Masada & Dead Sea tour from Tel Aviv: Small group with cable car

You float on water too salty to let you sink.

A small group tour from Tel Aviv to Masada and the Dead Sea, led by a bilingual guide with hotel pickup included. The tour covers the ancient fortress of Masada (the last Jewish stronghold to fall to the Romans in 73 AD), and the Dead Sea, where extreme salinity lets you float on the surface without effort. Entry fees and cable car access are included. The group stays under 20 people.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Dead Sea2h · entry included
2. Masada1h 10m · entry included

Explore Masada and Dead Sea

• Pickup from Tel Aviv
• Visit Masada fortress
• Ride cable car at Masada
• Travel to Dead Sea
• Float in Dead Sea waters
• Return to Tel Aviv

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your Tel Aviv hotel and a drive into the Judean Desert. You arrive at Masada, the hilltop fortress that became a symbol of Jewish resistance when it fell to Roman siege in 73 AD. A cable car takes you up to the ancient site, where you walk through the remains of Herod's fortress and see the mosaics and structures that survived nearly two thousand years. The guide explains the history and the significance of the place as you move through it: the events here denote bravery and self-sacrifice that shaped the Jewish people's story.

After Masada, you head to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth at 427 meters below sea level. The water is nearly 35% salt (one of the saltiest bodies of water on the planet), which means you float on the surface instead of swimming. You spend time in the mineral-rich water, which creates a therapeutic experience without any effort on your part. The extreme salinity makes it impossible for most life to survive here, which is why it earned its name, but it is what makes floating effortless and the sensation unique.

The tour runs 11 hours total and operates with a maximum of 19 guests, so the group stays small enough that you are not moving as part of a crowd. A bilingual guide leads the day, and hotel pickup and drop-off from Tel Aviv are included. You can book either a minibus or a coach option depending on your preference, though both follow the same itinerary and include the same stops.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from Tel Aviv.
• bilingual professional guide.
• entry fees to Masada and the Dead Sea.
• cable car access to the fortress.
• 11 hours of guided touring through both sites.

Options for this experience

2 options

Full-day coach tourGuide in English · 07:20A full-day coach trip to the Dead Sea and Masada with a maximum of 53 passengers. Includes pickup.

Full-day minibus tourGuide in English · 07:20A full-day trip to Masada and the Dead Sea, guided by a government-licensed English-speaking guide, traveling in a minibus carrying up to 19 passengers. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:20

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (7 to 12 years) · Infant (under 7)

GroupUp to 19

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 6 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Rent-a-Guide Israel Tours

Is this one for you?Book the minibus option if you prefer a more intimate group dynamic, or the coach if you want a larger vehicle: both follow the same route and include the same stops, so the choice depends on your comfort with group size. The 11-hour commitment works best if you have a full day free and want to see both landmarks without splitting the trip across two days.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (7 to 12 years); Infant (under 7).

What is Masada and why is it historically significant?

Masada is an ancient fortress that was the last Jewish stronghold to fall to the Romans in 73 AD. The events that occurred there symbolize the exile of the Jewish people from the Holy Land and represent the bravery and self-sacrifice of the Jewish people during that period.

Can I actually swim in the Dead Sea, or do I just float?

You float on the Dead Sea rather than swim. The water is nearly 35% salt, making it one of the saltiest bodies of water on the planet, so salty that your body naturally floats on the surface without any effort or swimming motion required.

How long is the full tour and what time does it start?

The tour runs 11 hours total. Hotel pickup from Tel Aviv is included, so the guide will collect you from your accommodation at the start time arranged when you book.

Is the cable car to the top of Masada included in the price?

Yes, cable car access up to Masada is included in the tour price, along with all entry fees to both Masada and the Dead Sea.

What is the group size on this tour?

The small group tour includes a maximum of 19 guests, keeping the group intimate rather than a large coach experience.