A Desert Bus Turned Into a Quiet Off-Grid Retreat in the Negev
On the outskirts of Mitzpe Ramon in the Negev Highlands, an old bus has been transformed into an unusual guest unit at Kerem Shizaf, a farm surrounded by vineyards, olive trees and silence. The place offers no air conditioning, no staff, no cell reception and no one to greet guests, but it does provide a small splash pool, a furnished deck, a fire pit, a grill area and complete isolation in the desert.
The project was created by two longtime friends from school, Ariel Grossman, 31, a hotel entrepreneur in Spain, and Yotam Falik, 30, an architecture student. Grossman told ynet that the two have known each other since environmental studies school in Sde Boker, where they bonded over building things from wood and metal and over their shared love of the desert. They first worked at Kerem Shizaf as volunteers when they were 18, alongside founder Tzur Shizaf, and later, during the coronavirus period after returning from post-army travel, they decided to buy a bus together and turn it into something different.
Grossman said the original goal was to build a home for themselves, not a tourism business. They wanted a structure that would blend into the landscape, be ecological and not harm the view. The bus was built in three months, with the two of them living there during construction and handling everything themselves, from electricity and plumbing to woodwork and interior design, with help from family and friends. The design includes heavy insulation, ventilation, shading and placement that keeps the sun off the living space for much of the day. Six years later, the site keeps evolving, with the pool added only two years ago and the toilets later renovated.
The hosting concept is intentionally bare-bones. Guests must bring food, firewood and charcoal, while the kitchen provides basics such as spices, tea and coffee. Grossman said the absence of a shower-room hotel style is deliberate. "By choice we did not install air conditioning," he said, explaining that the aim is for visitors to feel the heat, the desert and the outdoor environment rather than stay sealed inside. The property runs on solar power, wastewater irrigates the orchard, and even the shampoo is ecological. Grossman said the experience is meant for people who seek nature, quiet and solitude, and admitted the bus is not for everyone. Midweek rates are about 850 shekels per night, weekend rates about 1,350 shekels, with discounts for longer stays and bookings usually opening two months in advance.
