Certified Desert Guide

Program Scope: 140 Academic Hours
60 hours of online instruction (Zoom) + 80 hours of field training
Field Training: Judean Desert, Negev Highlands, and Arava Desert
Desert Guide Certificate awarded by the University of Haifa
Integrating research-based knowledge in exercise physiology, endurance performance, decision-making, and outdoor leadership
Fully English-taught program
Places are Limited

Course Objective

The program prepares participants for a professional career in guiding groups on long-distance routes across the Israeli desert. Emphasizing efficient movement, ultralight travel, and sound decision-making, the program teaches the skills required to plan routes, navigate complex terrain, manage risk, and guide groups safely and responsibly in remote desert settings.

Who Is This Program For?

The program is intended for individuals who aspire to guide groups on long-distance routes in the Israeli desert as a profession.

It is designed for future desert guides, outdoor educators, and group leaders seeking to build a career in desert and adventure tourism, as well as for those already active in community, educational, or informal outdoor settings who wish to develop a professional guiding capabilies and strengthen their ability to operate safely and responsibly in desert environments.

Structure & Curriculum

140 Academic Hours

The program is delivered over five months, beginning in November, through four separate field modules held across different regions of the Israeli desert, combined with weekly online academic instruction

Online Instruction (Zoom – Approx. 60 Hours)

Field Training (Four Field Modules, Approx. 80 Hours)*

Planning & Navigation: Long-distance route planning, traditional and digital navigation, map reading, weather assessment, and decision-making in the field.

Physiology & Performance: Energy and pace management, endurance training, nutrition, lightweight equipment systems, and efficient movement in desert environments.

Safety & Risk Management: Managing environmental hazards including heat stress, dehydration, and flash floods, alongside risk assessment, emergency response, and wilderness rescue fundamentals.

Group Leadership & Resilience: Leadership in the field, group dynamics, professional responsibility, risk management, and the development of resilience in challenging environments.

The practical component of the program takes place across the Judean Desert, Negev Highlands, and Arava, providing participants with the opportunity to apply classroom learning in real-world desert environments. Through a series of field workshops, participants develop skills in advanced desert navigation, long-distance route planning, group guiding, efficient movement across varied terrain, and real-time decision-making.

Field training also covers the logistics of long-distance desert travel, including water management, daylight planning, cache placement, and lightweight equipment systems. Particular emphasis is placed on group leadership, group dynamics, pace and effort management, nutrition during extended routes, and responding to safety scenarios commonly encountered in desert environments.

The program concludes with the independent planning and guiding of a long-distance desert route, which serves as the final practical assessment and provides participants with the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge, judgment, and skills developed throughout the program.

* Participants travel to Israel for each of the four field modules, allowing sufficient time for travel, preparation, and logistics before and after every practical session. In addition, the certification includes a separate final practical assessment in Israel and requires completion of a mandatory 44-hour First Aid certification, available in English through a recognized Israeli provider, including a practical assessment conducted in Israel.

Winter 2026–27 Course Schedule

Program Start Date: November 4, 2026

Program End Date: February 24, 2027

The online component of the program is delivered via Zoom, with live sessions held once a week on Wednesdays from 18:00 to 21:00.

Field training is conducted throughout the program, primarily on Sundays, with no Friday or Saturday activities. The field component combines individual training days with multi-day intensive field blocks.

Field Training Schedule (*subject to change per conditions and weather):

November 15, 2026 – Judean Desert: Movement skills, equipment systems, and pace management
December 13–14, 2026 – Negev Highlands: Fundamentals of navigation and terrain interpretation
January 10–11, 2027 – Judean Desert: Advanced navigation, safety, and long-distance route logistics
February 21–23, 2027 – Arava: Group guiding, group dynamics, and decision-making under physical and environmental stress
Final Practical Assessment: The final field assessment will take place during March 2027. The exact date will be arranged individually, based on the availability of both the candidate and the accompanying client participating in the assessment

Admission Requirements

Ability to comfortably complete approximately 15 km of hiking per day in outdoor terrain
18 years of age or older
Submission of a signed health declaration
Successful completion of an admissions interview assessing suitability for the program, learning capacity, and a strong sense of responsibility for the safety and well-being of others

The program is not limited to individuals holding an academic degree or a previous guiding certification.

As the academic component is delivered online, attendance on the University of Haifa campus is not required.

Certification Requirements

Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive a Professional Certificate as a Certified Desert Guide, issued by the University of Haifa School of Tourism.

Eligibility for certification is contingent upon:

Minimum attendance of 80% of all program activities
Successful completion of the mid-course assignment, which includes designing a field activity day incorporating route planning, participant preparation, logistical planning, and risk assessment
Successful completion of the final practical assessment, consisting of guiding a desert route under professional evaluation
Completion of a recognized Israeli 44-hour First Aid Provider (FAP) certification is required. English-language courses are available through approved Israeli providers and combine online theoretical study with practical instruction and assessment in Israel.