Mitzpeh Ramon, a remote town in the Negev desert, commands a spectacular view of the Ramon Crater, one of the country's most fascinating natural wonders.
By Simon Griver
Mitzpeh Ramon is a small town lying about halfway between Jerusalem and the Red Sea resort of Eilat. While several industrial enterprises in the town have declined over recent decades - mainly because of its considerable distance from the country's commercial center - the town has begun, in recent years, to attract more visitors by developing its greatest natural asset: the Ramon Crater. This 320 square kilometer (8km-wide and 40km-long) natural wonder contains layers of rock that have provided scientists with important information about evolution on Earth. Among the finds in the crater have been fossilized plants and
reptile and dinosaur footprints, which are believed to date from 200 million years ago.
Mitzpeh Ramon is situated in the desert, at an altitude of 1,000 meters, and the searingly hot sunshine is cooled by refreshing evening breezes. The altitude also provides fertile ground for newly planted vineyards that produce quality wine grapes. In addition, quite a few academics have made their home in Mitzpeh Ramon; as Ben Gurion University of the Negev has a desert research institute there, investigating the geology, flora and fauna of the crater; and Tel Aviv University, drawn by the altitude and clear skies, has set up an observatory in the town. There are also a residential high school for the arts and a Yeshivat Hesder for soldiers who wish to combine religious study with military service. Another place of interest is the nearby Nabatean archeological site of Avdat. But the top attraction remains the crater itself.
The Visitors' Center in the north of town affords an overall view of the crater. Visitors ascend through an exhibition explaining this unusual geological phenomenon, before reach panoramic windows overlooking the crater itself. "Tourism now provides the town with major economic opportunities for the future," explains Yitzhak Berger, secretary of the Mitzpeh Ramon council.
In addition to nature lovers, Mitzpeh Ramon has attracted entrepreneurs looking to set up tourist-oriented enterprises. Particularly popular are jeep and safari tour companies, which take visitors around the labyrinth of nature trails in the crater itself. At present, a luxury hotel, comfortable youth hostels and field schools provide visitors with more than 1,000 beds. Construction is about to begin on a second hotel and plans are being drawn up for a new airport to serve the town. Berger believes that the quiet beauty of the town itself will persuade more people to come and stay.
"Many people today equate quality of life with being far away from the polluted cities," he observes. "It is only a two and a half hour drive from the center of the country Mitzpeh Ramon, and we can offer wide open spaces. Last year our population grew by 8% (to 5,760), and we expect a similar growth rate in 2001. But we do not want to grow too big, because
part of the charm of Mitzpeh Ramon is its remoteness and its small town quality."