Zin Valley in the Negev Photo: Wikipedia

For all those with wanderlust, the Negev desert is now considered one of the world’s top travel destinations, according to Lonely Planet, the largest travel guide book publisher in the world whose rankings tend to dictate the popularity of international travel destinations. A newly published list on their website of the “Best In Travel 2013” rates The Negev as the number two destination, behind Corsica, France.

Lonely Planet writes that time is running out to experience the Negev in its unadulterated glory, as development has begun to creep in. “For decades the Negev was regarded as nothing but a desolate desert. But today, this region is a giant greenhouse of development. Think eco-villages, spa resorts and even wineries. In the next few years a new international airport at Timna is scheduled to open, followed by a high-speed railway to Eilat and more hotels. Time is running out to experience the desert as nature intended.”