Masada and the Dead Sea Day Tour from Ashdod Port

Your tour guide will meet you at Ashdod cruise port and your day trip will begin with a drive south in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle. On the way, you’ll pass Jerusalem and continue south viewing the Inn of the Good Samaritan where Jesus set his parable. We take the winding road down through the mountains of the Judean Desert and stop for a photo-op at the sign indicating sea level.

Here there is a viewpoint with vistas across the desert. From this point on we will be traveling below sea level to the lowest point on Earth. Along the way, there are views of Samaria, and Wadi Qelt, a deep gorge where ancient monasteries cling to the cliffs. We drive parallel to the Dead Sea towards Masada and pass Qumran, the site where the 2,000-year-old Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.

At Masada, you’ll take a cable car to the plateau summit of this massive rock outcrop that stands 1,424ft (434 meters) high. Take a guided tour of the remnants of King Herod’s palace-fortress. Learn about the elaborate complex and see the well-preserved archaeological remains including mosaics, storerooms, palaces, and a bathhouse. Also visit the Masada Museum at the foot of the mount, where there are over 500 artifacts found at Masada. And learn about Masada’s history from an audiovisual presentation.

Leaving Masada we drive to one of the Dead Sea’s best beaches and have lunch on the shore. Then spend the remaining part of the afternoon at your leisure, relaxing on the beach and floating in the Dead Sea. Get revitalized by the rich minerals and salts of the Dead Sea water, and try some of the Dead Sea mud as a natural skin treatment. After a day packed with adventure, history, and fun, we head back to Ashdod Port and your cruise ship.