Most hotels at the Dead Sea offer packages for visitors to experience the Dead Sea for one day. You can use the spa facilities and swim in the Dead Sea. One of the perks is being able to cover yourself in Dead Sea black mud, which is known to contain organic minerals and salts. The black mud and the Dead Sea waters heal the skin because the water is rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium. The water is said to help arthritis and skin problems like psoriasis and eczema.
In 1947, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by Bedouin goat-herders who found the scrolls in jars in a cave near the Dead Sea, now called the Qumran Cave. Between 1947 and 1956, eleven other caves containing scrolls were discovered. These scrolls or manuscripts are from roughly 200 B.C. to 68 A.C. and were written in Hebrew and Aramaic. You can visit the caves on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea.
Visit the Ein Avdat, a National Park and canyon in the middle of the Negev Desert. Hike the trails and visit some of the desert water pools and waterfalls. The canyon is home to ibex and Euphrates poplar trees. Take a one- to two-hour tour of the canyon.
Masada was an ancient fortress in the first century C.E. and is one of the most visited places in Israel. After Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem, the Zealots fled to Masada, King Herod's fortress, and stayed there for three years until committing suicide when the Romans returned to kill them. Masada is an isolated mountain in the middle of the desert, and the only access to the top is a snake trail that winds up the side of the rock or a gondola. The site has been excavated, and you can see what Herod's palace was like during his reign. Masada is a destination not to be missed.
Instead of staying in a hotel, indulge in Bedouin hospitality. Stay in a Bedouin tent and experience their culture. Eat your meals on mats on the floor and listen to authentic music. You can take a camel (or donkey) ride or go for a midnight stroll in the desert.
