Flash flood danger
Do not enter the canyon when rain is forecast in the area or upstream, even under clear skies. Check the forecast on the morning of the trip.
Nahal Tahmas near Metzad Tamar, a long one-way route with small drops, pools and rappels, in winter and spring.
Information as of 12 Oct 2026
At a glance
- Duration
- 8 h
- Trail length
- 7.5 km
- Total descent
- 390 m
- Tallest waterfall
- 26 m
- Number of waterfalls
- 3
- Rope needed
- 70 m
- Shuttle
- Needed
- To the first waterfall:
- 2 km
- Circular route:
- No
- Flash flood risk:
- High
- Reserve:
- No
Field reports
How much water there was and how it went, from people who were here. Every report is reviewed before it is published.
No reports from this place yet
Were you here lately? Tell us how much water there was and how it went. It helps the next group plan.
Meeting point (parking)
Metzad Tamar night campsite (old quarry)
The meeting point is the parking spot. You continue on foot from here.
Coordinates: 31.02761, 35.24307
About
Nahal Tahmas starts right by Metzad Tamar, in the Arava junction area. The first part of the route is almost flat, until a series of small drops mixed with pools, and then the route's long rappel. Later comes a shorter one.
It is a long guided day of moderate to hard difficulty that ends at the Gvei Peres parking, so a car shuttle is needed.
Getting there
נפגשים במצד תמר (אזור צומת הערבה).
Access notes
The meeting point is Metzad Tamar, in the Arava junction area. Before setting out, shuttle cars to the Gvei Peres parking, where the route ends.
Parking
One car at Metzad Tamar, at the start, and a second at the Gvei Peres parking, at the end.
Difficulty and suitability
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Minimum age
- From age 13
- Recommended group size
- Up to 18 people
- Typical duration
- 8 h
- Hiking distance
- 10 km
- Water activity
- Yes
- Route type
- Mixed
Descent profile
Scroll sideways for details
Waterfalls(3)
| # | Name | Height | Obstacle | Profile | Landing | Anchor | Bolts and stations | Rope | From previous | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | א | Height: 26 mOther source: 26 m (rybakian.com, 2019)Other source: 30 m (sipurderech.co.il, 2019)Other source: 30 m (sharloetgarim.co.il, 2026) | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | 70 m | – | |
| ||||||||||
| 2 | ב | Height: 9 mOther source: 4 m (rybakian.com, 2019)Other source: 10 m (sharloetgarim.co.il, 2026) | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | 30 m | – | |
| ||||||||||
| 3 | Bypass on the left | Height: 9 m | Waterfall / rappel | Slab | Pool | – | – | – | 450 m | |
| ||||||||||
When to go
- JanuaryBest
- FebruaryBest
- MarchBest
- AprilBest
- MayPossible
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- NovemberBest
- DecemberBest
- Best
- Possible
Seasons
Points on the map
- ParkingPrimaryMetzad Tamar night campsite (old quarry)
31.02761, 35.24307
Safety
A desert stream with some water: do not enter if rain is possible in the area or upstream. The route is long and one-way, so start early.
Recommendations
Suits fit teenagers and adults with a guide. The season runs from winter to spring.
Equipment
A harness, helmet and descender for each participant, and a rope long enough for the long rappel. On a guided trip the technical gear is supplied by the guide.
Data sources
The information on this page was collected from these sources.
- sharloetgarim.co.il
- rybakian.comIan Rybak, rybakian.com. dateConfidence: low (bulk resave stamp 2019-11-20; real information date unknown, not later than that), License: unknown; personal site, no licence stated
- sipurderech.co.ilsipurderech.co.il
- Based on the Hebrew guidebook "Judean Desert Canyons" by Ronen Kalimi (2023)
Comments on this site
General comments on the whole site. About one part? Use "Comments" next to its heading.
No comments here yet.