Negev Desert

Negev Desert

The Negev Desert of Israel is pure, ethereal magic in the midst of a starkly beautiful landscape. It is an area of beauty that covers more than half of Israel's total land area. Although the area is largely uninhabited, Israel has been hard at work on the greening of this region. As the desert is reclaimed for more productive use, Israel's fertile Coastal Plain is slowly expanding southward. This reverses the global trend of desertification, making the Negev the only desert in the world to do so. However, the desert is by no means devoid of life. There are thriving modern Israeli communities that have found harmony with their desert surroundings, as well as the nomadic Bedouin who have lived here for ages, traditionally living in makeshift shelters and moving seasonally with their livestock. It's also home to a wide variety of wildlife. These include the Desert Hyrax and the Nubian Ibex. It's also dotted with amazing archaeological ruins, historical remains, and a wealth of cultural treasures. The Negev has another unique geological formation in addition to the well-known Dead Sea and the ancient fortress of Masada in the eastern Negev. These are the Makhteshim, a unique crater-like landform found only in the Negev and its extension into the Egyptian Sinai. In contrast to the lunar craters, these craters are thought to have been formed as a result of severe water erosion. The Mitzpe Ramon Observatory is situated on the side of Ramon Crater, which is the largest of these craters. There is another place in the Negev Desert that is often ignored by tourists, but is quite beautiful. It is called Ein Avdat. It's a stream in the Zin Valley that flows south from Kibbutz Sde Boker in the direction of Eilat.