Bethlehem

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Travel to this region may not be recommended due to the ongoing armed conflict and serious safety risks. Please follow your government's guidance and travel advisories.

Bethlehem & Dead Sea Day Tour from Jerusalem & Tel Aviv

Badge of ExcellenceBethlehem, Palestinian Territories

From $147.00

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

8 to 11 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Combine a guided tour of Christian historical sights with a chance to float in the mineral-rich waters of the lowest point on earth during this full-day combo tour of Bethlehem and the Dead Sea. Departing from either Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, travel to the West Bank by comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle. Visit the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherds’ Field with a guide before enjoying free time at the salt lake.

A full-day Bethlehem and Dead Sea combo tour
Relax with comfortable A/C transfers from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem
Tick off Bethlehem’s top sights—all in just a few hours of sightseeing
Free time to relax at the beach, shop for Dead Sea cosmetics, or float

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Licensed Tour Guide in Bethlehem Only
Tour Taxes

Lunch
Sunscreen, Bathing Suits, Hats and Towels for The Dead Sea
Dead sea ticket 45 nis each pay at day of tour .

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

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End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Your day begins with pickup at the meeting point of your choice in Bethlehem, Tel Aviv, or Jerusalem and transport by air-conditioned van through Jerusalem’s old town to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Meet your guide for an in-depth tour of sacred sites from the Milk Grotto, Chapel of The Shepherd's Field, Church of the Nativity, and Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria to learn about their history and significance in early Christianity.

Then board the van for the drive to the Dead Sea, where you’ll have about two hours of free time to soak in the mineral-rich waters or relax on the beach before the return transfer to your pick-up point.

Old City of Jerusalem (Pass By)

Sanctuary Bethlehem

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Milk Grotto

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Shepherd's Sanctuary

40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Church of the Nativity

40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Dead Sea

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Neve Midbar Beach

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Aida Camp (Pass By)

Bab idDeir Art Gallery (Pass By)

Cave of St. Jerome (Pass By)

Carmel of the Holy Child Jesus (Pass By)

Blessings Gift Shop and The Olive Wood Factory (Pass By)

Tomb of Rachel (Kever Rachel) (Pass By)

Dead Sea

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps

Most travelers can participate
we cannot guarantee visiting the grotto of the nativity on holidays or sundays
We could wait on the line from 30-90 mins to see the Birth grotto on regular days
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 55 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Oliver_J

Tour was amazing! Elias was an amazing guide, he has a very fun and easy going way of making sure everyone has their questions answered and everyone receives information and everyone is taken care of! Definitely recommed! My family loved him too

Reviews

4.5

38 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 38 reviews

Spectacular

Gabs_F, Oct 2023

Really enjoyed our tour with mu family. Our tour guide Elias made it even better! He really took care of us like family, made sure we had time to take pictures, made sure no one was jumping on our queue and protected us especially since Bethelehem wasn't safe for tourists. He really made my day with his sense of humour and professionalism! 5* for me!

Bethlehem and The Dead Sea - a must see experience!

Max_S, Oct 2023

Bethlehem tour was a blast! Elias - the English speaking guide - was superb: knowledgeable, very considerate and with a great sense of humor. We saw all the mandatory religious sights, plus got a glimpse of life in the West Bank. Highly recommended. The extension to the Dead Sea is a must - crossing the desert, the Bedouins, taking a dip in the Dead Sea at 1,290 feet below sea level - a unique experience! Rami, the driver for the day, kept his cool and was very professional during this 10 hour day trip.

Elliias was a great tour...

andres_o, Sep 2023

Elliias was a great tour guide.. his knowledge and kindness make the tour unforgettable . Amazing experience

the experience is great

Hector_M, Sep 2023

the trip there is nice but too short time to enjoy the dead sea. would be nice to have more time to enjoy the swimming in the dead sea

Informative , Excellent , Dont Miss Kind Of Tour...

Simon_G, Sep 2023

The whole tour of Bethlehem...Elias our tour guide...the detail/explanations throughout the tour were simply Awesome 10 out of 10....Will Definitely Recommend.

Excellent guide

Barbro_S, Aug 2023

The guide in Betlehem was amazing. All in all a great trip but maybe a bit too much in one day, especially from Tel aviv

Bethelem and Dead Sea are "must see" spots

Roberto_G, Aug 2023

The guide in Bethelem managed to take the group to all spots, despite the challenges (ceremonies, other groups, etc). The last stop at the gift shop was convenient, giving the opportunity to purchase a sandwich by late morning and saving a precious time. And the bath in the Dead Sea is a must, no one should skip that.

Amazing trip - the guide...

Tina_B, Aug 2023

Amazing trip - the guide was very knowledgeable and brought humour to the tour. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.

Good Value and Well Run tour of two iconic destinations

Heydon_M, Aug 2023

I had a great tour with Johnny, A local Bethlehem Palestinian guide. The first half was spent in the church sites in Bethlehem, and the second half was spent at the Dead Sea. It was a very quick stop for lunch at a gift shop, where most of us bought our tickets to the Dead Sea. Do note that you have to budget for the additional cost of lunch and your ticket to the Dead Sea beach. The Dead Sea was my personal highlight. The beach resort had easy access and great facilities, and you could buy drinks etc for reasonable prices. We had at least two hours here and it was plenty of time. I’m not sure why other reviewers are critiquing it being overly religious. It’s really not - and besides, you don’t come to the birthplace of Jesus and avoid religion. Our guide certainly didn’t preach to us. My only criticism was that the Church of the Nativity was very crowded, but that’s just the popularity of the site and no fault of our guide. Overall a great tour and happy I chose this one

The Bethlehem experience...

Tanja_T, Aug 2023

The Bethlehem experience and tour with our tour guide Elias was excellent. The Dead Sea part of the tour was average but the Bethlehem tour is well worth it.

Only made for close to religion believers

Lucia_N, Aug 2023

The tour was too focus on religion. The context, political history and information about what happened apart from what the bible says never came. If you read the wikipedia you spare the money

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We highly value your perspective, and we understand that personal preferences can vary. However, we believe that the rating of 1 out of 5 stars might not accurately represent the full scope of our Christian religious tour. Our tour is designed with a strong emphasis on exploring Christian religious sites, offering participants a unique and immersive experience into the profound spiritual history and significance of these locations. We strive to deliver a journey that delves deeply into the cultural and religious heritage, providing valuable insights into the biblical narratives and the profound impact of these sites on history. While we acknowledge that different travelers may have diverse expectations, our primary goal remains to create a meaningful and enriching experience for those seeking a deeper connection with Christian heritage. We continually strive to enhance our offerings and cater to the preferences of our diverse clientele. Once again, thank you for your feedback, as it aids us in our constant efforts to improve and refine our tours to better meet the expectations and aspirations of our valued guests. We sincerely hope you reconsider and allow us the opportunity to provide you with a more fulfilling experience in the future.

Contrasting day

John_S, Aug 2023

The information given was really good . Nice to relax at the dead sea later.A very different experience visiting Bethlehem,seeing holy sights to rubbing your self in mud later at the dead sea with a beer to cool down.

Excellent and Knowledgeable

John_H, Aug 2023

Excellent and knowledgeable guide. Hospitable hosts along the way. My wife and I enjoyed our experience. We can easily recommend this tour.

An amazing experience!

Louise_F, Jul 2023

I went on this tour with my teenage son and it was one of the best days of our trip to Israel. The tour was made by our guide, Elias, who was friendly, knowledgeable, welcoming, funny and he genuinely wanted to share his passion with you. He welcomed all questions and we learned so much from him. The pick up was easy and the coach had full AC. It was a great day and I would definitely use the company again. Shukran Elias and Rami for a wonderful day!

Very nice !

Mathew_A, Jul 2023

Our tour guide Elias was simply amazing.. everything was organized very well and on time Very nice trip to Bethlehem and Dea sea

Bethlehem and Dead Sea

Michael_C, Jul 2023

The entire experience was amazing. Our incredible tour guide for Bethlehem, Elias, was easy to approach and funny, but provided the reverence that each site deserves. The city and churches were fantastic and the experience moving. The Dead Sea was also a tremendously humbling experience in that it is such a natural marvel.

Amazing! Really worthy with this agency

Javier_N, Jul 2023

Drivers and tour guide. Super profesional, trying their best and providing as much as they can. I read some bad reviews regarding the queu in the nativity church in Bethlem, that's not up to the guides and still they try to maximize the time and providing a personal view and experience about the local lifes and what media doesn't show up. Special thanks to George the driver. All the best!

Best part of our trip to Israel

Muriel_G, Jul 2023

This Day Tour was the highlight of our family's trip!! We traveled from Tel Aviv (pick up wasn't at our hotel, which means some extra transportation logistics for going and returning. Who knew that finding a taxi on a Friday evening would be such a headache) The Bethlehem portion of the trip was very well-organized. Elias was a wonderful guide and provided us with a lot of insight into the area and the Birth of Christ in an engaging way. The tour provides water on the Coach (nice perk). FYI - Bethlehem is in Palestine and we were recommended to travel with our Passports in case of a check at the checkpoint. Our afternoon was spent at Neve Midbar at the Dead Sea. We were provided with 2 hours. This was enough time to float, smother ourselves with mud, and then shower and change. Bring a newspaper/book for awesome pictures. We even had time for a camel ride before we returned to the bus (Highly recommend).

Amazing tour with Elias

Oliver_J, Jun 2023

Enjoyed both halves of...

Tom_L, Jun 2023

Enjoyed both halves of the trip - Bethlehem and the Dead Sea. Our guide in Bethlehem was friendly and informative, and did a great job keeping the group together.