The Dead Sea & Masada
When John and I were in Jerusalem, we went to the Dead Sea & Masada for a day.
The drive from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea takes about an hour.
It is Earth’s lowest elevation on land at 1,388 feet below sea level.
The Dead Sea is also called the Salt Sea with 29% salt content compared to 3-6% in the oceans.
Animals cannot survive there because of the high salt content.
I am sure Ein Gedi Beach is usually packed in the warmer weather, but we were all alone in January.
And it was perfect.
We were there on a cold, dreary, and windy day but nothing was going to keep me from getting in:
Even if it was only up to my ankles.
I couldn’t believe it — I was standing in The Dead Sea!
So cool.
We stood on the shore and watched the waves gracefully come and go for quite awhile.
I loved how the white water wrapped around the rocks and then slowly slide away.
Like a big, warm, salty hug.
Masada is located about 18 km south of Ein Gedi.
There are two ways to get to the top: The Snake Path or The Cable-car.
We took the cable car.
Masada is Hebrew for fortress.
It was built as a palace complex by Herod the Great who reigned from 37 – 4 B.C.
It’s no wonder why Masada is one of the greatest archaeological sites in Israel and maybe even in the world.
The remains of the fortress are well-preserved and several parts have been reconstructed.
Plan on being there a couple of hours. There is a lot to see and the views from the top are incredible.
The Dead Sea and Masada are easy to visit in a day when visiting Jerusalem, so be sure to put them on your schedule.
The drive to and from Jerusalem is filled with beautiful colors and caves of the desert.
And camels, too!
What an amazing trip!
You can read about our time in the Jerusalem’s Old City HERE, Mount of Olives HERE, and all of the delicious places we ate HERE.
