We have already covered many parts of Israel (read our previous articles for that), and we finished our last article at Ein Bokek at the Dead Sea.
Today we will continue moving South, in the direction of the Arava Desert and its capital, Eilat.
For regular tourists, travelling in cars, the most straightforward way to get to Eilat from Ein Bokek would be travelling straight down Road 90 until you get there. But this is a straight and boring road. Instead of travelling in the straight way, we are going to pick the beautiful and interesting way.
There are many things to see on the way to Eilat, but since they are not so close one to the other and we want to get to Eilat on a single day, we are going to divide them between our two trips, the trip to Eilat and then the trip back from Eilat to Tel Aviv. So be patient, and we will cover all the possible visit points in this area.
So this is the way we will do today:
Today we will continue moving South, in the direction of the Arava Desert and its capital, Eilat.
For regular tourists, travelling in cars, the most straightforward way to get to Eilat from Ein Bokek would be travelling straight down Road 90 until you get there. But this is a straight and boring road. Instead of travelling in the straight way, we are going to pick the beautiful and interesting way.
There are many things to see on the way to Eilat, but since they are not so close one to the other and we want to get to Eilat on a single day, we are going to divide them between our two trips, the trip to Eilat and then the trip back from Eilat to Tel Aviv. So be patient, and we will cover all the possible visit points in this area.
So this is the way we will do today:
The idea is to follow alternate routes to Road 90, finding interesting places to see, interesting roads to ride, and specially arriving to Eilat from the mountains, one of the most beautiful sceneries to see in Israel. Nevertheless, the initial kilometers in our trip will be through road 90, since this road is the road that goes along the red sea.
Lot's wife
Many of our readers here might be acquainted with the Bible story of Lot, Sodoma, and Gomorrah. And especially with the part of the story in which G'd says to Lot that he was going to destroy the cities and Lot should take his family from the place and that, in their way out, they should never look back. Despite the instructions, Lot's wife looked back and was immediately transformed into a Salt sculpture.
Well, in the area where the biblical Sodoma and Gomorrah are supposed to have existed, there is a rock formation that reminds the vulture of a woman. In Israel, this rock is called Lot's Wife, and the place has become a touristic stop in the area. The place is a lovely place to take interesting pictures like the one below, showing the rock with the background of the Dead Sea and Jordan at the other side.
Many of our readers here might be acquainted with the Bible story of Lot, Sodoma, and Gomorrah. And especially with the part of the story in which G'd says to Lot that he was going to destroy the cities and Lot should take his family from the place and that, in their way out, they should never look back. Despite the instructions, Lot's wife looked back and was immediately transformed into a Salt sculpture.
Well, in the area where the biblical Sodoma and Gomorrah are supposed to have existed, there is a rock formation that reminds the vulture of a woman. In Israel, this rock is called Lot's Wife, and the place has become a touristic stop in the area. The place is a lovely place to take interesting pictures like the one below, showing the rock with the background of the Dead Sea and Jordan at the other side.
The place is very near Ein Bokek, 18 Km distance, and is just at the side of the road. Motorcycles can be parked off-road at the place.
Ein Yorke'am
Our next visit point is also quite close by, a place called Ein Yorke'am. It is a water spring in which the water accumulates in a small pool between the mountains.
Ein Yorke'am is very easily accessible situated right at the exit of the Big Crater of Yeruham.
Historically nothing important has happened there, but it is an interesting point for all that want to see the phenomena of water in the middle of the desert, or to take a bath in such a spring. The road to there is also an interesting road to ride and is just on our way to Eilat. All the pictures are from my last visit to the place some years ago. As usual, you can click on any picture to see it in full size and navigate between the pictures.
Our next visit point is also quite close by, a place called Ein Yorke'am. It is a water spring in which the water accumulates in a small pool between the mountains.
Ein Yorke'am is very easily accessible situated right at the exit of the Big Crater of Yeruham.
Historically nothing important has happened there, but it is an interesting point for all that want to see the phenomena of water in the middle of the desert, or to take a bath in such a spring. The road to there is also an interesting road to ride and is just on our way to Eilat. All the pictures are from my last visit to the place some years ago. As usual, you can click on any picture to see it in full size and navigate between the pictures.
To get there, we will continue South from Lot's wife in Road 90, until we arrive at the intersection with Road 25, where we will take a right. We will travel on Road 25 until the intersection with Road 206 and take a left there. After riding some kilometers, there will be a sign to Ein Yorke'am and at that point you should find a spot out of the road and continue by foot (10 minutes' walk) to the spring and pool.
Scorpions Ascent (aka Aqrabbim Ascent, aka Ma'ale Aqrabbim)
Our next visit point is going to have us travelling in a circle for a moment, but it is so close that it is a pity to miss it, especially if you are on a motorcycle. It is called the Scorpions Ascent.
We are talking about a route which was previously used by the British during the Mandate in 1927 while it was still made of stones. In 1949, the Golani commandos used this British dirt route to reach Eilat in and control the Red Sea access for the newly born State of Israel. The road was turned into asphalt by the Israeli army engineering Corp. in April 1950, as it was by that time the only way to reach Eilat. At the top of the route, there is a monument dedicated to the Engineers' Corps who built this road for traffic. After better and more secure roads were built later in the area, a discussion aroused between the army and the Ministry of Transportation regarding who is supposed to maintain this road, with the army saying that this is a road and should be maintained by the country, and the MoT claiming that this is a military road and should be maintained by the army. With no solution, the road is nowadays closed to traffic of cars, but bicycles and motorcycles can go around the blockades and have access to the road.
Some security advises to whoever will visit the place:
1. The road is in bad condition and is dangerous - if you are in a group of motorcycles at the moment you go down there, please keep a distance of 50-100m between each motorcycle. Never travel near the edge of the road, at some points there might be pieces of road missing. Always be close to the mountain wall.
2. Be aware that there may be bicycles going up or downhill - beware not to hit them.
3. Beware of Bedouin motorcyclists - they are kamikazes.
Our next visit point is going to have us travelling in a circle for a moment, but it is so close that it is a pity to miss it, especially if you are on a motorcycle. It is called the Scorpions Ascent.
We are talking about a route which was previously used by the British during the Mandate in 1927 while it was still made of stones. In 1949, the Golani commandos used this British dirt route to reach Eilat in and control the Red Sea access for the newly born State of Israel. The road was turned into asphalt by the Israeli army engineering Corp. in April 1950, as it was by that time the only way to reach Eilat. At the top of the route, there is a monument dedicated to the Engineers' Corps who built this road for traffic. After better and more secure roads were built later in the area, a discussion aroused between the army and the Ministry of Transportation regarding who is supposed to maintain this road, with the army saying that this is a road and should be maintained by the country, and the MoT claiming that this is a military road and should be maintained by the army. With no solution, the road is nowadays closed to traffic of cars, but bicycles and motorcycles can go around the blockades and have access to the road.
Some security advises to whoever will visit the place:
1. The road is in bad condition and is dangerous - if you are in a group of motorcycles at the moment you go down there, please keep a distance of 50-100m between each motorcycle. Never travel near the edge of the road, at some points there might be pieces of road missing. Always be close to the mountain wall.
2. Be aware that there may be bicycles going up or downhill - beware not to hit them.
3. Beware of Bedouin motorcyclists - they are kamikazes.
The map below may be a little confusing (I don't know why Google Maps presents it like this), so I am going to explain how to ride there. You will exit Ein Yorke'am to the right (North-Northeast) returning over your path, until you find the intersection to the right with road 227, where you will take a right turn into road 227. after some Km, you will find the blockade and contour it, continuing uphill with the road until the Mivtza Arava monument. There you can take a stop and look around. After that point, you will begin going downhill through the serpentine you see in the pictures. From the monument on, you will take the precautions that I mentioned above before the pictures.
After all the group is at the bottom of the serpentine road, you can continue to our next stop point.
After all the group is at the bottom of the serpentine road, you can continue to our next stop point.
Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center
From the Scorpions Ascent, we will travel to Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center.
Mitzpe Ramon is the town developed in the desert at the edge of the Mitzpe Ramon Crater. The Mitzpe Ramon Crater is one of the three main craters known in Israel, in this region of the Syrian African rift. In the continuation to Eilat we will go down into the Mitzpe Ramon crater, but before that it is worthy to stop at the visitor center, where one can learn about the crater and the rift, and also about the history of the first Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, who died in the tragic explosion of the Columbia on its way back to earth, and of his son Assaf, who was going through his father's path as a pilot until he died in an air force plane crash during a training. From the visitor center we can also get an incredible view of the crater.
From the Scorpions Ascent, we will travel to Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center.
Mitzpe Ramon is the town developed in the desert at the edge of the Mitzpe Ramon Crater. The Mitzpe Ramon Crater is one of the three main craters known in Israel, in this region of the Syrian African rift. In the continuation to Eilat we will go down into the Mitzpe Ramon crater, but before that it is worthy to stop at the visitor center, where one can learn about the crater and the rift, and also about the history of the first Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, who died in the tragic explosion of the Columbia on its way back to earth, and of his son Assaf, who was going through his father's path as a pilot until he died in an air force plane crash during a training. From the visitor center we can also get an incredible view of the crater.
The map below is also kind of confused, because again there are two ways to get there from the Scopion's Ascent. If you ask Google Maps it will probably say to you that you will need to go back and uphill at the ascent to go there.
Since that is, again, a dangerous path, I have decided to continue with road 227 and and turn right in the first intersection in the direction to the Ein Yahav Reserve and the Tzien river bridge.
At this point I must say: since road 227 is a road that is not being maintained (as I explained above), I don't know what the situation of this path is at this moment - last time I've been there was around 10 years ago. So, be very careful all along the way and if you see at any sign that the road is in bad conditions or even turning into a trail, turn back and go up the ascent again.
Since that is, again, a dangerous path, I have decided to continue with road 227 and and turn right in the first intersection in the direction to the Ein Yahav Reserve and the Tzien river bridge.
At this point I must say: since road 227 is a road that is not being maintained (as I explained above), I don't know what the situation of this path is at this moment - last time I've been there was around 10 years ago. So, be very careful all along the way and if you see at any sign that the road is in bad conditions or even turning into a trail, turn back and go up the ascent again.
Next stop: Eilat
OK, leaving the Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center, we will go into the Mitzpe Ramon crater and continue to Eilat.
At the entry to the crater there is a viewpoint, be sure to stop there to grab a view of the crater and of the road down to it.
OK, leaving the Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center, we will go into the Mitzpe Ramon crater and continue to Eilat.
At the entry to the crater there is a viewpoint, be sure to stop there to grab a view of the crater and of the road down to it.
Yes, after the serpentine here we will cross the whole crater and get to another serpentine (smaller, though) on the other side. This road is known as road 40, and it is a continuation of road 40 that we know since the North of the country. We will continue on this road until we see an intersection to Road 12 at a place called Neot Smadar. There we will take a right exit into road 12.
Travelling through road 12 is a special experience. First of all, there is almost no traffic. Secondly, you will be travelling almost all the way with the Israel-Egypt border fence at your right, and see after the fence, Egypt's border patrolling posts that are either a king of an elevated house or a big building where there are military forces ready to go on action in case of need. Usually, the needs are connected to drug trafficking or terror attempts. The Israeli military are also present, to your left, but they are more difficult to be found.
But this is not all: a special surprise is waiting for you at the end of the road, when at your left you suddenly see the view of Eilat and the Red Sea from the Eilat Mountains for the first time. Be ready to stop and take pictures immediately when you see it, because you will only see it for a couple of seconds.
Travelling through road 12 is a special experience. First of all, there is almost no traffic. Secondly, you will be travelling almost all the way with the Israel-Egypt border fence at your right, and see after the fence, Egypt's border patrolling posts that are either a king of an elevated house or a big building where there are military forces ready to go on action in case of need. Usually, the needs are connected to drug trafficking or terror attempts. The Israeli military are also present, to your left, but they are more difficult to be found.
But this is not all: a special surprise is waiting for you at the end of the road, when at your left you suddenly see the view of Eilat and the Red Sea from the Eilat Mountains for the first time. Be ready to stop and take pictures immediately when you see it, because you will only see it for a couple of seconds.
After this view, you continue down the mountains and arrive to Eilat, and all you have to do is to find your hotel.
What to do in Eilat and vicinities (and some pictures of the places)
After this whole trip, you will probably arrive in Eilat in the evening. No matter how early you have left the Dead Sea. So, it is time to think about our first dinner in the place. I have two suggestions for your first Eilat dinner experience:
1. If you want to stay at the hotel quarters, and like live music, try the Three Monkeys Pub. It is a great bar with great beer, live music, and a good cuisine. Just don't do it on a Friday, since the cuisine is closed and all you can get there are cold sandwiches.
2. If you are ready to take the bike again and travel for 10-15 minutes to the Eilat Industrial area, then you are in for a wonderful experience at The Brewery. I ate there one of the best meals I have had in Israel. Prices are also accessible, comparing to other Israeli restaurants. You will also be able to taste different beers to decide which beer to order.
After this whole trip, you will probably arrive in Eilat in the evening. No matter how early you have left the Dead Sea. So, it is time to think about our first dinner in the place. I have two suggestions for your first Eilat dinner experience:
1. If you want to stay at the hotel quarters, and like live music, try the Three Monkeys Pub. It is a great bar with great beer, live music, and a good cuisine. Just don't do it on a Friday, since the cuisine is closed and all you can get there are cold sandwiches.
2. If you are ready to take the bike again and travel for 10-15 minutes to the Eilat Industrial area, then you are in for a wonderful experience at The Brewery. I ate there one of the best meals I have had in Israel. Prices are also accessible, comparing to other Israeli restaurants. You will also be able to taste different beers to decide which beer to order.
What to do in Eilat?
Well, the first evening is gone, and now you need to fill your time in Eilat.
Eilat is a touristic city and as such they have a lot of activities to do there.
Some ideas:
1. Walk the Eilat promenade - in front of the sea, full of shops, hotels and even a small amusement park, this is the place to be to know the city. You can go down to the beach sand at any moment you want, and also see a good view of the neighbor city of Aqaba, in Jordan.
Well, the first evening is gone, and now you need to fill your time in Eilat.
Eilat is a touristic city and as such they have a lot of activities to do there.
Some ideas:
1. Walk the Eilat promenade - in front of the sea, full of shops, hotels and even a small amusement park, this is the place to be to know the city. You can go down to the beach sand at any moment you want, and also see a good view of the neighbor city of Aqaba, in Jordan.
2. Go to other beaches in Eilat - Eilat has other beaches for you to sit down and enjoy, on the way to the Israel-Egypt Taba border. In the order of appearance, from North to south, you will find at your left the Dekel Beach, the Dolphin Reef beach, and the Princess beach, which is the one I like most.
3. Visit the underwater observatory - this attraction has two parts - first, an aquarium with diverse types of regional species, and second, an observatory in which you go underwater inside a dome and there you will be able to see all the corals and fishes that live in the area. This is already an open area and is not limited by any kind of nets, so fishes go in and out at their decision.
3. Visit the underwater observatory - this attraction has two parts - first, an aquarium with diverse types of regional species, and second, an observatory in which you go underwater inside a dome and there you will be able to see all the corals and fishes that live in the area. This is already an open area and is not limited by any kind of nets, so fishes go in and out at their decision.
4. Take a big boat trip - there are big boats (that sometimes look regular and sometimes like pirate boats) that take tourists to the sea. They usually have meals, music, dancing, and some of them also have water activities. Check what is available in all companies and then choose the idea you like most. Sometimes these boat trips can take 2-4 hours.
5. Take a window-bottom boat - additionally to the big boats, there are the window-bottom boats, which will take you to a tour through the coral reefs in Eilat. Usually these are boats that have a bar with food and beverages, and they announce to travelers when they arrive to the area of the coral reefs, so that people can go to the bottom floor of the boat and see the reefs through the windows.
5. Take a window-bottom boat - additionally to the big boats, there are the window-bottom boats, which will take you to a tour through the coral reefs in Eilat. Usually these are boats that have a bar with food and beverages, and they announce to travelers when they arrive to the area of the coral reefs, so that people can go to the bottom floor of the boat and see the reefs through the windows.
6. Visit Timna Park - Timna park, also referred to sometimes as King Salomon's Mines, is a beautiful desert park with stunning rock formations. It is located around 30 minutes North of Eilat on Road 90. The trip there with the motorcycles takes around 20 minutes, and you can travel around parts of the park on the motorcycle. Other parts must be done on foot. It is also recommended to try to visit Timna also after dark, the lights on the mountain are very beautiful.
7. Shopping - there are a variety of shops at the central promenade, where one can get whatever, they want. Additionally, there are two shopping malls in the city: the most well-known one is the Mall Hayam, just in front of the main Eilat beach. The second one is the Ice Mall, which is a mall built around an ice-skating ring, having its main advantage in the cool temperature that they have there - especially compared to the natural temperatures in the city, which can get to 45 Celsius.
Additional to these options, you can take the bikes and go to the industrial area of Eilat, where you will find open malls or commercial centers with discounted prices - reminding you that all the city of Eilat is a duty-free shopping city.
8. Eilat Musical Fountain - this is a program for the evening, before eating dinner. The Eilat Musical Fountain provides a show of water, music and lights which is incredibly beautiful to see. The show runs at 20:30 and at 21:30 every day in the summer.
Additional to these options, you can take the bikes and go to the industrial area of Eilat, where you will find open malls or commercial centers with discounted prices - reminding you that all the city of Eilat is a duty-free shopping city.
8. Eilat Musical Fountain - this is a program for the evening, before eating dinner. The Eilat Musical Fountain provides a show of water, music and lights which is incredibly beautiful to see. The show runs at 20:30 and at 21:30 every day in the summer.
We are finishing here our Eilat chapter.
In the next chapter we will take you back from Eilat to Tel Aviv in an enjoyable way and will conclude our Israeli Tour.
In the next chapter we will take you back from Eilat to Tel Aviv in an enjoyable way and will conclude our Israeli Tour.
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