Southern Points of Interest

  To schedule your visit, please login to the Natural Parks and Nature Reserves Website and use their online booking system. HaBsor Stream: On the banks of HaBsor Stream stretches one of Israel's largest streams, exiting Eshkol Park, which is mostly man-made (KKL -JNF, the Natural Parks and Nature Reserves Authority and Merchavim Regional Council all partner in the development and operation of the park). The Park - A lush, green focal point for those touring the Northern Negev region. Each season "paints" the park and its surroundings in different hues and shades, and from February-March the entire area is dyed in "anemone ruby" - a breathtaking sight that beckons us to leave our homes, go out to nature and rejoice in these 'blossoms'. The park entrance - West of Ofakim. You can reach the park from Yad Mordechai Junction, Magen Junction, and Gilat Junction. The springs burst out of the ground in several locations, and...

One of the longest suspension bridges in Israel. The 80m bridge stretches between the two banks of the ravine and above a natural pool of water that is full all year round. (It is not recommended to enter the water!) Turtles can be seen in the water when looking down from the bridge Beyond the bridge on the loess cliff, there is a monument commemorating two members of Kibbutz Mashabei Sadeh, who were killed at this place in an ATV accident. How to get there: The bridge is best accessed from the southern side of the Besor Trail. Drive north from Tzeelim Junction (Route no. 222) for about a kilometer and turn right at the Besor Trail (blue markings). You will arrive at the bridge after about two minutes’ drive along the blue-marked dirt road.    ...

Gemila Stream Pond - the pond, which is surrounded by canes and tamarisks, is at the confluence of Gemila Stream (Wadi Jamila) with Besor Stream. Apparently, a reservoir was dug here already during the Byzantine era. That reservoir was renovated along with other reservoirs during World War I to serve the British cavalry. Past mining of pebbles for the aquifer's groundwater assures a steady supply of water for the pond. The information courtesy and from the KKL-JNF website Photo credit: Lior Zahavi...

General information: Tour type: Observatory and blossom tour Tour duration: Approximately 1 hour. Difficulty level: Low Rest Rooms on-site: None. Possible picnic points: None. Opening hours: Open WAZE : Anemones Hill - The graves of Ariel and Lily Sharon Anemones Hill (previously called "Lily's Hill" ) is a mound in front of the sycamore farm. About the site: Ancient mound, currently used as the burial estate of Ariel Sharon and his wife, Lily Sharon; An observation point on the Shikma stream area and a site where anemones bloom in season. What can one see? Observation point, spring blossoms and the Sharon burial plot. A view from the hill: To the North - you can see The Sycamore Farm and the Shikma stream, the main stream in the area, where all other streams drain. To the South - agricultural fields. To the East - you can see Kibbutz Dorot, which belongs to Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council. To the West -you can see the ruins of the Khirbet...

A broad northward observation point and a tourist attraction for thousands of travelers in the area. From this bird's-eye lookout, one can view the Habsor reservoir complex, which supplies water to irrigate the agricultural fields of the Western Negev. In addition, the observatory allows a comprehensive view of the Yatir area and Be'er Sheva, as far as Ashkelon. In the evening, one can see the spectacular twinkling lights of all the nearby settlements. Photography credit: Eyal Bribram...

General information: Tour type: A short hike and an observatory Tour duration: 1-2 hours. Difficulty level: Medium. Rest Rooms on-site: None. Possible picnic points: Picnic tables at the foot of the mound. Getting there: The entrance to the mound from road 232, about 100 meters south of the Re'im junction. Access is well-signed and suitable for any vehicle. The mound is clearly visible from the road. Opening hours: Open all year round. WAZE - Tel Gama Observatory Tel Gama (Gama Mound) is a peripheral observation point over most of the territory of the Habsor region. The mound calls for observation and a bit of hiking to cover the entire scope. It is recommended to go down from the mound and around it toward the northern turn, then go down into Habsor stream and walk near the mound eastward. When you approach the shadow of the mound, lift your gaze, and you can see nesting birds in the loess soil, remnants of mud bricks...

General Information: Tour Type: Observation point. Short tours possible. Track Duration: 1-1.5 hours Difficulty Level: Low Rest Rooms on-site: None. Possible picnic points: 8 picnic tables at the entrance to the site Getting there: Drive south on road 232 towards the Rafah border crossing. After about 21 km, you will reach the Avshalom junction, continue for another 2 km and turn left, following the brown signs pointing to the monument. After 1 more km, you will recognize the entrance to the site between avenues of palm trees. Tour starting point and ending point: the starting point is the Steel Division (Ha-Plada) monument; the endpoint is the access road to Camp Amitai, the "Yamit Walls" site. WAZE – Ha-Plada Monument About the site: A memorial to the fallen of the Steel Division in the battles over the Gaza Strip and the Sinai in the Six-Day War, including an observation point from which one can see the border triangle of Egypt, Israel and Gaza. What...

The Tube bridge is built on the pipes that carry water to the HaBsor reservoir, the bridge connects the two banks of the HaBsor river, in the center of which is a view balcony that is a comfortable and safe observation point for the floods of the stream. The tube bridge is located near the longest suspension bridge in Israel, which is well-known and beloved, attracting tens of thousands of travelers every year, during all seasons and especially during floods, when vast surges of water flow in the stream and provide a spectacular view. One may walk between these two bridges in a circular route stretching along the Habsor stream, on foot or by bicycle. The distance between the two bridges is about 4 km, and the circular route continues for about 7 km....

Ofakim Park: From Gilat Interchange, on the Be'er Sheva-Netivot road ( 25), drive west about 4 km to the entrance to the city of Ofakim. Drive south along the main street (Herzl Street) and turn left on HaHida Street, which leads straight to the park gate. With the colorful flower statue, Safra Square welcomes  visitors to the park. Finding open plains and fields stretching to the horizon, in our little country, without some mountain or city "disrupting" the rest of the landscape is tricky. Such landscapes can be seen almost exclusively in the Western Negev. We chose to walk in such a landscape, where the channel of Ofakim Stream carves its way through the plains on its way to Nahal Gerar. It is hard to believe that there were dozens of prosperous settlements during Byzantine times in this arid region, and where Israel dared to build a city in 1955. But looking carefully at...

These days, a new site is being completed in the Eshkol Regional Council, an amazing attraction open to the public: a scenic viewpoint, with a small amphitheater area, open to the sky. The visitors who have already discovered the new "charming spot" in the middle of nowhere - testify that the view of the sunset in the pleasant evening breeze turns the place into one of the nicest sites in the western Negev for an evening coffee, under the magnificent sunset skies. On the "Field Road", in the heart of the agricultural lands of "Halutza", halfway between Tzellim and Gevulot, at the top of the prominent hill in the area, known to the local residents as the "Iris Hill" (during the season, in March, a concentration of beautiful blooming Negev irises). How to get there? Next to the entrance gate to Kibbutz Tzellim - turn right to the Field Road, drive 5 km on...

The Shikma Reservoir was created with the construction of the Shikma Creek floodgate, which holds back floodwaters before they reach the sea. The floodgate was constructed by the neighboring Kibbutzim during the 1950s and was used to water agricultural fields. A decade later, the reservoir was transferred to Mekorot company's care to introduce groundwater and enrich the coastal aquifer. The reservoir's water is pumped and transferred to percolation and infiltration basins located at its northern point. Photography Credit: Cover photo - Rachel Evron Content page photos - Shira Bloch Lifshitz...

General information: Tour type: Observation Tour duration: 1 hour Difficulty level: Low Rest Rooms on-site: None. About the observation point: In the center of this bird's-eye lookout, 20 wind chimes are hung, playing their music as the wind blows through, spreading their melody across the top of the hill. Each flute represents one year in the life of Assaf, who used to graze Nir Am's cattle herds in this area when he was a teenager. From the observation point, one can watch the birds that spend time in the reservoir and identify them by the paintings on the ceramic panels embedded in the reservoir's railing. The observatory also provides an excellent view of the Gaza Strip. WAZE - Asaf Siboni Observation Point...

The nature reserve extends south of Kibbutz Karmiya, east of the Shikma stream. Its uniqueness lies in the high groundwater on the border between the shifting sands and the heavy loam soil. White acacia trees grow there, marking Israel as the northernmost boundary of their global distribution. At the end of winter, the reserve blooms with diverse wildflowers like the Allium Tel-Avivense, Lupinus Palaestinus and others....

Tel Haror (Arabic: Tell Abu Hureyra) is a large mound in the Negev, located on the northern bank of Nahal Gerar, near Moshav Shibolim. The mound spreads across about 150 square km, divided into two parts - the lower and upper cities. At the top of the hill, there is a WWI era Turkish cemetery, including Sheikh Abu Hureyra's tomb, after whom the mound was named. Until Israel's War of Independence, the Arab residents of the area used to go to the grave and make sacrifices during an entire week.  Nowadays, Tel Haror is a place of pilgrimage for Muslims seeking marriage. Photography Credit: Dror Lavi...

Opening hours: open all year round Getting there: Drive south on road 232. Turn right at Holilt Interchange to road 240. After about 1 km, you will pass a turn to Kibbutz Sufa. Continue a few dozen meters and turn right. After about 70 meters, turn right again to the site (a brown sign marks the spot). The site offers plenty of parking, accessible parking and pathway. Difficulty level: Low Rest Rooms on-site: None. Possible picnic points: At the entrance to the site, there are picnic tables and water fountains. WAZE: Nirim (Dangour) monument. Origin of the name Dangour: These lands, where Kibbutz Nirim was first established and currently occupy the Kibbutzim Holit, Sufa and Nir Yitzhak - were bought before WWI by Rabbi Shalom Dangour, a native of Baghdad, who served as the rabbi of the Jewish Community in Egypt and purchased these lands for Jewish settlement. What can one find on-site? A monument for those...

Across the road from Kibbutz Ruhama, there's a hidden gem: a stunning grove featuring mats of anemones (in season). After the rain, it is recommended to arrive with 4x4 vehicles only. Ruins of the Arab village of Gmama - Remains of mud houses in this Arab village, established in the 19th century by the Kharatis (tenant farmers) who worked the land in the territory of the Bedouin Al Atauna tribe, and who abandoned the village in 1948. The village's name is from the Arab word Gmam, meaning plenty of water, probably because of the abundant water wells in the vicinity. The village was built on the ruins of an ancient Byzantine settlement. There are also remnants of a Byzantine monastery nearby.  ...