Recent rain? Check the mud forecast before you go. Download the route’s GPX and upload it to ‘HaSingletor’ – you’ll get the chance of mud from the nearest rain station and the soil type.
A tough loop from Arad into the Judean Desert and the cliffs above the Dead Sea, and back. Few kilometres, lots of climbing. Part of the route crosses the Green Line: check the security situation before you go.
111 km and almost 2,500 m of climbing on a loop that starts and ends in Arad. You ride north into the Judean Desert, past old Jordanian police posts, drop to Nahal Hever and Nahal Arugot and return via Har Holed and the Tzfira pool. Few kilometres, a lot of climbing, and very few services on the way.
Loop · Arad2 daysNov–AprHard
111km
2,497m climbing
109.3km, longest stretch without fuel
3fuel stations within 200 m (300 m in the desert)
3water taps along the way
2night campsites near the route
There is no water point between Arad and Kfar Hanokdim, km 99, and the only shops on the way are in Khashem al Daraj, km 33. Between km 33 and km 99 there are no services at all: carry water for the whole stretch. Part of the route crosses the Green Line, so check the security situation before you go.
Firing zones on the way
The route crosses 4 firing zones, about 77 km of 111. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.
Firing zone 522km 7–25, 75–96Southern Command coordination center08-9902926
Firing zone 917km 30–46, 66–76, 80–81Central Command coordination center02-5305042
Firing zone 916 אkm 45–49, 62–67Central Command coordination center02-5305042
Firing zone 916km 48–51, 55–62Central Command coordination center02-5305042
Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date. Some sections are a road that crosses the zone. Either way, check and coordinate before you go.All coordination centers →
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The route at a glance
Fuel stationGrocery or supermarketWater tapNight campsite
01km 0–25
Leaving Arad
From Arad, at about 590 m, you head out past Eagles Park and the Desertivision Museum to Nahal Tze'elim. The track drops to about 370 m, passes Har Leta'ot and Nahal Adasha and climbs back up to Har Hetzron, with ancient ruins on top.
Along the way
km 1.3Eagles Park
km 2Desertivision Museum
km 10.3Har Leta'ot, 400 m off the route
km 15.6Nahal Adasha
km 24.8Har Hetzron and ancient ruins
Resupply · km 0.2 Arad: Lee Lo La 24/7, Dor Alon and Paz, and water. The next shop is at km 33
02km 25–45
To the old border line
You pass Dkaika and reach Khashem al Daraj, with a grocery and small restaurants right by the route. Then on to Umm Daraj, an old Jordanian police station that has been renovated and is inhabited today, with the Ma'oz Morel lookout beside it, and down to the Madrag pool.
Along the way
km 26.2Dkaika
km 37.8Umm Daraj and the Ma'oz Morel lookout
km 42.7The Madrag pool
Resupply · km 33 Khashem al Daraj: a grocery and restaurants. After that no shop until km 99
03km 45–70
Nahal Hever and Nahal Arugot
The deepest part of the route. You cross Nahal Hever and descend along Nahal Arugot, past Hanan and Farhan's cave and Rujum a-Naka, an abandoned Jordanian police building, to the route's lowest point, about 170 m. From there the climb back begins.
Along the way
km 45.3Nahal Hever
km 50.9Nahal Arugot
km 55.7Hanan and Farhan's cave
km 57.8Rujum a-Naka, an abandoned Jordanian police post
04km 70–95
Har Holed and Har Harduf
You keep climbing to Har Holed and the Metzok HaTzinim night campsite. From there you ride across the plateau, via Nahal Mishmar and Har Harduf, to Metzad Tzfira and the Tze'elim waterfall lookout.
Along the way
km 74.5Har Holed
km 75.7Metzok HaTzinim night campsite, 290 m off the route
km 83.3Har Harduf
km 93.7Metzad Tzfira
km 94.4Tze'elim waterfall lookout, 430 m off the route
05km 95–111
Tzfira pool and the climb to Arad
The Tzfira pool campsite, then Kfar Hanokdim, with a grocery and water, the first since km 33. From there you climb about 330 m, past Zman Midbar, to the route's highest point, about 630 m, and back into Arad.
Along the way
km 95.9Tzfira pool night campsite, no water
km 99.1Water at Kfar Hanokdim
km 105.4Zman Midbar
km 110.9Arad Museum, 290 m off the route
Resupply · km 99.1 Kfar Hanokdim: a grocery and water. Super Arad and Lee Lo La 24/7 at km 110
Where to sleep
To split it over two days, the Metzok HaTzinim night campsite at km 75.7 or the Tzfira pool at km 95.9. Neither has water.
Straight-line distanceDistances from the route are straight-line distances, not riding distances. Before you set out, check on a map that a trail or road actually reaches the place.
km 75.7Free
חניון לילה מצוק הצינים290 m off the route
km 95.9Free
חניון לילה ברכת צפירה30 m off the route
Where to refuel
Fuel stations, groceries and food within 200 m of the route (300 m in the desert). Fuel stations usually have water, toilets and a convenience store.
Straight-line distanceDistances from the route are straight-line distances, not riding distances. Before you set out, check on a map that a trail or road actually reaches the place.
km 0.2–0.324/7
Dor Alon, Lee Lo LaA café or restaurant
km 1.5–1.9
Paz, Dor Alon, Yeynot Bittan +12 cafés and restaurants
km 32.8–33
super market6 cafés and restaurants
km 99.1
GroceryA café or restaurant
km 109.5–110.424/7
Super Arad, Lee Lo La2 cafés and restaurants
km 110.7–111
Grocery ×24 cafés and restaurants
Distances along the route are calculated from the GPX file; the distance of each place from the route is a straight-line distance. Night campsites come from the site's campsite map, other places from OpenStreetMap. Not checked on the ground: confirm before you go.
Firing zones: OpenStreetMap, IDF data import
Distance, climbing and recommended months come from the routes table. Highest and lowest points are calculated from the GPX file, and difficulty is an estimate based on climbing per kilometre.
An Israeli maker of sealant, lubes and repair kits. They built a full bikepacking repair kit with us: everything you need so a flat never ends your ride.
Rents out satellite trackers and communicators. In the desert and in areas with no signal, your family can follow your location, and in an emergency you can call for help.
An Israeli company making quality glasses at fair prices. Protection from sun, dust and wind over long days on the trail, and 20% off for the community.
