Covering 55% of Israel territory, the desert of Negev is a really curious tourist destination, both culturally and geologically. It can boast its magnificent mountains and deep craters, ‘wadis’ (dewless riverbeds), rangy valleys and high plateaus. The three ‘Makhtesh’ are the most famous: Gadol, Katan and Ramon. The area around Makhtesh Ramon is a part of a national park, whereas the crater itself is the largest erosion cirque in the Earth. It is no surprise that Ramon Nature Reserve is one of the main Negev's attractions.

The history of Negev goes down to 4000-7000 years when the first nomads left their traces in the area. From the first settlements to the foundation of Israeli independent state, these arid inclement lands have gone all the way through the mankind’s becoming. You could have you own experience to find out what it was like taking part in the special ‘Spice Route’ guided tour.

It is impossible to separate Negev desert and the Nabataea heritage. The town of Shivta gives us a clear archeological testimonial of that time. Flourished in the Byzantine epoch and abandoned after the Arab’s conquest in the 7th century, Shivta used to be considered to be either a classical Nabataean city, terminal on the ‘spice route’.

Starting from Mitzpe Ramon, we make our way through the desert to the Karkom mountain through Wadi Faran. It is worth visiting the spring of Sahronim, Canyon of Paresat Nekarot and incredible Noah ascent. Feel like trying a real beduin lifestyle? There are some routes for those who have courage to ride – or to guide at least - ‘the ship of the desert’: a camel.

The other inevitable way to go for every Negev’s visitor is, no doubt, a transdesert Incense Road linking the towns of Shivta, Mamshit, Haluza and Avdat. The last, declared a World Heritage Site in 2005, can boast a whole bunch of ancient times testimonials including temple platform (the acropolis) erected around 1th century B.C. Avdat used to be a key station along the Petra-Gaza road after the Roman rule. It was, hence, a logical choice of Avdat for the filming location of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’.

Moving on to the recent days, we head to Sde Boker: a kibbutz in the Negev famous as the retirement home of the 1st Israeli Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion. After his resignation, Ben-Gurion lived in the kibbutz till his death in 1973; nowadays, the kibbutz is turned into a museum of Tzrif Ben-Gurion.