These are the last days of the long holiday, the children are without frames, and we the parents are already at a loss for the question of how to keep them busy. Especially because of this, we were called to flag and put together a schedule of activities for you for 48 hours in the magical (and safe, it must be said) region of Israel - the Arava.
It is true that it is very hot in Arava during the day, and most of the activities around the shower of stars have already ended, but that does not mean that there are not enough activities here that take place in air-conditioned complexes. The peak of the experience occurs at sunset and in the pleasant evening hours - when a desert breeze blows and the prairie comes to life.
The Arava, a region of land that stretches over 170 km, from Moshav Idan in its northern part to Kibbutz Eilot in the south, offers a multitude of desert experiences. This month, as every year, the peak event in the Arava was the meteor shower (Persaids) that we told about last week. The last week of the holiday There are still a few guided stargazing activities, as part of the "Summer Nights in Arava 2024" events, so if you are able to come, you should take advantage of the momentum for another unforgettable experience.
You have arrived in the desert, after a long drive, and there is nothing more fun than decompressing with a cold desert beer. Visit the beer brewery in Kibbutz Ketura. Birtzinot Brewery produces a wide variety of craft beers for the local market such as "Col Majhol", a beer that combines smoked malt with dates from the Arabah. During the month of August, the brewery will conduct guided tours, and will also be open to the public.
Towards evening, when the sun sets and the sky is colored red-purple, it is recommended to join a sunset jeep tour. Tal Sekar, a trailblazer and jeep, will take you on a trip towards the sunset. After dark, you will continue with a night activity for families - making pitas on the fire and stories around the fire. It is possible to have dinners on site. The sunset trips with Tal Sekar take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays in August. For details and registration for tours: 052-3666570.
It's time to sleep, and luckily for you there are dozens of accommodation and accommodation options in a wide price range spread across the never-ending road. One of these places is the "Muchnik" B&B complex in Moshav Idan. The complex includes four spacious guest houses with a double bedroom, a living room with pull-out beds, a kitchenette, a bathroom and an outdoor seating area and a hammock.
In the common yard you will find many facilities: sitting areas, campfire corner, BBQ station, outdoor kitchen with poika and sage pots, swings for children, trampoline and wading pool. The seat itself has attractions such as sports fields, a skate park and a pool. In the middle of the week the price per night is from NIS 650 per couple, on the weekend from NIS 900 per couple per night. For more details: 052-3868916.
Another option for accommodation in a slightly different style is the eco-campus in Kibbutz Lotan. Lutan's eco-campus is part of a sustainable space that offers accommodation in an air-conditioned dome, a central kitchen with elements of ecological cooking, and a pool.
The price is from NIS 400 per night. The accommodation complex at the Eco-campus in Luton is only part of the ecological complex in the kibbutz. Next to it is the Eco-Fun Park - a shaded and colorful park with a playground and seating areas, an organic garden and more. Guided tours can be coordinated, and there is also the option of a virtual and interactive independent tour by scanning the code on the entrance sign.
If you haven't closed breakfast in your accommodation complex, don't worry - we have the perfect solution for you. The route 90 deli in the cliffs offers a wide variety of sandwiches, cheeses, sausages and more. The deli is open Sunday through Thursday, from 10:00 am.
During the hot hours, activity in an air-conditioned room is mandatory. There is no better way to pass the hot hours in the desert than a Pilates or yoga workshop in an air-conditioned studio in front of a spectacular mountain view. In front of the views of the mountains and the wadi, on the top of the hill, the workshop and retreat complex "Mibart for Peace Center" is located.
The workshops, which will be good for your body and mind, take place in a cliff landscape. To find the workshop for you, you can go to the Nof Tsukim website and see the schedule of workshops that are held this week. Most of the workshops do not require prior coordination, just arrive in comfortable clothes. If you continue to wander around the complex you will find sitting areas with views of the desert and the edible fruit orchard.
Another activity in the temperate zone is the horseback tour in the Hai-Bar Bitbata nature reserve. This time, the air conditioner is for your private vehicle: during the visit, you will travel by car inside the reserve and be exposed to a savannah landscape and a fascinating desert experience that includes watching animals in their natural environment, within touching distance: rams, deer, ostriches, wild animals and more.www.parks.org.il
You can find another cooling activity in the many Arava settlements that are spread out in the region. The moshavs and kibbutzim in the Arava open their pools to the general public, so if you just want to lie in the pool, you can go to one of the settlements and do a sit-up. After you have exhausted the pool, you will return for a light rest, because as mentioned when the evening falls - the prairie comes to life.
In the evening, you can join, for example, a desert lantern and komazitz tour at Kibbutz Lotan. Lanterns will be lit along the route with the intoxicating landscape of the Adom Mountains in the background - a place where wind and earth meet. During the tour you can connect with nature, watch the stars covering the sky and hear stories that combine astronomy and anecdotes about the desert animals. The tour ends at Papachanga - a geodesic dome with a panoramic view of the Edom Mountains, where there will be a Komzitz alongside marshmallows and juice. The activity takes place on August 26 at 20:00.
Another option for a night activity is scorpion tours with ultraviolet flashlights in Kibbutz Ketura. Using the flashlights, you can trace the nocturnal life of the scorpions which takes place in a unique way. During the tour you can learn about the different types of heels. The tour takes place throughout August on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 20:00.
To end the day with good taste and with a full stomach, visit the beehive bar in Ein Yahav. The Porat apiary, the largest and southernmost in Israel, which specializes in the production of pure desert honey with flower nectar, holds night tours and opens the bar doors every Tuesday, Thursday, and Tuesday night in August. Spending time at the bar is suitable for families, young people and anyone who likes to drink a cold and refreshing drink at the end of a hot day, With a juicy burger straight from the smokehouse.
Finally, on your way back home, visit one of the special stopping points in Arava, for coffee and fresh yogurt. "Cafe Corner" in Ein Yahav is a small and indulgent yogurt shop. The yogurt shop offers excellent coffee, cookies, pastries and of course chilled yogurt with toppings.