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ERETZ Magazine
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Stayput Eilat
Eilat abounds with leisure
activities: desert travel via everything from jeeps to camels; all
water sports and sea activities imaginable; trendy restaurants,
bars, and night clubs; tax-free shopping; luxurious spas; and all
the other amenities of a world-class tourism resort.
The deep blue waters of the Gulf of Eilat are in a complete
contrast to the red, yellow, and black mountains around it. This
comes together to make Eilat a true holiday resort with gorgeous
beaches and coral reefs in a hot dry desert climate, all surrounded
by the natural beauty of the Eilat Mountains.
Plus the city abounds with leisure activities: desert travel via
everything from jeeps to camels; all water sports and sea activities
imaginable; numerous cafes, restaurants, bars, and night clubs that
cater to pleasure seekers; tax-free shopping at fashionable
boutiques; luxurious spas; and all the other amenities of a
world-class tourism resort.
Eilat is a great location for a desert stayput holiday – explore a
different part of the desert each day and return to a luxurious
hotel each night.
Eilat is also only a short distance from the Timna Crater, where the
ancient Egyptians mined copper amid the beauty of the Negev Desert
that has been famous from the time of the Exodus. The mild winter
season is the perfect time for hiking in Timna and the Eilat
Mountains.
Finally, just over the border with Jordan, is the rose red Nabatean
site of Petra – a world heritage site and the venue for hundreds of
movies.
(photo: Doron Horowitz)
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Timna Park
Timna Park, located some 30 kilometers north of Eilat, is
action-packed, with additions to the natural attractions added every
year. It could be a multimedia presentation or a new hiking trail.
One new trail has the unimaginative name of “1A, Short Route.” But
don’t let that deter you – this isn’t just another trail.
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The Trail
In the Arches parking lot (number 22 on the Timna Park maps),
next to the sculpture of the Egyptian god Horus, a flight of stairs
with red trail markings is carved into the white sandstone. From
here, you can see the back of the Small Arch, a five-meter-high
“window” in the red sandstone. Head for the arch, reaching it via a
metal ladder, and then stop to enjoy the colorful view.
A trail with green markings leads downward through a narrow crevice
to an open, sand-covered valley. Turn right, following a red-marked
trail, and pass the Crack, a deep, narrow fissure in the rock that
is home to nesting rock doves.
The next interesting attraction is the Egyptian Mining Cave. From
the twelfth to the fourteenth century BCE, during the New Kingdom in
Egypt, the pharaohs sent delegations of workers to mine copper at
Timna. They dug deep shafts – digging as much as 40 meters into the
rock – in order to reach the rich copper ores. The shafts were
connected to one another, creating a many-branched network of caves.
In the mining caves, follow the black trail markings and climb up
the ladder to the top of a 24-meter-long shaft. At the top of the
shaft is a red sandstone platform from which there is a great view.
Not far from here is a network of mining caves from the Chalcolithic
period (some 5,000 years ago), when humans in this area made the
jump from using stone tools to fashioning copper tools.
It is easy to differentiate between the Chalcolithic and Egyptian
mines. The Egyptian miners worked with bronze chisels, which left
sharp, precise marks. The stone hammers that the miners of the
Chalcolithic period used left blunt marks.
Our trail ends at the network of caves from the Chalcolithic period.
Enter the caves from the one side and walk out through the opposite
side. The short corridor that leads back to the parking lot is
covered with grains of copper, which are scattered throughout the
area.
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Dining in Eilat
The culinary options in Eilat range from simple eateries selling
fast food to elegant, gourmet restaurants serving the cuisine of
various nations. One of the fanciest restaurants the city has ever
seen just opened. The carefully designed Chateau restaurant is
presided over by chef Ronen Dovrat Bloch, who also is responsible
for the Laurence restaurant at the Herods Vitalis hotel. Both are a
showcase for the chef’s many talents. Chateau’s menu includes items
such as sashimi with Jerusalem artichokes and spicy caramelized
eggplant and lamb ribs in a stew of root vegetables (Kings City,
Tel. 077-500-8041, kosher).
Ola, a recently opened tapas bar that serves a variety of vegetable,
meat, fish, and seafood delicacies, is also worth a visit (Bell
Hotel, Tel. (08) 632-5566, not kosher). The best steaks in Eilat can
be found at Pappagaio, which serves a variety of meats, seafood, and
pasta (Promenade by the Dan Eilat Hotel, Tel. (08) 633-2266, not
kosher).
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Um Rashrash
Under the shade of tamarisk trees at the far end of the Eilat
promenade is a small brick cabin. This is Um Rashrash. The building
was used during the British Mandate as a police station that was
manned mainly by Bedouins. The Israel Defense Forces arrived here on
March 4, 1949, at the end of the Uvda Operation. The purpose of the
mission was to establish Israeli control in the Negev and the Eilat
Gulf. The soldiers of the Negev Brigade reached Eilat on March 10th,
after overtaking the Golani Brigade in a now legendary march. On
arriving at Um Rashrash, the troops remembered that they had
forgotten to bring an Israeli flag with them. As the story goes,
they drew a Star of David and stripes on a sheet and Avraham Adan,
commander of the brigade, raised the flag on an improvised flagpole.
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The Bird Park
This wonderful nature reserve lies just north of Eilat and is
easy to get to. Eilat is an important stop for many species of
migrant birds. It serves as a “refueling” station for birds that
have just wandered over the desert. During the migration season,
between 500 million to a billion birds are estimated to cross
Eilat’s skies.
In the past, the birds enjoyed an abundance of food in the salt
marshes of Eilat. However, the growth of the city changed this
situation. In order to rectify some of the damage, the International
Birding and Research Center created a bird park, planting vegetation
to provide food for the many birds that take refuge there. In the
middle of the park there is a lake that attracts waterbirds in
winter. Along the walking trail, you will find blinds that allow you
to birdwatch.
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Dolphin Reef
The Dolphin Reef is a nice, well-tended beach with an enclosed
bay in which the nine resident dolphins swim. Visitors can swim with
the dolphins in the water or just sit on one of the wooden floating
docks and watch them frolic around them.
The Dolphin Reef also offers detailed explanations about dolphins, a
diving school, and more. For details, call Tel. (08) 637-1846.
(photo: Doron Horowitz)
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Itinerary
Day 1: Eilat
Start the tour with a visit to the underwater observatory, a
unique way to see the amazing coral world of the Red Sea. Then drive
to the Dolphin Reef to spend a day swimming with the dolphins and
enjoying yourself on the beautiful beach. Check out the special spa
facilities on the site and the small dolphin museum.
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Day 2: The Eilat Mountains
Take the western exit from Eilat (Route 12) and follow it up the
Eilat Ascent. At kilometer marker 9, take the paved road to the left
up Mount Yoash to the viewpoint over the Mountains of Eilat and the
Gulf of Eilat. Opposite the kilometer marker is a black-marked trail
that leads to Ein Netafim, a small spring in the desert at the
bottom of an impressive canyon. The hike is half an hour in each
direction. Don’t forget hats and water. Continue on the road, along
the Egypt-Israel border. A little after kilometer marker 19 is a
turn off to the Red Canyon. Follow the track to the parking lot.
Take the green-marked path down the canyon. After a large bend, look
for a path marked in black that snakes back to the parking lot. If
you feel that you missed the turn, back up through the canyon to the
parking lot. Return to Eilat.
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Day 3: Timna
Take Route 90 north for 38 kilometers to Timna Valley. The copper
deposits in the crater-like valley have been a magnet for mining
expeditions since the days of the pharoahs. Different mines can be
visited all around the valley – together with walks and hikes
through the multicolored sandstone rocks, surrounded by the massive
cliff of the Syrian-African rift. Then drive north to Route 40 and
take it to Sizafon Junction. Turn left on Route 12 and left again to
Ma’ale Shaharut, the perfect place to watch the sun setting over the
Arava Valley and the Mountains of Edom.
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Day 4: Petra
Petra, the rose red capital of the Nabateans, in the mountains of
Edom, is one of the marvels of the ancient world and the most
interesting site in Jordan. Visiting Petra from Eilat is a day trip
which includes a stop at Wadi Ram of Lawrence of Arabia fame.
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Day 5: The Gulf of Eilat
Spending the day on the Gulf of Eilat is one of the pleasures of
a visit to the city. From a snorkeling and diving expedition to a
simple sail along the coast of Sinai with views of the Coral Island
and the red, black and yellow mountains. Day trips of all kind leave
daily from the Eilat Marina.
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Day 6: Jerusalem
Drive north on Route 90 to Masada. Ascend Masada by cable car and
tour the mountaintop fortress. Continue north to Route 1 and drive
to Jerusalem. Enter the Old City via the Jaffa Gate and visit the
Tower of David Museum, whose main exhibit focuses on the history of
Jerusalem. Then walk down David Street, the main souvenir market, to
the first intersection. Turn left onto Christian Quarter Street and
walk to the alley of Saint Helena that leads down to the Holy
Sepulcher. Tour the assemblage of churches that have been built
around the Tomb of Jesus since the third century. Exit by the small
entrance to the courtyard that leads to the Muristan Market. Go
straight until you reach the busy market street of Khan e-Zeit. Turn
right and walk down the ancient Crusader markets. (The one nearest
you is the butchers’ market. Walk along the central one which has
less freshly butchered meat hanging on hooks in the street.) Once
out of the market, turn
left on David Street and turn the corner to Sisileh Street. Walk down the
street to the street turning to the Kotel. Walk down to the Kotel.
After visiting the Kotel, take the Rabbi Yehudah Halevi steps up to
the Jewish Quarter. Make your way to Zion Gate, walk out the gate,
turn right, and walk to the Jaffa Gate.
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Princess Hotel
located between the mountains and the sea, the wild brown and the
amazing turquoise, the Princess hotel is the setting for for an
ideal vacation. It was built in a nature reserve - on one side
is the desert nature reserve and on the other side is the coral reef
of Eilat Bay on the Red sea. The hotel is located at the foot of the
mountain. The glass walls of the lobby and the dining room allow
guests to observe deer, mountain goats, hyrax, and birds in their
natural habitat.
All 420 guestrooms and suits in the hotel are particularly spacious
and are equipped and accessorized to create a vacation experience
that is perfect luxury. The hotel's water park is the largest in the
area. it offers a combination of four swimming pools interconnected
by artificial waterfalls and bridges. The water park contains 60
meters of water slides which may be enjoyed by children and adults
alike.
The Princess hotel provides a varied range of activities for
children during the day, while the adults can enjoy family
activities around the pool throughout the day and enjoy the
lectures, courses and programs presented by the entertainment team
during both the day and the evening.
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