Mitzpe Ramon
Discover Mitzpe Ramon
Mitzpe Ramon (Hebrew מצפה רמון) is a small town in the remote Negev of Israel. 190 km (120 miles) south to Tel Aviv, and to Jerusalem, 80 km (50 miles) south to Beer Sheva, and 150 km (90 miles) north to Eilat. Known for Ramon Crater, which is the world's largest erosion cirque. Mitzpe Ramon has managed to become a lodestone for travellers seeking to enjoy the peace of the desert, far away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. On the one hand it is distant from any population center and offers magnificent views of the Ramon Crater (Makhtesh Ramon מכתש רמון), while on the other it's got a variety of lodgings ranging from luxury hotels to desert tents, as well as various eco-tourism options, new-age style activities and numerous trails for hikers, bike riders and Jeep drivers.
Taste of Mitzpe Ramon...
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A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Mitzpe Ramon into what it is today.
Founded in the 1950s as a military outpost and then as a waypoint station for local miners and road workers, Mitzpe evolved into a small town when newly arrived Moroccan immigrants were unceremoniously placed there and told that they would "be living an hour and half from Tel Aviv." Over time, various other groups, such as strains of the 1990s Russian immigration, have also been placed in Mitzpe Ramon. The town remains small and somewhat struggling, although in the 2000s a variety of new age hippies and eco entrepreneurs have succeeded in turning the ailing town into something of a hip eco leave-the-city-behind destination. At the same time, there continues to be dissonance between some of the town's original residents and the more recent arrivals. Today, Mitzpe acts as a stopping point for travellers going from the North of Israel to Eilat as well as catering to soldiers stationed at the nearby military bases. The town has also developed into a unique eco-tourist destination as it boasts the highest air quality in Israel and a series of breathtaking landscapes. Mitzpe also provides a haven for various kinds of performance artists, new-age healers, desert enthusiasts and the like. The town's name, literally meaning "Ramon Lookout", refers of course to the Ramon crater stretching beneath it. The crater's name, in turn, derives from the Roman caravans passing through it on the Incense Route. The Israeli Negev is hot and dry, especially in the summer....
Climate
The Israeli Negev is hot and dry, especially in the summer. However, the Negev Highland – whose southern edge is Mitzpe Ramon – has occasional cool breezes that make the weather more bearable, although this is less common inside the crater. Additionally, the low humidity is a big advantage of these areas, making them feel sometimes no hotter than central Israel. Rains are few in the area and occur only during winter. However, when they do, they can create flash floods in some of the streams, so travellers should be wary of them. The rest of the time, no water flows in the streams, and there aren't any natural sources of water inside the crater. The only exception is the Saharonim spring, and even there, the water doesn't show above the ground, and only feeds a single, large moonseed shrub. Additionally, almost every year there's a little snow in Mitzpe Ramon, though usually not enough to actually pile up.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsHighway 40 passes through Mitzpe Ramon on its way from Be'er Sheva (about 1.5 hours away) to Eilat (2 hr). The road goes down from the southern edge of town into the crater itself. The western part of the crater, including Mount Ramon and the Lotz cisterns, can be reached by route 171 that splits off west from highway 40 on HaRukhot junction, about 5 km north of Mitzpe Ramon. All the following trails go through army firing zones. Entry is allowed only on Saturdays or when coordinated in advance except for all parts of the Israel National Trail (INT), which is accessible at all times. The town is best covered by foot, car or bike. The long distance buses that come through make a small circuit round the town, so it's also possible to use them. Taxis are virtually non existent. However, crossing the entire town by foot takes no more than 30 minutes....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The town is best covered by foot, car or bike. The long distance buses that come through make a small circuit round the town, so it's also possible to use them. Taxis are virtually non existent. However, crossing the entire town by foot takes no more than 30 minutes. Within the crater, your choices are: slowly and painstakingly on foot, bone-jarringly by 4×4, or, oddly enough, by llama hired out from the Alpaca Farm. Consult the Do section below and the Guided Tours subsection. The Ramon Crater is an amazing place to go hiking. It offers many one-day hikes and some multiple-day hikes. Other forms of wilderness travelling are also common, such as Jeep rides and bicycle trips. Before starting a hike, you should go to the visitor center in Mitzpe Ramon and inform a ranger about your hike and route.
Where to Stay
Camping is prohibited inside the crater except at permitted campsites. These are the rules for all nature reserves in Israel (and indeed, most parts of the Negev are a reserve). Following is a list of all permitted campsites. None, except Khan Be'erot, have running water or any facilities at all; but they are free of charge. The phone area code for Mitzpe Ramon (and the entire Negev) is 08. This means that, when dialing from a local phone to any number starting with +972 8, it's enough to dial the following 7 digits, omitting the country code 972 and area code 8. When dialing from elsewhere in Israel to Mitzpe Ramon, omit the country code 972 and dial 08 instead of just the last 7 digits. When dialing to numbers in any other area code, just replace the "+972" with "0"; for example, to call +972 50 1234567 (a cell phone number) from inside Israel, call 050 1234567.
Money & Budget
Camping is prohibited inside the crater except at permitted campsites. These are the rules for all nature reserves in Israel (and indeed, most parts of the Negev are a reserve). Following is a list of all permitted campsites. None, except Khan Be'erot, have running water or any facilities at all; but they are free of charge. The phone area code for Mitzpe Ramon (and the entire Negev) is 08. This means that, when dialing from a local phone to any number starting with +972 8, it's enough to dial the following 7 digits, omitting the country code 972 and area code 8. When dialing from elsewhere in Israel to Mitzpe Ramon, omit the country code 972 and dial 08 instead of just the last 7 digits.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Although the Israeli wilderness isn't particularly out to kill you, there are several safety guidelines which should be adhered to inside the crater: Some destinations midway between Mitzpe Ramon and Be'er Sheva include: