South · One-way

One Way Ticket

Lehavim → Dead Sea

All my rides →

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 157 km

Total climbing 2,173 m

Highest point 851 m

Lowest point -385 m

Days 2 days

Difficulty Moderate

Recommended months Nov–Apr

A one-way ticket: east from Lehavim via the southern Hebron hills and Arad, then down to the Dead Sea.

How to load the file to your device → Download GPX

Elevation profile

837 m -383 m

0 km 31 km 63 km 94 km 126 km 157 km

Route story · One Way Ticket

A one-way ticket to the Dead Sea

157 km from Lehavim to Ein Bokek on the Dead Sea shore, with about 2,200 m of climbing. East through the Lahav forest and the southern Hebron Hills, through the Yatir forest and Har Amasa, the highest point at about 850 m, to Tel Arad and Nahal Tze'elim, then down about 500 m along Nahal Zohar to the Dead Sea, about 385 m below sea level. A crossing route, from the northern Negev to the desert.

One-way · Lehavim2 daysNov–AprModerate

157km

2,173m climbing

104.9km, longest stretch without fuel

2fuel stations within 200 m (300 m in the desert)

6water taps along the way

8night campsites near the route

After the fuel station at km 52.1 there is no more fuel until Ein Bokek at the finish, and no shop until Kfar HaNokdim (km 117.2). Water only in the Yatir forest (km 71.6) and at Kfar HaNokdim (km 117.3), and from there none until Neve Zohar (km 150.6).

Firing zones on the way

The route crosses 2 firing zones, about 19 km of 157. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.

Firing zone 526 km 72–74 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926
Firing zone 522 km 98–117 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Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date.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 ⁦0–37⁩

From Lehavim to the Lahav forest

You set off from the Lehavim Rahat railway station, pass Lehavim and ride along Nahal Grar into the Lahav Darom reserve, past the Kippa 503 building with its all-round view. Then Nahal Tillah and the Abu Hof well, and at the end of the section the Joe Alon Center and the Lahav campsite, at about 450 m.

Along the way

km 0Lehavim Rahat railway station, the start
km 12.4Lahav Darom nature reserve
km 19.5Kippa 503, an all-round view
km 28.2Be'er Abu Hof, an ancient well
km 33.6The Joe Alon Center
km 35Lahav night campsite, 190 m off the route

Resupply · km 4.9
Lehavim: HaRishonim bakery and Machsanei HaShuk

02km ⁦37–66⁩

The southern Hebron Hills

East along the southern Hebron Hills, past Hurvat Sansana, crossing Nahal Hebron. This is where you find the only fuel station before Ein Bokek. Then along Nahal Eshtamoa, climbing gently to about 610 m.

Along the way

km 47.8Hurvat Sansana
km 51.9Nahal Hebron
km 60.9Nahal Eshtamoa

Resupply · km 52.1
Delek. The only fuel station before Ein Bokek, with no shop after it until Kfar HaNokdim, km 117

03km ⁦66–92⁩

The Yatir forest and Har Amasa

Into the Yatir forest, past Horbat Yatir and Har Krembo, and on past forest picnic sites with taps and tables. After the Yatir reservoir you climb Har Amasa, the route's highest point at about 850 m, and cross the Tel Qeriyyot reserve.

Along the way

km 67.6Horbat Yatir, 200 m off the route
km 69.5Har Krembo
km 71.6HaZayit picnic site, taps and tables
km 78.5Yatir reservoir night campsite, right by the route
km 84.6Har Amasa, the route's highest point

Resupply · km 71.6
Water at the Yatir forest picnic sites

04km ⁦92–118⁩

Tel Arad and Nahal Tze'elim

You descend to the Tel Arad national park, then continue east along Nahal Tze'elim, past Har Tzfira and its view over the whole stream bed. At the end of the section you reach Kfar HaNokdim, with a store, food and water.

Along the way

km 93.5Tel Arad national park
km 93.9Tel Arad night campsite, paid, 620 m off the route
km 102.2Nahal Tze'elim, until km 112
km 114.4Har Tzfira, a view over Nahal Tze'elim
km 117.3Water at Kfar HaNokdim

Resupply · km 117.2
Kfar HaNokdim: a store and food

05km ⁦118–140⁩

The heads of the wadis

South across the plateau above the Dead Sea, crossing one wadi after another: Rahaf, Menachem, Kidod, Kinamon, Ye'elim, Parsa and Bokek. The route descends gradually, from about 340 m to about 40 m, to Tzuk Tamrur.

Along the way

km 118.2Nahal Rahaf
km 125.9Nahal Kidod
km 131.1Nahal Ye'elim
km 138.7Nahal Bokek

06km ⁦140–157⁩

Plunging to the Dead Sea

From Tzuk Tamrur, at about 120 m, the route plunges about 500 m along Nahal Zohar, past Mezad Zohar, to Neve Zohar and the Dead Sea shore, about 385 m below sea level. The last kilometres run along the shore, past Hamei Zohar beach, to the hotels of Ein Bokek.

Along the way

km 140.3Tzuk Tamrur night campsite, 110 m off the route
km 142Unofficial night campsite, on a former oil drilling site
km 148.5Mezad Zohar
km 150.6Water at Neve Zohar
km 152.7Hamei Zohar beach

Resupply · km 156.2
Ein Bokek: mini markets, Aroma, Cafe Cafe and restaurants, and a Sonol station at the end of the route

Where to sleep

To split it over two days, the Yatir reservoir campsite (km 78.5), right on the route and roughly halfway. Alternatively, the Tzuk Tamrur campsite (km 140.3), leaving only the descent to the Dead Sea for the morning.

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 35Free

חניון לילה להב 190 m off the route

km 74.4Halfway

חניון לילה דבורה 940 m off the route · Free

km 78.5Halfway

חניון לילה מאגר יתיר 10 m off the route · Free

km 93.9Halfway

חניון לילה תל ערד 620 m off the route · Paid

km 120Free

חניון לילה הר קנאים 1,090 m off the route

km 131Free

חניון לילה מעלה יאיר 870 m off the route

km 140.3Free

חניון לילה צוק תמרור 110 m off the route

km 156.8Free

חניון לילה חוף המלונות 390 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 4.9

Harishonim bakery, Machsanei Hashuk

km 52.1

Delek

km 117.2

Grocery A café or restaurant

km 152.7

Kiosk

km ⁦155.5–156.5⁩

mix market, minimarket 9 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦156.7–157⁩

Sonol, minimarket, Supermarket N-Bokek 3 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

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.