Israel National Trail, Section 15 – From Arad to Af'a Well

Israel National Trail, Section 15 – From Arad to Be’er Af‘a

We will begin the day at Musa’s tent near Arad. From there, we will climb to Khirbet Uza, examine the ancient fortress, and connect it to Tel Arad from the previous section. We will descend into the ravine, where we will encounter the biblical Edom Road and its many water cisterns. A short walk will take us above Kina Pool and into the great, impressive canyon of Kina Stream. Here, all that remains is to stand in awe of the dramatic desert landscape. We will continue along the ancient road, which descends once again into the ravine and winds its way to the meeting point with Knafan Stream (the current Israel National Trail) and the formidable H imar Stream. We will admire the rock formations and the hardy desert vegetation. We will walk along the channel of H imar Stream until we reach Be’er Af‘a on the Factory Road along the Arad–Dimona highway.

Duration: One day – 13 km
Difficulty: Moderate, for experienced hikers
Features: Ancient road, water pools, desert
Region: Northern Negev
Starting point: Arad
Ending point: Be’er Af‘a
Price: 250 NIS per person (including a ride back to the vehicles)