The most exciting terrain accessible from Eilat is to the north. Take bus #392 in the morning for Ein Netafim (Netafim Springs) and Wadi, Mt. Shlomo (through Mapalim Valley), or HaCanyon haAdom (Red Canyon). The bus driver will know when to let you off. These hikes aren’t advisable in summer unless you’re impervious to oven-like temperatures. The field school will give detailed information on trails around these sights. From Red Canyon, continue to the lookout above Moon Valley, a pocked, moonscape canyon now controlled by Egypt, and to the unusual Amram’s Pillars. A half-day tour is US$19 (winter only) with Egged Tours (tel. 37 31 48 or 37 31 49; depart from the central bus station). A Jeep trip is also available for US$30 per half-day through Johnny Desert Tours (tel. 37 26 08 or 37 67 77) in the Shalom Center. Metzokei Gishron (tel. 37 65 78) offers cliff climbing tours.

The National Park (tel. 35 62 15) at Timna is another hiking destination-bus #394 to Tel Aviv takes you in that direction. The 6000-year-old Timna copper mines, still flawlessly preserved in the southeast corner of the park, were in mint condition during the Egyptian period. One currently out-of-fashion theory of biblical history puts the exodus of the Israelites on the old path from Egypt to Timna Valley, as Israelite slaves would have known the way to the mines.