Dead Sea and Masada tours are among the most popular tours in Israel. The Masada tours BeinHarim offers include pick-up from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Natanya or Herzliya although additionally there are ship-to-shore and other Masada tours which combine other attractions in the exact same day. Another option is always to have a multi-day Masada tour and see places just like the Dead Sea, Jerusalem and Jericho depending on your chosen tour. A tour to the Dead Sea is just a must-do for some tourists visiting Israel because it is the famed “lowest point on the planet.” People all over the world have observed pictures of tourists floating in the highly saline water while reading a newspaper. Masada is indeed close to the Dead Sea that it’s logical to include it in the exact same trip. In reality you can also see the Dead Sea from the most effective of Masada. Masada tours and Dead Sea tours come in all shapes and sizes. You are able to have a 1 day tour which is offered daily; a multi-day tour from 2-15 days covering the complete country and you could even have a special tour which include a unique experience like having a Dead Sea spa day or going on a wilderness jeep safari.
The Story of Masada
Although almost everyone knows a few factual statements about the Dead Sea not everyone is familiar with Masada and its historic significance. Masada is just a fortress palace built on the flat summit of a rock plateau which rises from the flat Judean Desert plains. Herod the Great had the elaborate palace complex constructed in approximately 37-31BC as a retreat. The complex included two palaces, bathhouses, storage rooms, guard houses, dovecote, cisterns, homes and more.
Many years later at the conclusion of the First Jewish-Roman War several Jewish rebels fled to Masada (which by then stood empty) and maintained the plateau as the final outpost of the Jewish people. These were held under siege for approximately annually as thousands of Roman troops tried to scale the mount and breakthrough the fortified walls. Eventually once the Roman troops managed to reach the summit they found that the 960 men, women and children had committed mass suicide rather than being captured (and most likely tortured or sold into slavery) by the Romans. For Jewish people today Masada is just a symbol of bravery, endurance of the few against the many and personal sacrifice.
Masada Tours
On a Masada tour you are able to take the cable car to the the top of hilltop plateau and get yourself a guided tour of the ancient remains. Many of the structures come in excellent condition and you are able to clearly see where the various store rooms, baths and palaces were. Highlights of Masada tours include the view from the most effective of Masada; entering the Roman bathhouse; seeing where in actuality the Romans kept their doves; seeing the mosaics and frescoes which are almost 2,000 years of age and learning about their ingenious water system.