Must Do’s: Number Two – Masada and the Dead Sea

In my last blog entry, I recommended what to visit if you only have one day in Israel.

Say you have two days? The first day should be spent in the Old City of Jerusalem. The second day should be spent at Masada National Park followed by a swim in the Dead Sea.

Jerome Murphy-O’Connor, is a Dominican priest and head of the World Famous Ecole Biblique et Archeologique Francaise in Jerusalem and author of the best archaeological guide book for the Holy Land, “The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide.” Rightly so, Murphy-O’Connor says, “Masada is the most spectacular site in the country and scene of one of the most dramatic episodes in its history.”

If you have an Irish priest telling you that the most awesome site to visit in Israel is in the Judean Desert and has nothing to do with Jesus and Christianity, it really must be something – and it is!

I recommend rising very early to climb Masada and witness the sunrise from the summit. Since most visitors arrive by car from Jerusalem (about an hour and twenty minute ride), visitors should start their climb about fifty minutes before sunrise at the latest. The box office at the entrance opens an hour before dawn, but be sure to bring plenty of water for the hike up and a flashlight. The length of the trail is about two kilometers and is moderately strenuous.

This is an especially good idea most of the year because of the heat. A lot of you take visits to Israel in the summer. The average temperature at Masada is over 105 F.

However, if you are visiting Masada without a guide, an audio guide is available for hire at the visitors’ center which opens at 8 am. There is also an excellent museum on site.

As for the Dead Sea, let’s leave that for the next blog.