Mitzpe Ramon

Near the Ramon Crater, a miracle of nature attracting tourists and Israelis all year round, “Mitzpe Ramon” (Ramon Lookout) is a town in Israel’s southern desert, the Negev. It is situated high up on a ridge 2,800 feet (850 meters) above sea level. Founded originally as a camp for workers building a road to Eilat in 1951, its first residents were Romanian and North African. It became the southernmost development town in the Negev. Its development aspirations were thwarted by the opening of Route 90 in the late 1960s which circumvented Mitzpe Ramon entirely when travelling from the center of the country towards Eilat. Luckily, ecotourism came into fashion and jeep treks to the Nabatean ruins and elsewhere and mountain biking and hiking, made Mitzpe Ramon a natural destination. A few hotels opened in the 1990s and there is now a visitors’ center to assist those coming to see the Ramon Crater. There is a zoological garden with the expected snakes and lizards and a sculpture park. Nearby is an alpaca farm, a species of camelids similar in looks to the llama. This is the largest farm for this animal outside of South America where they were domesticated. For those archery enthusiasts, there is also an archery center for staying in shape.

If you visit Mitzpe Ramon, be sure to take a jeep tour of the crater; it will be a highlight! If you are a good walker, you might like to trek the crater. Don’t just look at the Ramon Crater, actually get into it!