Dead Sea, Masada At Sunrise And Ein Gedi Tour From Tel Aviv

We really enjoyed this activity. The hike up in the darkness and reaching the top at sunrise was absolutely amazing as the weather was a bit cooler. It got hot by the time we were in ein gedi but absolutely beautiful there too! We ended the tour with swimming / floating in the Dead Sea and covering us in the mud.

Amazing day with Samuel getting us to Masada for a dawn walk up the snake path to the Masada fortress. Samuel then shared the fascinating background to the Dead Sea ecosystem and current ecological challenges. He gave excellent advice. It was 40 degrees celcius and he helped ensure we all stayed safe and hydrated in a beautiful but challenging environment. Great value for money and a wonderful day. Thank you Samuel

A few of the reviews me semi skeptical but couldn’t have been more wrong. Coach driver was extremely informative, cracked a few good jokes and made sure we were aware of our surroundings. Although I guide wasn’t provided, I felt he ticked all the boxes in terms of information. Timing were all spot on, just a shame you don’t get much more time at Ein Gedi but completely understandable given the circumstances of timings.

Amazing. Tour kicked off on time and our guide/driver was just wonderful, friendly, insightful and patient. Noting this is pretty much a self guided tour with a driver for the full day. We had a wonderful time! Suitable for groups, couples and solo travelers.

Absolutely amazing experience! It was a lot of work hiking up; however, if you remember to take breaks, you will survive! It was definitely worth not sleeping to do this experience. Our driver (who also was a guide on this not guided tour) was incredible. I forget his name (Sam or Samuel maybe?), but he said he has been doing tours for 30 years now? He was extremely informative and kind. Treated us all like family-no request was ever too much.

Absolutely worth it to visit Masada, sunrise was a treat after a good hike. - Ask about the hike, they call it moderate, it quite bit of climbing especially if you are taking kids, think about it. Be ready for a long day, pack layers, remove layers as you climb up. Wish this trip was just Masada and Dead Sea, the nature reserve in the middle is just time filer making the day even longer.

This is an experience that you simply must have when visiting Israel. Watching the sun break through the desert over the dead sea from the historical ruins of Masada after a strenuous but pretty short hike up the snake trail is a lasting memory. Ein Gedi was also bursting with nature. Our bus was very clean and comfy and the driver, Sam, had plenty of towels as well as stories to share. This is self-guided so do some reading on the locations you are visiting before you book. Pack some snacks and a change of clothes and get going!

Wow! Amazing tour. Our tour guide Yonathan was great. I was a little nervous at first since I'm traveling alone and this leaves so early but I was able to find a taxi to Abraham hostel with no problems. The tour then went so smoothly. I recommend packing around two water bottles since the hike up Massada is tough. Wear good sneakers and pack water shoes and a bathing suit for the dead sea. You may need sunscreen but the sun wasnt too bad since it was December and we started the hike so early. I forgot water shoes but was able to buy some at Ein Gedi. Early December the weather was perfect. A little chilly in the morning but a light jacket and long pants were warm enough. Then by the time the sun got up we had perfect sunny weather for Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea. Also a perfect amount of time spent at each spot for me. Some may consider the stops too short but it's a lot to do in one day and if you like a fast paced trip this is great.

Sunrise hike was great, so peaceful up there. The driver was very nice; you can tell how much he loves Dead Sea region. Do wish we spent a little more time at the sea, but overall it was nice.

Really good experience though a tad rushed - which makes sense given all that it tries to do in the time allotted. Pick up was in Tel Aviv then an additional pick up in Jerusalem. Absolutely stunning to see the sunrise and happy we went before the heat really set in. You get there and leave before the cable car operates so you must go up and down on foot. This is not a casual hike - the snake path was very steep and DIFFICULT. Great for hiking enthusiasts but if you have any hesitation around physical activity then take a later tour with the cable car! Be prepared to be a hot, sweaty mess throughout the day. Bring water shoes/tevas for Ein Gedi because it has a lovely water trail with waterfalls to go through. Also wish we had some more time at the Dead Sea to change in and out of (slimy!) bathing suits, shower, change, etc. Download the Abraham Tours app to get more info about the places you visit since this is a self-guided tour. I had been concerned about bringing snacks bc no food is provided but there are ample opportunities to purchase snacks along the way. You’ll be able to keep belongings on the bus too. Overall, a great experience packing in a lot for a short stay in Israel!

Had a wonderful day, starting with a ramble through the nature reserve which sets you up physically for the day, wear good walking shoes, the rocky stair climbs are jagged, we moved onto the hilltop fortress ruins of Masada a wonderful experience but a hat, suncream and plenty of water is essential thanks Abraham our well informed tour driver for reminding us all. Finally the Dead Sea go soon as we will find a way to ruin this wonderful place, but it's hot down there, very hot but luckily the lowest bar on mother earth will keep you cool and relaxed. Have a good tour, but use the best. Abraham Tours

We arrived at the hostel lobby in Tel Aviv and met our driver Samuel. This is a self guided tour but he made sure we had all the information and history to make it and back safe. He even provided us with sunscreen, aftersun and towels. This tour is not for the unfit, even with plenty of time to climb, the way to Masada is hard and hot!

Samuel, our tour guide, was the absolute best! He was super knowledgeable and kind. You can really tell his love for the Dead Sea region and his passion to educate people. Only cons I could think of was really our lack of preparation for the day. But we should have assumed! So the tour starts are like 2a and you don’t get around to areas with food until 11a ish. I highly recommend bringing snacks and loads of water. The sunrise in Masada was incredible but water is limited there. It is a hike, like full on hike up a mountain side called the Snake Trail. There’s only water at the start and at the top that we can find. The nature preserve was also amazing with beautiful waterfalls! There is a little store there for chips and water, etc. The Dead Sea, wow, just amazing, we made some stops along the drive to learn more about it and take pictures from the road. It’s so very hot though compared to Tel Aviv so lots and lots of water and sunscreen! The positives are sooo much to list that all I can say is just book this tour! Thank you so much Samuel and Abraham Tours, I will never forget this day!

We booked the tour as a private tour with tour guide because of the Corona restrictions. The hike up the snake path to Masada is quite challenging but well worth it as the sunrise was just spectacular. Our guide Noam was both very knowledgeable and fun to be with and he made Masada history really come alive for us. En Gedi with its beautiful waterfalls and the Dead Sea naturally are both stunning locations. All in all we had a brilliant time, and although the private tour was the more expensive option it was absolutely worth it and we can highly recommend it.

Absolutely beautiful - well worth the early wakeup. I didn't know what to expect at all, but this tour was STUNNING. I highly recommend it. It is a little straining so make sure you are physically able to walk around all day.

Hiking up Masada was more challenging that I though it would be, but it was worth it. In my opinion, the sunrise part of it wasn't worth getting up that early but my friends did enjoy it. Ein Gedi was nice too and the beach where we were on the Dead Sea was good. We had access to a restaurant, souvenir store, lockers, etc. The only downside to our tour was our driver, Eli. He drove recklessly and even ended up scratching a car!!! He wasn't very friendly either. He did give us a bit of information on the Dead Sea, which I appreciated. But I definitely did not feel safe on the bus while he was driving.

The tour itself was perfect — great timing, a brilliant driver, a comfortable bus, and absolutely incredible locations. Hence the five stars. However, on the way to Masada the driver told us that there was a music festival happening that morning at the top of the mountain, starting at 4AM and finishing around 8AM. Imagine one of the most immense, breathtaking, humbling moments in your life in the middle of the desert being accompanied by the soundtrack of loud pop music echoing across the ancient ruins. Perhaps I am prematurely becoming a grumpy old bat, but I felt that it was completely inappropriate, and am still thanking the Universe that I had brought my noise-cancelling headphones with me. Some of my fellow travellers were deeply unimpressed, too — and didn't have the luxury of being able to drown out the noise with classical music the way I did. This is not Abraham Tours' fault, and I am sure these festivals don't happen too often, but I've left feedback asking them to warn customers of any such events beforehand, so they can bring a pair of earplugs or headphones.

We went to see the sunrise at Masada fortress which was amazing. Though be aware that you have to climb around 45 min in the dark. You should be physically fit enough to do so since it is already hot at the time of the climb. The tour bus has AC, thankfully since it is really really hot. Make sure to bring water shoes for the Dead Sea since it is very muddy. Would definitly book another trip with Abraham Tours again! Very reliable and well organised.

We were staying in Tel Aviv and wanted to see Masada and Ein Gedi (we d done the Dead Sea many times already) What appealed about this tour was the self guided itinerary. The minibus takes you to the places you need to see but once there you are free explore as you wish. It was 40C in the shade so this was a big attraction for us. Guided tours of Masada which we saw looked like the participants were not so happy to be taking a slow walk round. Ein Gedi was worth it even in the summer heat, the Dead Sea is how it always is - greasy and unpleasant. If you havent done it yet then you should do, but i doubt many people care to repeat it. Abraham Tours were professional and well organised. Tours start at their office in downtown Tel Aviv, no hotel pick up.

Me and my wife went to a day trip. It was well organized and made for us a great solution even for israelies. For sure we will take more tours in the future.

Amazing destinations! Abraham Tours did their job perfect - they were on time, the travel was smooth (we even got 1 hr of sleep in the bus), the trip was exactly as advertised. The driver gave us useful information, the people at the entrances of each destination were well aware of their tours and were happy to give directions according to the allocated time. This tour was definitely the highlight of our trip and I highly recommend it to all nature lovers! Masada hike is a once in a lifetime experience! It is perfect for people who love hiking. The hike might be a bit hard for people who are not in their best shape, so in that case I would recommend taking the day tour where you can use cable car instead of hiking. The view from the top is stunning. Ein Gedi - chasing waterfalls is amazing! It is a unique place where you can enjoy nature wonders. You have enough time to go to the first water fall, we even made it almost to Ein Gedi spring, but again - that would be possible only for experienced hikers in the allowed time. Dead Sea is a must see as there is no such place on Earth, though it wasn't that impressive after Masada and Ein Gedi. All in all, great tour!

Really enjoyed the day. The schedule was reversed with the Dead Sea first and then Masada. Great. Avoided the crowds. Itamar gave us lots of extra info. Really great.

My friend and I absolutely loved the sunrise trip to Masada from Tel Aviv. It is definitely worth getting up before 2 AM to experience the morning magic of Masada but I have to point out that unfortunately our driver was an hour late for the start of the trip which is terrible news in the middle of the night when you are already sleepy, tired and then have to worry about even making it to Masada before the sun rises. Thankfully we did and the tour turned out to be one to remember - the sunrise at Masada is magic (be ware of the demanding hike though - it is harder than moderate). We were worried that we would not have enough time to enjoy each of the three stops of the trip but the tour is well planned - the most of time is spent at Masada, then Ein Gedi park is given a little less time and for the final part - the Dead sea - you get about 1.5 hours to try floating on the water and covering yourself in the mud. But it also feels more like a beauty ritual and a fun experience rather than a relaxing on the beach so time wise it was plenty enough. The driver turned out to be a friendly guy who gave a good background of the places we visited in a perfect English. It was also possible to depart the tour on Jerusalem instead of going back to Tel Aviv so we actually got to explore 4 must sees of Israel on one day adding Jerusalem to Masada, Ein Gedi and the Dead sea. Bus was nice, air-conditioned and had a wi-fi. Overall I definitely do recommend this tour and I do recommend Abraham tours because of their friendly staff and nice attitude. And I am sure that the delay of the driver is something that does not happen every time (otherwise I would give 5 stars no doubt). We are happy that we did not go home after learning that there would be a delay and in the end experienced one fulfilled, wonderful day.

Full day. Plenty time in Masada and try to bypass the masses of tour groups who think they have preferential treatment. We were told by one guide when we were in his way as he saw it "We are a tour group" he got short shift with that comment! Amazing place Win Gedi was an oasis but very busy as an Israeli holiday. Just over an hour to walk which was ok Dead Sea - resort itself ok. Beach part well away from main area and looked like it had been trashed. Chairs all over the place. Totally disorganised and cigarette ends everywhere. We had visited the Jordan side (exact opposite do clean and orgsnised) so did not go in. Appreciate we may have if it was our only chance but reluctantly My preference would be a trip without the Dead Sea

The trip was very well organized, amazing experience to see the sunrise from Masada. The hike isn't that difficult and is absolutely worth it. In Ein Gedi you can dive into little ponds and shower under a waterfall while you watch baby Ibex jumping around. As for the Dead Sea, I could spend there more time just floating on the water covered in mud, but overall I would definitely recommend the trip!

Tour starts at Abraham Hostel in TLV (2:30 am), from there you drive in small bus (~roughly 20 seats) to Jerusalem to pick up some additional guests. From there you drive into the direction of Masada / Dead sea. You stop a few kilometers before Masada at a Petrol station and spend 20 min. there (go to toilet and drink a coffee). After that stop you go to the Masada national park and wait until it's opened by the rangers. As soon as it is opened, you need to rush up the hill if you really want to enjoy the dead sea & masada in the dark. Regular hiking time uphill is estimated 45 minutes - I managed to be up there after 35 minutes but could already see the sun shining above the mountain. If you expect to see the Dead sea and masada in full darkness: this from my point of view not possible in the way the tour is offered. Suggestion would be: skipping the stop at the petrol station and start later instead; buy the tickets for the guests at the masada entrance for the tour guests in advance, in order not to queue at the national park entrance at the bottom of Masada After you descend from Masada you drive to En Gedi which is quite nice place but there is too few time for the stop to really enjoy it (I think it was only 90 minutes). Same is true for the stop and bath at the Dead Sea. Overall, I would suggest to invest more time at the stops, skip extra stops that are not of additional use (e.g. petrol station), buy tickets for parks in advance so waiting times can be skipped (especially @ masada). However, it was a good experience but felt like a rush

Overall, a great experience. 1) Pick-up - super early. We didn't stay with Abraham Hostels but in an AirBnB instead. Getting to Jaffa gate for the 4am pickup was brutal - first time using the Gett app (and no experience with Uber either, and limited data on the local sim card I bought), so we ended up getting screwed out of a bunch of money for the ride over. Moral of the story, if you are doing this tour and not staying at Abraham Hostels, figure out how you are getting to the pickup point. 2) Drive - throughout the whole tour, our guide was great. He was polite and professional, and even added some running commentary while driving from location to location. The Abraham Tours app is also very helpful in providing background information about the locations. 3) Masada - gorgeous sunrise. We went in December, so it started off chilly, but we ended up peeling off layers on the climb up. The hike is not easy - it's doable, but if you have health issues, take your time. There is no gondola up to the top at the early hour, but I believe that you can take it down starting 8am (for extra fee). I think we arrived at the base of Masada around 5am, and we drove out of the parking lot at 8am. Seems like a lot of time, but the hike up, and the hike down (tough on the knees) eats up a bunch of time. Then waiting for the sun to crest takes time. So if you want to explore the ruins in depth, this tour will not give you that opportunity. 4) Ein Gedi - amazing oasis. Very beautiful. Saw some cute animals and stood under some small waterfalls. Only problem - once again not enough time (about 1-1.5 hr there - I estimate that I could spend at least a full day there exploring) and cost is not included in price of tour. 5) Dead Sea - towels were provided. Had a great time floating around. Don't get the water in your eyes, or any other orifices... it hurts. Great experience. About 1 - 1.5 hrs here... was plenty of time for us. To sum things up, we had a great time. This met my needs and that of my travel companions. I would love to come back and spend more time exploring.

<p>It was an amazing experience, but beware - Masada Snake trail is not for the weak. It's a 45-60 min climb on steep stairs. Bring water! You're going to need it. At the mountaintop is the most breathtaking view I have ever seen. After Masada it's 15 min ride to Ein Gedi, which might seem nothing special at first, but the further in you go, more interesting and beautiful it gets. I wish we had more time there, we had about 1,5h to walk around. It was like a little fairytale land. <br/> Dead Sea was unique and unforgettable experience. </p> <p>Our driver was really cool, too! Told us some interesting stories as we were driving. Thank you!</p>

This tour was fantastic!!! It does start a little early and when the driver says it only takes 45 minutes to climb the snake path to the Masada fortress, that is if you are in a pretty good physical condition. However, the tour is perfectly timed and organised. The driver was prompt at picking us up, gave the perfect amount of time at each destination, was friendly yet professional and gave us little nuggets of knowledge on the way to each place. If you're thinking about booking the tour - do it, you won't regret it (unless you don't bring water on the sunrise hike!) One think I wish I'd known was the option to get off the bus in Jerusalem instead of having to ride it all the way back to Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are so close I most definitely would have found my own way back and spent some time there as the tour finishes pretty early because it starts at 2:30am!

Wonderful day, extremely well organized, which allows you to discover Masada, Ein Gedi, and the Dead Sea all at once. The time allotted for each location is very well thought out. The landscapes are magnificent, and we were lucky enough to benefit from the fascinating explanations of Samuel, our driver-guide, who gave this day a truly exceptional tone. An experience we will remember for a long time. Thank you very much!

Caesarean section a very ancient city where there are still traces of Roman times, and the dead sea the strangest feeling I've ever felt when entering the water, you have to go to feel it.

Great choice. I'm 66 years old and my friend is 65. We left our hotel at 2:30 in the morning to go to the Abraham Hostel to meet with the group who would take the same walk. It was Shabbat. The streets were full of young people coming and going from meetings. Tel Aviv is very safe to walk at night, even for 2 women alone. We arrived at the hostel, and we left exactly at the scheduled time. We reached Masada and walked 50 minutes to the top to watch the most beautiful spectacle of nature : See the sun rise behind the mountains of Jordan and reflect its rays in the Dead Sea. I highly recommend this trip with this Enterprise. Totally professional, punctual competent. We left in a very comfortable van with an extremely competent driver. We adore

During our stay in Jerusalem we booked a tour from Abraham. The driver who accompanied us was very nice I made friends and exchanged opinions and information, the places visited one more beautiful than the other. Really recommended for their professionalism and low price. If I knew before I would have booked other excursions with them.

The experience with Abraham Tours was great. Prior to the tour you will receive precise information on the times, meeting place and program. An app also contains tourist information about the places visited. The buses used are clean, the staff very friendly. The timing is perfectly respected. Masada is absolutely worth the trip. We enjoyed Ein Gedi less, as the great heat and the crowd (it was Shabbat) did not allow for a proper hike. Perhaps I would have preferred the Qumran Scroll Finding Site to be included in the tour. The stop at the dead sea is pleasant and well organized (we were also provided with beach towels). Necessary the beach slippers

Odjazd wcześnie rano 02:00 z Tel Aviv (2:00 AM). Opiekun wycieczki podaje ogólne wskazówki i tylko kilka faktów o miejscach do których się udajemy. Sami musimy mieć wiedzę miejscach do których się udajemy. Pierwszą rzeczą jest przejazd na parking przy Masadzie gdzie po powrocie będzie czekał na nas bus. Korzystamy z toalety i ruszamy w 45 minutową podróż na szczyt góry. Polecam zostawić wszystko poza dokumentami i wodą w busie - jedna butelka 2 litry powinna wystarczyć. Co ujrzymy na szczycie jest nie do opisania. Trzeba tam być. Następnie po zejściu z góry przejazd do rezerwatu Ein Gedi. Czasu wystarczy na obejrzenie wodospadów i kilka minut na zanurzenie się w wodzie pod jednym z nich.(chociaż nie wiem czy wolno to robić ;-) ) Kolejno przejazd nad morze martwe i niezapomniane doświadczenie jakim jest kąpiel w nim - niestety bardzo krótka ponieważ część z czasu jaki mamy jest zużywany na dojście do plaży, potem powrót z plaży, prysznic itd. To daje realny czas kąpieli poniżej godziny Nie potrafię opisać tych miejsc słowami, więc umieściłem kilka zdjęć, które przynajmniej w niewielkim stopniu ilustrują to, co zobaczymy./ Departure early in the morning at 2:00 am from Tel Aviv (2:00 AM). The tour guide gives general tips and only a few facts about places we go to. We must have knowledge of the places we go to ourselves. The first thing is to drive to the Masada parking lot where, after return, a bus will wait for us. We use the toilet and start a 45-minute journey to the top of the mountain. I recommend leaving everything except documents and water in a bus - one bottle of 2 liters should be enough. What we see at the top is indescribable. You have to be there. Then, after leaving the mountain, drive to the Ein Gedi reserve. Time is enough to watch the waterfalls and a few minutes to immerse in water under one of them (although I do not know if it is allowed to do ;-)) Next trip to the sea dead and unforgettable experience which is swimming in it - unfortunately very short because some of the time we have is used to get to the beach, then back from the beach, shower, etc. This gives a real bathing time of less than an hour.I can not describe these places with words so I put a few photos which at least slightly illustrate what we will see.