The Red Canyon in Israel was the last major stop on our road trip through the country. This is a powerful and intensely red canyon that is incredibly beautiful to hike through. Although you have to climb in a few places, the hike is relatively easy and doesn't take more than about an hour. Unless you get lost in the desert of course...
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ShareRoad trip in Israel
We hired a car for two and a half days, starting and stopping in Eilat. The first day we drove to Jerusalem, stopping on the way at the Dead Sea, Masada and Qumran. On the second day we drove back, stopping at the desert city of Avdat.
So why did we only rent a car for half a day on the third day? Well, because it was Friday and that's when Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, begins. According to traditional Jewish beliefs, you are not allowed to work or travel on Shabbat, and for this reason the car company closed at 12:30 and would remain closed throughout Saturday.
So where would we go for half a day? The tourist office in Eilat suggested a number of places nearby, and we decided to go to Red Canyon.
Red Canyon in Israel
Suddenly we saw the small sign saying "Red Canyon" on the right side. We had to turn off quickly, and then the road continued for about 600 metres on a bumpy dirt road to a small car park. We each took a backpack (you have to have water with you when walking in the desert!) and followed the green trail towards Red Canyon.
The road became narrower and narrower, until we found ourselves in the middle of a narrow ravine, where we sometimes had to climb to get through. Despite a few short steep sections, it was a relatively easy hike, with ladders and sturdy handholds at every point where it was a bit steep. We were mesmerised by the magical landscape and took lots of pictures. But this was before we knew we were going to get lost ...
Lost in the desert
It's completely unnecessary to get lost during an hour's walk on a marked trail, but if you stop looking for the green markers and instead uncritically follow those in front, it can happen. We walked and walked, and the desert looked exactly the same in every direction. How far could it be to the car park anyway?
Eventually we came to a place where the dirt road split into three directions. Which one should we choose? We and the Polish couple speculated together and chose left. Totally wrong! A good while later we came to a sign telling us that the car park was in the direction we came from ...
I've always associated getting lost in the desert with fear of water shortages, but that didn't happen now. We had plenty of water in our rucksacks. In addition, it started ... pouring rain. We were soaked when we finally got in the car, but still very happy with our visit to the Red Canyon in Israel!
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Lena - good for the soul says:
Shit! What a cool place! Maybe not so cool that you want to get lost though 🙂 .
It was nice to see the film as well, so you got even more of a sense of what it looks like.
Hug Lena
10 January 2018 - 6:26
Helena says:
Really cool! Getting lost was less cool, but when it started raining we just had to laugh about it all ... 😉.
10 January 2018 - 12:43
Susanne says:
Wow, what a great film. Cool place!
10 January 2018 - 6:34
Helena says:
Glad you like it Susanne! The location was awesome!
10 January 2018 - 12:43
Kenneth Risberg says:
What a lovely place and fun you had even though you got lost.
The film is, as usual, top notch.
10 January 2018 - 7:50
Helena says:
Glad you like Peter's films Kenneth! 🙂 Have fun!
10 January 2018 - 12:44
Solan says:
There is something about desert landscapes. Amazing colours and formations...to get lost in?
I think it's good for the mind to wander a bit! You really managed to do most things during the week?
10 January 2018 - 8:00
Helena says:
We had a lot of time! Would have liked to have a little more time for Jerusalem though. Would also be fun to come to Tel Aviv at some point 😉.
10 January 2018 - 12:45
Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:
It's great that you're filming so it will be a great experience for the rest of us too,
Speaking of Sabbath My mother did not peel potatoes on Sundays not embroider no work. But we got food even on the weekend.
10 January 2018 - 8:35
Helena says:
Interesting that you compare with your mother's homework! It might be that we did it in a similar way here... Good thing you got food anyway! 😉
10 January 2018 - 12:46
Ama de casa says:
WOW! What a cool place 🙂 Some places looked a little too "on the edge", but when there are things to hold on to, it does not become quite so scary. Liked your happy dance too 😀.
It's not fun to get lost like that, especially when you have an appointment and everything... I'm glad it worked out.
10 January 2018 - 9:30
Helena says:
I'm quite afraid of heights, so if I can do it, it's not too bad ... The handles were very stable and good 🙂.
10 January 2018 - 12:46
Mr Steve says:
Lost in the desert sounds a bit scary, but this time it wasn't so bad.
Lovely dance you show in the film.
10 January 2018 - 9:30
Helena says:
No, it was never dangerous, just a little sad to walk around an extra hour in the wrong direction haha.
10 January 2018 - 12:47
Staffan says:
Impressive!
10 January 2018 - 9:43
Ditte says:
Nice that you took the road past here. Great fun to see both film and nice photos. And it probably looked the same now as when we were in the area many years ago. Glad that your little road trip was so successful.
10 January 2018 - 10:41
Helena says:
The road trip was successful! Renting a car was really the right thing to do! 🙂
10 January 2018 - 12:48
Anna, Travel on a Cloud says:
Wow, it looked brave climbing there! Very beautiful too.
But get lost, huh. I got chills while reading. Thank goodness it went well! Getting lost is my fear.
Regards
Mrs Zero Local Sense
10 January 2018 - 13:21
Helena says:
I'm like you Anna, I also have zero sense of place. I usually get lost in shopping centres 😉 Peter finds better, but this time it was wrong anyway ...
10 January 2018 - 20:57
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
What a cool place, but I'm one of those people who like to have fairly solid ground under my feet, so I wonder if I've made it through that hike????
Great film, we should probably start filming more, today's cameras are actually really good at it.
10 January 2018 - 19:00
Helena says:
Sometimes film shows things in a way that photography can't! Fun!
10 January 2018 - 20:57
Matts Torebring says:
Another professional film. I played it with my dear Birgitta and asked: "Would you dare to do this"? "No way" was the answer. Even I would have hesitated. You are brave young people.
Ps. I had no idea that there was such a landscape in Israel.
10 January 2018 - 19:06
Helena says:
Glad you like the film Matts! I didn't really know the landscape either, but when you look at the map, the southern part is sandwiched between Egypt and Jordan ... It's a great landscape anyway!
10 January 2018 - 20:59
BP says:
WOW!!! What a cool set up. Gran Canyon throw you in the way was the first thing I thought. What rock formations and canyons. I've never seen anything like it. After the Jerusalem posts, this post was the absolute sharpest.
I understand that you got lost there. You only see rock walls and rocks in all directions. Certainly incredibly cool views, but still.
The film with your "hambo" was incredibly good.
Thank you so much for letting me tag along without having to climb or get wet;-)
10 January 2018 - 19:58
Helena says:
It was really a cool place!!! Glad you liked our hambo! 🙂 And just getting soaked was completely ok to avoid 😉 (But still a little reassuring that it rains in the desert;))
10 January 2018 - 21:03
Monica says:
Followed your journey and watched most of the films, will watch all of them. I think you had an incredible amount of time and have told and filmed so well! Think you are tough and skilled, yes skilled is a bit of a silly word but you know what I mean: -), can't think of anything better and don't know if one is the engine or if you both trigger each other so you become doubly effective and bold: -).
Yes, a lot of friends went away to kibbutz in their youth but I was not at all attracted, not too late yet perhaps:-) and they told me a lot but are other opportunities now to document.
Recognise the names of most things because I have read both the OT and NT (1917) and research and history around, yes with all the world religions that are included and touched as well and there is a translation from the basic text I would like to have, Helge Åkeson b. 1831 translated the entire Bible word for word, he knew Hebrew, Aramaic and Koine Greek which is ancient Greek and worked his way through everything. Incredible man I must say and interesting to see the original, a lot that differs from our later translations and interesting what was really written, it gives more understanding. Available partly online but quite hard to read like that.
Yes, but I think you told good stories too and found out a lot and showed so many places. thanks for the trip!
Good luck with your new job now! I hope it will be both interesting and fun.
10 January 2018 - 20:24
Helena says:
Thanks for your long, nice (and interesting!) comment Monica! Very interesting about the Bible and translations, I had no idea about that! When it comes to being a motor, I think we are both actually 😉 Neither of us has any brake really ... 😉 (Although we actually took it really calm for a few days and evenings in Israel as well.) Should also say that we are really looking forward to sailing in Provence, which we hope we will get to during the year! 🙂 Thanks also for the congratulations with the job! I have just started and it is a positive project where I will evaluate a method for school nurses to talk to children and adolescents about overweight.
10 January 2018 - 21:09
travelling ice cream says:
So much you have experienced on your trip!
10 January 2018 - 20:43
Helena says:
It was a lot! 🙂 There is a lot to see in Israel and the distance is not too great.
10 January 2018 - 21:09
Ms M says:
Wow, I want to come here! Looks so heavenly nice 🙂
10 January 2018 - 21:05
Helena says:
Very nice! 🙂
10 January 2018 - 21:09
Christine - 29°. says:
Looks fantastic, what a setting! And what an extra experience it was as well. Think how it can be. 🙂
10 January 2018 - 21:16
Helena says:
Great environment! Although I prefer not to get lost in the desert again 😉 .
11 January 2018 - 7:18
Susanne says:
Watched the film again and was impressed again! One question I had was how you found such suitable music? Right at the end when you are dancing, they also sing that we are dancing. Do you know Hebrew or how did you choose the music? My husband and I, who are from Israel, are planning a tourist trip with our daughter's in-laws in April to Israel. Unfortunately we won't get to this awesome place but several others that you have written about. Thanks for all the tips. I have lived in Israel for several years and can agree that it is a fantastic country in many different ways....
10 January 2018 - 22:42
Helena says:
Is it true!!!? No, we do NOT know Hebrew. Not one word (except possibly shalom and shabbat, haha). Peter has found the music by searching top lists on Youtube and iTunes (where he bought the music). He said it was difficult to search because it's often in Hebrew, but that's how he searched, and then he went with his gut feeling. Thought that this song felt danceable simply 😉 Great that you are planning a trip to Israel this spring!
11 January 2018 - 7:21
Mr Jan-Christer Tholin says:
Dear friends! Lost in the desert...not fun...Good thing it wasn't in the "pancake". Israel is close to my heart after many trips there.
Well, right now I was getting lost in Naha,,Okinawa Japan The language is tricky...but people are friendly and helpful. Managed to find my way back to the hotel after trying the monorail..a cheap and easy way to see the city from above.
Jan-Christer Tholin
touristjournalist.org
12 January 2018 - 8:23
Maria's Memoirs says:
Fortunately, there was at least a sign eventually...! I can imagine that there are more people who got lost there 🙂 And there you learned that even though you should sometimes dare to trust a stranger, you should not do it completely blindly...? 😉
09 December 2018 - 21:25