Cirque & Sand & Stars, Oh My!

Israel's Desert Vibes: The Ramon Crater (Is it actually a crater though?)

Desert hotels are totally a vibe.

I have been to quite a few, and there are key things they all have in common that I really love.

1- The architecture is made to blend into natural settings.
2- The weather has its own feel- dry, not humid during the day, and cool/cold at night.
3- The stars you see from here are beyond incredible.
4- You are automatically relaxed the second you arrive.

I visited the Beresheet Hotel in 2011 when it first opened, and have been fortunate to be able to come back a few times since then. This time I stayed in Israel after my nephew’s bar mitzvah trip just to relax, get away from the craziness, reconnect with nature, and spend quality time with my daughters.

We arrived at night, which made waking up in the morning to look out at the view from our balconies that much more special. Looking out, we saw ibex roaming around freely everywhere. There is a sense of there being something larger than just you. Here, nature demands respect, and you are just a bystander. It’s the same type of feeling you get in the US Southwest.

We learned that Machtesh Ramon, as it’s called in Hebrew, is actually an erosion cirque- they call it a machtesh, or crater, but it was not caused by a meteorite or explosion like craters are. This erosion cirque was formed 15 million years ago and the resulting rocks are a mix of sandstone and limestone. These rocks are multicolored- black, pink, red, white, orange, and purple, similar to the Grand Canyon colors. As we drove through on our jeep tour, the terrain as well as the colors kept changing. It was simply stunning--bumpy and sandy, but more so fun and beautiful.

We went to the highest point, as well as to the lowest point in the “crater” on the jeep. Machtesh Ramon is the largest erosion cirque in the world measuring 1.5 miles at its narrowest and just over 6 miles at its widest width. It’s about 500 meters or almost half a mile deep! Naor, our guide, was friendly, great with the kids, and took some unreal pictures of us.

I can be pretty adventurous, but I admit I was scared of our next activity—rapelling. My fears were quickly set aside by the wonderful guides; they led us confidently, spoke to me the whole way, and I was able to feel calm and truly enjoy this awesome experience with my kids. Nadav, our guide, actually rappelled down with Rebecca (my 6-year-old) and she felt fulfilled, brave, and proud of herself.

Sandboarding is something so different that can be done on the way to or within Mitzpeh Ramon. There are various ways to “sandsurf” down the dunes, so take your pick, and surf down! This is a wonderful activity to add in either before or after your drive into the desert.

I can’t say this enough…hike it, bike it, jeep it- whatever you do, visit this incredible formation and explore its beauty.

After the morning’s adventures, we visited the main square (which didn’t exist the last time I was here). There are shops, restaurants, bakeries, and more in the area as well. Lunch at Pizza Selfie was delicious. We stopped at an amazing bakery called Samoosa Village Bakery. The owner created all the decorations himself out of all kinds of materials- flowers made out of flour painted in epoxy and other unique techniques.

Like I’ve said before, in Israel I always find or try to find a deeper meaning to our adventures, so after lunch and a little shopping, we went to the Ilan Ramon Visitor Center which discusses both the life of Ilan Ramon and has videos about the machtesh itself. The guided tour is about 1 hour and well worth it.

The story of Ilan Ramon is very emotional, and passionate, and it’s weird to tell my kids- I remember exactly when and how it happened. We felt joy and pride as he was representing Israel and the entire Jewish people. How he proudly wore an Israeli flag on his astronaut uniform. How he took a mezuzah and miniature Torah with him to space, and then how sad the whole world felt when the Columbia Spaceship crashed. The center is so well done and I highly recommend it.

We also went to the white suspended balcony, “Hamirpeset Hatluya,” which is overlooking the cirque. Standing there looking out at the expanse makes you feel small, and wonder how this natural phenomenon exists within Israel’s tiny boundaries. There was lightning in the far distance during sunset, and it just further colored the crater into deep purple and gray hues, making it even more beautiful and colorful.

Coming back to the hotel at the end of this magical day was perfect--the kids played in the hotel’s kids' room and worked up an appetite for dinner. The indoor and outdoor pools also offer laid-back entertainment. I cannot go on without mentioning the food. The food at the Beresheet Mitzpeh Ramon is superb. My daughter asked if we could go to breakfast again! It was amazing! Very fresh, seasonal flavors, and all delicious.

I always try to maximize our days no matter where we go. Some places have a hectic and busy vibe, others leave you so tired from hiking or walking long distances. Somehow though, after a very full day--jeeps, rapelling, a little walking, a museum tour, and a little shopping, we still felt relaxed. I think it’s the natural setting, the neutral tones, the air, and the sky that just keep everything so mellow. The kids fell right to sleep that night.

In the U.S. you can see deserts, mountains, valleys, and plains, but they are hundreds if not thousands of miles apart. On our drive into the desert, we left the city and started seeing rolling hills with greenery and agriculture, then all of a sudden it looked like Death Valley National Park, and it was desert as far as the eye can see. All this in a country that takes about 5 hours to drive from tip to tip. At the intersections of Africa, Europe, and Asia, I am always in awe at how incredible the actual land of Israel is!

I try to show my kids how dynamic Israel really is- we always do at least one new thing every time we come. This time our trip had a completely different feel because of these few days we spent down by the machtesh, it showed them a completely different side of Israel than they had known before. I always feel a bit sad when I leave Israel, but I know I will be back soon, and I will explore even more.

I’d love to hear from you! Let me know if there are any specific topics you’d like to explore even further.