By The Visit Israel Editorial Team · Last updated
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Israel’s glamping scene has grown quickly over the past decade — driven by Israelis who love the outdoors but also love a proper bed, and by a growing wave of international visitors who want the Negev desert experience without sleeping on the ground. The result is a collection of tented camps, geodesic dome eco-lodges and crater-rim eco-cabins spread across the Negev desert, the Arava Valley and the Sea of Galilee that genuinely deliver on the promise: wild landscape, real comfort, and in the Negev, the darkest skies in the Middle East.
This guide covers the main glamping destinations and sites in Israel, what to expect at each, and the practical details that will actually affect your stay.
The Negev desert makes up more than half of Israel’s land area and is strikingly undervisited relative to its scale and drama. Makhtesh Ramon — a 40km-long, 10km-wide erosion crater — is the centrepiece, and the town of Mitzpe Ramon on its rim has positioned itself as the hub of desert eco-tourism in Israel. IDA dark-sky certification means the skies here are regulated for light pollution. The landscape — rust-red canyons, prehistoric fossils on the crater floor, vast open space — is more striking than most people expect from such a small country.
The Galilee and Sea of Galilee offer a completely different glamping context: green hills, agricultural kibbutzim, the lake itself. It suits travellers who want the outdoors experience with more moderate temperatures and a more pastoral backdrop.
Selina Ramon is the most accessible and bookable glamping option in Mitzpe Ramon, and the one most often recommended to first-time Negev visitors. The property sits on the edge of town, a short walk from the crater rim, and operates as a hybrid eco-lodge and social hub: co-working space, a decent café-restaurant, a small pool, and the glamping tents themselves — canvas structures on raised platforms with proper beds, power points and air conditioning.
The glamping units are pitched at a comfortable rather than luxury level. You get a real bed, clean linen, a proper shared bathroom block, and a terrace that faces the crater direction. The social atmosphere at Selina is genuinely different from a conventional hotel — more communal, more traveller-oriented, with a mix of Israeli weekenders and international backpackers. If you want complete privacy and silence, this is not the choice; if you want a base with built-in community and convenience, it works well.
Best for: Solo travellers, couples on a first Negev trip, anyone who wants to combine glamping with night-sky tours without organising everything independently.
Season note: Selina operates year-round. Summer stays are manageable due to the altitude and the pool, but daytime heat limits outdoor activity. Autumn and spring are optimal.
Desert Shade is a smaller, quieter operation than Selina — a handful of tented units set further from the town centre, with a stronger focus on wilderness immersion. There are fewer communal facilities and no pool; the trade-off is a more genuinely remote feel, less ambient light interference, and a sky that genuinely justifies the phrase “wall of stars.”
Units vary in configuration; some are Bedouin-tent-style with rugs and traditional furnishings, others are more contemporary tented structures. Bathroom arrangements are shared. Book directly with the property for current availability.
Best for: Travellers prioritising stargazing and silence over convenience. Couples who want genuine privacy.
Summer warning: The desert-floor heat around Desert Shade in July–August is significant. Spring and autumn are strongly preferable.
A number of smaller operators run individual eco-cabins or boutique tent units on or near the Mitzpe Ramon crater rim. These tend to be the most expensive options — ₪1,200–2,000/night in peak season — and often have the most dramatic crater views. Quality and bathroom arrangements vary considerably between operators.
Search Booking.com or Airbnb with “Mitzpe Ramon glamping” or “crater eco-cabin” for current inventory; the market has expanded rapidly and new properties launch seasonally.
Kibbutz Lotan sits in the Arava Valley in the deep south of Israel, between the Dead Sea and Eilat. It is one of a small number of explicitly eco-philosophy kibbutzim in Israel: the community practices permaculture farming, runs an organic vegetable garden, and builds its guest accommodation from adobe and natural materials. The glamping units here are geodesic dome structures and adobe eco-cabins — not luxury glamping but genuinely interesting architecture built with sustainability as the primary design constraint.
The programme at Kibbutz Lotan includes optional workshops (birdwatching on the Great Rift Valley migration route, organic farming, natural building) that give the stay a different quality from a purely accommodation-focused glamping visit. This is a good fit for eco-travellers, families interested in alternative-community living, and birdwatchers — the Arava Valley is one of the great raptor migration corridors in the world.
The honest caveat on summer: The Arava Valley runs at desert-floor elevation and reaches 42°C+ in July and August. The Kibbutz Lotan eco-cabins do have air conditioning in the guest units, but the heat between 10am and 5pm outside is serious. A summer stay at Lotan only makes sense if you are committed to staying entirely indoors during the hottest hours or if you are planning a winter birdwatching trip (November–March = peak migration).
Best for: Eco-travellers, birdwatchers, families interested in sustainable living. Best season: November–March for birdwatching; March–May and October–November for general comfort.
Kibbutz Lotan uses composting dry-toilet systems in some of its eco-accommodation — a sawdust composting toilet rather than a standard flush WC. This is odour-managed and genuinely functional but it is a meaningful practical difference. It is listed transparently on the kibbutz’s booking materials; check before committing.
The Sea of Galilee region — particularly the Golan Heights shoreline and the kibbutzim on the lake’s eastern and northern margins — offers a greener glamping alternative to the Negev. Sites here benefit from a milder climate (summer temperatures 28–34°C rather than 38–42°C), proximity to water, and the distinctive landscape of the Galilee hills and the basalt-edged lake shore.
Several kibbutz-based guest farms (zimmer-style operations that have expanded into glamping) offer tented or cabin stays. These are typically smaller operations: 4–12 units, with an agricultural setting, fresh kibbutz breakfast, and lake access or mountain views. They tend to book out quickly for Sukkot and the summer school holidays; advance booking of 4–6 weeks is standard for peak periods.
For the Galilee, search Booking.com with “Sea of Galilee glamping” or browse the regional accommodation pages at the links below.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Warm layers | Desert nights drop significantly — even in summer, bring a fleece or light jacket for 2–4am if you plan stargazing |
| Sun protection | Negev sun at altitude is intense; hat, factor 50+ sunscreen essential |
| Closed shoes | For crater walks and desert paths — sandals are insufficient for rocky terrain |
| Head torch | For reaching stargazing spots and navigating unlit camp paths after dark |
| Power bank | Smaller eco-camps have limited charging infrastructure |
| Reusable water bottle | Most sites can refill; buy water at the Mitzpe Ramon supermarket before heading to remoter sites |
Mitzpe Ramon is approximately 2.5 hours from Tel Aviv via Route 40 south and 1 hour from Be’er Sheva. A rental car is strongly recommended — the crater itself requires a car or organised tour to access properly, and the town has no meaningful public transport for reaching the crater-floor trailheads. A direct bus runs from Be’er Sheva (Metropoline line; ~1h15) but limits your mobility significantly once you arrive.
See the car rental in Israel guide for rental advice and the West Bank insurance note that applies to all Israeli rental contracts.
A two-night Negev glamping stay pairs naturally with:
Glamping in Israel is not the most publicised sector of the tourism offer — it sits between the luxury Dead Sea resort world and the hostel circuit — but for the traveller who wants direct contact with the Negev landscape without sacrificing comfort, it is one of the best ways the country has to offer. The dark-sky park status of the Ramon Crater area means that the night sky is genuinely one of the main experiences, not just a backdrop. Most visitors leave surprised by the scale of what is here.
Glamping in Israel typically means a tented or dome structure set in the Negev desert or the Galilee landscape, with real beds, proper bedding, lighting, and often en-suite bathrooms — a significant step up from conventional camping. The Negev experience is defined by the landscape: red canyon walls, silent desert nights, and some of the darkest skies in the Middle East. Galilee glamping tends to lean greener, with forest glades, lake views and agricultural settings. Most Israeli glamping sites (known locally as "glamping" or eco-cabins at nature-oriented kibbutzim and moshavim) sit on smaller footprints than European counterparts, with fewer than 20 units — book early, especially for Passover, Sukkot and summer weekends.
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the two ideal windows. Temperatures in the Negev are comfortable at both altitude (Mitzpe Ramon sits at ~900m) and at lower desert elevations — warm days, cool to cold nights, and the clearest skies of the year. Summer (June–August) is possible at Mitzpe Ramon — the altitude moderates the worst of the heat — but daytime temperatures regularly reach 35°C+; any active activity must begin before 7am. July and August bring the peak Israeli domestic glamping season with higher prices and limited availability. Winter (December–February) can be cold at night (0–8°C), but brings the best stargazing conditions and dramatically quiet desert landscapes — the trade-off is genuine cold that requires proper sleeping bag and layered clothing.
Negev summer heat is a genuine health consideration, not a footnote. At lower desert elevations (Arava Valley, sites south of Mitzpe Ramon), daytime temperatures in July and August regularly reach 38–42°C. At Mitzpe Ramon itself (900m elevation), expect 32–36°C daytime but a significant drop to 18–22°C overnight — the altitude makes it more manageable than the lower desert. Kibbutz Lotan in the deep Arava Valley reaches desert-floor temperatures: summer visits there are genuinely uncomfortable without air-conditioning between 10am–6pm. If you must visit in summer, choose a site with good shade, a pool, and commit to doing nothing outdoors between 10am and 5pm.
It depends on the site and price tier. The higher-end eco-lodges (Selina Ramon, boutique crater-rim lodges) include private en-suite bathrooms. Mid-range sites often have shared shower and toilet blocks that are kept clean. Some eco-philosophy-oriented camps (Kibbutz Lotan) use composting dry-toilet systems — a sawdust composting toilet that is odour-managed but genuinely different from a standard flush toilet. The listing on Booking.com will specify bathroom type; check before booking if this matters to you.
Glamping in Israel typically runs ₪500–2,000 per night for two people, depending on site tier, season and unit type. Spring and autumn weekends at popular Negev sites (crater-rim lodges, Selina Ramon glamping tents) are at the higher end. Midweek stays in the shoulder season often run 30–40% cheaper. Kibbutz Lotan and agricultural eco-stays are typically in the ₪500–900 range. All prices are seasonally variable — check current rates directly with the operator or via Booking.com; never book based on a stated price in editorial content.
Yes — and the Mitzpe Ramon area is purpose-built for exactly this combination. The Ramon Crater holds IDA (International Dark-Sky Association) certification as the first International Dark Sky Park in the Middle East. From any site on or near the crater rim, the Milky Way core is visible to the naked eye on clear, moonless nights. Several Mitzpe Ramon accommodation providers partner with local guided telescope tours (Landroom Observatory, Astronomy Israel) that you can book as add-ons. The best window for both glamping and stargazing together is late September through November or February through April — cloud-free nights, cold enough for dark skies, cool enough to be comfortable camping.
By The Visit Israel Editorial Team · Last updated