With 25 years of history, Challenge Israman is one for the bucket list with its striking and testing course.
- Voted a top 10 destination race by the world’s pro triathletes.
- A magnificent Red Sea Swim and breathtakingly beautiful desert race course.
- Normally sunny 20C weather on the course.
- Constant water temperature of 22 degrees.
- Enchanting Eilat race venue, with a stadium atmosphere finish line.
About the Local Area
Eilat, undoubtedly Israel’s vacation capital, offers a whole lot of everything. Every tourist arriving falls head over heels in love with the city right away. Eilat is Israel’s southernmost city and the country’s only outpost on the shores of the Red Sea, which it shares with three other nations: Jordan and Egypt, which both have a land border with the city, and Saudi Arabia, whose shores are clearly visible from the mountains around Eilat and its southernmost beaches. Defined as a Free Trade Zone, shoppers are exempt from paying the country’s 17% Value Added Tax, making prices much more attractive than elsewhere in Israel. There is virtually no end of things to do in Eilat. It offers attractions for the whole family, nightlife and an exciting club scene, golden subtropical beaches and pellucid water, and unique nature all around the city. It’s perfect for a restful winter vacation and ideal for a fun-filled summer, replete with cultural events, fascinating history, and breathtaking vistas drawing visitors from all over the world.
Eilat offers a wealth of options, attractions, and activities, and is suitable to several types of vacations. The Red Sea is, of course, the main draw, as Eilat boasts the most beautiful beaches in Israel. Many of them offer a range of extreme water-sports, such as water-skiing, SUP, swimming, and kite-surfing. Under the surface of the sea hides a rich kingdom it’s easy to fall in love with – colorful, fascinating fish, corals, and other living creatures. Eilat, home to the northernmost coral reef in the world, offers snorkeling and scuba diving options for everyone, from rank beginners to advanced adventurers. No wonder it attracts visitors from all over the world who come expressly to dip in the waters of the Red Sea!
The city’s nightlife is considered the liveliest in the country year-round and Eilat is also considered a culinary capital. Boasting the entire gamut of restaurants – from fast food joints open till the crack of dawn to amazing gourmet chef eateries.
The range of hotels in Eilat is large. Many tourists pop down monthly to be pampered at a deluxe accommodations, and there are many 5-star hotels to choose from where guests are provided an all-inclusive experience. But there are many other options as well: budget establishments, youth hostels, vacation apartments, even glamping tents. Most of the range of options are located close to the beach and the city’s northern boardwalk, considered the liveliest. However, it isn’t hard to find quieter and more distant places to stay for those looking for a calm, relaxing getaway.
In addition to the city-based, Western-style vacations the city offers, Eilat’s geographical location can be used for unique, adventurous nature treks in the desert and mountains. The many types of desert tours right outside Eilat and up to a one-hour drive from the city center have one thing in common: the breathtaking landscapes that do not exist anywhere else in Israel. The tall mountains afford impressive vantage points for observing the Red Sea and the spot where four nations – Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia – come together. There are hiking trails, from easy to challenging for both families and experienced trekkers to enjoy, with exciting surprises along all routes: archeological artefacts, natural rock formations, vast canyons, sudden streams, and glorious vegetation.
Flights regularly depart from Tel Aviv and Haifa, landing at the Eilat Ramon International Airport, which opened in 2019. The airport, located some 20 km north of the city, also serves many foreign airline companies running charter flights from all over Europe.
In the winter, Eilat is the place to go for anyone who wants to get away from the cold and the rain and enjoy the sun and lovely warmth. It doesn’t matter when or why you come to the city – a family vacation, a romantic weekend, a shopping spree, fun with friends, or just to relax on the beach – you can be sure to find what you’re looking for in Eilat, Israel’s vacation capital.
About Challenge Israman
A beautiful swim in the crystal clear 22 degree waters of the Red Sea will launch you energized on the short run to the T1 transition.
Challenge Israman bike course is world famous for a reason. The crisp morning desert air will charge you up the initial climb from the shores of the Red Sea, to the desert highland that hosts the most spectacular bike course any triathlete may ever encounter. Challenging and magnificent, the ride in this biblical land, will not be forgotten.
The T2 transition from bike to run, has its own designated area on the mountain (from which the organizers transport the bikes to the finish start). From there, it’s a beautiful, yet quadricep taxing, 10 km downhill run with fabulous views of the gulf of Eilat, back to Sea level, and another 11.1 kms on the promenades hugging the gulf, en-route to the stadium-like finish line near the start. The vistas of the Challenge Israman course will leave you yearning for next year’s edition.
