Embark on a full-day guided tour from Tel Aviv to the Judean Hills and the shores of the Dead Sea by bus. Visit the ancient palace of Masada, ride a cable car, and admire the Qumran caves on your drive back. Perched on a high plateau, the ancient fortified palace of Masada became a refuge for Zealots who took a stand against the Romans, until the mass suicide of the zealots in 73 AD. The ruins sit precariously on a plateau some 1,300 feet above sea level and measure 2,000-foot long by 1,000-foot wide. They boast extraordinary views of the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert. It is an exhausting climb, but we will ascend by cable car to make life easier. Explore the fortress built by King Herod in around 37 BC. Visit the remains of the palaces and see mosaic floors, Roman baths, and other findings. Masada was also home to the oldest synagogue in Israel, but one of the most remarkable features is the 12 water cisterns, each with a capacity of up to 140,000 cubic feet. Following the tour of Masada, you will drive to the Dead Sea Mineral Beach located in the Jordan Rift Valley, between Jordan and the West Bank. It is the lowest place on earth and its high density of salt makes for a unique experience as you float on the beautiful aquamarine surface. Take a mud bath and benefit from the therapeutic qualities of the natural Dead Sea mud. You will then drive back to Tel Aviv, with an on-route view of the Qumran cave, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

Enjoy a full-day bus tour from Jerusalem to ancient ruins in the Judean Hills and the shores of the Dead Sea. See the archeological site of Masada and a fortress built by King Herod. Go for a dip at the Dead Sea Mineral Beach and uncover the cave where the dead sea scrolls were found. Visit the Masada National Park ruins which are perched on a high plateau. View the ancient fortified palace of Masada which became a refuge for zealots who took a stand against the Romans, which ended in the mass suicide of the zealots in 73 AD. Follow your guide and ride up on a cable car to 1,300 feet above sea level to the plateau where the immense Masada ruins rest precariously. Look out at extraordinary views of the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert. Explore the fortress built by King Herod in Masada in around 37 BC. Stroll through the remains of the palaces and see mosaic floors and Roman baths. Uncover the oldest synagogue in Israel and admire remarkable features like the 12 water cisterns that each had a capacity of 140,000 cubic feet. Drive to the lowest point on earth at the Dead Sea Mineral Beach which is located in the Jordan Rift Valley. Experience the high density of the salt in the water as you float with ease on the surface of the aquamarine water. Take a mud-bath and benefit from the therapeutic qualities of the natural Dead Sea mud before heading to the Qumeran cave, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Return to your accommodation in Jerusalem at the end of your tour.

After your 6:30 AM pick-up from Tel Aviv, head to Bethlehem to explore the city before it becomes bustling with other groups. Discover the birthplace of Jesus and the Church of the Nativity. Descending through the Judean Desert, reach Jericho, the lowest city on Earth, and explore the Mount of Temptation.  Explore the Mount of Temptation, ascending by cable car. The cable car ticket is not included and costs approximatel $16. Stop at the Jordan River, Qasr al Yahud Baptismal Site, where according to tradition, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.  Return to Tel Aviv at around 6:30 PM. Note that the order of sites is subject to change.

Take a 10-hour safari tour of the Judean Desert, and discover the lowest place on earth at the Dead Sea. Available with pick-ups from Tel Aviv hotels, each tour starts with a transfer through a Biblical wilderness. Pass the Inn of the Good Samaritan. Then descend to a point beneath sea level. Enjoy distant views of the Biblical city of Jericho, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, and best known as the city that Joshua (Joshua 6) conquered after his troops circled the city walls causing them to fall. Upon arrival at Qumran, see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Now kept in the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem, the Scrolls were kept in good condition for 2,000 years thanks to the lack of humidity in the Dead Sea region. Next, transfer to a 4WD jeep to cross the rough desert terrain. Take a thrilling ride through the desert, negotiating the steep inclines, ravines, sand, and rock. Reach the Cliffs of Dragot and look down on the Dragot River. See the Murbaat Caves with their fascinating square entrances. End your adventure by washing away the dust of the desert and cooling off in the Dead Sea. Change into your bathing suit and float in the mineral-rich water. Make use of nature's natural face mask - the Dead Sea black mud - and lather it into your skin to benefit from the mud's therapeutic properties.

On this full-day tour to the Judean desert and the shores of the Dead Sea including Masada, the site of one of the most remarkable stories in Jewish history. Perched on a high plateau, the ancient fortified palace of Masada became a refuge for Zealots who took a stand against the Romans, until the mass suicide of the Zealots in 73 AD. The ruins sit precariously on a plateau some 1,300 feet above sea level and measure 2,000 foot long by 1,000 foot wide. They boast extraordinary views of the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert. It is an exhausting climb, but you will ascend by cable car to make life easier. Explore the fortress built by King Herod in around 37 BC. Visit the remains of the palaces and see mosaic floors, Roman baths and other findings. Masada was also home to the oldest synagogue in Israel, but one of the most remarkable features are the 12 water cisterns, each with a capacity of up to 140,000 cubic feet. Following the tour of Masada, you will drive to the Dead Sea Mineral Beach. Located in the Jordan Rift Valley, between Jordan and the West Bank, it is the lowest place on earth and its high density of salt makes for a unique experience as you float on the beautiful aquamarine surface. Take a mud bath and benefit from the therapeutic qualities of the natural Dead Sea mud. You will then drive back to the hotel in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv with an en route view of the Qumran cave, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

This tour heads to southern Israel through the Judean Hills and past the Inn of the Good Samaritan. We pause at sea level for an unforgettable photo-op then continue our descent further and further down beneath sea level towards the iconic Dead Sea. Our first stop is at Masada where we take a cable car to the plateau summit and tour the remains of Herod’s 2,055 year old palace fortress. We see remarkable structures including palaces and a bathhouse. From Masada the tour takes you past the desert oasis of Ein Gedi and Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We spend the rest of the day relaxing on one of the Dead Sea beaches. You can float in the salty-water that is 8.6 times more saline than the ocean creating natural buoyance. Use the Dead Sea mud as a natural skin mask and soak up the glorious Dead Sea sun.

This tour heads to southern Israel through the Judean Hills and past the Inn of the Good Samaritan. We pause at sea level for an unforgettable photo-op then continue our descent further and further down beneath sea level towards the iconic Dead Sea. Our first stop is at Masada where we take a cable car to the plateau summit and tour the remains of Herod’s 2,055 year old palace fortress. We see remarkable structures including palaces and a bathhouse. From Masada the tour takes you past the desert oasis of Ein Gedi and Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We spend the rest of the day relaxing on one of the Dead Sea beaches. You can float in the salty-water that is 8.6 times more saline than the ocean creating natural buoyance. Use the Dead Sea mud as a natural skin mask and soak up the glorious Dead Sea sun.