Planning to visit the Dead Sea in Israel? Not only is it a must visit, it's the lowest place on earth and one of the most spectacular places in Israel. A lake (yes, it's not really a sea) so salty you can only float in it, ancient desert views, spectacular places to visit and islands made entirely out of salt. This is the Dead Sea! This travel guide helps you plan your perfect visit to the Dead Sea, from how to get there to best places to visit at the Dead Sea in Israel.
COMING SOON: Tales of Israel e-book with literally everything about planning the perfect trip to the Dead Sea!
Table of Content
Is the Dead Sea really the lowest place on earth?
Did you know the shores of the Dead Sea are 427 meters BELOW sea level? This makes it the lowest continental place on earth! Driving to the Dead Sea is so special, because not only is the desert landscape phenomenal, Israel has placed markers on the side of the road exactly telling you how low you are and it's so strange to be constantly descending driving to the Dead Sea!
Here are some more fun facts about the lowest place on earth:
- The Dead Sea is about ten times salter than the ocean, making it one of the saltiest places on earth and the water is so salt, that you can only float it in
- Cleopatra in ancient Egypt already traveled to the Dead Sea for the health benefits: the minerals and mud is SO healthy, your skin has never been softer after a visit
- A not-so-fun fact: the Dead Sea is shrinking fast, causing sinkholes to appear at the northern shores, which are super dangerous. Never go exploring and adventuring around those sinkholes on your own! Don't worry, the official beaches are of course safe and so is the southern part around Ein Bokek and Neve Zohar.
Book the famous Tales of Israel photoshoot at the salt islands for an unforgettable Dead Sea experience HERE!
Good to know before visiting the Dead Sea
Something people often confuse is that the Dead Sea has two main parts separated by a canal leading water from the north to the south: the northern, largest basin is the natural sea and the southern is man-made for tourism and industry. It's super important to bear in mind that the two look completely different! The northern part is where you have the famous mud on the bottom, while the southern part is where you find the salt crystals, salt islands and turquoise waters. The northern part, because of the mud, looks somewhat blackish - don't expect turquoise waters when visiting Kalia Beach.
The Dead Sea is actually a lake, not a sea, so it only takes about an hour and twenty minutes to to drive the entire length on road 90. So it's easy to combine both parts in one day if you'd like!
Some more important information:
- The Dead Sea is easy to reach by car and bus. Hourly busses run from Jerusalem all along the highlights and beaches and few times a day there are direct busses from Tel Aviv and Eilat too. You can easily plan your trip by bus on Google Maps.
- In the summer months, from June to September, temperatures are very high, take that into consideration when planning your trip: so watch out in the sun and definitely no climbing Masada in the middle of the day.
- Did you know you dehydrate much faster at the Dead Sea because of the dry, salty air? Drink more water than you usually do when visiting.
Dead Sea prints in the Tales of Israel shop
Interested in a custom made, Tales of Israel day trip to the Dead Sea? Contact us HERE for more information about our private tours!
Top places to visit at the Dead Sea
Ein Gedi Nature Reserve - the famous Biblical desert oasis where David hid from King Saul. This National Park is a must visit!
Masada - A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Masada is a spectacular, ancient fortress on a rugged cliff with incredible views. You can take a cable car or hike to the top to explore this highlight in Israel. I highly recommend hiking up to watch the sunrise! It's such a unique experience.
Qumran National Park: famous for the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient religious texts dating back over 2000 years and the oldest known Biblical fragments!
Salt Islands: all around Ein Bokek and Neve Zohar you can find stunning salt formations and islands. It's also where we do our Tales of Israel salt islands photoshoot!
Besides these known places there are of course so many hidden gems to explore and you can also have some of the most unique experiences in Israel, like a boat tour to safely see the sinkholes and the fabulous landscape. The Dead Sea is also famous for its health benefits, especially to the skin, so the southern shores are full with spa resorts and hotels to enjoy the unique health benefits. One of my favorite hotels is the Hod Dead Sea hotel in Ein Bokek.
Stay tuned for the upcoming e-book with literally everything you need to plan your perfect trip to the lowest place on earth!
Experience the salt islands with our Tales of Israel photoshoot
Create unforgettable memories at the world's lowest place! These salt islands are a geographical wonder in Israel: entirely made up out of salt, amidst a turquoise Dead Sea. This is our most popular photoshoot and no wonder why! This photoshoot is meant as a unique experience and doesn't involve lots of posing: you enjoy and explore the salt islands and float in the Dead Sea, while we fly the drone and capture photos & videos of you amidst the stunning landscape.
COMING SOON
To help you create your perfect daytrip to the Dead Sea, we'll soon be launching an e-book with literally everything you need to know. Detailed information about places to visit, where to stay, restaurants, excursions to book and more. Stay tuned!
Interested in a custom made, Tales of Israel day trip to the Dead Sea? Contact us HERE for more information about our private tours!