Hod Akev loop, Sde Boker, Israel March 2015
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 11.74 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,644 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 1,644 ft
- Max elevation
- 1,888 ft
- TrailRank
- 39
- Min elevation
- 1,055 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 6 hours 47 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1570
- Uploaded
- March 18, 2015
- Recorded
- March 2015
near Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Southern District (Israel)
Viewed 1777 times, downloaded 44 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
Tzin river is the second largest river in southern Israel. It is dry most of the year - the water flows only after the rain, which falls only on very few occasions each year. The water themself are abscent, but leave an impressive footpring on the desert landscape.
This hike goes through part of the main Tzin river bed (on a 4x4 trail), climbs to a high view point (Hod Akev - "tip of the heel") and visits a nice spring. The desert and the river's footprint are apparant all around you.
It is a long hike (~17km), but apart from one short steep ascent and one short steep descent, pretty easy.
This hike goes through part of the main Tzin river bed (on a 4x4 trail), climbs to a high view point (Hod Akev - "tip of the heel") and visits a nice spring. The desert and the river's footprint are apparant all around you.
It is a long hike (~17km), but apart from one short steep ascent and one short steep descent, pretty easy.
Comments (6)
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Hello. Thank you for your information. I am going to Israel at the end of December and I am planing to do this trail, it seems amazing....
I would like to know a little bit more details how to arrive to there. I will be in a car so I think that we could park around there and start the trek and return to the initial point without a problem, could we?
Thanks for your comments.
Sebastian
Hi, you can get with a car to the start\end point. from the north (i.e. Bear-sheva) take road 40 south until Sde-boker. Take the second entrance to Sde-boker ("Midrasha" or "Ben-Gurion Tomb"). Then turn right at the circle and drive until the gate and info point. There is no fee to Hod Akev trail. after the gate continue descending with the car until the loweset point, there is a car park there.
Make sure you check the weather because on rainy days Tzin river bed might be flooded and dangerous.
Enjoy!
Thank you very much. I will check the river and the weather.
I am traveling few days to Israel and I am looking for a 20kms trek, if you have any recommendations I'll appreciate it.
rgrds
Sebastian
In the winter I think that you should go south to the Negev, Arava and Eilat mountains.
Makhtesh Ramon is very interesting, I hiked there a few months ago: http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=9325965
There are many beautiful gorges going to dead sea, this is one loop trail (you should check for floods before you go there): http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=2197718 and a description of the area: http://www.attractions-in-israel.com/dead-sea/dead-sea-hikes/circular-hike-at-nahal-tzeelim-challenging-hike-in-the-tzeelim-canyon-to-the-ein-namir-spring/
And if you are willing to go all the way to Eilat there are nice treks there, but mostly one-way (either there-and-back or require camping), this link is just to mark the area: http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/map.do?lt=29.593265&ln=34.920355&z=14&k=2&tab=0&act=1,14
Thank you very much. If you want to join us It would be a pleasure. We are planning to spend one day in Jerusalem (24th) and the 25th Trekking. The 26th we are traveling back to UK. We are from Ecuador.
All the bests
Sebastian
Thanks for the invitation :)
Have fun!