Private Tour: The Best of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea

Jerusalem, Israel

Private Tour Highlights of Israel Day Trip from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv Including Old Jerusalem Western Wall and the Dead Sea

From $430.00

Price varies by group size

Select Date and Travelers

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

10 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Enjoy the highlights of Israel in Jerusalem and at the Dead Sea on this full-day tour with your own private guide. Look down on Jerusalem from atop the Mount of Olives, with a view of the Dome of the Rock. Visit Holy Land sites like the Garden of Gethsemane, the Western Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, to name a few. Then at the Dead Sea, float or swim in the rejuvenating waters for a unique and unforgettable experience. Hotel transport by private vehicle is included.

Full-day Old Jerusalem and Dead Sea trip from Jerusalem with a private driver-guide
Enjoy the city views from the Mount of Olives and see the Garden of Gethsemane
Enter the Old City to visit the Western Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Walk part of the Via Dolorosa, the route Jesus took to his crucifixion
Travel through the rugged Judean Desert to the Dead Sea
Float in the salt-rich waters and coat yourself in the health-giving mud
Enjoy a flexible itinerary and undivided attention from a guide on this private tour

What's Included

Pickup and drop-off around the city
Professional private guide
Air-conditioned vehicle

Food and drinks
Entrance fees

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

08:30 AM

What To Expect

This full-day tour begins with a prearranged Jerusalem hotel pickup in a private, air-conditioned coach.
The itinerary on this tour can be customized to any interests, for example, spending more time at one location over another. That’s one of the primary advantages of this private tour.
The first stop is at the Mount of Olives for a scenic overview of the entire city of Jerusalem. This mountain ridge is east of the Old City and named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes. From atop the mount, there is also a view of the Dome of the Rock, a shrine located on the Temple Mount and one of the oldest works of Islamic architecture. It is arguably Jerusalem's most recognizable landmark.
Throughout the day, listen as your guide shares interesting information about Jerusalem’s 4,000-year-old history and explains its sacred place in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religions.
The tour then passes through the Garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives. This garden is known as the place where Jesus prayed, and also where his disciples slept, the night before his crucifixion. Then it’s off to the Walls of Jerusalem that surround the Old City. The walls were built in the 1530s, when Jerusalem was part of the Ottoman Empire, to protect its borders from intruders.
Further along through the Armenian Quarter, visit the famous Western Wall, the holiest of Jewish sites, then to the Christian Quarter along the Via Dolorosa, the street that Jesus walked along on the way to his crucifixion. Here, look for the 14 stations of the cross while retracing Jesus’ steps to the Hill of Calvary, now the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Upon arrival at the Dead Sea, change into a swimsuit and head to the water. At 1,312 feet (400 meters) below sea level, this is the lowest place on earth. After applying a covering of mineral-rich black mud, wash it off in a sulfur pool before a therapeutic swim or float in the legendary Dead Sea.
The tour concludes here for a return trip to your original departure point.

Monte das Oliveiras

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Garden of Gethsemane

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kidron Valley (Pass By)

Old City of Jerusalem

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Armenian Quarter

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Jewish Quarter

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Cardo

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Western Wall

25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Christian Quarter

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

The Way of the Cross - Via Dolorosa

40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Judaean Desert (Pass By)

Dead Sea

2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 12 hours of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
This itinerary is only a proposal; we can customize this private tour according to your wishes
Modest dress is required when entering the holy sites; covered knees and shoulders
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
We recommend to bring comfortable walking shoes, swimwear, water, towel and sun protection.

Near public transportation
Infant seats available
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
On Saturday and holidays, an extra charge of $125 applies
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

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

Reviews

4.5

12 reviews

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

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-5 of 12 reviews

Fabulous tour of the Jerusalem and the dead sea

Megan_H, Jun 2023

Gil provided the perfect day for us. His expertise was much appreciated, and his tour of the holy city was great. We ended the day with a drive out to the Dead Sea which was a wonderful experience in itself.

Response from Host, Jun 2023

We're thrilled to hear that you had a fabulous tour of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea with Gil! His expertise and guidance made the day perfect for you, and we're glad to know that you appreciated his knowledge during the tour of the holy city. Ending the day with a drive out to the Dead Sea must have been a wonderful experience. The Dead Sea is indeed a unique and remarkable place to visit.

Unprofessional and rude

Miriam_P, Aug 2022

He kept trying to guide us to specific restaurants, uninformative , wasn’t friendly and left us early

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Dear Miriam_P, We appreciate your review. We would love to get more specific details from you regarding your experience. Please contact our office for further treatment.

With tour guide Sheffer Meir

Gary_F, Dec 2018

With him i visited and learned so much of Jerusalem and Bethlehem....it was all what I hoped for....thank you Shaffer!

A most memorable tour

Jonathan C, Sep 2018

Sara, our guide, was absolutely fantastic. She immediately got a sense of our understanding of history, our predilection for intelligent insights, and the pace in which we wanted to cover Jerusalem. Our tour covered the major touchpoints for the Christian, Jewish and Muslim interests of the city. Of course, there's so much more to see, but it gave us exactly the base in which it allowed us the next day to explore further with confidence and direction.We also visited the Dead Sea... which frankly is more of a tourist trap, but we were glad we did it. The phenomenological experience of floating in such waters is truly singular. Next, as it was our first time in Israel, it was very interesting to pass through the Palestinian Authority on our way to the Dead Sea. Lastly, it was a nice punctuation to a busy day running around Jerusalem to lazily bob around the salty waters.I would highly recommend this tour for first time visitors to Jerusalem. The tour company was punctual, communicative and offered what they advertised.

It was a fantastic tour, and Zahi...

TIMOTHYE_T, Jul 2016

It was a fantastic tour, and Zahi was wonderful. We learned so much and had shops time. Kudos!!!