The Besor region of the Negev, west of Be’er Sheva, is traversed by Israel largest Mediterranean coastal stream valley.
Its fascinating landscape, linking the desert to the Mediterranean, and its historical sites of both ancient and modern Israel, has made it an attraction for visitors.
Despite the region’s sparse rainfall, people began living here 10,000 years ago, and farmers cultivated grain here over 5,000 years ago. Israeli farmers have turned parts of this region green again, planting olive and orange groves in the harsh loess soil, using precious water wisely by irrigating from saline springs.
From late December to March, rainfall and cool weather turn this seemingly arid area into a carpet of wildflowers. Hiking, cycling, and driving through the region, you’ll see poppies, anemones and even a crimson desert tulip.
Farming communities dot the Besor region, founded by new immigrants in Israel’s early years, bearing optimistic names like Tifrach (“will bloom”), Bitcha (“assurance”) and Peduiim (“redeemed”). Gevulot was the first Jewish settlement in the region, founded in 1943, where a visitor center tells its story.
The region’s prime attraction is the 875-acre Eshkol Park, with beautiful lawns and pools, warm springs, an 80-meter-long rope bridge over the stream and other fasciations.