The Southern District covers about half of Israel. These are mostly desert, barren and uninhabited areas. Tourism focuses here at several points, the most important of which are around Eilat and the southern part of the Dead Sea coast.
Most of the region is occupied by the rocky and rocky Nagew desert, where oases are scattered rarely. There are several national parks with marked hiking trails. The harsh beauty of the landscape makes a great impression, but you need to be very well prepared for hiking due to the lack of water and downpours possible in the winter season causing local floods and mudslides.
The most famous of the desert parks is the Ein Gedi National Park covering the oasis of the same name. His attractions are the waterfall of David and the Cave of Lovers. In the south of the region, near Eilat, there is Timna Park with interesting rock formations, a small oasis and ancient mines. It is adjacent to the beautiful Red Canyon which is one of the main landscape attractions of the area.
Eilat, located on the Red Sea, is the most famous resort in the south of Israel. It offers not only beaches and warm sea all year round, but also the possibility of diving on the coral reef. Popular jeep activities include jeep tours of the desert organized from Eilat.
In the northern part of the region, near the border with Jordan and the West Bank, there is the Israeli part of the depressed Dead Sea. There are several resorts here with many hotels and the possibility of bathing in saline water. The main attraction of this part of the region is the ancient Masada fortress standing on a rock rising almost 400 m above the level of the Dead Sea. It can be reached by a cable car or a steep path.
