A Kids’ Attraction in Mitzpe Ramon You Can Also Sleep In: Alpaca Farm
Families looking for a kids’ attraction in Mitzpe Ramon will find one at Alpaca Farm, in the Negev highlands, that works as an afternoon out and also as a place to stay the night. The difference between the two visits begins with the room, so we are starting there: the yurt, the cabin, the suite. Once you know where the children will sleep, the day itself loosens up. Nobody is racing the closing time, and a child who wants five more minutes with an alpaca can have them.
A kids’ attraction in Mitzpe Ramon with beds on site
The farm has ten Mongolian yurts, each about 30 square metres and sleeping two to five guests. A family with three children walks into a single generous space instead of splitting across two rooms. At the entrance to every yurt there is a pergola and a private seating corner, a small outdoor spot that belongs to you before the day starts and after it winds down.
Alpaca Farm is a small family farm that keeps its welcome personal. It has raised alpacas for wool since 1987, founded by Ilan and Naama Dvir, and has hosted more than a million and a half visitors since. The lodging is an extension of that place rather than a product bolted onto it.
Inside the yurt: made beds, air conditioning, hammocks outside
Each yurt has comfortable made beds with quality mattresses, air conditioning that cools in summer and heats in winter, and warm lighting for the evening. Towels are provided, and every yurt has its own toilet and sink, a detail parents of small children value at exactly the hour nobody wants to cross a compound in the dark. Hammocks hang outside, and the yurts look out toward Ramon Crater.
Showers are in the compound: nine private toilet cubicles and nine private shower cubicles, separated into stalls. There is also a large, fully equipped kitchen for self-catering, benches and seating areas outdoors, and fire pits. Fires are lit in the designated corners only, since barbecues and grilling meat over open flame are not allowed in the shared areas.
It is worth knowing what is not here. The farm does not serve meals, so breakfast is something you prepare yourselves in the kitchen. There is mobile reception and Wi-Fi, though the connection sometimes falters, and the place suits families ready to switch off a little. Amplified music is not played; calm instrumental music is possible.
Cabins and suites, for larger families
The cabins sit on the hillside overlooking the farm. The Alpaca and Llama cabins are 29 square metres with a 14 square metre balcony, each with a living room and bedroom combined. The Raz and Yael suites are larger, 44 to 50 square metres with a big balcony, and have a separate living room and bedroom. Raz sleeps up to six guests and Yael up to nine, so grandparents and extended family can stay under one roof.
The cabins and suites are air conditioned, with made beds and towels provided. The kitchenette has a fridge, a Nespresso machine, an electric hob, an oven and dishes, enough for a sandwich for the child who wakes hungry before anyone else, or coffee for parents who are not ready to go out yet. For those who prefer a tent, the farm also offers glamping in furnished, designed tents with comfortable beds and private toilets and showers.
What happens when the children step outside
About 250 animals live on the farm: alpacas, llamas, goats, horses, donkeys, dogs, ducks and a camel. Children feed them from the palm of the hand, pet them and take selfies, and the petting corner is a natural one, not an industrial one. Every visitor receives a feeding bag as part of the entrance ticket, and extra bags cost 5 NIS each.
Experiential guided tours run every hour on the hour and include a visit to the wool factory. The farm is one of the few places where the whole production process can be seen in one spot, from alpaca to sweater, which gives a child a story they can follow with their eyes: the animal, the shearing, the wool, the scarf in the shop. The wool is undyed, in four base colours and 32 natural in-between shades, and it suits sensitive skin, babies included.
For children who want to make something, there is wool work, dry or wet felting, available all day for an additional fee. The activities suit all ages, and children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. There are craft corners for children, coffee and rest corners for parents, and several shaded seating areas, so the adult who is only supervising has somewhere to sit. You may bring food from home and eat in one of the seating corners, and the farm sells soft and hot drinks and ice lollies. The stone cabin is there for a rest with a drink or an ice cream.
The farm is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, and short desert walks are suitable even for small children. Guests of the farm receive a 10% discount on activities. Places in some activities are limited, so tickets should be booked in advance.
The desert beyond the gate
Several easy walking trails lead from the farm to viewpoints, the kind a five-year-old can manage without too much complaint. Ramon Crater, the largest of the Negev craters, is about seven minutes away by car, and it is an international dark-sky reserve, the first in the Middle East. That means the night sky here is genuinely dark, and for a child who has never seen the Milky Way it is the kind of moment that gets retold for years.
The farm also offers guided stargazing with professional telescopes and explanations of the heavenly bodies. The Ammonite Wall is roughly 15 minutes by car and the Minsara about a quarter of an hour. Around a yurt, that makes a simple rhythm: a farm day, a crater day, and a night spent looking up.
Hours, entry and practical details before you come
The farm is open to visitors on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 09:00 to 18:00, and on Sunday from 09:00 to 16:30. During school holidays it is open every day, and from 01.08.26, throughout the summer break, it is open daily from 09:00 to 18:00. On winter time it closes at 16:30, and last entry is half an hour before closing. You do not need to arrange a visit in advance unless your group is larger than 30.
Check-in for overnight stays is between 15:00 and 19:00 and check-out is by 11:00. On weekends and holidays there is a two-night minimum, so it is worth planning a full weekend rather than a single evening. For general questions, call 08-658-8047 or write to [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
From what age do children pay for entry and for a bed at Alpaca Farm?
Children under 2 enter Alpaca Farm in Mitzpe Ramon free of charge, and from age 2 (inclusive) entry is paid. Lodging for children is also charged from age 2 inclusive.
How many people fit in one yurt, and what is inside?
Each yurt at Alpaca Farm sleeps two to five guests and measures about 30 square metres. Inside are made beds, air conditioning and heating, warm lighting, and a private toilet and sink, with a pergola, a private seating corner and hammocks outside.
Do we need to book in advance for the visit and the activities?
The visit itself needs no advance arrangement unless your group is larger than 30. Places in the activities are limited, so tickets must be booked in advance, and weekend and holiday stays have a two-night minimum.
Can we bring our dog to the farm?
Dogs and other animals cannot be brought onto the farm. If you need to arrange entry for a service dog, contact the farm office.
How do we reach the farm without a car?
No public transport reaches the farm. You can walk from Mitzpe Ramon or take a taxi.
Can we get a crib for a baby?
Yes, a crib for a baby is available on request. It is worth mentioning when you book.
Is there guiding in English for families from abroad?
English-language guiding is not scheduled as standard and is given by prior arrangement on request. The farm has explanatory signs in both Hebrew and English.
