Travel News
EGYPT AND MIDDLE EAST TOURS
Spice up a tour of Israel by visiting the Negev Desert
Travelers on Israel tours who venture to the Negev Desert will find beautiful, wild terrain where some of the country's best known historical figures have lived. According to tradition, the prophet Abraham built a home in the desert settlement of Be'er Sheva, while Israel's first prime minister, David Ben Gurion, lived in the Negev in more modern times.
Despite getting less than 200 millimeters of rain annually, according to the official Israel tourism website, the Negev has not only been home to Israeli leaders, but to many different tribes throughout history. The Nabateans were particularly influential residents of the region, and they established a trade route known as the "Spice Road."
The four major Nabatean towns of Haluza, Mamshit, Avdat and Shivta are located between the Jordanian border and the Mediterranean coast. These towns were at their heyday between the third century B.C. and second century A.D., supported by the trade in frankincense and myrrh. Visitors to the ruins of these towns and other Spice Road fortifications can get a vivid sense of what life was like in these bustling desert outposts, which featured sophisticated irrigation systems and impressive stone architecture.
Among the other Negev attractions, the region boasts three incredibly large craters that can be explored by jeep, foot or camel, and a national park in the Arava Valley.
Posted: October 12, 2011
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