Excursion

We will go on a journey to explore the Israeli Negev and the Dead Sea regions. Our first stop on Friday morning will be Masada, a fortress built by King Herod at the top of a mountain on the southern side of the Dead Sea. From the top, we can see into Jordan and over the Dead Sea and the Moav Mt. Masada has such a unique story and archaeology that UNESCO declared it a world heritage site.

Masada

We will head down via the cable car and make our way to float on the water at Ein-Bokek public beach -- located at the southern edge of the Dead Sea. 

From there, we will head out to the Negev and reach “Har-HaNegev” Field School, where we will spend the night.
 
The next day, we will depart around 8:30, after breakfast, and head into the “Machtesh” — The Ramon nature reserve — for a decent morning hike. The Ramon Machtesh (Crater) measures 40 km in length and 2 to 10 km in width and is shaped like a long heart. 

Ramon Crater

After our hike, we will ride to enjoy a local-style Bedouin hospitality and lunch. Like the Bedouin, we will sit on low mattresses and get to taste traditional-style dishes. We will also get the chance to ride camels and understand why they got the nickname “The Desert Ship.” 

As we head back toward the Weizmann Institute and pending our time, we might take a small detour to see Israel's largest solar farms, creating green energy in the desert sun. 

We will arrive at the WIS toward Saturday evening. 

Organizers

  • Ofer Firstenberg
    Weizmann Institute of Science
  • Sebastian Hofferberth
    University of Bonn