While winter brings rain and cold weather to many parts of the country, the southern Arava is preparing to take advantage of the season, which is comfortable for desert travel. Southern Arava Tourism is launching the Winter Card for the first time, a regional tourism card that will offer 28 attractions and activities for a uniform price of NIS 130 per person, between November 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027.
The new card follows the success of the Summer Card, which focused, among other things, on water activities, air-conditioned complexes, and night tours. The winter version places an emphasis on day trips, nature, bird-watching, meetings with local communities, and culinary experiences during a period when the desert weather allows for travel during the daytime as well.
Drone photography against the backdrop of Solomon’s Pillars
One of the benefits offered by the card is a souvenir drone photograph against the backdrop of the iconic Solomon's Pillars at Timna Park. Alongside this, cardholders will be able to choose from a variety of activities, including the Top 94 adventure park, the Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve, the Neot Smadar Arts Center, the ecological playroom at Kibbutz Lotan, and a frisbee golf game.
Timna Park will also include lantern tours, morning and sunset trips, nighttime activities, park admission, and pedal boat rides.
Those who prefer to head into the field can join guided tours in the Red Canyon, following the sandstone bulbs in Yahel, at Kibbutz Samar, and at Kibbutz Ketura, as well as trying out solar cookie baking in Elifaz.
Bird lovers will also find a variety of activities included on the card, such as tours to the flamingo ponds, following bird migrations, and during sunrise and sunset hours, alongside a tracking workshop and an activity called "Bird Watcher for a Day."
The card also includes tastings and local products: Organic nectar at the Neot Smadar Inn, organic silan at the Silania in Samar, apple and date cider in Ketura, chai and date cake at Kibbutz Lotan, as well as coffee or hot chocolate and a personal package of dates at Tamarale in Eilot.
Stay overnight in the Arava and receive the ticket as a gift
According to Lital Shmueli, head of the tourism division at the Hevel Eilot Economic Development Company, some of the activities on the card will be exclusive to its holders. She said the decision to launch the winter version was made following two successful summer seasons and growing demand from travelers.
Alongside the card priced at NIS 130, benefits are also being offered to those booking a vacation in the region. Eilot Tourism and Timna Park will grant a Winter Card as a gift to those booking two weeknight-nights, while Elifaz Vacation and Experience in the Arava will grant the card to those booking two nights during November and December.
The benefits are valid for direct bookings on the accommodation sites' websites or by phone, and do not include bookings through agents, groups, and institutional clients. The promotion is not valid during Hanukkah, and at Timna Park it is also not valid during the Christmas period.
The card operates digitally, and advance registration is required for some of the attractions and tours.