ashdod and Ashkelon are considered by most Israelis to be part of the Negev, but they are included in the Israeli Coastal Plain region on Wikivoyage.

Other destinations

 * – a large Kibbutz north of Mitzpe Ramon on Route 40, starting point for many surrounding trips to places like Avdat and Ein Avdat (see below). Includes the "Field School of the Negev" hostel and a tourist information center, which advises on trails and tours in the area
 * – small town located near the Large Crater

Understand
The least populated area in Israel, the Negev is a home to (among others) the nomadic desert people known as the Bedouin. It offers some truly breathtaking scenery and is home to some fascinating sites and places.

The Negev is the southern region of Israel, covering 55 % of the state's territory and inhabited by some 379,000 Jews and 175,000 Bedouins (nomadic desert Arabs). Contrary to the usual view of a "desert", most of the Negev is not covered with sand. Rather, it is a melange of brown, rocky, dusty mountains interrupted by wadis  (dry riverbeds that bloom briefly after rain) and deep craters. The area was once the floor of a primordial sea, and a sprinkling of marine snail shells still can be found here. Aside from the natural wonders, the Negev plays host to a great number of ancient sites, displaying the rich history of this crossroads of trade between Asia, Africa, and Europe.

By plane

 * Eilat airport closed in March 2019, and all its flights were transferred to Ramon.


 * Ovda Airport closed in April 2019 and all its commercial flights transferred to Ramon; Ovda remains in use as a military airfield.



By train
Israel Railways connects Tel Aviv, Haifa and Ben Gurion airport to Be'er Sheva, with an extension to Dimona, but no further. A longer train line from Tel Aviv to Eilat is in the planning stages.

By bus
Be'er Sheva is served by bus from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Buses to Eilat travel from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa. Towns and villages throughout the Negev are connected by bus to Be'er Sheva, but service could be infrequent.

If you're flying into Ben Gurion Airport and want to head straight to Eilat, you would better get on a short train ride to Tel Aviv Hagana station and board a bus to Eilat from nearby Tel Aviv central bus station. Advance reservation is available on buses to and from Eilat, and there are also night buses.

There are no laws concerning the number of people allowed on buses, so drivers will often pack the bus as full as possible, and you may end up with a young soldier sitting on the floor next to you, with his large semi-automatic poking you in the leg. It is recommended that you call and book your seat in advance in order to avoid standing for your whole ride. Booking on Egged is also available by internet.

You better avoid the busiest travel times, in particular Sunday mornings and Thursday afternoons (when soldiers travel to and from weekend vacation).

By car
Three main highways cross the Negev from north to south:


 * The eastern Jordan Valley route (Route <90>), from Jerusalem past the Dead Sea to Eilat.
 * The central route (Route <40>), through Be'er Sheva and Mitzpe Ramon, merging with the eastern route near Yotvata.
 * The western route (Route <10>), running along the Egyptian border from Gaza Strip to Eilat, built primarily for military purposes and not accessible for private vehicles.

The two-lane highways are generally in good shape. The distance across the Negev from Tel Aviv to Eilat is around 360 km, covered by Egged express bus in 5 hours.

By bicycle
Riding down from the Dead Sea to Eilat (Route <90>) is a pleasant (though uphill) desert experience for most of the way.

Israel has been renovating this route from Arava junction (where 25 meets 90 at the southern terminus of the Dead Sea) since 2007 (a 170-km stretch). The stated goal is to widen the road to 4-lanes and to install rest stops every 45 km. As of 2019, they've only completed 40 km of this from Eilat to Yotvata. This 40-km "improved" stretch is actually far worse than the area north of it. The widened road has zero shoulder, with a curb at the edge of the lane providing no escape route. The safest approach to this 4-lane road is to take the right lane. Most vehicles will use the passing lane to pass you, but some congestion (or cars trying to pass cars while they're trying to pass you) may make for dangerous riding.

The longest stretch on this route is ~70 km without water. And many of the gas stations on this route (your only source of water) have signs up telling you not to drink their tap water. It was unclear why they don't want you to drink their water, but it was clear that at least some of the gas stations were filtering it and mixing it into their products for customers (e.g. slushies).

By thumb
Hitchhiking in the Negev is relatively safe. North of Mitzpe Ramon, and particularly around Be'er Sheva, there is a large Bedouin population. Think twice before riding in a Bedouin car, due to their generally extremely unsafe driving culture and possible questions about their car's legal status. It could be a unique experience though.


 * From Be'er Sheva – A good spot for hitchhiking in Be'er Sheva would be the junction in the very south end of Derech Eilat (hwy 406).
 * From Mitzpe Ramon – Exit of Mitzpe Ramon is a popular and fast spot towards Eilat.
 * Highway 90 – If need to hitchhike your way on the fast 90 highway (Arava Highway) it would be smart enter to one of the small villages or Kibbutz and try to hitchhike from the village's gate. Cars usually drive very fast on the 90 highway and don't notice hitchhikers.

See
Besides the sites in and around the above mentioned cities, the following are worth mentioning:

Ancient historical sites




Natural sites




Other sites

 * Camel herds, owned by the local Bedouins, can be spotted along the main road before and after the.
 * Camel herds, owned by the local Bedouins, can be spotted along the main road before and after the.
 * Camel herds, owned by the local Bedouins, can be spotted along the main road before and after the.

Hiking
The Negev is full of hiking trails open for the public. Very good and detailed hiking trails maps (in Hebrew) are available in every hiking store in the big cities and in some gas stations (₪90-110). Some areas are defined as national parks and there is an entrance fee of ₪20-35, these areas have all the information needed including maps and guides. Going for an independent hike is free, safe, and sometimes the view is more impressive than in the national parks.







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

The society for the protection of the nature (SPNI) runs cheap hostels, information centers and nature schools around the country and in a few place around the Negev Desert. You can call them during office hours to get information about trails, military areas, weather and recommendation about hiking activities. Usually the staff is nice, patient and helpful.

Eat and drink
Most of the bigger cities and villages have various drink and eat options.



Campgrounds
The Negev features many free campgrounds, particularly along major hiking routes. Consult a map like OpenStreetMap (which is used by mobile apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz) to find them. Many campgrounds are also listed under Mitzpe Ramon.



Managed sites
See Sde Boker, Mitzpe Ramon, Eilat and Arad for various other accommodation options.

Most of the kibbutzim on Highway 90 have guest houses and offer charming rooms, and meals in their common dining rooms.

Stay safe
Nearly all of the Negev is an arid desert which sees rainfall only a few times a year. While winters can be pleasant, with temperatures hovering around 20°C, summers can be fierce with temperatures commonly over 40°C, but in the afternoon and at night there is a comfortable temperature drop. The climate in the Negev is dry, with hardly any humidity. Bring a large amount of water and register your plans at the nearest police station before going offroad for your own safety, as flash floods are likely to happen if rain does fall, and some parts of the Negev serve as the IDF's main training area.

In northern parts of the Negev, car theft is a major problem.

When hiking in the Negev, dehydration can be a major concern, even in winter. Bring at least 1 liter of water per person per hour of hiking, and drink even if you don't feel thirsty. Wear sunscreen - the sun is very bright, and even if you wear a hat it may reflect off the light-colored rocks and onto your face. Furthermore, the following rules should be followed:
 * Military zones Some areas (marked in red on the map) are used as military areas and closed to the public most of the time. However, these areas are sometimes open for hikers during Saturdays and national holidays.
 * Winter floods When hiking during the winter (October–April), it is mandatory to check the weather before going on a trail. The winter floods phenomenon during the winter in the Negev and Juda Desert is extremely beautiful but deadly at the same time. It is recommended to call every day to the closet SPNI office and ask for the current floods chances.
 * Water and sun - The most common death reason among hikers in the desert is dehydration. Make sure you have at least 3-4.5 liters of water per person per day. It is not likely to find drinkable water during the trail. If travelling in the summer, try to avoid walking too much in the sun without a rest in the shade (and shade is rare in the desert). It is recommended to have at least 10 minutes shadow-rest every one hour. During the winter, the sun is not that dangerous and the temperatures are more comfortable. Many of the sparse gas stations in the desert (particularly along route 90 south of the Dead Sea) have signs up stating not to drink their water. It is unclear why the water is unsafe to drink, but they were filtering it and serving it in products for customers (ie: slushies). Therefore, the water is probably not contaminated with heavy metals.
 * Camping and sleeping Generally it is allowed to camp anywhere in Israel. If you are hiking in a nature reserve (marked in green in the map) it is allowed to light fire and camp only in certain campsites. Lighting a fire or camping in a restricted area could lead to an expensive fine.

Go next

 * Dead Sea – the highly saline lake and immediate surroundings forming the lowest point on Earth, and it is very famous with tourists coming to Israel or Jordan
 * Judaean Desert – great for hiking, for a small part in Israel and most of it being a part of the West Bank, somewhat overlapping the Dead Sea region
 * West Bank – most parts of the Judaean Desert lie within the West Bank, most of which, in turn, is part of the Palestinian territories including destinations like Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho and Nablus
 * Jordan – in the south near Eilat the border crossing to Aqaba in Jordan can be found