The 2021 Heels of Love Hike takes places among the spectacular mountains of Eilat.
We will hike trails and climb mountains that we have not previously visited on Heels of Love. Mount Uziyahu, Amram, and Amir are challenging climbs that will reward us with magnificent views. The Red Canyon, Nahal Shani, and Amram’s Pillars are unique and each worthy of a separate visit. Our campsites in the Red Canyon and Nahal Yochevet are among the very best in the region.
Contact us to find out more.
The Adventure Route has 3 days and is designed for those who enjoy a serious challenge. Hikers will cover about 14 km/day with many steep climbs and technical passages. Hikers should be in good physical shape before the hike.
Distance: 10 km, Elevation 813 m.
We begin the day at the Eilat Seismographic Station, used for measuring earthquakes. We will climb above the hidden valley to get a aerial perspective on the area. We continue south to Har Amir. We will climb 600 meters in just a few kilometers. Then it’s down the other side using ladders and iron rungs through the canyon to the bottom where we will meet the Scenic Route group at our joint campsite by Shochoret Canyon. Although today’s hike is a little shorter, it’s a great way to start our adventure.
Distance: 17.5 km, Elevation 1,200 m.
Today’s hike will be a challenge. the route combines some of the most popular – and difficult – routes from the past three years. We break camp and hike through the black rock of the narrow Shochoret Canyon. Then we start to climb. The ascent of Har Shochoret is tough but the views are well worth the effort.
From Mount Shochoret, we will descend Nachal Netafim. Then, after traversing the valley, we will ascend a moderate climb to the only spring in all of the Eilat mountains. We will use the many iron ladders to reach the summit of Har Yohoram, from where we will be able to see the our campsite and the summit of Har Shlomo in the distance. Those who choose, can climb to the summit while others can go directly to the campsite.
Distance 12.5 km, Elevation 600 m.
We will wake up early and head for Nachal Gishron, where we went two years ago. Many of our hikers have said this was the most spectacular view of the whole trip.
We will finish Heels of Love with a concluding barbeque dinner on the Eilat Beach.
The Scenic Route has 2 days and is designed for those who want to enjoy the spectacular paths and views of the desert while walking along moderate paths. We will meet up with the other group at the Shohoret campsite.
Distance 5.5 km, Elevation 258 m.
We will take a more moderate route up Mount Amir than our friends on the Adventure Route. Wine and a roaring campfire will greet us as we finish our day’s hike.
Distance 8 km, Elevation 403 m.
Today we will hike through the spectacular black rock of Shechoret canyon and climb the challenging Har Shechoret. We will take the climb slowly with many breaks.
The spectacular views are well worth the effort.
After one last fantastic camp meal, we board the bus to take us home.
From Hiking the Holyland:
4:00 AM. It’s cold, it’s dark, and I hear footsteps right outside my tent. “Wakey, wakey,” says a whispering voice with an Israeli accent, “Time to get up.”
I roll over on my mattress and try to make out my surroundings. Reaching out my hand to the right, I grab hold of a headlamp. I flip the switch and a faint glow fills the green walls of my tent. Well-worn hiking boots are in one corner, a pile of clean turquoise hiking jerseys in another. As the fog lifts from my brain, I recollect that our group is leaving this campground at 5:00 AM to hike up Mount Shlomo. It’s time to start getting ready.
I change my clothes piece by piece, still holding on to the warmth of my sleeping bag. As I dress, I clean myself up as best I can – moist towelettes from a package, deodorant, a bit of lotion and sunscreen. I brush my teeth. And by the time my routine is all done, I’m feeling more like a person, refreshed and ready to tackle the mountain in the golden glow of early morning.
Heels of Love has two options. The Adventure Route has three days of challenging hiking. We cover around 16 kilometers/day with many steep ascents and descents. There are often “ladders” — steel bars set in the rocks that we climb up or down along the trail. You should be in reasonably good shape for the 3-day hike.
The Scenic Route has two days of more moderate hikes for those who prefer shorter distances with less climbing. There are still hills but the grade is more gradual and the path less technical.
Our staff and guide are there to assist you. If someone is having difficulty, we will escort them out of the mountains and have our jeep pick them up as close as possible. We care deeply about safety and want everyone to have an amazing time.
After a long day’s hiking, nothing is more welcoming to the eyes than a beautiful campsite that has already been set up by our staff. Every hiker gets his or her own tent and mattress (couples can share of course.) Tents are set up around a campfire, surrounded by comfortable futons where we can sit back and relax and share adventure stories of the day’s hike.
Our hot dinners are delicious and accompanied by your choice of beverages. As we sit around the campfire, our special guests will inspire you with their stories of the miracles that happen at ALYN every day.
The Winter is the perfect time of year for hiking in the desert. The daytime temperatures are usually around 18-25 degrees. It does get very cold at night, with temperatures moving toward the freezing point. We strongly recommend that you bring a sleeping bag designed for colder weather.
Our campsites have toilets and a place for washing hands/face and brushing teeth. We will have hot showers at the conclusion of the hike on Thursday.
Each participant will receive:
Essentials
Day Pack: (A medium backpack that you will carry with you on the hike):
We will give you food and bottles of water. You may prefer to have a hydration bag within your pack that you fill up from the bottles and sip while walking.
Duffel Bag (Duffel Bags are much more convenient than suitcases for the hike. It is better that you put everything you will need for the campsites in the bag, including your sleeping bag). These bags will be waiting for us at the campsites.)
The cost of participation is the registration fee and a minimum fundraising requirement or donation of $3,000 for the ALYN’s Children’s Hospital ($2,000 if you would like the 2 day option.) All contributions are tax deductible in Israeli, American, Canadian, and UK currency.
Minimum Fundraising for ALYN: $3,000 for 3 day hikers and $2,000 for 2 day hikers. (Couple discounts $5,000 combined for 3 days, $3,500 for 2 days)
We ask that everyone raise the minimum required amount by one week before the hike. We will keep your pages open for another week so you can raise even more by telling your friends how amazing it was! We will ask you to commit to covering any fundraising gaps before the hike starts.
Besides online donations, the American and Canadian Friends of ALYN office can accept US and Canadian checks and bank transfers and issue American tax receipts. To get in touch with them , email Maayan. We will post all these donations to your page and add the amounts to your totals.
The registration fee is $400/₪ 1300
In case you have to cancel, participants will receive a full refund until December 1st, 2021.
