Dead Sea tours split on two things: which shore you start from, Israel or Jordan, and how much of the day you spend in the water. Here every trip from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Amman is set side by side on price, beach time, park fees and the rules that decide who can go.
For most first-time visitors the best all-round choice is the Masada and Dead Sea full-day tour from Tel Aviv. Masada entry, the cable car and the beach fee are all in the $125 price, a guide leads the fortress tour, and the coach collects you from your hotel, rated 4.5 from 1,534 reviews. If you are staying in Jerusalem, the same programme costs $115 because the drive is shorter. Want a sunrise instead of a cable car? The Masada sunrise hike, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea tour from Jerusalem climbs the Snake Path in the dark, though Masada and Ein Gedi entry fees are paid on the day. The cheapest float is the Dead Sea half-day beach trip from Jerusalem at $50, with about 2 hours 45 minutes at Kalia Beach and no sightseeing. For a pilgrimage day, the Bethlehem and Dead Sea tour pairs the Church of the Nativity with about 2 hours at the sea. From Amman, the Madaba, Mount Nebo, Baptism Site and Dead Sea tour at $18 covers the Jordan highlights, or the full-day trip gives you about 6 hours at a resort beach. Most listings offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
Key takeaways
We currently compare nine Dead Sea tours on this site. Five start in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, and one of them adds Bethlehem in the West Bank. The other four start in Jordan, all departing from Amman. The trips range from a $18 transport day on the Jordan side to a $249 two-day combination with Petra and Wadi Rum, so the differences are not small. Some include a licensed guide, entry fees and lunch. Others are simply a seat in a car and a beach ticket. We read the listings, the official site information and traveller reviews, then lay out prices, beach time, inclusions and rules next to each other. This is not the whole market.
Masada entry, the cable car and the beach fee are in the price, a guide leads the fortress tour and the coach collects you from your Tel Aviv hotel, rated 4.5 from 1,534 reviews
Cable car up to Masada with a guide, about 1.5 hours floating at a private beach and the Qumran caves on the drive back. Masada entry included.
The same Masada and Dead Sea day, a shorter drive: guided fortress tour by cable car, 1.5 hours at the Dead Sea Mineral Beach, hotel pickup.
Climb the Snake Path in the dark for sunrise over the Moab Mountains, walk the Ein Gedi springs, then float. Self-guided, fees paid on the day.
Nearly three hours at Kalia Beach to float and cover yourself in mud, back in Jerusalem after 5 hours. Beach entry included, no guide.
The Church of the Nativity, the Milk Grotto and Shepherds' Field with a licensed guide, then about 2 hours at the Dead Sea. Passport needed.
Madaba's mosaic map, Mount Nebo and the Baptism Site, then about 3 hours at the Dead Sea. Private car from your Amman hotel.
About six hours at the Holiday Inn or Crowne Plaza beach on the Dead Sea, private car from Amman, lunch and resort entry as options.
A private car from Amman or the airport to a waterfront Dead Sea hotel, with a 5-star resort, lunch and towel on the all-inclusive option.
Petra, a 2-hour jeep tour in Wadi Rum and a night in a Bedouin camp, then the Dead Sea on day two. Rated 5.0 from 1,347 reviews.
The table below lines up every trip in the catalog, with the departure city, the time actually spent at the sea and the review score for each. Figures current for Q4 2026.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start on every listed day trip.
Take the Masada and Dead Sea full-day tour from Tel Aviv. It is the most reviewed Dead Sea day from the city, with Masada entry, the cable car and the beach fee already in the $125 price. A guide leads the fortress tour, the coach collects you from one of nine central hotels, and you get about 1.5 hours at a private beach with showers and changing rooms.
The day runs about 10 hours because of the drive.
The Masada and Dead Sea full-day tour from Jerusalem runs the same programme for $115, a little cheaper because Jerusalem is closer to the sea. You get the cable car, a guided fortress visit, about 1.5 hours at Dead Sea Mineral Beach and pickup from your hotel. If you would rather skip the fortress entirely, the Dead Sea Half-Day Beach Trip from Jerusalem costs $50 and gets you to the water in 45 minutes.
The Masada Sunrise Hike, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea Tour from Jerusalem leaves at night so you can climb the Snake Path in the dark and watch the sunrise over the Moab Mountains from the fortress top. It is self-guided, with a host and driver rather than a guide, and you pay the Masada and Ein Gedi entrance fees on the day. Moderate fitness is needed for the climb and descent, and the listing is not suitable for pregnant women.
The Dead Sea Half-Day Beach Trip from Jerusalem is the cheapest and longest beach time in the catalog. For $50 you get about 2 hours 45 minutes at Kalia Beach, a private beach at the north end of the sea. There is no guide and no sightseeing, just transport and a beach ticket, which is exactly what many people want.
Note it is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with heart problems.
The Bethlehem and Dead Sea Day Tour from Jerusalem pairs the Church of the Nativity, the Milk Grotto and the Shepherds' Field chapel with about 2 hours at the Dead Sea. A licensed guide stays with you in Bethlehem, the driver takes you the rest of the way. Bring modest clothes with covered shoulders and knees for the churches, plus swimwear and a towel for the sea, and expect a $14.50 (45 NIS) beach entry fee on the day.
Israeli passport holders cannot join this trip.
The Madaba, Mount Nebo, Baptism Site and Dead Sea Tour from Amman packs St George's Church, the Moses memorial, the Baptism Site and about 3 hours at the sea into one day, shown at $18 for the transport option with entrance fees separate. If floating is the whole point, the Full-Day Dead Sea Trip from Amman with Optional Resort Entry and Lunch gives you about 6 hours at a hotel beach with towels and lockers. For flexibility, the Private Half-Day Dead Sea Resort Trip from Amman lets you choose your pickup time and even start from the airport.
The Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea 2-Day Tour from Amman puts the rock city, a 2-hour jeep tour in Wadi Rum, a night in a Bedouin camp and a Dead Sea float into two days. It costs $249, rated 5 from 1,347 reviews, but entrance fees including Petra are not in the price and the cancellation rule is strict, with a full refund only 6 or more days ahead. The sea is the last stop, not the main event.
The view east from Masada over the Dead Sea toward Jordan. Photo: Unibrow1994, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Dead Sea has two tourist shores that almost never meet. On the western side, in Israel and the West Bank, you find Masada, Ein Gedi, Qumran and a mix of free public and paid private beaches. On the eastern side, in Jordan, the shore is lined with resort hotels and the day trips bundle in Madaba, Mount Nebo and the Baptism Site.
Most travellers pick the side that matches their base city, because crossing the border between the two for a day trip is not practical. The table shows how the two sides compare in this catalog.
| Detail | Israel side | Jordan side |
|---|---|---|
| Where tours start | Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, five trips in this catalog | Amman, four trips, one also from Queen Alia Airport |
| The drive | About 45 minutes from Jerusalem to Kalia Beach, about 1 hour 45 minutes to Masada, longer from Tel Aviv | About 1 hour from Amman, with a stop at the sea-level map |
| The beach | Free public beach at Ein Bokek, private beaches such as Kalia Beach and Dead Sea Mineral Beach with entry fees | No public beach, all access is through hotel or resort day passes such as the Holiday Inn or Crowne Plaza Dead Sea |
| What you add | Masada, Ein Gedi, Qumran, the sea-level sign, and Bethlehem in the West Bank on one trip | Madaba, Mount Nebo, the Baptism Site, and Petra and Wadi Rum on the 2-day trip |
| Guide or driver | Professional guides on the coach tours, a licensed guide in Bethlehem, a host and driver on the sunrise and half-day trips | English-speaking drivers throughout, a fully guided option on the 2-day group |
| Typical price | $50 to $150 per person | $18 to $61.75 per person, $249 for the 2-day Petra trip |
The Israel-side and Jordan-side tours stay on their own side. There is no catalog trip that floats you at Ein Bokek in the morning and shows you Madaba in the afternoon. Border crossings exist but a day trip across them is not what these listings offer, so the practical answer is to book the side nearest your hotel.
If your trip covers both countries, you can float twice from two very different beaches.
One catalog trip, the Bethlehem and Dead Sea Day Tour from Jerusalem, spends its morning in the West Bank and its afternoon at the sea. The route runs Jerusalem to Bethlehem, about 35 minutes, then through the Judaean Desert past the sea-level sign to a Dead Sea beach. The licensed guide covers the Bethlehem churches only, and the rest of the day is with the driver.
It is the only trip here that pairs the Nativity churches with a float.
Bring a passport on every Israel-side tour, the listings ask for it, and one accepts a copy. The Bethlehem and Dead Sea Day Tour from Jerusalem requires a valid passport and an Israeli visa, and Israeli passport holders cannot join it under Israeli law. The tours from Amman stay inside Jordan and never cross the border, so no crossing documents come into play, though the 2-day Petra listing recommends buying the Jordan Pass before you arrive.
Beach time varies more than any other number in this catalog, from a couple of hours squeezed between stops to a full resort day. A ten-hour tour does not mean ten hours of floating. Check the column below before you book, because the difference between 1.5 hours and 6 hours at the shore is the difference between a rushed dip and an afternoon.
| Tour | Length | At the sea | Where you float |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masada and Dead Sea Full-Day Tour from Tel Aviv | 10 hours | About 1.5 hours | A private beach with showers, toilets and changing rooms |
| Masada and Dead Sea Full-Day Tour from Jerusalem | 10 hours | About 1.5 hours | Dead Sea Mineral Beach |
| Masada Sunrise Hike, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea Tour | 10 hours | Last stop | A Dead Sea beach with entry included, mud baths possible |
| Dead Sea Half-Day Beach Trip from Jerusalem | 5 hours | About 2 hours 45 minutes | Kalia Beach, a private beach at the north end |
| Bethlehem and Dead Sea Day Tour from Jerusalem | 10 hours | About 2 hours | A Dead Sea beach, entry fee of $14.50 (45 NIS) on the day |
| Madaba, Mount Nebo, Baptism Site and Dead Sea Tour | 4-10 hours | About 3 hours | A 5-star resort with lunch if you pick that option |
| Full-Day Dead Sea Trip from Amman | 8 hours | About 6 hours | The Holiday Inn or Crowne Plaza beach with towels and lockers |
| Private Half-Day Dead Sea Resort Trip from Amman | 6 hours | About 4 hours | A waterfront hotel on the eastern shore |
| Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea 2-Day Tour | 2 days | Last stop | A Dead Sea resort, resort access with lunch on the guided group option |
The standard advice is to float in short sessions of 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse off in fresh water. Salt that concentrated stings any cut or freshly shaved skin, and most people are done after two or three rounds. That is why the coach tours with about 1.5 hours at the beach leave time for several floats, a mud coat and a shower without feeling short-changed.
On the Masada and Dead Sea Full-Day Tour from Tel Aviv the beach is the last major stop before the drive back past the Qumran caves.
Jordan has no public beach on the sea, so the day trips from Amman use hotel and resort access instead. The Full-Day Dead Sea Trip from Amman with Optional Resort Entry and Lunch buys you about 6 hours at the Holiday Inn or Crowne Plaza, with the mineral beach, pools, towels and lockers. The Private Half-Day Dead Sea Resort Trip from Amman offers two versions, a car that waits about 4 hours while you pay your own entry, or an all-inclusive option with a 5-star resort, lunch and a towel.
If a long lazy float is your goal, these beat any coach day.
Fees on the day differ by trip. The half-day trip from Jerusalem includes Kalia Beach entry, as does the sunrise tour's sea stop, but renting a towel there costs $4.83 (15 ILS) at the meeting point. The Bethlehem tour charges $14.50 (45 NIS) for beach entry, with towels, lockers and facilities extra.
On the Israel coach tours the beach fee is already in the price. On the sunrise tour the Masada entry is $11.92 (37 ILS) and Ein Gedi is $9.99 (31 ILS), paid at the gate. Bring shekels or a card so the day does not stall at a ticket window.
Floating in the Dead Sea. Photo: Rob Bye robertbye, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Masada is a mountain-top fortress on a plateau rising over 400 m (1,300 ft) above the Judaean Desert, built up by Herod the Great with palaces, bathhouses and an elaborate water system. It was the last holdout of Jewish rebels in the First Jewish-Roman War until 73/74 AD, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the coach tours a guide walks you through the ruins for about 1.5 to 2 hours after a 15-minute cable car ride, and the entry and cable car are included in the price.
See the UNESCO listing at Masada for the official description.
The Masada Sunrise Hike, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea Tour from Jerusalem skips the cable car both ways. You climb the Snake Path on the east side in the dark, reach the top before sunrise and watch the light come up over the Moab Mountains across the sea. It is a moderate climb and you come down the same way, so decent hiking shoes and water matter.
The trade-off is price and independence, at $106 with Masada entry of $11.92 (37 ILS) paid at the gate.
Ein Gedi is an oasis on the western shore north of Masada, fed by springs that produce waterfalls, desert plants and wildlife in the middle of the driest landscape in the region. The sunrise tour includes a walk here after the fortress, with an entry fee of $9.99 (31 ILS) paid on the day. It is the only catalog trip that stops at the reserve, so if a green valley walk between desert hikes sounds good, this is the one.
Wear shoes that can handle wet rock.
On the northwestern shore lie the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Both coach tours pass or stop near Qumran. The Tel Aviv tour makes its lunch stop near the caves for an extra fee and then drives back past them, while the Jerusalem version takes a roadside view of the Qumran caves on the return.
Background at Qumran Caves. If the scrolls are the reason you come, the Masada and Dead Sea Full-Day Tour from Tel Aviv with Hotel Pickup gives the longest stop near Qumran, about an hour.
The view from Mount Nebo toward the Dead Sea and Jericho. Photo: John Romano D'Orazio, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Madaba is a town south of Amman, and the reason to come is St George's Greek Orthodox Church, home of the Madaba Map. This mosaic floor maps the Holy Land in tiny tesserae, one of the oldest surviving geographic images of the region. The Madaba, Mount Nebo, Baptism Site and Dead Sea Tour from Amman gives the church 45 minutes before moving on.
Entrance fees are separate options on this listing, and there is no local guide, only the driver.
Mount Nebo is a ridge about 700 m (2,300 ft) above sea level where, in the Bible, Moses was shown the Promised Land he would never enter. The Moses memorial stands at the top, Jericho is usually visible across the valley and on a very clear day so is Jerusalem. The listing from Amman allows an hour here.
Details at Mount Nebo. The ridge is a 20-minute drive from Madaba, and the Baptism Site and the sea lie below it in the Jordan Valley, which is why the four stops fit one day.
Al-Maghtas, also called Bethany Beyond the Jordan, is a World Heritage Site on the east bank of the river, revered as the place where Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist. The Amman day tour allots 2 hours here, the longest single stop of the day after the sea. The site is a short drive from the Dead Sea's northern end, which is why it pairs so naturally with an afternoon float.
Official listing at Baptism Site.
The Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea 2-Day Tour from Amman treats the sea as the closing scene of a much bigger trip. Day one covers the rock city of Petra, then a 2-hour jeep tour through the desert valleys of Wadi Rum and a night in a Bedouin camp tent. Day two drives north for a Dead Sea float before the evening return to Amman.
Petra entry is not included, and the listing recommends the Jordan Pass before arrival.
The sticker price only tells part of the story. Some trips bundle Masada entry, the cable car and the beach fee into one number. Others quote a low transport rate and leave every gate fee, resort pass and towel as an extra.
The table below splits the two so you can compare the real cost of a day, not just the headline.
| Tour | From | Entry fees | Guide | Food |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masada and Dead Sea Full-Day Tour from Tel Aviv | $125 | Included | Professional guide on Masada | Not included, lunch stop at Qumran is an extra fee |
| Masada and Dead Sea Full-Day Tour from Jerusalem | $115 | Included | Professional guide on Masada | Not included |
| Masada Sunrise Hike, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea Tour | $106 | Not included, Masada $11.92 (37 ILS) and Ein Gedi $9.99 (31 ILS) on the day | Host and driver, self-guided | Not included |
| Dead Sea Half-Day Beach Trip from Jerusalem | $50 | Beach entry included | Host and app guidance | Not included |
| Bethlehem and Dead Sea Day Tour from Jerusalem | $150 | Beach entry $14.50 (45 NIS) on the day | Licensed guide in Bethlehem | One bottle of water |
| Madaba, Mount Nebo, Baptism Site and Dead Sea Tour | $18 | Not included, separate options | Driver only, no local guide | Lunch at a 5-star resort if that option is chosen |
| Full-Day Dead Sea Trip from Amman | $59 | Resort entry not included unless chosen | Licensed English-speaking driver, not a guide | Lunch if that option is chosen |
| Private Half-Day Dead Sea Resort Trip from Amman | $61.75 | Resort not included on the transport option | English-speaking driver | Lunch on the all-inclusive resort option |
| Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea 2-Day Tour | $249 | Not included, including Petra | Driver, fully guided on the mid-size group option | Lunch at the Dead Sea resort on the guided group option |
Three styles sit in this catalog. The coach tours use a professional guide and the Bethlehem trip a licensed one, at least for the fortress or the churches, which is where the historical context earns its keep. The sunrise and half-day trips from Jerusalem are self-guided, with a host, a driver and written guidance in an app, which suits travellers who would rather wander.
The Amman day trips send an English-speaking driver rather than a guide, which is part of why the cheapest costs $18. Only the mid-size group option of the 2-day Petra trip is fully guided. If you want stories with your ruins, book a guided option, if you just want the water, do not pay for one.
Two Amman listings are shown at a discount. The Madaba, Mount Nebo, Baptism Site and Dead Sea tour is shown at $18, discounted from $26, for the transport option. The Full-Day Dead Sea Trip from Amman is shown at $59, discounted from $65, for the private car.
These promotional prices come from the listings and can move or disappear without notice, so check the live page before you budget. The rest of the prices in this catalog are shown at their listed rate.
A salt formation in the shallows of the Dead Sea. Photo: Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Floating in the Dead Sea is not swimming. The water is about 34.2% salt, roughly 9.6 times saltier than the ocean, with a density that pushes you to the surface the moment you lean back. That same salt is harsh on eyes, lips and broken skin, so the trick is to treat it like a short spa treatment rather than a swim.
A few habits keep the day fun.
The sea itself is shrinking. Its surface area has fallen from 1,050 km2 (410 sq mi) in 1930 to 605 km2 (234 sq mi), and the surface now sits about 439.78 m (1,443 ft) below sea level, the lowest land elevation on Earth. As the water pulls back, sinkholes have opened along parts of the receding shore, which is one reason beaches and access points change over time.
Stick to the marked and managed beaches your tour uses, such as Kalia Beach or the resort beaches, rather than wandering onto unmarked shore. Background at the Dead Sea page.
The chart gives the average afternoon high at the southern Dead Sea each month (Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis, 2001-2025). Tours run all year, but from June to September the shore is very hot by midday, which is why the half-day trips leave early.
The Dead Sea basin runs hot. Average afternoon highs at the southern basin near Ein Bokek reach 38.3°C (101°F) in July and 38.1°C (100°F) in August, and even the nights stay warm at about 27°C (81°F). From June to September the shore is very hot by midday, which is why the half-day trips leave Jerusalem before the hottest part of the day and why shade, water and sunscreen matter more than any other packing item.
Tours still run through the summer, but the comfortable window of a day shrinks. Climate data from Open-Meteo, averaged over 25 years of daily data.
Winter is the quiet bargain. January averages a high of 19.3°C (67°F) with a low of 13°C (55°F), and December and February sit in the same band. That is cool enough for a brisk float but pleasant for walking Masada or the Ein Gedi trails.
Bring a layer for the drive and the fortress top.
March to May and October to November are the comfortable months. Highs run from 24.5°C (76°F) in March through 29.3°C (85°F) in April, easing to 31.5°C (89°F) in October and 26°C (79°F) in November. These months suit the sunrise hike best, because the Snake Path climb in the dark is far kinder at 20°C (68°F) than at 35°C (95°F).
The early starts on the sunrise and half-day trips exist for a reason, they put you at the fortress or the beach before the heat peaks, whatever the month.
Ein Bokek beach on the western shore. Photo: Suicasmo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Every listing carries its own rules on ages, health and documents, and they differ more than most travellers expect. The Masada coach tours will not take children under 4, while the full-day trip from Amman welcomes all ages. The Bethlehem trip is the only one with a nationality rule, set by law rather than by the operator.
Check the list below before you book rather than at the pickup point.
Three videos: a day at the Dead Sea and Masada from the Israeli side, a look at whether the float lives up to the hype, and a day on the Jordanian shore. We did not film them and have no relationship with the creators.
Eyal is amazing! The whole day was an awesome day, we learned so much and enjoyed it! I highly recommend booking this tour!
We so enjoyed our tour to Masada and the Dead Sea! People learn so much on these tours. ❤️
Samuel explained in detail all we were seeing. The transportation was very comfortable.
Very kind and attentive guide, with a lot of knowledge about the tourist attractions.
We had Anees as our driver. He is a funny and amazing man. The tour was good, many places to see.
Really nice resort! The private driver, Faisal, was great. He explained to me a lot from the local culture.
In this catalog, prices run from $18 for the transport option on the Madaba, Mount Nebo, Baptism Site and Dead Sea tour from Amman to $249 for the 2-day Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea trip. The Israel coach days cost $115 to $150, the sunrise hike is $106 and the half-day float from Jerusalem is $50. Check whether entry fees are included, because they change the real total.
Yes, if you go in knowing what it is. Floating unaided in water about 9.6 times saltier than the ocean, at the lowest land elevation on Earth, is a genuine one-off experience. Most travellers pair it with Masada, Ein Gedi or Bethlehem on the Israel side, or Madaba and Mount Nebo from Amman, so the day is more than a dip. See how the Dead Sea Half-Day Beach Trip from Jerusalem compares with the full sightseeing days. The full verdict is in is the Dead Sea worth visiting.
Yes, four of them in this catalog. The quickest is the Dead Sea Half-Day Beach Trip from Jerusalem, 5 hours with about 2 hours 45 minutes at Kalia Beach, 45 minutes from the city. The full-day options add Masada, Ein Gedi or Bethlehem around the float. All leave from central Jerusalem, with hotel pickup on the coach tours.
Yes. The Masada and Dead Sea full-day tour from Tel Aviv runs about 10 hours, with pickup from nine central hotels, the cable car up Masada, a guided fortress tour and about 1.5 hours at a private beach. Entry fees and the beach fee are in the $125 price. The drive is the trade-off, it is the longest road day of the Israel-side trips.
Spring and autumn are the comfortable months, with highs around 24.5°C (76°F) in March, 29.3°C (85°F) in April and 31.5°C (89°F) in October. Summer is very hot, with average highs of 38.3°C (101°F) in July, which is why many trips start early. Winter is mild at about 19.3°C (67°F) in January and fine for floating. Tours run all year. Month by month: the best time to visit the Dead Sea.
Short sessions of 15 to 20 minutes in the water, followed by a fresh-water rinse, is the usual advice. That means 1.5 hours at the beach, as on the coach tours, is enough for several floats, a mud bath and a shower. If you want a slow afternoon, the full-day trip from Amman gives about 6 hours at a resort beach. See the Full-Day Dead Sea Trip from Amman with Optional Resort Entry and Lunch.
Yes, four catalog trips run from Amman and the drive is about an hour. The cheapest is the Madaba, Mount Nebo, Baptism Site and Dead Sea Tour from Amman at $18 with about 3 hours at the sea. For a full resort day there is a private 8-hour trip with about 6 hours at a hotel beach. Jordan has no public beach, so access is through hotel and resort day passes. The two shores compared: the Dead Sea from Israel or Jordan.
The coach tours do. On the Masada and Dead Sea Full-Day Tour from Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv version, Masada entry and the cable car are in the price. The sunrise hike does not include them, you pay $11.92 (37 ILS) for Masada and $9.99 (31 ILS) for Ein Gedi at the gate. The Jordan trips do not visit Masada at all. Cable car or on foot: Masada, cable car or Snake Path.
Not in the normal sense, and you should not try. The water is so dense, about 34.2% salt, that you float whether you swim or not. Walk in, lean back and lie on the surface, and never dive or put your face under. The salt stings eyes, cuts and freshly shaved skin, so keep sessions to 15 to 20 minutes and rinse afterwards.
The listings ask for a passport on every Israel-side tour, one accepts a copy. Add swimwear, a towel, flip-flops or water shoes, sunscreen, a sun hat, sunglasses and water. For the sunrise hike bring hiking shoes, and rent a towel for $4.83 (15 ILS) if you travel light on the half-day trip. For the Bethlehem and Dead Sea Day Tour from Jerusalem pack modest clothes for the churches too. The full checklist: what to bring to the Dead Sea.
Each trip has its own page with the pickup, the timings, the fees and the small print.
Dead Sea Tours
