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Southern District, Israel UNESCO sites

Our most recommended Southern District, Israel UNESCO sites

From Jerusalem: Tour to Bethlehem, Jericho, and Jordan River

1. From Jerusalem: Tour to Bethlehem, Jericho, and Jordan River

After being picked up from Jerusalem, travel to Bethlehem where you will meet your guide before heading into the old city of Bethlehem. Enjoy a guided visit to the Church of the Nativity.  Continue your tour with a visit to the Milk Grotto Church before riding to the city of the shepherds, Bayt Sahur where you will visit the Chapel of the Shepherds Field before getting to visit an olive wood factory where you will see artisans crafting wooden sculptures.  Then journey through the wonderful Judean Desert to the lowest point on earth. Have chances to stop and take pictures at the sea level point in the desert overlooking the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, Jericho.  Stop and have lunch then pass the Mount of Temptation and drive into Jericho where you will see some of the famed sights in the city including Zaccheus's Tree which is mentioned in the bible.

From Jerusalem: Full-Day Bethlehem and Dead Sea Day Tour

2. From Jerusalem: Full-Day Bethlehem and Dead Sea Day Tour

Discover the famous old city of Bethlemen and the Dead Sea on a guided day trip from Jerusalem. Swim in the Dead Sea, visit an olive wood factory and see the famous Church of the Nativity. Following pickup in Jerusalem, ride to Bethlehem to meet your guide before heading to the Old City of Bethlehem. Begin with a guided visit to the Church of the Nativity. Next, if availability allows, visit the Nativity Star and the Cave of St. Jerome. From there, head to the Milk Grotto Church, where it is believed that the Holy Family found refuge from the Massacre of the Innocents before they could flee into Egypt. Next, drive to the City of the Shepherd's, Bayt Sahur. In Bayt Sahurt, enjoy a guided visit to the Chapel of The Shepherd's Field, the church where the angels first appeared to the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus Christ. Continue your trip with a visit to an olive wood factory and watch the artisans crafting wooden sculptures. Continue through the Judean Desert to reach the lowest point on Earth. Hop out and take pictures at sea-level in the desert . Continue to the Dead Sea to enjoy the rest of the day, either floating in the rich water or relaxing at the beach.

From Tel Aviv: Masada Sunrise, Ein Gedi, and Dead Sea Tour

3. From Tel Aviv: Masada Sunrise, Ein Gedi, and Dead Sea Tour

After a pre-sunrise departure from Tel Aviv, drive through the rolling hills of the Judean desert. At 5:30 AM, you’ll arrive at Masada, a set of mountaintop fortifications that date back to the 1st century BCE. Hike to peak to watch the sunrise from the summit, painting the surrounding valleys in rich hues. Continue to the En Gedi Nature Reserve, which covers an astounding 3,500 acres. A massive oasis in the desert, it includes vast streams and rivers that spill out from impressive waterfalls. Amble through the mountainous terrain, marvelling at the lush greenery in the heart of the desert. To cap things off, head to the Dead Sea, where you’ll have 1.5 hours to relax. Coat yourself in its iconic black mud, famed for its restorative qualities, and float in the highly saline water. After your time at the lowest point on earth, you’ll head back to Tel Aviv.

From Jerusalem: Masada, Ein Gedi, and Dead Sea Day Tour

4. From Jerusalem: Masada, Ein Gedi, and Dead Sea Day Tour

After being collected from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, you will make your way to Masada On. This area is an isolated clifftop in the heart of the desert, a lofty plateau overlooking the Dead Sea and the untamed landscape of the Judean Desert. Whilst in this area you will learn how there was once a magnificent palace that stood there. You will then venture toward Ein Gedi, a wonderful nature reserve which contains various natural wonders. You will encounter David Waterfall, a year-round waterfall along the course of the David Stream, to which there is access by a hiking trail. You will also discover Arugot Stream, a hiking trail for walkers which runs along the length of the stream and flows all year round. Next you will explore the En Gedi Spring, which rises from the mountainside and sustains abundant vegetation. By the spring you will also discover the remains of an ancient flour mill. Next up you will encounter the Dodim Cave, a small and intimate cave at the head of the David Waterfall, before you finally explore the Chalcolithic Temple. Following some free time for relaxation in the Dead Sea, you will return to your point of origin.

From Tel Aviv: Masada Sunrise, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea Tour

5. From Tel Aviv: Masada Sunrise, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea Tour

You will be picked up early in the morning at 2:00 AM from Tel Aviv. Travel to Masada mountain arrive at 5:30 AM and begin your hike to the top. On the way up to the top, enjoy the extraordinary desert sunrise, one that can only be seen in the right place at the right time. Once at the top you will enjoy some time to experience the site. Head back down the mountain and travel to Ein-Gedi Nature Reserve. At 8:00 AM arrive at the Ein-Gedi Nature Reserve. Enter the reserve to watch the desert wildlife in the magnificent green Ein-Gedi Oasis. 10:00 AM continue your journey to the Dead Sea. Arrive at the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth and enjoy bathing and floating on it's therapeutic waters. After floating and covering yourself with mud your driver will begin the trip back to Tel-Aviv. At approximately 2:00 PM arrive back in Tel-Aviv.

From Eilat, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv: Petra & Wadi Rum 3-Day Tour

6. From Eilat, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv: Petra & Wadi Rum 3-Day Tour

Day 1: Start your tour from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, or Eilat, depending on the option selected. Cross the border into Jordan and travel to the port city of Aqaba. Enjoy some time to relax in the city, before continuing to Wadi Rum. Arrive at the Bedouin campsite accommodation in Wadi Rum and take in your new surroundings and the scenic views. Once settled into the campsite, head out on a jeep safari tour in the afternoon as the sun begins to set and the air becomes cooler. Enjoy an overnight stay in the camp where you will indulge in an authentic Jordanian meal for dinner. Day 2: As the sun rises in the morning, enjoy breakfast and the view before traveling to Petra. Upon arrival, take a guided tour of this iconic site and get a deeper insight into the history of the ancient Nabatean city. See the most important structures of the site including the famous treasury, the Khazneh. Stay overnight at a hotel in Petra. Day 3:  Depart from Wadi Rum in the morning and explore Petra at your own pace. Revisit sites from the previous day, or uncover new ones. Hike to the Monastery and explore some lesser-visited parts of the complex. After the final day of sightseeing, travel back to the border and return to your original starting point.

From Jerusalem: Petra and Wadi Rum 3-Day Tour

7. From Jerusalem: Petra and Wadi Rum 3-Day Tour

The tour begins in Jerusalem, as you head toward the Jordanian border. Cross at the Allenby Bridge border, and enter Jordan, driving through the desert for about an hour to then have a local lunch. Continue towards the exquisite desert landscape of Wadi Rum, virtually untouched by humanity. Travel through the vast scenic desert valley on a 4×4 Jeep tour, providing the best possible experience of this moon-like landscape, the red sand dunes, towering cliffs of weathered stone, and desert animals with the sunset’s beautiful colors. From there, go to a Bedouin camp near Petra where you will enjoy Bedouin hospitality, including an Arab-style dinner and a comfortable bed for the night. Before going to sleep, sit beneath the clear desert skies and stargaze, as you drink a cup of delicious Bedouin tea. Waking up early the next morning, have a quick breakfast before getting on the bus and departing for Petra. This day of the trip is focused entirely on Petra, a famous archeological site set in a stunning red sandstone landscape. Discover the site, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. You will have the whole morning to tour Petra with a guide, before taking a lunch break at a local restaurant. Then in the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to explore the various sites, such as the monastery, on your own before heading back to camp for dinner and another night in the Bedouin camp. The third day of this tour will be a half day. Start with breakfast at the campsite and from there drive to Madaba, an ancient Jordanian city, and go up to the viewpoint of Mount Nebo. Have lunch and then head back to the Allenby Bridge border crossing, and arrive in Jerusalem in the afternoon.

From Jerusalem: Full-Day Tour to Petra with Lunch

8. From Jerusalem: Full-Day Tour to Petra with Lunch

Begin your day with an early rise and embark on a full day of adventure. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the changing landscape as our spacious tour bus takes you from Jerusalem to the beautiful south of Israel. As the sun rises, witness the Arahav Valley and catch a glimpse of the Red Sea and the Riviera of Eilat, Israel's best resort city. Cross the Israeli-Jordanian border and embark on a 2.5-hour drive through a unique landscape to the lost Nabatean city of Petra - a destination considered one of the 7 New Wonders of the World. Carved into the surrounding red cliffs over 2,300 years ago, many of its impressive temples were left pristine and untouched. Take in the mystery of the Djinn Blocks, where you can make a wish by touching the stone. Capture great shots of the Obelisk Tomb and continue down the Siq, a colorful and smooth gorge leading to the famous Petra Treasury. Here, be awestruck by the amazing huge columns and intricate decorations that will leave you speechless. Visit the Royal Tombs and Petra Theater, and explore the many shrines, mausoleums, and relics of a lost culture. Finish your day with a relaxing ride back to your drop-off point in Jerusalem.

From Jerusalem: Petra Day Tour

9. From Jerusalem: Petra Day Tour

Start your tour with pickup at the David Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem. Then, drive through the desert in a comfortable vehicle until you reach the Arava Border. Cross the border with assistants, a procedure which may take up to an hour.  At 8:30 AM, transfer from the border to Petra in a new air-conditioned vehicle. This ride takes approximately 2-3 hours.  Enjoy the scenic route along the mountainside before arriving at Petra's historical site, known as one of the New7Wonders of the World.   At approximately 11:30 AM, begin your tour of Petra at the entrance to the site with a maximum group size of 25 people. Explore the highlights of this impressive site with your guide. Next, start your journey towards Aqaba at 4:30 PM. Make a few stops at certain observations points along the way to appreciate the beautiful landscapes that Wadi Rum has to offer.  At 7:30 PM, return to the Israeli territory with the assistance of your guide and arrive back at the pickup location in Jerusalem by midnight.

From Jerusalem: Petra 2-Day Tour

10. From Jerusalem: Petra 2-Day Tour

This fully-packed two-day tour begins in Jerusalem. Driving through the Judean desert, head towards the border and go through the Allenby Bridge/King Hussein crossing into Jordan. Once in Jordan, visit the historical site of Mount Nebo, a unique viewpoint of the Jordan River's west bank. After lunch at a local restaurant, take your time and gaze at the ancient mosaic map of Jerusalem in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George at Madaba. From there, enjoy a scenic drive south. Eventually, arrive at your accommodation for the night, a Bedouin camp near Petra. The Bedouin hospitality, including an Arab-style dinner, will open your heart. Before going to sleep on a comfortable bed, sit beneath the clear desert skies and stargaze, as you have a cup of local tea. Wake up and start the day with breakfast in camp before heading out to Petra. One of the world's seven wonders and Jordan’s most treasured attraction, Petra is an unforgettable place. It was carved into the red rocks of the soaring cliffs in the early 1st century as the tomb of a Nabataean king and was hidden under sand for centuries before recently becoming accessible again. A licensed tour guide will lead you through the Siq (a narrow gorge), the Treasury, and the Amphitheater while you marvel at the beauty of each structure. Following, you will have time to explore independently: climb to the Royal Tombs, walk down the Roman Cardo or hike up to the Monastery. Meet the rest of the group again for lunch in Wadi Musa, before returning back to Jerusalem via the King Hussein/Allenby border crossing.

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What people are saying about Southern District, Israel

Overall rating

4.1 / 5

based on 34 reviews

What an amazing experience!! Our tour guide Yonathan was knowledgeable about any and every topic we could come up with - we learned so much about history, archeology, religion, culture, and general social topics of the area. He was extremely accommodating and helped us tailor our day based on our interests and our needs with our young toddler. We had an incredible day and visit thanks to this private, personalized tour and our wonderful guide! I highly recommend doing a private tour to get the most of your trip

The guided tour is amazing! If you spent few days in Israel and you want to visit as much as you can it’s perfect! In one day you have the chance to visit 3 fantastic sites and enjoy them. You have approximately 2 hours to visit each site and sometimes you need to rush and jump from one amenity to the others…but still it worth it!

The tour was jam-packed but organized (only minor delay at start due to bus assignment). Organizers did their best to meet the itinerary. There are some additional entrance fee at Monastery at Mt. Temptation via cable car (~40 NIS), and Old Jericho Ruins (~20 NIS). Overall, the event was worth it.

The company organising the trip and the guide himself were both well organised, well informed and the trip was good value.

Nice people, great planning. We learned a lot about the area