For your planning, it is helpful to distinguish clearly: the greenhouse tour, bicycle service and wash station, and Friday meal are located in Elifaz; the Timna Trail is in the surrounding area. Avdat, Ein Gedi, Masada, and the visitor center at the Ramon Crater add to the broader South District destination.

Experiences in Elifaz

At the “Five Senses” greenhouse in Kibbutz Elifaz, the program includes picking herbs, tasting seasonal vegetables, and a demonstration: vegetables from the greenhouse are cooked in vacuum tubes using solar energy. Tastings include corn, tomatoes, spinach, and peppers, among other things. The tour is seasonal; the greenhouse operates from October to May. Before planning to take part, check the current season and visitor arrangements.

Elifaz has a bicycle service and wash station with a covered shaded area, compressor, pressure washer, and basic tools. If the station is important to your travel plans, confirm its availability with the operator in advance. The Elifaz kitchen invites guests to a Friday meal. You can also ask about the current details before making plans.

Hiking in the surrounding area

The Timna Trail in Timna Park is in the surrounding area of Elifaz and offers two ways to plan your time: you can hike it as a two-day desert trekking tour with an overnight stay in the park, or spread it over two separate hiking days. With the first option, the overnight stay is part of your time in the park; the trail is a nearby addition, but not a facility within Elifaz.

More to explore in the broader South District destination

In the broader South District destination, Avdat National Park offers a historical perspective: it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along the route of the ancient Incense Route in the Negev Highlands. In Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, the focus is on the oasis and water. It encompasses Israel’s largest oasis, with springs, waterfalls, ibex, hyraxes, and flowing streams. A hiking trail along Nahal Arugot, which flows year-round, leads to a hidden waterfall and pools in its upper reaches.

Masada adds history and archaeology to the South District’s attractions. The site is a symbol of the ancient Kingdom of Israel, its violent destruction, and the final resistance of Jewish patriots against the Roman army in 73 CE. It preserves the remains of Herod’s palaces as well as intact Roman siege works, which are among the most complete of their kind in the Roman world. Registering in advance through the visitor coordination system secures a place for your selected visit date. Check the current regulations for your visit date.

Also in the broader South District destination, the visitor center at the Ramon Crater combines the life story of Israel’s first astronaut, Lieutenant Colonel Ilan Ramon, with an introduction to the world’s largest crater and its unique natural phenomena. Advance registration through the visitor coordination system also secures a place at the visitor center for your selected visit date. Check the current regulations before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Midreshet Ben Gurion, Mishmar HaNegev, Sde Boker, Ein Gedi, Be'er Ora, Dimona, Ashdod, Ein Bokek

See the broader travel overview: South District.