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.
160 km and about 2,400 m of climbing in a loop from Hatzeva in the Arava. You climb Ma'ale Akrabim, pass the Colored Sands and Nahal Hatira, reach Midreshet Ben-Gurion and return via Nahal Zin and Nahal Marzeva to the Arava. Colourful, open desert, with very little water or services.
Loop · Hatzeva2 daysOct–MayHard
160km
2,400m climbing
158km, longest stretch without fuel
2fuel stations within 300 m
4water taps along the way
11night campsites near the route
The only fuel is at Hatzeva, at the start, and the only food on the way is at Midreshet Ben-Gurion, at km 86.5. The first 73 km have no water on the route (only at the Ein Yorke'am campsite, 610 m off it at km 37), and between Hod Akev (km 92.5) and the finish there are 67 km without water.
Firing zones on the way
The route crosses 5 firing zones, about 22 km of 160. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.
Firing zone מתכיםkm 25–26, 29–31, 33–34Southern Command coordination center08-9902926
Firing zone 504km 55–64Southern Command coordination center08-9902926
Firing zone 510km 64–73Southern Command coordination center08-9902926
Firing zone 514km 107–108Southern Command coordination center08-9902926
Firing zone 317km 137–140, 149–153Southern Command coordination center08-9902926
Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date.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 0–24
Up Ma'ale Akrabim
You leave Ein Hatseva, about 140 m below sea level, by Ir Ovot, biblical Tamar. After the Lower Nahal Zin campsite and Khan Tzafir the route's big climb begins: Ma'ale Akrabim gains about 400 m in seven kilometres, and by the end of the section you are 450 m above sea level.
Along the way
km 1.3Ir Ovot, biblical Tamar, 480 m off the route
km 4Makhteshim–Ein Yahav nature reserve
km 15.3Lower Nahal Zin night campsite
km 17.4Khan Tzafir and Rogem Zafir
km 21.3Ma'ale Akrabim lookout
Resupply · km 0 Paz fuel station at Hatzeva, and another at km 2. The only fuel on the route
02km 24–40
Mishor Yemin and the Colored Sands
Up on the plateau, between 300 and 470 m, you cross Mishor Yemin, with a night campsite open to the wind. From there you drop into Nahal Hatira, near Ein Yorke'am, and reach the Colored Sands at the eastern entrance of the Makhtesh HaGadol.
Along the way
km 31.9Mishor Yemin night campsite, no shade
km 37Nahal Hatira
km 37.2Ein Yorke'am night campsite, with water, 610 m off the route
km 38.7Colored Sands night campsite
03km 40–66
Up Nahal Hatira
Up Nahal Hatira, past the quartz arenite rocks once mistaken for petrified tree trunks. The route climbs to its highest point, almost 700 m, near Har Hatira, and at the end of the section you pass Horvat Haro'e, a fort from the 10th century BCE.
Along the way
km 43.3Quartz arenite rocks
km 47.6Nahal Matmor
km 57.6Har Hatira, 580 m off the route
km 63.3Horvat Haro'e, 250 m off the route
04km 66–87
Nahal Boker and Sde Boker
Along Nahal Boker, past the desert farms, then Nahal HaBsor and the Tzinim cliff. At the end of the section you reach Midreshet Ben-Gurion, near Ben-Gurion's Tomb, with the only shop and food on the whole route.
Along the way
km 68Nahal Boker
km 73.1Water by the Nahal Boker farm
km 75.9Nahal HaBsor
km 83.3Bor Havarim night campsite
km 86.4Ben-Gurion's Tomb, 260 m off the route
Resupply · km 86.5 Super Zion, a falafel stand and HaKnania at Midreshet Ben-Gurion. The only food until the finish
05km 87–110
Metzad Zin and Nahal Zin
From Midreshet Ben-Gurion you descend past Metzad Zin, a Byzantine fort that guarded the ancient road, to the Hod Akev campsite, with water and toilets. From there you carry on down along Nahal Zin, to about 160 m, past "Jacob's Ladder" and the Nahal Hava campsite.
Along the way
km 89.2Metzad Zin
km 92.5Hod Akev night campsite, water and toilets
km 102.3Nahal Zin
km 104.3"Jacob's Ladder", a road station
km 108.6Nahal Hava bridges night campsite
Resupply · km 92.5 Water at the Hod Akev campsite. The last water until the finish
06km 110–135
Nahal Marzeva
One more climb, to about 500 m near Nahal Sharaf, then a long descent along Nahal Marzeva. The Nahal Marzeva campsite sits halfway down, and by the end of the section you are almost at sea level.
Along the way
km 115.3Nahal Hagor
km 118.6Nahal Marzeva
km 128.5Nahal Marzeva night campsite, 210 m off the route
km 130.5Nahal Enmar
07km 135–160
Back to the Arava
Via Nahal Nekarot, Nahal Sheizaf and Nahal Dohan you drop into the Arava. At Ein Shahaq only burnt palm stumps remain after a fire, and from there you ride on to Hatzeva, again about 140 m below sea level.
Along the way
km 135.4Nahal Nekarot
km 143Nahal Sheizaf
km 149.3Ein Shahaq and the Ein Shahaq lookout
km 156.8Hatzeva field school, 340 m off the route
Resupply · km 160 Aroma at Hatzeva, at the end of the route
Where to sleep
Over two days, the Hod Akev campsite (km 92.5), with water and toilets, 6 km after the shop at Midreshet Ben-Gurion. Over three days, the Colored Sands (km 39) and the Nahal Hava bridges (km 108.6).
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 15.3Free
חניון לילה נחל צין תחתון60 m off the route
km 17.5Free
חניון לילה נחל עקרבים960 m off the route
km 24.3Free
חניון לילה מצפה מכתש770 m off the route
km 31.9Free
חניון לילה מישור ימין40 m off the route
km 37.2With water
חניון לילה עין יורקעם610 m off the route
km 38.7Free
חניון לילה חולות צבעוניים100 m off the route
km 83.3Halfway
חניון לילה בור חוורים140 m off the route · Free
km 86.2Halfway
חניון לילה סרפנטינות740 m off the route · Water and toilets
km 92.5Halfway
חניון לילה חוד עקב10 m off the route · Water and toilets
km 108.6Free
חניון לילה גשרוני נחל חווה50 m off the route
km 128.5Free
חניון לילה נחל מרזבה210 m off the route
Where to refuel
Fuel stations, groceries and food within 300 m of the route. 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
Paz
km 2
Fuel station
km 86.5
Grocery2 cafés and restaurants
km 160
A café or restaurant
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
Photos from the route
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.
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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.
