South · Loop

Snooze To Ezuz

Sde Boker · 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 165 km

Total climbing 1,473 m

Highest point 848 m

Lowest point 325 m

Days 2 days

Difficulty Easy

Recommended months Nov–May

From Sde Boker to Ezuz, the tiny village on the Egyptian border, and back. A quiet night in the desert, far from everything.

How to load the file to your device → Download GPX

Elevation profile

834 m 332 m

0 km 33 km 66 km 99 km 132 km 165 km

Route story · Snooze To Ezuz

A quiet night in Ezuz

165 km in a loop from Sde Boker and back. You ride west by Nahal HaBesor and Nahal Nitzana to Ezuz, the small village near the Egyptian border, climb to the rim of the Ramon Crater at Mitzpe Ramon, and return along Nahal Zin, past Avdat. Open, quiet desert, far from everything.

Loop · Sde Boker2 daysNov–MayEasy

165km

1,473m climbing

110.3km, longest stretch without fuel

4fuel stations within 300 m

9water taps along the way

9night campsites near the route

There is no water, fuel or shop between km 4 at Sde Boker and km 108.5, near Mitzpe Ramon, more than 100 km of desert. Ezuz is a small hosting village: if you plan to resupply there, arrange it in advance.

Firing zones on the way

The route crosses 2 firing zones, about 106 km of 165. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.

Firing zone 600 km 8–53, 54–56, 57–105 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926
Firing zone 520 km 127–128, 130–146 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Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date.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 ⁦0–30⁩

From Sde Boker to Nahal HaBesor

You leave Sde Boker along Nahal HaRo'a, past the HaRo'a grove and Ben-Gurion's desert home. Then west, through the Chelmoniot and Boker ridge reserve, across Nahal HaBesor and along Nahal Zitan, between 350 and 550 m.

Along the way

km 3.9The HaRo'a grove, Nahal HaRo'a
km 4Ben-Gurion's desert home, 400 m off the route
km 4.1Water point, the last until km 108.5
km 8.9The Chelmoniot and Boker ridge reserve
km 16.7Nahal HaBesor
km 23.5Nahal Zitan, until km 30

Resupply · km 3.9
Delek at Sde Boker, 110 m off the route. After it, no fuel or shop until Mitzpe Ramon, km 114

02km ⁦30–58⁩

To Ezuz

You ride through open desert, past an ancient farm, crossing Nahal Lavan, Nahal Resisim and Nahal Nitzana, between 330 and 450 m. At the end of the section you reach Ezuz, a small village near the Egyptian border, with Celia's water hole, the Be'erotayim campsite and a few guesthouses.

Along the way

km 34.1An ancient farm
km 45.1Nahal Resisim
km 48.6Nahal Nitzana
km 55.1Celia's water hole
km 55.3Be'erotayim campsite, Ezuz
km 56Ezuz and its guesthouses

03km ⁦58–98⁩

Nahal Laana and the climb to the plateau

From Ezuz east, past Givat Heret and the Sabha cistern, fed by groundwater, then through Nahal Horsha, Nahal Nitzana and Nahal Laana. The route climbs gradually for almost 400 m, from about 330 m to about 720 m, to Nahal Yeter.

Along the way

km 63.2Givat Heret
km 63.7The Sabha cistern, 300 m off the route
km 70.9Nahal Horsha
km 84Nahal Laana
km 92.3Nahal Yeter

04km ⁦98–125⁩

The rim of the Ramon Crater

Along Nahal Yeter to the Eretz Pere farm and Nahal Zin, then up to the rim of the Ramon Crater, the route's highest point at about 850 m. Mitzpe Asael, Har HaGamal and the hanging balcony above the crater, then Mitzpe Ramon, with every service, and out east past the Noam BaMidbar farm.

Along the way

km 105.3Eretz Pere farm, an eco-camp
km 108.5Water point, the first since km 4
km 112.2Har HaGamal, above the Ramon Crater
km 113.2The hanging balcony
km 114.4KKL grove night campsite, Mitzpe Ramon
km 123Water point

Resupply · km 114.6
Mitzpe Ramon: Shufersal Sheli, Yellow, Delek and a row of restaurants

05km ⁦125–165⁩

Nahal Zin and Avdat

From Bor Ktzinim, a restored cistern, you drop to Nahal Zin and follow it for almost 18 km, past Har Meidad, to Avdat, the Nabataean city. After Avdat you pass upper Ein Avdat, the Nahal Havarim campsite and the Havarim lookout over the Zin valley, finishing at Midreshet Ben-Gurion, at about 450 m.

Along the way

km 125.4Bor Ktzinim, a restored cistern
km 135.1Nahal Zin, until km 153
km 149.7Avdat, the Nabataean city, 420 m off the route
km 155.2Upper Ein Avdat night campsite
km 158.9Upper Nahal Havarim night campsite
km 160.5Havarim lookout, over the Zin valley

Resupply · km 149.8
Avdat: Yellow, Aroma and Paz

Where to sleep

Over two days, spend the night in Ezuz (km 55–56), at the Be'erotayim campsite or one of the village guesthouses. An alternative is the KKL grove in Mitzpe Ramon (km 114), close to every service.

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 31.9Free

חניון לילה חוות שבטה 1,420 m off the route

km 114.4Free

חניון לילה חורשת קק"ל - מצפה רמון 220 m off the route

km 152.2Free

חניון לילה המחצבה 290 m off the route

km 155.2Free

חניון לילה עין עבדת עליון 20 m off the route

km 155.2Free

חניון לילה עין עבדת עליון 20 m off the route

km 155.2Free

חניון לילה עין עבדת עליון 20 m off the route

km 158.9Free

חניון לילה נחל חוורים עליון 10 m off the route

km 161.5Free

חניון לילה בור חוורים 380 m off the route

km 164.8Water and toilets

חניון לילה סרפנטינות 800 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 1.6

A café or restaurant

km ⁦3.9–4⁩

Delek A café or restaurant

km ⁦113.4–114.2⁩

Delek, Grocery ×2 5 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦114.5–114.6⁩

Yellow, Shufersal Sheli 9 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦115.7–116.2⁩

Fuel station, Lasha Bakery 4 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦149.8–150.1⁩

Paz, yellow A café or restaurant

km 164.9

Grocery 2 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.