South · Loop

Zik and Yoyo

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 96 km

Total climbing 1,207 m

Highest point 769 m

Lowest point 184 m

Days 2 days

Difficulty Moderate

Recommended months Nov–Apr

Route by Itay HaLevi

From Sde Boker through the Negev Highlands wadis and the farms near Mitzpe Ramon, with a drop towards the Arava and back. Open, quiet desert all the way.

How to load the file to your device → Download GPX

Elevation profile

766 m 187 m

0 km 19 km 38 km 58 km 77 km 96 km

Route story · Zik and Yoyo

From Ein Zik to the Tzinim cliff and back

96 km and more than 1,200 m of climbing on a loop that starts and ends at Hod Akev near Sde Boker. You climb past Ein Zik and Nahal Akev to the upper Nahal Zin and the farms near Mitzpe Ramon, ride along the Tzinim cliff and drop down Nahal Teref to Nahal Hava. Open, quiet desert, without a single shop the whole way.

Loop · Sde Boker2 daysNov–AprModerate

96km

1,207m climbing

0fuel stations within 300 m

2water taps along the way

3night campsites near the route

There is no fuel station or shop anywhere on the 96 km. Water only at km 37.6 and at Hod Akev: carry all your food, and enough water for the 58 km between km 37.6 and the finish.

Firing zones on the way

The route crosses 2 firing zones, about 54 km of 96. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.

Firing zone 520 km 8–30, 39–45, 49–72 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926
Firing zone 600 km 29–38 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Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date.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 ⁦0–23⁩

Ein Zik and Nahal Akev

You set off from Hod Akev, at about 320 m, and soon reach Ein Zik: a campsite, a spring thick with vegetation and the remains of a Middle Bronze Age village. From there you climb along Nahal Akev and Nahal Nafha, and by km 16 you are at 700 m.

Along the way

km 4.3Ein Zik night campsite, 110 m off the route
km 4.4Horvat Ein Zik, a Bronze Age village, 230 m off the route
km 4.8Ein Zik spring, 320 m off the route
km 12.9Nahal Akev
km 16.7Nahal Nafha

02km ⁦23–42⁩

The upper Nahal Zin

You ride along the upper Nahal Zin and climb gradually toward the Mitzpe Ramon area. Near the Noam BaMidbar ranch there is a water point, the only water on the route before the finish. Just after it comes Bor Ktzinim, a restored cistern, and the route's highest point, almost 770 m.

Along the way

km 23.1Nahal Zin
km 37.6Water point
km 37.6Noam BaMidbar ranch, 1.3 km off the route
km 39.8Bor Ktzinim, a restored cistern, 350 m off the route

Resupply · km 37.6
Water at km 37.6. No more water until Hod Akev, km 96

03km ⁦42–58⁩

The Tzinim cliff

The Givat Ga'ash lookout, a built viewpoint with information boards, then you enter the Tzinim cliff reserve. Along the cliff you pass a Nabataean milestone and the Mahmal rock shelter, and start to lose height.

Along the way

km 46.3Givat Ga'ash lookout
km 48.5Tzinim cliff nature reserve
km 54A Nabataean milestone
km 54.3Mahmal rock shelter

04km ⁦58–76⁩

Down Nahal Teref

The route's big descent: about 450 m, from about 640 m to below 200, along Nahal Teref. At the bottom wait Nahal Hava and the Gishronei Nahal Hava campsite, the lowest point on the route.

Along the way

km 64.6Nahal Teref
km 75.7Gishronei Nahal Hava night campsite, 270 m off the route

05km ⁦76–96⁩

Back to Hod Akev

The last kilometres cross between Nahal Tzinim and Nahal Tzama, on a gentle climb of about 150 m. By Gan HaPsalim you reach Hod Akev, with water and toilets at the campsite.

Along the way

km 84.4Nahal Tzinim
km 87.7Nahal Tzama
km 93.6Gan HaPsalim
km 95.9Hod Akev night campsite, water and toilets

Resupply · km 96
Water at Hod Akev, at the finish

Where to sleep

Hod Akev (km 0 and 96), with water and toilets, is the natural base for the loop. To split it over two days, Gishronei Nahal Hava (km 75.7) or Ein Zik (km 4.3).

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 4.3Free

חניון לילה עין זיק 110 m off the route

km 75.7Free

חניון לילה גשרוני נחל חווה 270 m off the route

km 95.9Water and toilets

חניון לילה חוד עקב 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.

No fuel stations or shops along the route.

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.