Ramon Crater (Land of the Makhteshim)

We'll depart from the town of Mitzpe Ramon, down into the Makhtesh (crater), and towards Nachal Ramon (dry river bed), which drains a wide and colorful variety of rocks and minerals towards the Arava during flash floods.

We'll head south, passing through deserted quarries of "chocolate clay" and gypsum, and head up a steep incline to the peak of Gvanim Mountain.
 
Gvanim River (dry) is decorated with Acacia trees and desert flora and with some luck we'll spot gazelle, wild ass, various desert birds and other fauna. We'll head to see the sites of the Eastern Makhtesh, including the Saharonim Springs, a rare source of water in the arid landscape, and the source of water for Khan Saharonim, an ancient relic from the Nabataeans. We will stop and talk about the desert nomads who transported Myrrh and Frankincense from Yemen to the ports of the Mediterranean on the ancient spice routes.
 
We will head down the Dekalim Ascent and visit the cave at Nekarot River (dry) "Horseshoe", where we will rest in the shade, drink herbal tea or coffee and snack on cake.
 
The magical Ardon River (dry) offers views of dykes, evidence of magma chambers that made their way up to the earth's surface many millions of years ago.
 
We will head back to town on the Ramon Colors Route, which offers beautiful views of the colorful sands deposited during the Jurassic Period.