Dead Sea

Relax in the “Salty Goodness” of the Dead Sea and Experience an Unforgettable Reviving Vacation

With breathtaking natural beauty, soothing rich mineral Spas, proved healing qualities and many unique experiences, it’s no wonder the Dead Sea became one the world’s prominent tourist destinations. This mysterious salty lake is all you need for a perfect mind-body holiday experience.

Relax. Salt, mud, sun…and there’s more. Soak up in natural (hot) sulfurous springs and enjoy Spa treatments. Familiar with the phrase “guilty pleasure?” It doesn’t apply here. Take the “guilty” out and simply enjoy a healthy revitalizing relaxing vacation.

Let Go and Enjoy One of Nature’s Most Wondrous Gifts

Float. Thanks to the exceptional high level of saline in the water you will be able to perform a small “miracle” by, fine, not walking but naturally floating on water. Get in the water, lean back and let nature take its course. It may take a minute to get used to but then, we promise, it’s magical.

Heal. Entering the Dead Sea area feels like stepping into a different world. Different view, different pace, different air and even a different sun.

The last two are the results of the special geological conditions of the area and the primary reasons for the area’s healing powers.

The Atmosphere is different because the sea saline dissolves into healthy rich minerals you absorb through the air. The sun is different because the location, so low below sea level, weaken and filters the harmful UV rays. Step outside and enjoy nature’s wondrous gifts.

Discover the Child in You and Let Nature Heal You
Get Muddy – The Dead Sea mud has proven health benefits. It improves, revitalize and provides relief for your skin. You can buy and use it at home, but why miss out on the opportunity to channel your inner child? Cover yourself with that black mud head to toe and simply have fun. We dare you to take a selfie.

Masada

After Herod’s death the site was all-but abandoned…until the year 73. After the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 and expelled Jews from their holy city, a group of Jewish refugees made their way to the summit of Masada and converted the once grand palace into their home. Having no interest in the palace’s grandeur and considering themselves zealots, the refugees built a synagogue, created a mikveh, planted crops and tended goats. The Romans, however, could not tolerate their defiance and went on to besiege the mountain for three years, condemning thousands of legionnaires to camp in the extreme heat in a quest to starve the mountaintop inhabitants into surrender. (The outlines of the Roman encampments are clearly visible to this day.) Thousands of Jewish slaves were forced to build a giant ramp to the summit and after the months it took to complete the construction, the mountaintop zealots — realizing that the next day would bring Roman soldiers into their hideout — determined to commit mass suicide rather than have their their wives, children and themselves murdered or enslaved. When the Romans finally battered their way onto the mountaintop they met no resistance and discovered 960 corpses. Two women who had hidden themselves from the mass suicide shared details of the events with the “conquerors” and Jewish Roman historian, Josephus, told the story of Masada in his book “The Jewish Wars.” The pledge by the zealots’ leader, Elazar Ben Yair on the last night of freedom has entered immortality: “Since we long ago resolved never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself, Who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that resolution true in practice…We were the very first that revolted, and we are the last to fight against them; and I cannot but esteem it as a favor that God has granted us, that it is still in our power to die bravely, and in a state of freedom.” The Byzantines built a church atop Masada in the 4th-century, but it and the mountain went on to be abandoned for centuries.

In 1964. Israel’s Professor Yigal Yadin lead a two-year international excavation to discover Masada’s secrets. Their hundreds of discoveries support Josephus’ history, with the archeologists even finding the clay tokens on which the zealots had carved names and used as lots to decide who would “euthanize” their families and themselves first…and last.

The story of what occurred two millennia ago atop Masada has become a symbol of Israelis’ commitment never to allow “Masada to fall again” and, fifty years after the excavation, Masada is, after Jerusalem, the most visited site in Israel. Access to the summit on foot is possible up the traditional snake path used by Herod, and up the Roman ramp. But the majority of the millions of tourists who visit Masada are whisked from the Masada Museum and Visitors Center to the summit in giant cable cars that operate daily with the exception of Yom Kippur. Every June, the base of Masada becomes the site of giant Opera Festival and spectacle that uses the floodlit mountain as a backdrop.

NATURAL PHENOMENA

The Dead Sea is one of the most unique natural phenomena on the planet. A crevice in the earth’s crust that is part of the Great Rift Valley allows the waters of the River Jordan to flow south into a lozenge-shaped lake at the lowest point on our planet. With no outlet, the rays of the blazing sun evaporates the Jordan water to a point where its mineral content is highly concentrated; and it is this density of minerals and salt that makes it impossible to sink in the sea: bathers float effortlessly on the water’s surface. Because the sun has to travel an additional 1,200 feet to reach the shore, ultra-violet rays are filtered out and oxygen is enriched to a point where even the fairest skins tan but do not burn.

This is why a visit to the Dead Sea enables sufferers of rheumatic diseases to breathe better, and why victims of psoriasis and other serious skin ailments receive temporary cures by bathing in the Dead Sea, slathering themselves with Dead Sea mud and baking in the non-burning sun.

The Dead Sea is lined with spas, bathing beaches and spa hotels.

The Dead Sea Natural Spa

A geological wonder in a uniquely serene setting, the Dead Sea is an extremely popular tourist attraction. Experience the calm tranquility of the water with its distinct healing properties while enjoying the unparalleled beauty of the surrounding landscape. The Dead Sea, also known as the oldest natural spa in the world, is blessed with an extremely high salt concentration of 31.5%, allowing tourists from far and wide the amazing experience of effortlessly floating on the waters of the lowest place on Earth. While here, you can bathe in the healthy black mud of the area or explore the fascinating and historically rich nearby landscapes.

Luxury hotels, varied cuisine from gourmet restaurants to fast food eateries, great souvenir shops, the extraordinary history of the nearby Masada, and many cultural activities throughout the year, make the Dead Sea a popular destination for local tourists as well as International visitors.

Time to Basket in Nature’s Glory

Get high on life in the lowest place on earth
The Dead Sea, officially the lowest place on earth (428m below sea level) and one the world’s natural wonders, is an enthralling and evocative combination of natural splendor, compelling ancient history, and modern luxuries.

Float on the waters, take a mud bath or go exploring – with 330 sunny days a year, the Dead Sea area is filled with superb attractions including natural healing spas, magnificent hiking trails, gourmet and fast food restaurants and adrenaline-charged attractions.

NEW BOARDWALK AT THE DEAD SEA
Just in time for the Passover and Easter holidays, a new, stone 4k boardwalk and free, accessible public beaches with full facilities have opened in the hotels area of the Dead Sea. The promenade will eventually extend another ten kilometers, to include a total of 16 public beaches, connecting Ein Bokek and Hamei Zohar, along the southern part of the Dead Sea. This is part of a major new leisure and hotel complex that is planned for the region.

Visitors to the Dead Sea – the lowest place on earth and the world’s largest natural spa known for its unique wellness properties since Biblical times – can now enjoy full access to wide, sandy beaches, walking, jogging, cycling or even taking a Segway along the entire length of the new boardwalk. The new beaches are all free to the public, with facilities that include beach chairs, showers, canopies, sports equipment, children’s playgrounds and more.

The beaches are accessible for the disabled, with special wheelchairs and trails that can take visitors right into the waters of the Dead Sea. Special illumination allows tourists and visitors to walk the boardwalk at night, while at the same time enjoying the very special atmosphere at the Dead Sea.

TAKE RELAXATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL

The Dead Sea, officially The Lowest Place On Earth (428m Below Sea Level) And A Shortlist Candidate For The World’s 7 Natural Wonders, Is An Enthralling And Evocative Combination Of Natural Splendor, Compelling Ancient History And Modern Luxuries.

From the healing powers of the Dead Sea’s cobalt blue waters, through the awesome beauty of the surrounding landscape to the myriad of fascinating sights this area has to offer, the Dead Sea is a place of tranquility, health and inspiration for body and soul alike.

Float on the waters, take a mud bath or go exploring – with 330 sunny days a year, the Dead Sea area is filled with superb attractions including natural healing spas, magnificent hiking trails, gourmet and fast food restaurants and adrenaline-charged attractions. Along the main part of the 75 kilometer stretch dotted with beautiful beaches, you will also find world class hotels and spa facilities to guarantee a truly indulgent experience.

The Magical Beaches of the Dead Sea
The beaches of the Dead Sea are like nothing else the world has to offer. There are many kilometers of beautifully developed and well-maintained spots where you can soak up the sun while on your dream vacation. Choose your spot on the rocky sand and take in the breathtaking scenery with the incredible mountain ranges surrounding the sea. The warm waters of the Dead Sea are always calm and offer superior relaxation from the minute you get in.

On the southern shores at the lowest point on earth, you will find an array of hotels where you can enjoy a magical sunrise over the lake, leaving an array of colors on the small ponds with the salt formations scattered throughout. To complete the experience of being at the Dead Sea, take some of the silky dark mud and lather it on allowing your skin to absorb the helpful minerals. Dead Sea mud has been proven beneficial to the skin and body. You will feel refreshed with skin that looks and feels younger. Give yourself the pampering that you deserve and get dirty with the Dead Sea mud – it’s healthy!

Discover the desert area around the Dead Sea
There is more to do than just relaxing in the spas and floating in the Dead Sea. If you are travelling south from Jerusalem, complement your desert experience by stopping at kibbutz Ein Gedi, a natural oasis on the slopes of the Judean desert, and take a hike through a nature reserve where you will see wildlife like the ibex (a kind of mountain goat) and enjoy the waterfalls and pools cascading on the rock formation. Ein Gedi also offers hotel accommodations and spas which houses hot sulphur pools and have different types of healing and therapeutic massages too. Continue south from here to Masada, a national landmark with a strong historical connection, located at the top of a massive mountain that the adventure seeker can hike, or it can be reached comfortably by cable car.