South · One-way

Zofer – Eilat

Tzofar → Eilat

All my rides →

Recent rain? Check the mud forecast before you go. Download the route’s GPX and upload it to ‘HaSingletor’ – you’ll get the chance of mud from the nearest rain station and the soil type.

Mud forecast Built by Boaz Yoffe · mtb.yoffe.net

Distance 170 km

Total climbing 1,966 m

Highest point 802 m

Lowest point -9 m

Days 3–4 days

Difficulty Moderate

Recommended months Nov–Mar

Route by Itay HaLevi

From Tzofar to Eilat through the mountains, away from the Arava road. Finish at the sea after days of desert. Long gaps between water points.

How to load the file to your device → Download GPX

Elevation profile

802 m -8 m

0 km 34 km 68 km 102 km 136 km 170 km

Route story · Zofer – Eilat

From Zofar to Eilat, by the mountain way

170 km and almost 2,000 m of climbing from Zofar in the Arava to the beach in Eilat, far from the Arava highway. You climb slowly from almost 10 m below sea level, through the Ashosh reserve and Nahal Paran, into the Eilat mountains at about 800 m, then descend through the Red Canyon and Nahal Shehoret to the sea. Open desert, without a single shop until Eilat.

One-way · Tzofar3–4 daysNov–MarModerate

170km

1,966m climbing

167.3km, longest stretch without fuel

4fuel stations within 300 m

3water taps along the way

10night campsites near the route

There is no fuel station, shop or restaurant in the first 167 km, until Eilat. There are only two water points: Be'er Ashalim at km 49.4 and the Nahal Shehoret campsite at km 159.6, which means 110 km without water. Plan your water ahead and confirm the points before you go.

Firing zones on the way

The route crosses 3 firing zones, about 78 km of 170. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.

Firing zone 1390 km 48–50 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926
Firing zone 1000 km 49–119 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926
Firing zone 1013 km 120–128 Southern Command coordination center 08-9902926

Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date. Some sections are a road that crosses the zone. Either way, check and coordinate before you go. All coordination centers →

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The route at a glance

Fuel stationGrocery or supermarketWater tapNight campsite

01km ⁦0–43⁩

From Zofar into the Ashosh reserve

You leave Zofar, past Khan Derech HaBsamim, and pass Moah, with an ancient fortress and caravanserai and an Israel Trail library. Then into the Ashosh nature reserve, climbing gradually along Nahal Ashosh, Nahal Tsofar and Nahal Barak, to about 380 m near the Wardit canyon.

Along the way

km 0Nahal Omer night campsite, 910 m off the route
km 3.8Israel Trail library at Moah
km 3.9Moah fortress and caravanserai
km 5.4Ashosh nature reserve
km 39.3Wardit canyon, 320 m off the route

02km ⁦43–70⁩

Nahal Paran and Be'er Ashalim

You meet Nahal Paran and ride along it, between three night campsites. Be'er Ashalim has the only water point on the way until Nahal Shehoret, 110 km further on. From there you keep climbing, to about 460 m.

Along the way

km 43.2Tzihor–Paran junction night campsite, 520 m off the route
km 43.6Nahal Paran
km 49.3Be'er Ashalim night campsite
km 49.4Water at Be'er Ashalim
km 55.1Be'erot Ada night campsite

Resupply · km 49.4
Water at Be'er Ashalim. No more water until Nahal Shehoret, km 159.6

03km ⁦70–105⁩

Old planes and Tznifim

A long stretch across the plateau, between 440 and 580 m. At its start you pass old fighter planes and a target aircraft left in the field, and further on the Sha'ar Tznifim and Gav Tznifim campsites and Nahal Hatsatsim.

Along the way

km 70.2A target aircraft, 420 m off the route
km 72.8Old fighter planes
km 87.6Sha'ar Tznifim night campsite, 960 m off the route
km 90.6Gav Tznifim night campsite, 910 m off the route
km 92.4Nahal Hatsatsim

04km ⁦105–146⁩

Into the Eilat mountains

Sde Avraham, an improvised airstrip from the War of Independence, then the Kidar 'bulbs' and Nahal Kidar. From there the route runs between Nahal Betamim, Nahal Seguv and Nahal Atek and climbs to about 770 m.

Along the way

km 105.5Sde Avraham, a War of Independence airstrip
km 116.2Kidar 'bulbs' lookout
km 126.8Nahal Betamim
km 139Nahal Atek

05km ⁦146–170⁩

The Red Canyon and down to the sea

The Red Canyon campsite, then the route's high point, about 800 m. From here you drop almost 800 m, through Nahal Raham and Nahal Shehoret, past ancient desert kites and the Elik lookout, to Eilat and the beach. The route's first shop waits at the entrance to Eilat, after 167 km.

Along the way

km 146.5Red Canyon night campsite
km 155.8Nahal Shehoret
km 159.6Nahal Shehoret night campsite, water and toilets
km 161.3Giv'at Shehoret desert kite, 480 m off the route
km 166.4Elik lookout
km 170Pearl Beach, Eilat

Resupply · km 167.3
Eilat: Paz 24/7, Yellow 24/7 and Sonol, and restaurants by the beach

Where to sleep

Over two days, Sha'ar Tznifim or Gav Tznifim (km 87.6–90.6, about 1 km off the route). Over three days, Be'er Ashalim (km 49.3), by the water, and the Red Canyon (km 146.5) or Nahal Shehoret (km 159.6), with water and toilets.

Straight-line distanceDistances from the route are straight-line distances, not riding distances. Before you set out, check on a map that a trail or road actually reaches the place.

km 0Free

חניון לילה נחל עומר 910 m off the route

km 43.2Free

חניון לילה - מפגש ציחור פארן 520 m off the route

km 49.3Free

חניון לילה באר אשלים 10 m off the route

km 55.1Free

חניון לילה בארות עדה 30 m off the route

km 87.6Halfway

חניון לילה שער צניפים 960 m off the route · Free

km 90.6Halfway

חניון לילה גב צניפים 910 m off the route · Free

km 146.5Free

חניון לילה הקניון האדום 120 m off the route

km 159.3Free

חניון שביל 20465 לנחל שחורת 1,190 m off the route

km 159.6Water and toilets

חניון לילה נחל שחורת 30 m off the route

km 163.9Free

חניון לילה נטפים רודד 1,000 m off the route

Where to refuel

Fuel stations, groceries and food within 300 m of the route. Fuel stations usually have water, toilets and a convenience store.

Straight-line distanceDistances from the route are straight-line distances, not riding distances. Before you set out, check on a map that a trail or road actually reaches the place.

km ⁦167–168⁩24/7

Paz, Sonol, Supermarket +3 A café or restaurant

km ⁦168.4–169.2⁩24/7

Sonol, Paz, Grocery ×2 +1 2 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦169.5–170⁩24/7

Neemans, Mini supermarket, Grocery 34 cafés and restaurants

Distances along the route are calculated from the GPX file; the distance of each place from the route is a straight-line distance. Night campsites come from the site's campsite map, other places from OpenStreetMap. Not checked on the ground: confirm before you go.

Firing zones: OpenStreetMap, IDF data import

Distance, climbing and recommended months come from the routes table. Highest and lowest points are calculated from the GPX file, and difficulty is an estimate based on climbing per kilometre.