Crossing the Negev on the Israel National Trail 

The Israel National trail is a 940km long hiking trail, from Dan, at the border with Lebanon in the north, to the Gulf of Eilat in the south. Its most remote part is the Negev desert. When you hike that section you need to plan your ways carefully: Water and food are scarce, rescue can be complicated.... However the scenes are magnificent: This section crosses through the perfect Small Makhtesh ("crater"). This is a unique phenomenon that exsists only in Israel and Sinai, Egypt. Walking on the cliffs of the Big Makhtesh, we continue to eventually cross the largest of them in the world: The Ramon Makhtesh. On our way we pass impressing canyons and gorges: Yemin, Hatira, Havaare the grand canyons, while Afran, Barak and Vardit are the narrow gorges, in which you find ladders and other accessories to let you through. You walk through the open areas of freedom, between Wadi Nekarot and Sapir, from Tzofar  to Barak, from the dunes of Shaharut to Eilat. You walk through "King Solomon's mines", and even more ancient mines that date back to the Chalcolithic period (around 6000 years ago) in Timna Park, and eventually you reach the top of Mt. Tzefahot to see the dark-blue water of the Gulf of Eilat, and identify 4 countries:Israel, under your feet, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. A perfect place to acsorb the view, before joining back to the parallel world that exists outside hiking trails...