EL AL | Atmosphere

Photo: Tair Malka

The Alpaca Farm Ilan and Ne’ama Dvir brought a herd of Andean alpacas to the Negev and began rearing them together with a herd of lamas. Visitors learn all about the differences between the two sister-species and get a chance to pat them, feed them and experience them from up close. Lamas and alpacas are known for the excellent quality of their wool and during shearing season, there are guided tours of the wool production process, and family-friendly workshops during which visitors get a chance to make their own scarf or sweater. There are several accommodation options, including rooms and suites, glamping yurts with a porch and a communal kitchen, and options for small groups and large families. alpaca.co.il vineyards and maintains a variety of agricultural activities. The farm’s oil mill is fascinating to explore this time of year as olives are being harvested and pressed. The farm’s accommodation options include spacious Bedouin tents, five family-friendly rooms, as well as a camping site. Guests are also invited to pick fruit from the farm’s beautiful orchard, which is also used to make homemade jam and cordials. There are abundant activities to enjoy, such as jeep rides and rappelling, and children will delight in visiting the farm animals in the stables. kashkash.co.il

Photo: PR

HaMidbar Olive Farm

HaMidbar farm lies at a few minutes’ drive from Tlalim Junction, its tipi tents poking out from among the desert hills. Indeed, this agrotourism farm offers families and groups the opportunity to experience the desert by sleeping in a tipi, far west style. Each tent is equipped with mattresses, its own paddling pool, and a campfire site. Though each tipi enjoys complete privacy, there are communal storage boxes for guests to share. The farm also offers accommodation

in authentic African cabins, as well as in a “castle” suite, secluded and graced with an impressive balcony overlooking the desert. There are group huts as well, ideal for families and large groups, spacious and equipped with all the basics: a kitchen, mattresses, storage boxes, a balcony, and a table – even the amenities necessary to organize a small workshop. The tipi campsite is a few strides away from the desert hills and their walking trails. zaithamidbar.co.il/en/ Carmei Har HaNegev Farm At the entrance to Mitzpe Ramon lies this agrotourism eco-farm established by Yossi and Yehudit Kashkash. Archeological remains dating back to the times of the Nabateans, a nomadic desert people who inhabited these lands from the 4 th to the 2 nd centuries BC, have been discovered here, as Yossi explains on the tour he leads. The Nabateans, he says, have much to teach us about how to adapt to the desert’s harsh conditions. The tour ends at the farm’s visitors’ center, where wine and olive oil tasting sessions and workshops are held. The farm is surrounded with

Carmei Har NaNegev I Photo: PR

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ATMOSPHERE NOVEMBER 2022