Eilat and the Negev
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1. Avdat National Park
The hilltop remains of the Nabatean city of Avdat loom over part of the old Incense Route between Petra and Gaza, a reminder of how valuable incense, spices, and perfumes from Arabia were in ancient times. The Nabateans were seminomadic people who came here from northern Arabia in the 3rd century BC. With their prosperous caravan routes connecting the desert hinterland to the port city of Gaza, they soon rose to glory with a vast kingdom whose capital was Petra, in present-day Jordan. Strongholds to protect the caravans were established along these routes, usually a day's journey apart. Most of the remains on the acropolis date from the 3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries—the Christian Byzantine period. The city continued to flourish until it was sacked by the Persians in AD 620; it was rediscovered only in the 20th century. Start at the visitor center, where you can learn about the Nabateans in a 10-minute video, see examples of what these ancient traders actually transported across the desert, and examine archaeological artifacts found in the excavations. Drive up the road (save your energy for walking around the site), stopping first at the sign for the Roman burial cave, which is well worth a quick peek. The 21 double catacombs cut into the rock date from the 3rd century BC. Back in your car, drive up to the lookout point at the restored Roman building (note the watchtower with an inscription dating to the late 3rd century). The cultivated fields below were re-created in 1959 in order to see if the ancient Nabatean and Byzantine methods of conserving the meager rainfall would still work. The proof is in the lush greenery before you. Using the Israel Nature and Parks Authority's excellent map, you can trace the lifestyle of the original inhabitants at sites that include a reconstructed three-story Roman tower, a rare Nabatean pottery workshop, a Byzantine-era winepress, two Byzantine churches, and a large baptismal font built to accommodate the converted. Near the baptismal font, you can walk down the steps to see 6th-century Byzantine dwellings, each consisting of a cave (possibly used as a wine cellar) behind a stone house. At the bottom of the hill, north of the gas station, is a Byzantine bathhouse. There is a rest area with food and drink near the visitor center.
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2. Carmey Avdat Farm Winery
Set on an ancient riverbed and vineyard, this winery-guesthouse–gift shop complex is the labor of love of Hannah and Eyal Israel, who moved here in 1998. Pick up a handy map of the property, which includes ancient stone terraces and rock drawings, a small olive grove, and assorted fruit trees and herb bushes. Then ask Eyal to show you around the winery, where he'll share the story of how he came to plant new vines on an ancient terrace with a 1,500-year legacy. You can sample the delicious kosher wines and learn about Eyal's fascinating journey to wine making—even create your own customized wine label (NIS 90). At the farm store you can buy wines, local fruit, and local pottery. You need to call ahead for scheduling and pricing information.
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3. Coral Beach Nature Reserve
Less than 1 km (½ mile) south of Eilat is one of the finest, most densely populated coral reefs on the planet; it's also the world's northernmost reef. Close to the shoreline and zealously guarded by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, it stretches 1¼ km (¾ mile) and contains more than 100 types of coral and 650 species of fish. In the lagoon, divers and snorkelers take two bridges or a trail marked by buoys to reach the reef wall. Stunning multicolored fish and soft and hard corals are your rich reward. There are hot showers, a snack bar, and snorkel rentals. Kids should be at least five to snorkel.
Rte. 90 (Eilat–Taba Rd.), 88000, Israel08-632–6422Sight Details
Rate Includes: NIS 40 -
4. Makhtesh Ramon
Words simply cannot do this natural wonder justice. This immense depression is 40 km (25 miles) long, 10 km (6 miles) wide, and, at its deepest, measures 2,400 feet. Because it's a phenomenon known only in this country (there are two others in the Negev), the Hebrew term makhtesh is now accepted usage. By definition, a makhtesh is an erosion valley walled with steep cliffs on all sides and drained by a single watercourse. You can take a 1-km (½-mile) walk along the Albert Promenade, which winds westward along the edge of the crater from the Mitzpe Ramon Visitor Center to a cantilevered observation platform hanging over the rim. This is not the time to forget the camera—the view is overwhelming. The promenade is fashioned from local stone, as is the huge sculpture by Israel Hadani, the back of which faces the town and represents the crater's geological layers. With the crater as a magnificent backdrop, the Desert Sculpture Park exhibits a collection of 19 huge contemporary pieces. The park took shape in 1962 with the work of a group of prominent national and international sculptors under the direction of Negev artist Ezra Orion. Their idea was to add to the natural stone formations with geometric sculptures of similar design. Ibex often wander through the area. To reach the sculpture park, turn off the main road (Route 40) near the gas station at the sign marked "Ma'ale Noah." For a look at one of Makhtesh Ramon's geological wonders, drive down into it to see the Carpentry Shop, a hill of black rocks that appears to have neatly sawed edges. Long ago, the sandstone was warmed by volcanic steam and split into the shapes seen today. A wooden walkway protects this fascinating area from travelers' feet. Another of nature's works is the Ammonite Wall, on the right as you finish the descent into the makhtesh. The rock face contains hundreds of ammonite fossils, which look like spiraled rams' horns. From here there's a 5-km (3-mile) hiking trail, suitable for more experienced hikers.
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5. Museum of Bedouin Culture
This one-of-a-kind museum focuses on the Bedouin people, who have long populated the Negev and whose traditional way of life is changing in the 21st century. The study center (marked with an orange sign) is named for the late Colonel Joe Alon, a pilot who took a great interest in this area and its people. Housed in a circular building designed by Israeli architect Tzvi Lissar, the museum tells the story of the Bedouin's rapid change from a nomadic to a modern lifestyle through tableaux of life-size mannequins. They are grouped by subject: wool spinning and carpet weaving, bread baking, wedding finery (including a camel elaborately decorated for the event), donkeys and camels at work, and toys made from found objects such as pieces of wire and wood. The tools and artifacts—most handmade and many already out of use in modern Bedouin life—form an outstanding collection. Another wing of the museum explores the Bar Kochba revolt of the Jews against Romans in the 2nd century AD. Admission includes a cup of thick coffee in a real Bedouin tent, where the sheikh performs the coffee ceremony over an open fire.
Rte. 325, 85335, Israel08-991–3322Sight Details
Rate Includes: NIS 25, Closed Fri. and Sat. -
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6. North Beach
Running northeast from the intersection of Durban and Arava streets, North Beach is what comes to mind when most people think about Eilat. This part of the beach is convenient if food and drink are on your agenda. Here you’ll find kiosks selling drinks, ice cream, and other snacks, and along the Promenade are many more options for fuller meals. Adventurous types can go paragliding or rent a paddleboat. Across the bridge—opposite the Queen of Sheba, Royal Beach, Dan, and Herods hotels—lies a beautifully landscaped series of beaches. Walking south, you'll pass several mellow beaches, including Kochav Hayam and HaZahav, before you come to Royal Beach, where white-shirted attendants rent space on private platforms. Very expensive drinks can be ordered from the nearby Royal Beach Hotel and vendors sell popsicles and sodas. Head past the marina, where you can enjoy a ride in a glass-bottom boat, and you’ll encounter family-friendly beaches with names like Tarshish, Leonardo, Rimonim, and HaPnina, where hard-core sunbathers oil themselves for maximum exposure. North Beach comes to a natural end by Le Meridien Hotel, whose beach is the only private one. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunset; swimming; walking.
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7. The Relaxation Pools at Dolphin Reef
A planked walkway leads to a hideaway consisting of a warren of open spaces designed for pure relaxation. Blink and you might miss it—and trust us, you won't want to. This place offers a true one-of-a-kind experience. Three pools—a deep seawater pool, a soft rainwater pool, and a saltwater pool that'll have you floating Dead Sea–style—offer hours of rest and relaxation. Before you change and shower, help yourself to a glass of wine or the delicious selection of cookies and dried fruits, or slice and squeeze your own fresh orange juice from a juicer set up on a rustic tree stump. Admission to the pools is strictly capped, ensuring a lack of overcrowding; you must reserve in advance by booking online or by phone. During the day, the pools offer stunning views of the water through tented-plastic windows; at night, candles and heaters enhance the atmosphere. For an additional fee, an instructor will float you around the pool in a 30-minute "relaxation technique," a series of undulating exercises that further enhance the experience. Once you're done floating, you can spend the rest of the day walking along the boardwalk to look at the dolphins or ordering drinks from the small bar in the front room. For the price of admission, you get to stay as long as you want.
Rte. 90 (Eilat–Taba Rd.), 88000, Israel08-630–0111Sight Details
Rate Includes: Weekdays NIS 190, weekends and holidays NIS 220 -
8. Timna Park
The granite Timna Mountains (whose highest peak is 2,550 feet) are just the beginning of this park's spectacular collection of rock formations and canyons. Millions of years of erosion have sculpted shapes of amazing beauty, such as the red-hue Solomon's Pillars (sandstone columns created by rare patterns of erosion, not by the biblical king) and the 20-foot-high freestanding Mushroom. Late afternoon provides the best light for spectators and photographers alike. People have also left their mark here. South of the pillars are the remains of a small temple built in white sandstone by Egyptians who worked the mines 3,400 years ago, during the Egyptian New Kingdom (the time of Moses). The temple was dedicated to the cow-eared goddess Hathor. This "Lady of the Rock" was the patroness of miners, as you can discover at the multimedia presentation called Mines of Time. Inside the temple, archaeologists have discovered a snake made of copper (nehushtan in Hebrew)—according to Numbers 21:4–9, Moses made a serpent in the wilderness to heal people suffering from snake bites, and the snake remains a symbol of healing to this day. Near the temple, a path and stairway lead up to the observation platform overlooking the valley. Above the platform is a rock-cut inscription whose hieroglyph you can see clearly with the aid of a telescope. It shows Ramses III offering a sacrifice to Hathor. You can also explore a life-size replica of the biblical tabernacle the Israelites carried through the desert. When you arrive, ask for the explanatory pamphlet, which shows the driving route in red. The park measures 60 square km (23 square miles), so we suggest driving from sight to sight and exploring each on foot. A small building just inside the entrance screens a multimedia video (with a revolving stage and 360-degree screen) detailing humanity's 6,000-year-old relationship with the Timna area. Wall panels explain the valley's fascinating geological makeup. Experienced hikers can pick up a map detailing various serious hikes that take from 7 to 10 hours to complete. They're best done in winter, as summer daytime temperatures exceed 100 degrees. Watch out for old mine shafts, take adequate water, and be sure to let the staff at the gate know you are going and when you plan to return. You can also rent bikes and paddleboats near the small lake, where you'll find a restaurant serving charred bread cooked in a taboon (traditional oven), along with goodies and refreshing drinks.
Rte. 90 (Dead Sea–Eilat Rd.), 88820, Israel08-631–6756Sight Details
Rate Includes: NIS 49; night entrance for concerts and special events NIS 59 -
9. Underwater Observatory Marine Park
One of Eilat's star attractions can be recognized by its tall, space-needle-like structure punctuating the waves just offshore. A short drive from Eilat, this is the largest aquarium complex in the Middle East. Plan to spend several hours here (there's a cafeteria for lunch on the premises). Twelve windows provide views of rare fish so magnificent and so Day-Glo colorful that it's hard to believe they're real; there's an unlighted room where phosphorescent fish and other sea creatures glow in the dark. And there are turtle and stingray pools, too. Don't miss feeding time (11 am daily) in the 650,000-liter Shark Pool. The anaconda snakes, poisonous frogs, and piranha are fed in the Amazonas exhibit at 3 pm. Captain Jaws takes you on a sea journey during an audiovisual show presented in a simulated-motion theater with moving seats at the Oceanarium. A 300-foot wooden bridge leads to the Underwater Observatory. Head down the spiral staircase and into the sea—you are now 15 feet underwater, where two round, glass-windowed halls, connected by a tunnel, offer stunning views of the surrounding coral reef, home to exotic tropical fish. The Observatory Tower—reached by stairs—gives coastal views of Israel's neighboring countries. There's a café up here. You can also take a ride on the Coral 200 glass-bottom boat. Bus 16 runs to, and Bus 15 runs from, downtown Eilat every half hour.
View Tours and ActivitiesRte. 90 (Eilat–Taba Rd.), 88000, Israel08-636–4200Sight Details
Rate Includes: NIS 99; Oceanarium NIS 10, glass-bottom boat NIS 35 -
10. Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve
This popular, safari-like nature preserve (you need a car to fully explore it) is a natural habitat for biblical-era animals and birds. Roaming around are stripe-legged Africa wild asses, Dorcas gazelles, Arabian oryx, and other desert herbivores. Try to be here in the morning, when the animals are most active. There are audio players available for rent if you want a 45-minute "guided tour." A second section, the Desert Night Exhibition Hall, is a darkened room where you can observe the habits of nocturnal animals such as bats and barn owls. An upgraded ticket allows you into the Predator Center, where feeding time is a highlight. Carnivores, including feral wolves, foxes, leopards, jackals, birds of prey, and striped hyenas are kept in enclosures.
Rte. 90 (Dead Sea–Eilat Rd.), 88820, Israel08-637–6018Sight Details
Rate Includes: NIS 29; combination ticket including Predator Center NIS 46 -
11. Alpaca Farm
Just west of Mitzpe Ramon you'll find this farm and its herd of 200 sweet-faced alpacas and llamas. Young and old get a kick out of feeding the animals, even if they receive the occasional spit in the face from these long-lashed creatures. Children weighing less than about 55 pounds can take a llama ride, and grown-ups can enjoy horseback rides. You can also weave wool on a loom, purchase items at the local factory, and enjoy a picnic on the grounds. The shearing festival, which takes place around Passover, is worth catching if you're here.
Extension of Ben Gurion Blvd., 80600, Israel08-658–8047Sight Details
Rate Includes: NIS 40 -
12. Ben-Gurion's Desert Home
Thousands of people make the pilgrimage to this site every year. David Ben-Gurion (1886–1973), Israel's first prime minister, was one of the 20th-century's great statesmen. He regarded the Negev as Israel's frontier and hoped that tens of thousands would settle there. When Ben-Gurion resigned from government in 1953 (later to return), he and his wife, Paula, moved to Kibbutz Sde Boker to provide an example for others. "Neither money nor propaganda builds a country," he announced. "Only the man who lives and creates in the country can build it." And so, the George Washington of Israel took up his new role in the kibbutz sheepfold. In February 1955, he became prime minister once more, but he returned here to live when he retired in 1963. Set amid the waving eucalyptus trees is Paula and David Ben-Gurion's simple dwelling, a testament to their typically Israeli brand of modesty and frugality. Commonly known as "the hut," owing to its humble appearance, Ben-Gurion's small, one-story, wooden home has a small kitchen, an eating corner with a table and two chairs, and simple furniture throughout. Visitors such as United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld drank tea with Ben-Gurion in the modest living room. Ben-Gurion's library shelves contain 5,000 books (there are 20,000 more in his Tel Aviv home, on Ben Gurion Boulevard). His bedroom, with its single picture of Mahatma Gandhi, holds the iron cot on which he slept (often only three hours a night) and his slippers on the floor beside it. The house is exactly as he left it. Next door, in three adjacent painted-wood buildings, are exhibitions with original documents whose themes are the story of Ben-Gurion's extraordinary life in Sde Boker; his youth, leadership, and army service; and his vision for the Negev. A film showing the footage of kibbutz members actually voting on his acceptance into their community is shown in the visitor center; the shop here sells gifts, jewelry, and books about the "Old Man," as he was known locally.
Off Rte. 40, 84993, Israel08-656–0469Sight Details
Rate Includes: NIS 25, Last admission 1 hr before closing -
13. Ben-Gurion's Grave
Many people visit the revered prime minister's grave in conjunction with a visit to his desert home in Kibbutz Sde Boker, just 3 km (2 miles) north. Walk through the beautiful garden until you reach the quiet, windswept plaza; in the center are the simple raised stone slabs marking the graves of David and Paula Ben-Gurion (she died five years before her husband). The couple's final resting place commands a view of Zin Valley's geological finery: a vast, undulating drape of stone that changes hue as the daylight shifts. The cluster of greenery and palm trees to the right on the valley floor marks Ein Avdat (Avdat Spring).
Off Rte. 40, 84993, Israel08-655–5684Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
14. Botanical Garden of Eilat
This former military base is now home to plants from all over the world, as well as some grown from seeds thousands of years old. The small, family-friendly park is a green oasis in the middle of the desert. An easy walk takes you to a waterfall and an artificial rain forest that mists every few minutes. You can explore the whole garden in under an hour. The refreshment area serves coffee and ice cream.
HaCarmel St., 88000, Israel08-631–8788Sight Details
Rate Includes: NIS 30, Closed after 3 pm on Fri. and Sat. -
15. Dolphin Reef
Very popular with families, this observation point has a high admission charge, but the perks make it worthwhile. The highlight is the opportunity to walk on wooden paths extending into the water. You may see a dolphin leaping, but more likely you'll see groups snorkeling with dolphins. If you feel like trying it yourself, it costs about NIS 360 per person. The spacious, sandy beach is punctuated with billowing palms and bright tropical flowers, and chairs and umbrellas are available (arrive early to avoid crowds). There's an indoor café--bar to escape the sun, a great gift shop, and even a video you can watch to learn about dolphins.
Rte. 90 (Eilat–Taba Rd.), 88000, Israel08-630–0111Sight Details
Rate Includes: NIS 72 -
16. Ein Avdat National Park
Water flowing from Ein Avdat (Avdat Spring) has cut a beautiful, narrow canyon through the area's soft white chalk, forming a marvelous oasis that offers the ideal respite from your desert travels. Walk toward the thickets of rushes and look for ibex tracks, made with pointed hoofs that enable these agile creatures to climb sheer rock faces. It's not easy to spot an ibex—their coats have striped markings that resemble the rock's strata. Rock pigeons, sooty falcons, and Egyptian vultures (black-and-white feathers, bright yellow beak, and long, pinkish legs) nest in the natural holes in the soft rock and in cliff ledges. The big surprise at Ein Avdat is the Ein Marif pools of ice-cold, spring-fed water, complete with a splashing waterfall. To reach this cool oasis, shaded by the surrounding cliffs, walk carefully along the spring and across the dam toward the waterfall. Swimming and drinking the water are not allowed (you'll not be sorely tempted, though—the water is swarming with tadpoles), but enjoying the sight and sound of water in the arid Negev certainly is. The trail leads through stands of Euphrates poplars, and by caves inhabited by monks during Byzantine days, and then continues up the cliff side (using ladders and stone steps), but you can't follow it unless your party has two cars and leaves one at the destination. The easier and more common option is to walk along the streambed from the lower entrance to the Ein Marif pools at the foot of the waterfall and then return along the same path. Ask for the explanatory leaflet when you pay. Lock your car, taking valuables with you.
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17. Israel Air Force Museum
For plane lovers, this is a field of dreams. Housed on the Hatzerim Air Force Base, this open-air museum has more than a hundred airplanes and helicopters parked in rows. The fighter, transport, and training (plus a few enemy) aircraft tell the story of Israel's aeronautic history, from the Messerschmitt—obtained in 1948 from Czechoslovakia, and one of four such planes to help halt the Egyptian advance in the War of Independence—to the Kfir, the first fighter plane built in Israel. Young Air Force personnel lead tours (included in the price) that take about 90 minutes and include a movie shown in an air-conditioned Boeing 707 used in the 1977 rescue of Israeli passengers held hostage in a hijacked Air France plane in Entebbe, Uganda. Another attention-getting display is a shiny, black Supermarine Spitfire with a red lightning bolt on its side, flown by Ezer Weizmann, the IAF's first pilot and later president of Israel. The museum also houses an antiaircraft exhibit and a rare collection of historical and instructive films. Tours are available in English, French, and Russian.
Rte. 2357, Israel08-990–6888Sight Details
Rate Includes: NIS 30, Closed Fri. and Sat. -
18. Kornmehl Goat Cheese Farm
Farm/RanchThis farm lets you watch adorable goats being fed and milked daily. You also have the opportunity to buy cheese or to sample the dairy's superb (and often quite pungent) cheeses at the charming restaurant. Perched on a beautiful desert hillside, the wooden restaurant offers indoor or outdoor seating and a menu that includes goat-cheese pizza, bruschetta, and calzones—there's even a tender goat-cheese cheesecake lavished in fruit sauce.
Rte. 40, Mashabbe Sade, Southern District, 80600, IsraelSight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon. -
19. Mitzpe Ramon Visitor Center
This visitor center—named for Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, who perished in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster—is at the very edge of the crater. Interesting 3D models and other information about the history and formation of the crater makes it a good place to start your journey. The museum's panoramic view of the crater is breathtaking. There is also a restaurant and a branch of the popular Faran beauty products store.
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20. Mount Yoash
This lookout point along the border road with Egypt is an easy trip from Eilat. Head west along Route 12 into the Eilat Mountains Nature Reserve. After 12 km (7½ miles), turn left at the orange sign for Mount Yoash and continue 1 km (½ mile) up a rough and winding stone road. Park and take in knockout views of the alternating light and dark ridges of the Eilat Mountains, the mountains of Edom rising behind the Jordanian city of Aqaba, and the Nahal Geshron gorge emptying into the Red Sea at Taba, in Egypt. A beautiful two-hour hiking trail begins in the parking lot. The Jordanian army operated a strategic post here until 1949, when Israeli forces took it during the last campaign of the War of Independence. The raising of a makeshift Israeli flag here marked the end of the war.
Rte. 12, 88000, Israel
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