Idan: Friedensstraße and Sea-Gal Farm

The route highlights landforms and cultivated areas; the farm offers a custom-designed farm tour, which must be arranged in advance. For planning, both the topic you are interested in and the format of the visit are relevant. The broader travel destination of the Southern District also offers a regional perspective on natural and cultural sites.

Friedensstraße: Desert Landscapes and Fields

Friedensstraße begins shortly before the entrance to Idan and is marked in green. It runs south to Ein Yahav. Along the way, open desert, white marl hills and hills of the Lisan Formation alternate with well-maintained agricultural plots cultivated by Arava residents. Natural landforms and cultivated areas offer two distinct perspectives on the landscape. Travelers can see the cultivated fields of Idan, Hatzeva and Ein Yahav along Friedensstraße. The fields of several communities make agriculture as tangible a part of the landscape as the desert and hills. The direction and green markings provide a guide to the route; the changing landforms and fields offer different features to focus on.

Farm Tour at Sea-Gal Farm

Another local highlight is Sea-Gal Farm in Moshav Idan. It offers a custom-designed farm tour for all ages; the tour takes place by prior arrangement. Its individual design makes the farm tour a distinct activity, different from taking in the scenery along Friedensstraße. If you would like to include the tour in your travel plans, arrange your visit in advance. Making arrangements beforehand is the practical step to plan for this visit.

Southern District: Nature and History as a Regional Framework

The broader travel destination of the Southern District offers another thematic framework. Avdat National Park is in the Negev Highlands and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along the route of the ancient Incense Road. The highland setting and the historic route are two aspects of the site. At Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, water and wildlife come together: the reserve encompasses Israel’s largest oasis, with springs, waterfalls and flowing streams, as well as ibex and rock hyraxes. A hiking trail follows the perennial Nahal Arugot to a hidden waterfall and pools in its upper reaches. Trail conditions may change after floods; take this into account when planning your visit.

Masada also offers an archaeological perspective on the history of the Southern District. The site is a symbol of the ancient Kingdom of Israel, its violent destruction, and the final resistance of Jewish patriots against the Roman army in 73 CE. The remains of Herod’s palaces have been preserved, along with intact Roman siege works, which are among the most complete of their kind in the Roman world. Besor Park (Eshkol) offers a different regional highlight: it lies on the eastern bank of the river at Ein Besor Spring and is an oasis with extensive lawns, picnic facilities and children’s playgrounds. Signposted cycling trails and a disc golf course add to the activities; operational details for these offerings may change.

Discover more destinations: Ein Bokek, Midreshet Ben Gurion, Eilat, Kfar Menahem, Merhav Am, Giv'ot Bar, Hatzeva, Mishmar HaNegev

Go to the broader travel overview: Southern District.