Makhtesh Ramon

The Crater (Mitzpe) Ramon is an incredible geological structure situated in the Negev desert, in Israel. It is situated on the top of Mount Negev, about 85 km south of the city of Beer Sheva. Its surface is not actually an impact crater from a meteor but rather the biggest eroded basin in the world (40 km long and 2-10 Km). The only settlement to be found in the region is the small town of Mitzpe Ramon ("observation point"), which is situated on the north bank of the crater. If you visit Eilat, you will have to go up the road which you see in the picture in order to continue on your way to Beer Sheva, unless you make a sharp turn towards Gaza, which is currently a very brave thing to do.

It may seem like a crater, but it isn't. You would at least think it was formed by a meteorite or a volcanic eruption, but it's something else entirely. It's actually a natural phenomenon found only in the Negev Desert and the Sinai Peninsula. An outer layer of rock covers softer rocks, erosion eliminates the softer layers of rocks by dragging until the outside layer collapses in on itself leaving a structure similar to that of a crater. This Makhtesh, the most spectacular of all, is 40 kilometres long and about 8 kilometres wide with a maximum depth of 500 meters, so it's pretty overwhelming.