South · Loop

Rimonag

Han Be'erot · Loop

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

Distance 178 km

Total climbing 2,338 m

Highest point 912 m

Lowest point -9 m

Days 2 days

Difficulty Moderate

Recommended months Nov–May

A loop from Han Be'erot into the Ramon Crater and the Negev Highlands. Crater viewpoints, gravel tracks and desert sunsets.

How to load the file to your device → Download GPX

Elevation profile

905 m -4 m

0 km 36 km 71 km 107 km 142 km 178 km

Route story · Rimonag

The Ramon Crater, the Negev Highlands and the Arava

178 km and more than 2,300 m of climbing, in a loop from Khan Be'erot in the Ramon Crater. You climb out of the crater onto the Negev Highlands, descend Nahal Paran and Nahal Ashosh to Tzukim in the Arava, and return along the Spice Route to the crater. Open, quiet desert, with a single shop along the whole way.

Loop · Han Be'erot2 daysNov–MayModerate

178km

2,338m climbing

134km, longest stretch without fuel

1fuel station within 300 m

3water taps along the way

11night campsites near the route

There is no shop or fuel station for the first 134 km, until Tzukim, and none after it until the finish. Water only at Khan HaGeves (km 6.1), Be'er Ashalim (km 90), Tzukim and Khan Be'erot. There is no water at all between km 6 and 90: plan accordingly.

Firing zones on the way

The route crosses 3 firing zones, about 74 km of 178. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.

Firing zone 1000 km 40–90 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926
Firing zone 1390 km 99–112, 157–171 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926
Firing zone 1005 km 153–155 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Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date.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 ⁦0–35⁩

Out of the Ramon Crater

You set off from Khan Be'erot, on the floor of the Ramon Crater at about 440 m, and ride along the crater: Mezad Mishhor, Khan HaGeves and Nahal Ramon. Then the long climb out of the crater begins, almost 400 m, past the Prism Canyon.

Along the way

km 0.4Mezad Mishhor
km 4.8Matzok HaTzinim nature reserve
km 6.1Khan HaGeves, a paid khan with water
km 6.7Geves Inner night campsite, 670 m off the route
km 10.4Nahal Ramon
km 31.4The Prism Canyon, a basalt gully, 450 m off the route

Resupply · km 0
Food at the start and water at Khan HaGeves, km 6.1. No shop until Tzukim, km 134

02km ⁦35–60⁩

The Negev Highlands

The high part of the route, more than 900 m. Three campsites sit right by the route, Har Ido, the Lotz cliffs and Har Arif, two of them exposed to the wind. After Har Arif you begin to descend along Nahal Maazer.

Along the way

km 37.1Nahal Arod
km 39.5Har Ido night campsite
km 47.4Lotz cliffs night campsite, exposed to the wind
km 53.6Har Arif night campsite, no shade

03km ⁦60–92⁩

To Nahal Paran

You drop about 350 m along Nahal Maazer and Nahal Karkom to Nahal Paran, one of the largest stream beds in the Negev. Along it are the Be'erot Ada and Be'er Ashalim campsites, with water at Be'er Ashalim.

Along the way

km 68.3Nahal Karkom
km 81.4Nahal Paran
km 84.1Be'erot Ada night campsite, 310 m off the route
km 89.8Be'er Ashalim night campsite
km 90Water at Be'er Ashalim

Resupply · km 90
Water at Be'er Ashalim, the only point between km 6 and 134

04km ⁦92–125⁩

Nahal Ashosh

You carry on through the Ashosh reserve and along Nahal Ashosh, losing about 250 m gradually in open, quiet country. At the end of the section you reach the Ashosh horseshoe.

Along the way

km 104.5Ashosh nature reserve
km 110.5Nahal Ashosh
km 113.8Nahal Re'im
km 121.5The Ashosh horseshoe

05km ⁦125–140⁩

Sheluhat Omer and Tzukim

Along the Sheluhat Omer cliffs, with lookouts over the stream beds, you drop to sea level and reach Tzukim in the Arava. Here are the only shop and fuel station on the route, open 24/7.

Along the way

km 130.1A lookout from the Sheluhat Omer cliffs, 250 m off the route
km 131.1The stream beds lookout
km 132.4Nahal Tzofar
km 134.1Tzukim night campsite, 510 m off the route

Resupply · km 134
Tzukim: a 24/7 Dor Alon and Alonit, and Prem Ursula

06km ⁦140–165⁩

The Spice Route

From Tzukim you head back along the Nabataean Spice Route: the Moa caravanserai and fortress, with an Israel Trail library, the Katzra fort above Nahal Katzra and Mezad Masa, up to Mezad Nekarot. On the way you climb about 350 m out of the Arava.

Along the way

km 144.2The Moa caravanserai and fortress
km 154.6Horbat Katzra, a Nabataean fort on the Spice Route
km 156.3Har Masa night campsite, 500 m off the route
km 158.5Mezad Masa
km 163.4Mezad Nekarot and its night campsite

07km ⁦165–178⁩

Back into the crater

Along Nahal Nekarot and Nahal Ardon you return to the Ramon Crater, pass Ein Ardon and Givat Harut, a basalt hill with a view over the crater, and climb about 170 m back to Khan Be'erot.

Along the way

km 172.4Nahal Ardon
km 174.3Ein Ardon and Givat Harut
km 177.8Be'erot night campsite, paid, with toilets and showers

Resupply · km 178
Water at Khan Be'erot, at the finish

Where to sleep

Over two days, Be'er Ashalim (km 90), with water, halfway round. Over three days, the Lotz cliffs (km 47) and Tzukim (km 134), near the shop.

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 6.7Free

חניון לילה גבס פנימי 670 m off the route

km 39.5Free

חניון לילה הר עידו 90 m off the route

km 47.4Free

חניון לילה מצוקי לוץ 20 m off the route

km 53.6Free

חניון לילה הר עריף 70 m off the route

km 84.1Halfway

חניון לילה בארות עדה 310 m off the route · Free

km 89.8Halfway

חניון לילה באר אשלים 50 m off the route · Free

km 134.1Free

חניון לילה צוקים 510 m off the route

km 141.1Free

חניון לילה נחל עומר 1,070 m off the route

km 156.3Free

חניון לילה הר� �שא 500 m off the route

km 163.4Free

חניון לילה מיצד נקרות 100 m off the route

km 177.8Paid

חניון לילה בארות 70 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

A café or restaurant

km ⁦133.7–134⁩24/7

Dor Alon, Alonit 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.