Today we are going to write a short post that answers one of the most common questions we get: How long does it take to do the Israel National Trail?
Without going into details, here is the general answer:
The Israel Trail stretches for about a thousand kilometers. Therefore, a reasonable time to complete the route is about two months, at a rate of about 20 km per day. This is a pace for the well-traveled, but reasonable. Three months will allow you to walk at a leisurely pace of about ten km per day, allowing stops, rest, and days off. If you “run”, a month and a half should be enough. Of course, many only do sections of the trail, in periods of a few days to two or three weeks.
To answer the question “How long does it take to do the Israel National Trail” more accurately, you need to ask yourself some questions about your fitness level and your goals from the trip: Enjoyment? Animal sightings? Setting a new Israeli record? All this will help you decide on the number of days required.
We will try to help and explain more.
Factors affecting the pace of walking the INT
Okay, so we said that the average is about 20 km per day, which means that you will finish the Israel National Trail – which is about 1,050 km long – in about 51 days of walking.
On this baseline forecast you need to add some variables that are going to affect your pace.
1. Physical Fitness
The first factor to consider when planning your trip is your fitness.
The reasonable hiker – the one who is in good shape and does not suffer from any major health problems – can probably do between 15 and 20 km of walking a day. This includes a walking pace of about 3 km per hour, rest stops of about 10 minutes at an hour, and a walk of about 7-8 hours a day (it is recommended to stop in the hottest afternoon hours, and not to walk in the dark).
Of course someone who is fit, and wants to “hit the mileage”, can do more than that. For example, Sefi Stern and Itamar Segal from Kedumim reported the completion of the Israel National Trail in 22 days. The length of the trail was then 850 km, but still, it means that they did the route at a rate of 38.5 km per day on average. The two were 16 and a half years old when they made the trip.
On the other hand, the trail is not age-restricted, and many adults also do the INT, even if at a slower pace.
The bottom line is – it’s important to know your abilities and plan accordingly. The ultimate goal is to have fun, and of course to take care of yourself.
2. Walking Direction
Due to the variety of types of climate that exist along the Israel National Trail, you can hike it throughout the year and in any season you choose. On the other hand, the weather and direction of walking should be taken into account when planning the trip.
Each season provides an advantage for hiking in a different part of the trail. In winter it will be more comfortable in its southern part, and in summer in its northern part. Hikers who choose to walk the trail continuously, usually do so in two trends: “run away from the rain” in the fall – that is, do the trail from north to south, so that as the season cools and becomes rainy you will be further south, or “run away from the heat” in the spring – ie do the path from south to north, so that as the weather warms up, you are in a more northern section.
In addition, the southern part of the trail, from Arad to Eilat, is relatively more difficult than its northern part. Therefore, many prefer to walk the trail from north to south, to allow a “gradual effort bar” and arrive with experience on this type of journey, to the southern part of the trail.
This means that the preparation for the desert sections should be different, and also means that you have to take into account a different pace for those sections, especially if you are starting from the south and have not yet had time to get used to intense walking.
More information on the level of difficulty of each section can be found on most INT guidebooks.
3. The Amount of Equipment
Your walking pace will likely differ significantly depending on the amount of equipment you have taken on.
I remember my first days on the trail, to which I came “young.” I paid almost no thought to the weight of the bag I took on, or to the right choice of a backpack that sits comfortably on my back. The result: after a few days of “jerky” walking, in which I suffered at almost every moment, I decided to make a stop, drive home, and come back smarter.
After cutting my bag weight almost in half, I started to enjoy the trip, and my walking pace also improved miraculously.
So the weight of your bag matters. If you do the INT in a row and “take the whole house on your back”, your walking pace is likely going to be lower than hikers coming for a short day or two, with the clothes on their body and some snacks in a small backpack.
4. Number of Off Days
The general recommendation is to maintain a day of rest about once a week (i.e. every 6-7 days), to give the body and mind rest and freedom from the walking routine. It is customary to plan the route so that the day of rest will take place in a place that is comfortable for you to stay for another day, and hopefully, you will also have something to do with it.
I, for example, still remember the pleasant Shabbat we spent at Kibbutz Yiron, together with a group of students and volunteers who came to work picking the apples. Another nice place where you can enjoy a day of rest is one of the shores of the Sea of Galilee, especially in the area of Tzemach Beach, where there is also a commercial center where you can stock up for the continuation of the route.
In short, you got the idea. Calculating how long it takes to do the Israel National Trail must take into account the number of days off you plan to take.
And that’s it. Hope this post helped you get some orders of magnitude to plan the best trip for you. On the other hand, if I have one thing to say about the question “how long does it take to do the Israel National Trail”, it is that this is not the most important question.
True, it is important to evaluate the time and plan accordingly.
But it is also important to enjoy the moment. Go with the flow. Take advantage of opportunities. Meet new people.
It’s not how long does it take to do the Israel National Trail, it’s how
Do it right.
