Idan: Peace Road between Desert and Fields

In Idan, the Peace Road brings together open desert landscapes and cultivated land in the Arava. The green-marked route begins just before the entrance to Idan and heads south to Ein Yahav. Another way to get to know Idan is through a customized farm tour at Sea-Gal Farm, available by prior arrangement.

The Peace Road: A Changing Landscape

The Peace Road begins just before the entrance to Idan. Its green markings identify the route, which starts in the moshav of Idan and heads south to Ein Yahav. This helps place the route between the two named locations without confusing it with a loop or a route within Idan.

Along the Peace Road, open desert, white marl hills, and hills of the Lisan Formation meet the cultivated agricultural plots of the Arava’s residents. Cultivated fields belonging to Idan, Hatzeva, and Ein Yahav are also visible along the route. The contrast between earthy landforms and cultivated fields gives this part of the Arava its distinctive landscape: natural features and agriculture both shape the view of the area.

A Closer Look at Agriculture

Sea-Gal Farm in the moshav of Idan offers customized farm tours for all ages. Tours are available by prior arrangement. This is a different way to engage with the area than following the landscape along the Peace Road: here, the focus is on visiting a farm; there, it is on the contrast between the desert, hills, and cultivated fields. If you are considering Idan as a place to look for a vacation rental, these two interests can help you clarify what you would like to experience in the area.

More Nature and Culture in the Southern District

The wider destination of the Southern District offers a variety of themes. Avdat National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along the ancient Incense Route in the Negev Highlands. Masada offers a different historical perspective: the site represents the ancient Kingdom of Israel, its violent destruction, and the final resistance of Jewish patriots against the Roman army in 73 CE. Visitors can see the remains of Herod’s palaces and intact Roman siege works, which rank among the most complete of their kind in the Roman world.

To visit Masada National Park, advance registration in the Visitor Coordination System secures a place. Check your registration for your chosen date in advance. This also makes clear, when planning, the difference between a place with a strong historical focus and the landscape experience in Idan.

Ein Gedi Nature Reserve offers a different natural setting: it encompasses Israel’s largest oasis, with springs, waterfalls, and flowing streams; ibex and hyraxes are also among its noted natural features. A hiking trail follows the Nahal Arugot, which flows year-round, to a hidden waterfall and pools in its upper reaches. Trail conditions may change after floods.

At the Makhtesh Ramon Visitor Center, natural phenomena meet a personal story. The center combines the story of Israel’s first astronaut, Lieutenant Colonel Ilan Ramon, with an introduction to the world’s largest crater and its distinctive natural phenomena. Here, too, advance registration in the Visitor Coordination System secures a place for the selected visit date. Makhtesh Ramon is part of the Zin Cliffs and Negev Highlands nature reserves.

At Besor Park (Eshkol), on the river’s eastern bank at Ein Besor spring, the oasis is characterized by expansive lawns, picnic facilities, and children’s playgrounds. Marked cycling trails and a disc golf course add to the activities described there. Ashkelon, by contrast, focuses on archaeology and dune landscapes: the Canaanite Gate in Ashkelon National Park was built from mudbrick and kurkar bricks, dates to 1850 BCE, and is considered the oldest vaulted gate in the world. The southern part of the national park is a nature reserve for the distinctive flora and fauna of the sand dunes.

These examples in the Southern District represent different travel interests and are destinations in their own right: history, oasis landscapes, craters, and park activities each offer a different focus. When choosing a place to stay, you can first consider whether Idan’s Peace Road and its customized farm tour by arrangement appeal to you most, or whether you would rather explore another of the themes mentioned in the Southern District.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Ashkelon, Dimona, Giv'ot Bar, Maslul, Meitar, Eilat, Mishmar HaNegev, Sde Boker.

Return to the main travel overview: Southern District.