Mitzpe Ramon

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

Getting there

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 The most common way to reach Mitzpe Ramon: lines 64, 65 depart from Beer Sheva Central Bus Station every 30-minuties, from 6 A.M to midnight (except Friday, when the service stops at 4 P.M). Line 55 from Dimona and Yerucham.Runs 5 times in a day to each direction. Line 660 from Tel Aviv via Yerucham. Runs once a day each direction. Line 392 goes from Beer Sheva to Eilat via Mitzpe Ramon 5 times a day each direction.

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).

Getting 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

1 Alpaca Farm (Road-signed from the town center), ☏ +972 8 6588047, +972 52 8977010 (mobile), fax: +972 8 6586067, [email protected]. The largest of its kind outside of South America, the farm houses llamas and alpacas the visitors can pet and even ride. The farm also offers bed & breakfast rooms, contains a souvenir shop selling alpaca-related products, and conducts paid tours riding alpaca. Entry and guided tour of the farm: ₪25 for ages 3 and above, ₪20 for students, senior citizen and disabled people (certificate required). 2 Ilan Ramon Visitor Center (On route 40 at the southern edge of town, clearly signed), ☏ +972 8 6588691. 08:00-16:00, during DST 08:00-17:00 on all weekdays, closes 1 hour earlier on Fridays. Renovated in memory of the first Israeli astronaut, whose surname happened to be Ramon, visitors to the center walk through several exhibition rooms. The first ones are dedicated to the memory of Illan Ramon and the crew of space shuttle Columbia, as well as to Ramon's son, Asaf, who died as a military pilot in a training accident. The following rooms are dedicated to the crater – its geology, wildlife and history – and contains an impressive 3D exhibition, showing very clearly the process by which the crater formed. ₪29 for adults, ₪15 for children and senior, ₪23 for students; discounts for large groups. Ticket includes Bio Ramon (see below). 3 Bio Ramon (Facing the Visitor Center), ☏ +972 8 6588755. 08:00-16:00, during DST 08:00-17:00 on all weekdays, closes 1 hour earlier on Fridays. A museum showcasing the wildlife of the desert and the crater. The rich collection of desert plants and animals displayed is divided into two parts: an indoor interpretation center and an outdoor area reconstructing the Negev desert landscape, with desert loess, hamada, sand, cliffs, riverbeds and even a small spring. Entry included in the Visitor Center ticket. 4 Ramon Crater. Mitzpe Ramon's biggest sight, Machtesh Ramon is 500 m deep, 40 km long and 10 km at its

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 nominat