Dimona offers several starting points for planning your trip: Ben-Gurion Park, with its mature trees; a circular trail on the outskirts of the city; and insights into community life in the Village of Peace. Those interested in archaeological history will find a distinct focus at Mamshit National Park, outside the city. This makes it possible to explore Dimona through nature, activities and culture without confusing these different places with one another.

Ben-Gurion Park: Woodland and Facilities in Northern Dimona

Ben-Gurion Park lies on the northern edge of Dimona. Its main section extends there across about 370 dunams in a strip roughly 1.7 kilometers long. The forest was established in the 1960s as a recreational area for Dimona residents, close to their homes. Mature Jerusalem pines, olive trees and carob trees from those original plantings still grow there today. KKL may describe it as its first desert forest—the classification is explicitly presented as a possibility.

The park includes parking lots, cycling paths, children’s play equipment, a lake and a science garden. The site therefore offers facilities for a range of leisure interests as well as a forest whose trees date back to the plantings of the 1960s. If you are interested in cycling, the paths provide a distinct option; the lake and science garden complement the park amenities described here.

Circular Trail with Views of Dimona

A different perspective is offered by a circular trail about four kilometers long, starting on the outskirts of Dimona. It leads to a viewpoint overlooking the city, descends into Nahal Dimona and runs along a cliff. The park and the circular trail thus offer different experiences: the forest and facilities are the focus in the park, while the route links its course with the viewpoints mentioned. Check current access and trail conditions before setting out.

Friday Market and Communal Cooking

The Village of Peace community’s open-air market takes place every Friday. It offers plant-based produce, handicrafts and music. If you plan to visit the market, check with the organizer for current arrangements. Its weekly schedule provides a specific point of reference for planning your trip, without implying any other opening hours.

The Village of Peace also offers visitors a shared cooking experience: together with cooks from the community, you can prepare dishes using ingredients grown there collectively, and then eat together. The market and cooking therefore offer different kinds of experiences: the market focuses on produce, handicrafts and music, while the cooking experience focuses on preparing and eating food. Both offer insight into community activities, rather than park or hiking experiences.

Mamshit: Nabataean History Outside Dimona

Mamshit National Park lies about six kilometers east of Dimona. The remains of a Nabataean city from the Roman and Byzantine periods have been preserved there, along with Nabataean architecture. Its historical focus differs from the recreational offerings in Dimona: at Mamshit, the focus is on the preserved traces of the ancient city and its architecture.

A marked trail leads from the national park entrance down to Nahal Mamshit. Three dams built by the inhabitants of ancient Mamshit are clearly visible there. The route thus connects the path through the site with a tangible reminder of its former inhabitants. If you are considering visiting Dimona and Mamshit, keep in mind that the national park is a separate place outside the city; the facilities described at Ben-Gurion Park, by contrast, are in Dimona.

For the broader travel overview: Southern District.