South · Loop

Never Ending Circle

Mitzpe Ramon · Loop

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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.

Mud forecast Built by Boaz Yoffe · mtb.yoffe.net

Distance 179 km

Total climbing 1,802 m

Highest point 865 m

Lowest point 7 m

Days 3–4 days

Difficulty Moderate

Recommended months Nov–Apr

Route by Itay HaLevi

From Mitzpe Ramon across the Negev Highlands to the central Arava and Tzofar, then back to the crater. Crater, Arava and cliff views, with a long climb home at the end.

How to load the file to your device → Download GPX

Elevation profile

853 m 11 m

0 km 36 km 72 km 107 km 143 km 179 km

Route story · Never Ending Circle

From the crater to the Arava, and back

179 km in a loop from Mitzpe Ramon and back. You drop off the Negev Highlands, by Nahal Arod and the Ashosh reserve, to the central Arava and Zofar, return along the Incense Route and Nahal Nekarot into the Ramon Crater and climb out of it home. True desert, with almost 140 km without marked water.

Loop · Mitzpe Ramon3–4 daysNov–AprModerate

179km

1,802m climbing

178.9km, longest stretch without fuel

1fuel station within 300 m

4water taps along the way

6night campsites near the route

The only fuel station and shop on the route are in Mitzpe Ramon, at the start and the finish. There is no marked water between km 5.5 and the Be'erot campsite at km 143, almost 140 km of desert: carry all your water or arrange a water drop in advance.

Firing zones on the way

The route crosses 4 firing zones, about 77 km of 179. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.

Firing zone 1000 km 24–26, 33–69 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926
Firing zone 1390 km 68–81, 122–136 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926
Firing zone 1005 km 116–123 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926
Firing zone 520 km 158–166, 171–175 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926

Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date.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 ⁦0–25⁩

The crater rim

You leave the visitors' centre on the rim of the Ramon Crater, by Har HaGamal and Mitzpe Asael, and ride the plateau up to about 865 m. Then down across Nahal Zin and Nahal Ramon, past the Pitam desert kite, an ancient hunting trap, to the Pitam gap campsite.

Along the way

km 1.1Har HaGamal, above the Ramon Crater
km 1.2Water point
km 10.4Nahal Zin
km 20.9Pitam desert kite, 440 m off the route
km 23.3Pitam gap night campsite, 340 m off the route

Resupply · km 5.5
Water at km 5.5, the last until the Be'erot campsite, km 143

02km ⁦25–60⁩

Be'erot Oded and Nahal Arod

You ride along Nahal Nekarot and Nahal Arod, past the Be'erot Oded campsite, the Palmach Tuvia rock and Nahal Ktzi'a. The route descends gradually, from about 730 m to about 370 m by Givat Ziyya.

Along the way

km 25.1Nahal Nekarot
km 34Be'erot Oded night campsite, 440 m off the route
km 35.4Nahal Arod
km 40.2The Palmach Tuvia rock
km 53.3Givat Ziyya

03km ⁦60–100⁩

Down Nahal Ashosh to the Arava

You enter the Ashosh reserve and ride down Wadi Ashosh for almost 20 km, past Nahal Reim and the Ashosh horseshoe, to the central Arava, less than 100 m above sea level.

Along the way

km 73.2Ashosh nature reserve
km 79.3Wadi Ashosh, until km 98
km 82.6Nahal Reim
km 90.2The Ashosh horseshoe

04km ⁦100–135⁩

Zofar and the Incense Route

In the Arava, near Zofar, you pass the Moah fortress and caravanserai, with an Israel Trail library, and Khan Derech HaBesamim, a place to stay with breakfast. From there you head back west along the Incense Route, past Har Omer, Mezad Masa and Mezad Nekarot, climbing from near sea level to about 300 m.

Along the way

km 102.2Moah caravanserai and an Israel Trail library
km 107.4Khan Derech HaBesamim, lodging near Zofar
km 117.1Har Omer
km 123.3Mezad Masa, on the Incense Route
km 128.3Mezad Nekarot night campsite

05km ⁦135–179⁩

Through the crater, home

You enter the Ramon Crater along Nahal Ardon, past Ein Ardon and Givat Harut. The Be'erot campsite has water, toilets and showers, and from there the long climb begins, more than 500 m, past the Mahmal cistern and the Givat Ga'ash lookout, to the Desert Sculpture Park in Mitzpe Ramon.

Along the way

km 139.1Ein Ardon
km 142.7Be'erot night campsite, paid, toilets and showers
km 160.2The Mahmal cistern
km 168.5Givat Ga'ash lookout
km 178.3The Desert Sculpture Park
km 178.6KKL grove night campsite, Mitzpe Ramon

Resupply · km 143.1
Water at the Be'erot campsite. In Mitzpe Ramon, km 178.9: Delek, a grocery and restaurants

Where to sleep

To split it over two days, Mezad Nekarot (km 128) or Be'erot (km 143, paid, with water). Over three days, start with Be'erot Oded (km 34) and go on to Mezad Nekarot.

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 23.3Free

חניון לילה מפער פיטם 340 m off the route

km 34Free

חניון לילה בארות עודד 440 m off the route

km 106.2Halfway

חניון לילה נחל עומר 810 m off the route · Free

km 128.3Free

חניון לילה מיצד נקרות 90 m off the route

km 142.7Paid

חניון לילה בארות 30 m off the route

km 178.6Free

חניון לילה חורשת קק"ל - מצפה רמון 30 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 ⁦0–0.4⁩

Grocery 3 cafés and restaurants

km 143.1

A café or restaurant

km ⁦178.8–178.9⁩

Delek, Grocery 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

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.