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From Nahal Hagor to Nahal Tzin
A wild desert landscape, ibexes skipping on the slope, acacia trees and Ochradenus baccatus, a Middle Eastern desert shrub, cisterns with cool water, and a legend about a mosquito. A hike for good walkers in the eastern Negev
The beautiful land that remains is in danger of destruction because of plans by the phosphate works to open more mining sites in the area of the Nahal Saraf valley. In recent years attempts have been made at rehabilitation, but the destruction around the mining sites is extensive, and hardly any natural topography is left. Nevertheless, there are still some open, unviolated desert landscapes in the area.
Nuwamis and Tumuli
Drive from the gate of the phosphate works in any type of vehicle along a wide truck path, and in a little over half a mile, where it meets Nahal Hagor, you will leave it. From here there is a hiking path that goes from the south of the mountain and ascends to the edges of Mahmal Ridge, from whose northern edge several wadis flow into Nahal Tzin, including Nahal Saraf and Nahal Hagor.
Along the way you can enjoy the flowering of the Ochradenus baccatus, meet Acacia raddiana trees, ibexes with huge horns running lightly along the slope, and yellow mealworm beetles, which drink by conducting condensed dew water through cracks in their back to their mouths. In the distance you can see Hatirah Ridge.
Nahal Hagor gets deeper as we advance along the canyon, the channel becomes narrower, and the canyon looks as if it were built on curved castle towers with limestone walls. The many archeological remains spread along the Darb A-Sultana (which connects Sde Boker with the Arava) indicate that it has been a nomadic route since ancient times.
Among the remains are open temple and altars, as well as circular stone tombs called “nawamis” (“mosquito” in Arabic). A Bedouin legend holds that God punished the Children of Israel in the desert with mosquitos, and in fact, during summer nights there are thousands of mosquitos here. You will also find here tumuli, tombs from the Early Bronze Age and Middle Bronze Age that contain human bones.
Were the tombs built by the Bedouin, or were they remains of the Middle Bronze Age, during which, according to one estimate, the Children of Israel passed through the desert, 700 years before the date accepted today? Either way, the observation post here that looks out on the bottom of Nahal Hagor is very pretty, and if the wind is blowing you can sit next to a retama tree and listen to the whistling between its branches.
Limestone Projections and Cisterns
From here we cross the watershed line eastward to Nahal Saraf. This wadi, whose channel winds among white-yellow limestone cliffs filled with holes and crevices, is the most beautiful and special segment of the trail.
This is one of the Negev’s most beautiful wadis, if not the most beautiful, with limestone projections in imaginative shapes, an impressive cliff, and cisterns of cool water. When there is water flowing in the wadi the cisterns fill with clear blue water. After a dry period the water turns green and moldy, and even the desert birds are not keen on paddling in it.
When you leave the channel, walk back to your car on the dirt path covered with fossilized spiral ammonites—extinct marine animals—some of them really huge. Ammonites were capable of diving to a depth of 2,000 feet. Is this a clear indication of the existence of a deep ocean here, or was it strong currents that brought them here?
When the sun begins to set this is a beautiful time in the desert, of long shadows and soothing quiet.
The hike in Nahal Hagor and Nahal Saraf, led by Gilad Ben Tzvi, was done through the Department of Land of Israel Studies of the Open University.
Homework
Starting and ending points: From the factory gate, drive to the starting point on the truck path until you reach Nahal Hagor. Leave the car and start walking. This is a private path and it’s best to coordinate your hike with the factory. You can also come from the direction of the Arava road. Turn west at the Ir Ovot junction, then turn into the factory paths and follow the signs to Mount Tzin.
Trail length: 7.5 miles as long as you cut from the nawamis and tumuli at Nahal Hagor eastward to Nahal Saraf without a marked trail. If you want to go with the marked trail on Darb A-Sultana, add another mile or two.
Level of difficulty: For good hikers. The hike takes about six hours.
Mandatory: Trail maps 17 (Nahal Hagor-black trail) and 14 (Nahal Saraf-green trail).
