8 Days Israel Desert Tour
Great as an Adventure tour, desert tour, Incentive, Bar Mitzvah tour

 

Day 1:

Pick up from the Ben Gurion International Airport and transfer to your hotel in Jerusalem, where your guide will brief you on the tour. O/N in Jerusalem.

 

Day 2:

We start driving off-road into theJudaean Desert, climbing with our jeep on Mt. Muntar, famous for its view over Jerusalem & the Judaean Desert. Scolars say that this is the "Azazel", where during the time of the temple in Jerusalem the scapegoat was sent into the desert… If conditions allow it, we might take a look at the ancient monastery of Mar Sava, hanging on a cliff over the deep Canyon of the Kidron Valley. Women are not allowed into the monastery. We continue through the wilderness, to the He'etekim Cliff, overlooking the turquis-blue water of the Dead Sea. O/N at the Ein Gedi Youth Hostel/Field School.

 

Day 3:

Early in the morning we start climbing the cliff-fortress Massada, on the famous "Snake Path". Massada was a magnificent palace built by King Herod the Great on a cliff in the middle of the desert. The fierce fighting of the Jewish rebels against the mighty Roman Empire made Massada a symbol of heroism for the modern State of Israel and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After a thorough walk through the well-preserved ruins of Massada, we descend the mountain on the ancient Roman Ramp, and board our jeep to drive across the Judean Desert , and down the steep & adventurous Yair Ascend to Ein Bokek by the Dead Sea, where we will spend the night.

 

Day 4:

Our day starts with one of Israel's most interesting jeep-tours: We drive through the bizzare, white marl-formations of Sodom (yeeeeaah…!! THAT Sodom!) then climb Mt. Sodom for a view, and explanation how the very special geology of this area reflects in the landscape and in the biblical story of Sodom & Gomorra. We continue in this bizzare landscape and start climbing the cliffs along one of the worlds longest conveyors, bringing potassium from the Dead Sea Works and to the Tzefa-railway. We turn south and leave the jeep for a short hike into the white marble-like Peres Waterholes. Usually they are dry, but if you are lucky to get there after a rainy winter, you might even see water there! We cross the highway, and drive into the Small Machtesh. The phenomena of the Machtesh ("Crater" in Hebrew) is unique to Israel and the Negev Desert. O/N in a tent in the "Antilope Farm".

 

Day 5:

We do not miss the opportunity to take a look at the rare animals kept in "Noah's Arc" at the Antilope Farm. We drive a short distance on the Arava Road, and leave the paved road by Moa. From here we start an off-road drive along the ancient "Incense Road", on the same ancient route of the Nabathean Caravans carrying the expensive Myrrh & Frankincense from the Orient to Rome. We start at the Oasis Moyet Awad, with it's well-protected caravanserai, continuing on the caravan's trail to the Fortress of Kazra, overlooking the Arava valley. We stop near the hidden Nekarot Cistern, and enter the Ramon Crater through the Canyon of Nachal Nekarot. According to the time left, we will visit some of the extraordinary geological & archaeological sites of the "Crater". Overnight in Mitzpe Ramon.

  

Day 6:

Drive down into the Ramon Crater, and, if necessary, visit some more of its special sites. Then we cross the crater from east to west, drive up the Arod Ascent to take a look at the "Crater" from its western tip, and drive on to the "Lotz Cisterns". Here we will hike through a combination of the special flora of the High Negev Mountains with the archaeological findings of the Israelite agricultural village that flourished in this desert almost 3000 years ago! O/N in Mitzpe Ramon.

 

Day 7:

We drive north to Ben Gurion's Tomb, situated in a specially constructed desert-garden, overlooking the Zin Valley. This humble tomb reflects the life of David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel. Then we go off-road to the wide (and white…) Zin Valley. We drive into the oasis Ein Akev, where we do a short hike through its rich vegetation, and into a natural spring where there is even a possibility to swim! We drive back to Sde Boker on the Zin Ascent, and continue on the road, past Beer Sheva, to Jerusalem. Overnight Jerusalem.

 

Day 8:

Free time in Jerusalem and then transfer to the Ben Gurion Airport for your flight back home.

For more details, please contact us at +972-8-6347022 or by mail kfir@ahalan.co.il