The 7 Best Day Trips From Beer Sheva (2026)

Updated September 2026 · 7 picks

The best day trips from Beer Sheva in 2026 are Sde Boker and Ein Avdat (45 minutes), the Ramon Crater at Mitzpe Ramon (75 minutes) and Masada with the Dead Sea (about 75 minutes). Beer Sheva is the gateway to the whole Negev, and most of the south's best sights are an hour's drive away. Here are 7, with times and what to pair.

1. Sde Boker and Ben-Gurion's Desert Home — Kibbutz Sde Boker, 45 minutes south

The modest hut where Israel's first prime minister chose to retire.

₪ BudgetBest for Families · Couples · Groups

David Ben-Gurion left government in 1953 to live on Kibbutz Sde Boker, and his desert home — a plain wooden hut with his books, desk and bedroom exactly as he left them — is one of the most affecting historical sites in the country.

A few minutes away at Midreshet Ben-Gurion, his grave and that of his wife Paula look out over the Zin Canyon in a view he chose himself.

It is the natural first stop of a Negev Highlands day, and it combines with Ein Avdat below.

Good to know: Stand by the graves at the canyon edge for the view — then drive down to Ein Avdat below it.

Google Maps Website

2. Ein Avdat canyon — Zin Valley, 50 minutes south

A white canyon with a spring, pools and ibex — the best short walk in the Negev.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Families · Couples · Groups

Ein Avdat is a narrow canyon cut into white chalk in the Zin Valley, where a spring feeds a chain of pools and a waterfall, and ibex are routinely seen on the ledges.

The lower trail from the valley floor to the waterfall is easy and family-friendly; the full route climbs out of the canyon on steps and ladders cut into the rock to the upper car park, so plan either a car at each end or the walk back.

Go early — the canyon fills up by late morning and the heat does too.

Good to know: Do the one-way route up the ladders if your group can manage it — it is the best part.

Google Maps

3. Mitzpe Ramon and the Ramon Crater — Mitzpe Ramon, 75 minutes south

The largest erosion crater in the world, seen from the rim.

₪ BudgetBest for Families · Couples · Groups

Makhtesh Ramon is a 40-kilometre-long erosion crater, and the town of Mitzpe Ramon sits right on its northern rim, with the promenade and visitor centre giving an immediate, enormous view.

From the rim you can drive down into the crater on Route 40 to the coloured sands, the Ammonite Wall and short hikes, or simply stay for sunset and the night sky — the area is a designated dark-sky site.

It is a long day from Beer Sheva and a better one with an overnight.

Good to know: Stay for sunset at the rim — the colours in the crater change completely in the last hour of light.

Google Maps

4. Masada and the Dead Sea — Via Arad, 75–90 minutes east

Herod's fortress at dawn and a float at Ein Bokek in the afternoon.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Families · Couples · Groups

From Beer Sheva, the road through Arad drops down to the Dead Sea, with Masada and the Ein Bokek hotel strip both around an hour and a half away.

The classic plan is Masada early — by cable car, or on foot via the Ramp Path from the Arad side, which is much shorter than the Snake Path — then a float and a shower at the free public beach at Ein Bokek.

It is the one day trip from Beer Sheva that most first-time visitors should not skip.

Good to know: From Beer Sheva the western Ramp Path is the easy way up Masada — you arrive on the right side for it.

Google Maps Website

5. Yeruham Lake and the Big Crater — Yeruham, 40 minutes southeast

A desert lake park and the less-visited Makhtesh Gadol with its coloured sands.

₪ BudgetBest for Families · Couples

Yeruham is a small development town most people drive past, but it has two good reasons to stop: Yeruham Lake Park, a green reservoir with shade and birdlife in the desert, and the Big Crater (Makhtesh Gadol) just beyond it.

The Big Crater is smaller than Ramon but far quieter, with multicoloured sands you can collect and a scenic road through it.

It is a good half-day for families who want desert scenery without the crowds.

Good to know: Bring an empty bottle — collecting layers of coloured sand is what children remember.

Google Maps

6. Shivta and Nitzana — Western Negev, 45–60 minutes southwest

An almost intact Byzantine desert town, and the ancient road to Sinai.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Couples · Solo

Shivta is a Byzantine-era Nabatean and Christian town in the western Negev, part of the UNESCO-listed Incense Route, and it is remarkably complete — streets, houses, three churches and water cisterns, with almost nobody else there.

Nitzana, further along toward the Egyptian border, adds another ancient site and an education village, and the drive between them is empty desert.

Combine them with our guide to national parks near Beer Sheva for a full Byzantine day.

Good to know: Take plenty of water and fuel — there are no services at Shivta.

Google Maps

7. Arad and Tel Arad — Arad, 45 minutes east

A 5,000-year-old Canaanite city and an Israelite fortress, on the road to the Dead Sea.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Couples · Families

Tel Arad holds the remains of a large Early Bronze Age Canaanite city and, on the hill above it, an Israelite fortress with a small temple that is one of the most important biblical-period finds in the country.

The modern town of Arad sits on a plateau with long views over the Judean Desert and makes a quiet, cool base for Masada's western side.

It works as a stop on the way to the Dead Sea rather than a destination on its own.

Good to know: Stop here on the way to Masada — it adds an hour, and the fortress temple is a real highlight.

Google Maps

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a car for day trips from Beer Sheva?

Realistically, yes. Buses run to Sde Boker, Mitzpe Ramon and Arad, but the desert sites are spread out and schedules are thin, so a rental car or a guided tour makes a day trip far easier.

How far is Beer Sheva from the Dead Sea?

About 75 to 90 minutes to Ein Bokek via Arad, on Route 31. Masada is a similar distance, so the two combine into one long day.

What is the best desert day trip from Beer Sheva?

Sde Boker and Ein Avdat followed by the Ramon Crater lookout at Mitzpe Ramon. In one day you get Ben-Gurion's desert home, a canyon walk with springs, and the largest erosion crater in the world.

When is the best season for Negev day trips?

October to April. In summer, hike only at dawn, carry at least three litres of water per person and plan the middle of the day around air conditioning.

Can I stay overnight instead?

Yes, and it is often better — see our guide to desert and kibbutz stays near Beer Sheva for farm lodges, desert hotels and Bedouin-style camps.

1. Sde Boker and Ben-Gurion's Desert Home — Kibbutz Sde Boker, 45 minutes south

2. Ein Avdat canyon — Zin Valley, 50 minutes south

3. Mitzpe Ramon and the Ramon Crater — Mitzpe Ramon, 75 minutes south

4. Masada and the Dead Sea — Via Arad, 75–90 minutes east

5. Yeruham Lake and the Big Crater — Yeruham, 40 minutes southeast

6. Shivta and Nitzana — Western Negev, 45–60 minutes southwest

7. Arad and Tel Arad — Arad, 45 minutes east

Frequently asked questions

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