International Gilboa 2-Day Walk - Israel

The International Gilboa 2-Day Walk was established in 1999 and is hosted by the Israel Sports for All Association. The walk is sanctioned by the IML Walking Association. It is held in March each year on a Friday and Saturday. Walkers may walk one or two days, but must walk the 20 kilometer route each day to earn the IML award. Route distances are Friday: 5K or 20K. Saturday: 5K, 11K or 20K. On Saturday, the 5K route is very popular with families and draws 20,000 walkers.
Photo Gallery of the Gilboa Walk

The registration fee for two days in 2010 was 50 shekels, $12 US or 10 Euro. Walkers can register by mail, email or in person at the event. Pre-registration is encouraged to get a medal, otherwise it may need to be mailed. Those finishing the two 20K routes receive a special medal and certificate. Those completing a shorter distance receive a different medal.

The registration/finish point is at Ma'ayan Harod Park, Valley of Israel, in northern Israel.

From the registration point, walkers are bused up the mountain to their starting points each day and walk one direction down to the finish.

The walking trails are natural single-track roads and are rocky and rutted. Hiking boots or trail shoes are recommended. The 20K routes include uphill and downhill stretches, but the final 10K is mostly continuous downhill (about a 1000 foot descent.) The final 5K is the same each day. The routes are well-marked in Hebrew and English signage and a map is provided.

Israel Sports for All Association
74 Menachem Begin Road
67215 Tel-Aviv
Israel
tel. +972 35 62 14 41
fax: +972 35 62 16 25
e-mail: isfa@zahav.net.il

The Gilboa Walk is held in March or April each year, the date moving to avoid Passover.

I attended the 2010 12th annual International Walk of Gilboa.
Photo Gallery of the Gilboa Walk
I decided to enjoy the shorter routes as the winter had not left me prepared for 20 kilometers on a rocky downhill route each day. The walk is held in March, which is late spring in Israel. They had a hot week the previous week, but cooler air had moved in making the morning brisk but warming up to a pleasant, warm afternoon. The average daytime temperature for the walk is 20C.

When the bus dropped off walkers for the 20K and the 5K the first day, there were no restroom facilities at the drop point or along the route. The organizers said walkers commonly just use the woods for that purpose. On the second day, there were porta-johns at the drop point for the 11K and 5K routes, which also serve the 20K walkers.

Water is provided in tanks, and the walkers on the longer route get hot soup at the first checkpoint. Grapefruit was available at the final 5K stop.

The views from the trail are panoramic. You can see the Valley of Israel (Jezreel Valley) below and can see Nazareth and other towns across the valley. The route is lined with wildflowers. The final five kilometers are shaded by Mediterranean pines.

Because I had been training in running shoes, I wore those rather than boots or trail shoes, but I highly recommend boots or trail shoes due to the rocky downhill trail. The trail is wide enough for two to three people to walk abreast and it is easy to pass and be passed.

It was glorious to be walking in a natural setting in Israel. The route passes a monument where King Saul took his own life in the face of capture by the Philistines. Brush up on Bible or Torah history to get the most out of the locale.

On the second day, the 5K route is a family walk that attracts 20,000 walkers. The walkers who have enjoyed an uncrowded trail on the 20K and 11K will have to share the final five kilometers with families of all ages.

The finish is at Ma'ayan Harod Park. Restrooms and a snack bar are available on Friday. On Saturday, there are more vendors and music to entertain the family walkers. Picnic table and grassy areas are available to rest. But be prepared to join in dancing in front of the stage on Saturday.
Photo Gallery of the Gilboa Walk