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 loop around the Hatira ridge and the craters, between white streambeds and the Negev Highlands plains. Part of it is shared with Deserts Diamonds, on a different, shorter loop.
95 km and almost 1,100 m of climbing in a loop through Ramat HaNegev, from Nahal Zarhan and back to it. You climb past Ein Akev and Nahal Havarim to Midreshet Ben-Gurion, carry on to the high point at almost 700 m, and drop down Nahal Hatira to the Colored Sands and Ein Yorke'am. White wadis, open plains and almost no services.
Loop · Negev Highlands2 daysNov–AprModerate
95km
1,066m climbing
0fuel stations within 300 m
5water taps along the way
9night campsites near the route
There is no fuel station on the whole route, and the only food is at Midreshet Ben-Gurion, at km 37. Water is only at km 13, km 37–38 and km 75, so between km 38 and 75 you carry all your water.
Firing zones on the way
The route crosses one firing zone, about 7 km of 95. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.
Firing zone 504km 48–56Southern 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Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date.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 →
This story works without signal
Install the site as an app and save the route for the field. The map, elevation profile, fuel stations, water taps and campsites stay on your phone and open without internet.
Free, no sign-up.
The route at a glance
Fuel stationGrocery or supermarketWater tapNight campsite
01km 0–22
To Ein Akev
You leave Nahal Zarhan at around 200 m and climb gradually west. The Hod Akev campsite, with water and toilets, is right on the route, and from there you enter Nahal Akev. Ein Akev, one of the largest springs in the Negev, is right by the track.
Along the way
km 13Hod Akev night campsite, water and toilets
km 16.1Nahal Akev
km 18.7Ein Akev, a spring with a deep pool
km 20.4Mishtahim Levanim night campsite, 720 m off the route
Resupply · km 13 Water at the Hod Akev campsite
02km 22–38
Nahal Havarim and Sde Boker
You cross Nahal Zin and climb along Nahal Havarim, between white hills, to about 500 m. At the Havarim lookout the view opens over the Zin valley. At the end of the section you reach Midreshet Ben-Gurion, near Ben-Gurion's Tomb, with the only shop on the route.
Along the way
km 22.2Nahal Zin
km 25.3Serpantinot night campsite
km 30.8Upper Nahal Havarim night campsite
km 32.4Havarim lookout, a view over the Zin valley
km 37.1Ben-Gurion's Tomb, 220 m off the route
Resupply · km 37.2 Super Zion at Midreshet Ben-Gurion, with HaKnania and a falafel stand next to it. The only shop on the route
03km 38–58
Up on the plateau
From Midreshet Ben-Gurion you carry on across the Ramat HaNegev plains, past Har Zaror and the Ma'ayan grove. The route crosses Nahal Hatsats and Nahal Afran and climbs to its highest point, almost 700 m, around km 55.
Along the way
km 41.9Har Zaror, 400 m off the route
km 42.6The Ma'ayan grove
km 47Nahal Hatsats
km 54.2Nahal Afran
04km 58–75
Down Nahal Hatira
From here the route drops along Nahal Hatira, almost 200 m, to the Colored Sands at the eastern entrance of the Makhtesh HaGadol. Right after them comes Ein Yorke'am, with Mezad Yorqe'am and a night campsite with water, and at the end of the section the Sha'ar Oron campsite.
Along the way
km 58.4Nahal Hatira
km 69.4The Colored Sands and a night campsite, 100 m off the route
km 71Israel Trail library
km 71.5Ein Yorke'am night campsite, with water
km 75Sha'ar Oron night campsite, with a water tap
Resupply · km 75 Water at the Sha'ar Oron campsite. No resupply until the end
05km 75–95
Back to Nahal Zarhan
A short climb to about 400 m, then a long descent along Nahal Mador and Nahal Talul. Near the end you pass "Jacob's Ladder", an ancient road station, and Ein Umm Tina, a shallow spring in the Nahal Zarhan gully.
Along the way
km 85Nahal Mador
km 88.9Nahal Mador night campsite
km 93.8"Jacob's Ladder", an ancient road station
km 94.7Ein Umm Tina
Where to sleep
To split it over two days, the Upper Nahal Havarim campsite (km 31) is on the route, 6 km before the shop at Midreshet Ben-Gurion, or the Ein Yorke'am campsite (km 71.5), with 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 13Water and toilets
חניון לילה חוד עקב10 m off the route
km 20.4Water and toilets
חניון לילה משטחים לבנים720 m off the route
km 25.3Water and toilets
חניון לילה סרפנטינות20 m off the route
km 30.8Free
חניון לילה נחל חוורים עליון10 m off the route
km 33.4Free
חניון לילה בור חוורים390 m off the route
km 69.4Free
חניון לילה חולות צבעוניים100 m off the route
km 71.5With water
חניון לילה עין יורקעם60 m off the route
km 75Free
חניון לילה שער אורון10 m off the route
km 88.9Free
חניון לילה נחל מדור70 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.
No fuel stations or shops along the route.
km 37.1–37.2
Grocery2 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.
