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Sde Boker

Sde Boker is a kibbutz in the central Negev (the south of Israel), most famous for being the past residence of the first prime minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion, who moved there after he left his office in order to live his ideals of settling the Negev. The name Sde Boker also commonly refers to the nearby ecologic settlement and educational complex, the Ben-Gurion College, at the edge of which is the tomb of the late prime minister and his wife, set on the ridge overlooking the mighty Zin Valley.

See
3
Do
3
Eat
2
Drink
1

9 places

  1. Do

    Avdat

    pronounced Ovdat עֹבדת

    Avdat was a Nabataean city and central trade post in the first centuries CE and BCE. Today it's an Israeli national park and one of the four locations included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Incense Route in the Negev. The excavations and restoration work reveal a beautiful city of stone walls, columns, arches and decorations.

    Sun-Thu Sat 8AM-4PM, Fri 8AM-5PM; during DST open for 1 additional hourAdult ₪29, student ₪23, child/senior ₪15; combined tickets with Ein Avdat are available

  2. See

    Ben-Gurion's Desert Home

    The house where the first prime minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion, lived with his wife Paula, after leaving his office. It was preserved in almost the same shape as it was when Ben-Gurion lived there. Guided tours are available.

    Sun-Thu 8:30AM-4PM, Fri 8:30AM-2PM, Sat 10AM-4PMPaid entrance

  3. Do

    Ein Akev

    A spring forming a small pool and a nice oasis in the Zin basin. The pool is about 4 meters in diameter and very deep even in summertime. To reach it by Jeep, drive on Highway 40 between Sde Boker and the College, then turn south to a black-marked dirt road with a sign towards Ein Akev. After about 6 km, turn right to a blue road; this one will end within 4 km, then walk the remaining 1 km of the blue trail by foot. If you don't have a 4×4 vehicle, the place can be reached in a 2-hour hike each way from the Ben-Gurion College. From near the tomb, go down to the basin following the signs towards Ein Avdat, then when you reach the bottom, turn left on a red dirt road. After about an hour you'll encounter the aforementioned blue road, where you have to turn right and walk for another 45 minutes or so, until you reach the oasis. The hike is fairly easy, only that on your way back you'll have to make the steep climb back up to the College. Please review the guidelines for hiking in Israel, and keep in mind that this is a nature reserve and access is only allowed during daytime.

  4. Do

    Ein Avdat

    A creek in the cliff side where the mighty Zin stream, going west to east, descends from the highland and starts forming the deep Zin basin. This is the only section of the stream which flows all year long, thanks to the Avdat spring at its top. The water are brackish (that is, midway between salt and sweet water) and it is forbidden to enter the ponds (a regulation constantly enforced by the local rangers), but they do create a beautiful sight and attract a lot of animals, mainly ibexes, hyraxes and several bird species. Coming from the top entrance, you'll only be allowed to reach the viewpoint on the ridge, offering a great view of the creek and the basin, then you'll have to turn and go back. However, coming from the bottom, you can walk inside the creek itself, along the water, then either turn back or ascend the Via Ferrata steps out of the creek, to reach the top entrance. The walk is fit for children and should take a family around 30 minutes. However, in high season (mainly the Passover holiday in April) the place could be packed, and hiker "traffic jams" are likely to occur.

    Sun-Thu Sat 8AM-4PM, Fri 8AM-5PM; during DST open for 1 additional hourAdult ₪28, student ₪23, child/senior ₪14; combined tickets with Avdat are available

  5. See

    Sde Boker Winery

    The vineyard owned by the kibbutz was started as an agricultural experiment for growing vines using brackish water. This hasn't turned-out well, but the vineyard and winery still operate, now using fresh water. It is operated by Zvi Remak, originally from San Francisco and a B.Sc. of agronomy. He sells the products there and conducts tours of the winery; better to arrange in advance.

  6. Eat

    The Avdat gas station

    A convenience store and the café Aroma, offering hot drinks, sandwiches, salads and breakfasts.

    24 hours

  7. Eat

    The small shopping center at the Ben-Gurion College

    Has some small cafés, pizzerias and the like, as well as the only bar in the area.

    Sun-Thu during daytime, Fri until noon

  8. See

    Tomb of David and Paula Ben-Gurion

    A small, green, beautiful park, at the edge of which are the tombs of the first Israeli prime minister and his wife. The graves are located just near the ridge of the Zin valley, offering a great view, so this can definitely be considered both a place of heritage for the Israelis and a genuine tourist attraction. Various trees and plants are grown in the park, and a large number of ibexes wander at its edges. Do not feed them, as it is unhealthy for this endangered species.

    24 hoursFree entrance

  9. Drink Not mapped

    Iso-Pub

    Thu 7PM-midnight, Fri 10PM to last customer, Sat 7PM-midnight; closed Sun-Wed