Hiking Trail, from 'Dan to Eilat'

ONE TO ONE TREK

Through the southern negev to mount timna

9th – 17th November 2013

The Negev Desert occupies 60% of the land surface area of Israel and yet it is the least densely populated. It is a place of awe-inspiring beauty that stretches from Egypt to Jordan and from Jerusalem to the Red Sea. Here the forces of nature have conspired to create unique geological formations in a habitat that is home to an amazing variety of flora and fauna. Over 1,000 different plant species and a variety of animals lay claim to the area adapting themselves to the dry heat and climate. The absence of a thick covering of vegetation and the sparse population, mainly Bedouin, who cling to their nomadic ways, have helped preserve the Negev in its natural condition.

During the challenge we encounter the Israel Trail on several days. This 800-kilometre-long hiking trail starts at Dan, in the north of the country, and ends in Eilat. It serves as the backbone for thousands of kilometres of other marked hiking trails and has been designed to foster nature conservation and to link up major sites of historical, biblical, and scenic interest.

Due to its particularly hot summers and meagre annual rainfall, the Negev is ranked as an 'extreme desert' which presents some of the best desert trekking in the world. We’ll leave the civilisation of Eilat and enter a harsh desert environment. Our reward will be a surprising variety of landscapes as we trek through the colourful mountains and valleys of this remote area. By the time we reach Solomon’s Pillars at the end we’ll feel an extraordinary sense of achievement having trekked over 115km.

Day 1 – Saturday

London – Tel Aviv

Overnight flight from London to Tel Aviv.

Day 2 – Sunday

Tel Aviv - Eilat – Nachal Shlomo 7km trekking approx.

Land in Tel Aviv and transfer to Eilat. On arrival we will be met by our guides and transferred to the Princess Hotel for breakfast. Once changed into trekking gear we set off from the hotel and head straight into the grey-red Eilat Mountains. We follow the famous Israel Trail (which winds the length of the country) to the slopes of Mount Zefachut. We then descend into the wilderness of Nachal Shlomo to the first night’s camp.

Day 3 - Monday

Nachal Shlomo – Slopes of Mount Yehoram 24km trekking approx.

We continue trekking along Nachal Shlomo. We trek to the springs at Ein Netafim before arriving at our camp on the slopes of Mount Yehoram.

Day 4 - Tuesday

Slopes of Mount Yehoram – Amram Pillars 27km trekking approx.

We set off towards Ein Netafim where we re-join the Israel Trail which meanders along Nachal Netafim. We head on towards the Lost Valley and eventually reach the slopes of Mount Shkoret. The colours and shapes of the Eilat Mountains change dramatically minute by minute: sharp, jagged ridges with red and grey granite summits; pale, rounded limestone plateaus; sheer cliffs and gorges in multi-coloured layers of Nubian sandstone. Our overnight camp is at Nachal Amir just before the Amram Pillars.

Day 5 - Wednesday

Amram Pillars – Red Canyon 23km trekking approx.

We leave the camp and trek through Wadi Amir. This is followed by a climb along the Israel Trail to Amram Pillars (rock formations resembling columns) and its lookout over the surrounding desert landscape. From this vantage point of 638 metres we will see the remainder of our day’s trek. We continue to the palm trees at Rakham Pools where we’ll enjoy some respite from the blazing sun. The rest of the afternoon we follow Wadi Shani and camp near the Red Canyon in Nachal Shani (700 m). The Red Canyon is one of the highlights of the Negev. At this site a channel opens up alongside the red sandstone path until it reaches the entrance of a magnificent slot canyon.

Day 6 - Thursday

Red Canyon – Timna Lake 28km trekking approx.

This is our longest day of trekking so we make an early start. This morning we hike on the other side of the Red Canyon and back along Nachal Shani to Nachal Rakham. We then head north on the Israel Trail along the slopes of the Chaclil Mountains. This afternoon we enter Timna Park, the site of one of history's great technological revolutions - the end of the Stone Age. Midianites; discovered copper here and began to develop processes for smelting it around 3000 BC. The Egyptians joined them around 1200 BC and expeditions carried thousands of copper ingots back to Egypt. This region was the site of mining activity until the twentieth century. We camp at Timna Lake a small man-made body of water where birds and animals come to drink. It provides a swarth of blue in this far-flung landscape of rose-coloured sandstone.

Day 7 – Friday 9km trekking approx. +

Timna Lake – Solomon’s Pillars – Mount Timna possible abseiling challenge

The last stretch of this memorable trek takes us further along the Israel Trail through Timna Park. There are many incredible multi-coloured sandstone rocks that nature has sculpted spread around the park. These include Solomon’s Pillars, a unique geological formation of sandstone columns located close to Egyptian petroglyphs, temple ruins and abandoned mines. It is in this area that we tackle some abseiling, a wonderful highlight on this final day. The last part of our challenge is the ascent of Mount Timna (453 m) where we celebrate the end of our trek. Transfer to the Princess Hotel in Eilat (40 km / 30 minutes). Kabbalat Shabbat and dinner at the hotel.

Day 8 - Saturday

Eilat

Free day at the Princess Hotel. Tonight we enjoy a celebratory meal.

Day 9 – Sunday

Eilat – Tel Aviv - London

Return flight from Tel Aviv to London.