On this shore excursion to the Dead Sea and Masada, you'll get the chance to swim at the lowest geographical point on Earth and we'll visit a World Heritage archaeological site - a fortress more than 2000 years old.
Shore Excursion to the Dead Sea and Masada
The guide will be waiting for you at the cruise port of Ashdod when your ship docks. Here, we'll board the vehicle and hit the road for Masada National Park, located near the southwestern shore of the Dead Sea.
After a two-hour bus ride, we'll arrive at a cable car station, where we'll hop on a tram that will take us to the top of the Masada plateau - you'll be absolutely blown away by the views! We'll ascend to a height of 434 meters (1423 feet) and, from there, we'll set off on a guided tour of the ruins of King Herod's palace/fortress. Did you know that this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
We'll visit the archaeological grounds and explore its ancient mosaics, cellars, bathhouse, and other places of great historical relevance. We'll also visit the Masada Museum to learn about the origin of this fascinating place and the siege it underwent at the hands of the Roman army.
The next stop on the trip will be at Ein Bokek beach, which is on the shore of the Dead Sea. Here, you'll have two hours of free time for lunch and to check out the salt lake located more than 300 meters (984 feet) below sealevel. You'll see how easy it is to float on the water... it's a mindblowing feeling!
You also be able to take advantage of your free time at the Dead Sea to dig up some of the exfoliating clay to use as a mask for your skin. Its revitalizing antioxidant properties will leave your skin silky soft.
Finally, we'll return to the bus and head back to the port of Ashdod where we'll end the tour after a total of nine hours.