Want to add some nature, history, and culture to your holiday in Israel's vacation capital? Go on one of the fascinating day trips Eilat offers and acquire unforgettable experiences on the way!
The Red Canyon is a deeply-striated, beautiful canyon with sandstone walls of deep red interspersed with layers of clay-based rock in exquisite shades of turquoise. Here, the forces of nature came together to forge one of the most beautiful walking trails in Israel and the whole Red Sea region. The trail, which draws masses of visitors from all over the world every year, is located only 20 km from Eilat and consists of 300 m of colorful walls that wend and wind the entire length and rise to a height of 30 m. The trail is suitable to the whole family, including children, and features some unique desert vegetation.
Timna Park is a paradise for desert nature and landscape enthusiasts. It is located some 25 km north of Eilat. Timna Park can be covered on foot, by bike, or by car that will take you on a rather unique road trip. The park features fascinating points of interest, unusual natural rock formations, and dry river beds. Among the famous sites in the park are Solomon's Pillars, the Chariot Paintings, the Arches, and the Mushroom Rock, as well as a manmade lake where you can go paddle-boating. There are many activities suited to the whole family, and at night the rock formation are illuminated with special lighting. The site is considered exceptional for viewing meteorite showers and falling stars.
Amram's Pillars are astounding rock formations located a mere 15-min ride from Eilat. Amram's Pillars are deep-red sandstone pillars, considered one of Israel's most photogenic points of interest. The route to the pillars, which goes past colorful mountains, is easy and suitable to the entire family. The site, especially beloved by bikers and hikers, features an overnight campground where it's possible to set up a tent, build a bonfire, and spend the night searching for falling stars.
The Dead Sea, The Dead Sea, called the Salt Sea in Hebrew, is accessible from Eilat. It's the lowest exposed land in the world – some 430 m below sea level – and a world-class tourist resort. In fact, in 2009, the Dead Sea made it to the last round in the "Seven Wonders of the World of Nature" competition. It was one of the final 10 contestants, though it didn't make it onto the winning list of seven. It's a mecca for tourists from all over the world coming to enjoy the water and mud, which are said to possess many healing properties.
The Ramon Crater is the largest erosion craters (or cirques) in the world, and a unique tourist attraction in the Middle East. It's 40 km long, 9 km wide, and about 350 m deep. Tourists come to see this wonder of nature, whether from a bird's eye view, from the observation point near Mitzpeh Ramon, or by hiking the trails in the wadis. Visitors to the Ramon Crater get to view rare rock formations and colorful layered rocks marking various geological epochs.
The Blue Hole, also known as the Blue Lagoon, located in Egypt, is one of the most popular diving spots in the Red Sea. The resort next to it is located 150 km south of Eilat in the Sinai Peninsula. The hole itself is a vertical, 140-m deep hollow inside a coral reef. Between the hole and the open sea stands a vertical wall ending in an underwater arch 56 m below the surface. In the past, the Blue Hole was considered one of the most challenging and dangerous places for divers trying to dive beyond the arch and enter the open sea, which some attempted to do, even though the depth is greater than the maximal allowed in sports diving (40 m). Many dove to their death trying to cross the arch. Therefore, divers who want to dive to the arch can do so only when accompanied by a certified diving guide. The site is a paradise for Red Sea divers and snorkeling enthusiasts.
Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in Jordan, some 100 km from Eilat. The site has many nicknames, including the "Red Rock" and the "Pink City," because of the color of the rocks. In 2007, the site was selected as one of the "Seven New Wonders of the World." Petra is an ancient Nabatean city, full of buildings and burial palaces carved right out of the sandstone of the Edom Mountains. Tourists from all over the world come to Petra to tour the enormous canyon and see the manmade rock formations, palaces, sculptures, engraved embossings on the walls, and more. Petra is one of the most beautiful and important historic sites in the world, from a religious and archeological point of view. Tours of Petra regularly depart from Eilat hotels and cover the border crossing to Jordan and transportation to Petra and back.
Saint Catherine's Monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, about a 2.5-hr ride from Eilat. Saint Catherine's is the oldest monastery in consecutive operation in the world. The monastery opened its doors in 330 CE at the foot of Jabel Musa ("the mountain of Moses" in Arabic), reputedly the site where the biblical Moses was given the two tablets of the law. Pilgrims and tourists from all over the world make the pilgrimage to the monastery to pray there and derive inspiration from the largest collection of art works in the world, second only to the Vatican collection in Rome. Many travelers opt to visit the monastery and then travel to the foot of Jabel Musa, one of the most beautiful walking trails in the region, where it is possible to observe the thrilling sight of the Edom mountains.
Wadi Rum is a spectacular archeological site that was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011 and is one of the two most popular tourist destinations in Jordan along with Petra. The wadi is located some 70 km from Eilat in southwestern Jordan, and is also called the Valley of the Moon because of its striated surface, which resembles the surface of the moon. The wadi is characterized by enchanted the desert landscapes of colorful sandstone and granite of Mt. Rum located at the edge of the wadi. The walking trails in the wadi are captivating. Some are narrow and windy and include natural stone arches, caves, high cliffs, and ancient archeological findings, such as tens of thousands of petroglyphs and rock inscriptions, ancient alphabetic writing, and descriptions of desert agriculture in antiquity.
Castle Zaman, located only 40 km from Eilat on the Red Sea shoreline in Egypt, is one of the most beautiful resorts at the Red Sea. Castle Zaman is a castle built on a mountainside across from the turquoise waters of the Red Sea, featuring a restaurant serving a limited menu of slow-cooked items – at least three hours per dish. The site features a drinks bar, a spa, a sauna, a private primeval beach, a large pool, and a tour in the course of which it's possible to get an impression of local art and handicrafts from different eras of Egyptian culture.
