Madaba, Mount Nebo & Dead Sea tour: Float at Earth's lowest point

The Dead Sea is so salty you cannot sink, no matter how you try.

A full-day tour from your hotel takes you to three sites across Jordan: Madaba's St. George's Church, home to the oldest map of Palestine; Mount Nebo, where you spend two hours at a museum and can place a tile in a mosaic project spanning 30 meters; and the Dead Sea, where the mineral-rich water holds you up without effort. An English-speaking driver and air-conditioned transport are included. Entrance tickets and lunch depend on which option you choose at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Madaba, Mount Nebo, and Dead Sea tour

• Pick up from hotel
• Drive to St. George's Church in Madaba
• Explore 6th-century mosaic map
• Visit La Storia Tourism Complex on Mount Nebo
• Tour museum and participate in mosaic project
• Relax and float in the Dead Sea

The experience

The tour starts with a one-hour drive to Madaba and St. George's Church, a 19th-century Greek Orthodox building that sits atop the ruins of a Byzantine church. The floor beneath it holds the mosaic map discovered in 1884: the oldest known map of Palestine, preserved through centuries of destruction and neglect. You walk through the church to see it in place, a floor-level artifact that shaped how historians understand the region.

Mount Nebo comes next, and you spend two hours there. The La Storia Tourism Complex houses a museum focused on the religious history of the site and the King's Highway route. The centerpiece is an ongoing mosaic project: a 30-meter-long work made of 3.5 million pieces that depicts the entire King's Highway. Visitors can participate by placing a single tile into the mosaic themselves. The museum also runs workshops for all ages, so the time there can be as passive or hands-on as you want. The heights offer panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

The Dead Sea closes the day. It is the lowest point on Earth and the saltiest body of water in the world. The hypersaline water and mineral-rich mud have made it a center for therapeutic treatments, but most visitors come to float. The density of the salt means your body stays on the surface without any effort on your part. The atmosphere is calm and the experience is unlike any other body of water.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• air-conditioned vehicle with WiFi on board.
• bottled water.
• English-speaking driver.

Options for this experience

2 options

Transportation onlyGuide in English · 5 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 10:00This option covers transportation only, and pickup is included.

Entrance and lunch are included.Guide in English · 07:00, 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00Duration: 7 hours. Lunch is served at a 5-star hotel at the Dead Sea. Tickets include entrance to St. George's Church, Mount Nebo, and the 5-star Dead Sea Resort, where you can use the facilities. 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 timesMonday to Saturday5 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 10:00

Book up to4h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Postcard Travels & Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to see three distinct sites (a Byzantine mosaic, a spiritual mountain, and a natural phenomenon) in a single day without arranging your own transport. The fixed itinerary and included pickup mean you travel on a set schedule. If you prefer to linger at one stop or skip another, a private driver rental gives you that flexibility instead.

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Top questions

What is the mosaic map at St. George's Church in Madaba?

The mosaic floor at St. George's Church is the oldest known map of Palestine, dating to the 6th century. It was discovered in 1884 when builders found the remains of a Byzantine church beneath the 19th-century Greek Orthodox structure. The map survived deliberate destruction, fire and neglect, and it remains one of the most important historical records of the region.

Can I actually participate in the Mount Nebo mosaic project?

Yes. The La Storia Tourism Complex on Mount Nebo is creating a 30-meter-long mosaic with 3.5 million pieces that shows the entire route of the King's Highway. Visitors can place a single tile into the work as part of the ongoing project. The museum also offers workshops for all ages if you want a more structured hands-on experience.

How long do I spend at each stop on this tour?

The drive to Madaba takes about one hour. You visit St. George's Church there, then travel to Mount Nebo, where you spend two hours at the museum and complex. The Dead Sea is the final stop, and the total tour runs between six and eight hours from hotel pickup to drop-off.

What happens at the Dead Sea? Do I need to know how to swim?

The Dead Sea's hypersaline water is so dense that your body floats on the surface without any effort. You do not sink, and you do not need to swim. The water holds you up naturally. The mineral-rich mud is also part of the experience, and the atmosphere is calm and therapeutic.

Does the tour price include lunch and entrance tickets?

That depends on which option you choose at checkout. One option includes entrance tickets and lunch. The other covers transportation only. Either way, hotel pickup and drop-off, an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, and an English-speaking driver are included.