A friendly desert? Israel’s Negev might be the world’s tamest wilderness

An aerial photo of Israel's Negev desert. A vineyard near the development town of Yeruham.  (Photo: AFP)Premium
An aerial photo of Israel's Negev desert. A vineyard near the development town of Yeruham.  (Photo: AFP)
 wsj 5 min read . Updated: 04 Oct 2022, 04:53 PM IST Sara Lieberman, The Wall Street Journal

On a trip to Israel, a skittish adventurer sets out to conquer a canyon in the Negev and finds it surprisingly accessible. Plus 5 other desert escapes in Israel, from camel rides to stargazing campfires

I Have this thing with hiking. Three years ago, while visiting the Golan Heights in northern Israel, I set out on a solo trek to see a waterfall at sunset and got turned around. I ended up scrambling up the side of the road after dark, flagging down a car for a ride back to where I had parked, 5 miles away. This May, on a trip back to Israel, I was determined to prove to myself that I could go for a wander that didn’t require rescue.