Shared day tour · David Citadel Hotel, 7:45 AM
A morning with a local guide at the Church of the Nativity and Shepherds' Field, then the drive through the Judean Desert to an afternoon on the Dead Sea. Pick it if the holy sites matter to you as much as the float.
This tour splits the day in two. The listing includes air-conditioned transport, a tour guide in Bethlehem only, guided visits to the Church of the Nativity, the Milk Grotto and Shepherds' Field, and a bottle of water. The Dead Sea entry is not included: 45 NIS per person, with towels and lockers extra too. Food and drinks are on you.
You meet outside the David Citadel Hotel at 7:45 AM and ride to Bethlehem to meet the guide. The Church of the Nativity, first built under Constantine and dedicated in 339, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the first Palestinian site on the list. Entry to the Birth Grotto and St. Jerome's Grotto depends on services, queues and restoration work, and the listing says it cannot be guaranteed. Then come the Milk Grotto, the Chapel of the Shepherds' Field in Beit Sahour and an olive wood workshop. After a photo stop at the sea-level mark in the desert, you spend the rest of the day at the Dead Sea.
The listing has 4.7 stars from 491 reviews, the most reviewed of the holy-site trips here. Guests name Elias and say he was clear about what is folklore, what is biblical and what is history. Groups run up to 55. You need a valid passport and an Israeli visa on the day. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Meet outside the hotel on King David St and board the shared vehicle.
Meet your guide in Bethlehem and visit the basilica; grotto access depends on services and queues.
The Milk Grotto church, then the Chapel of the Shepherds' Field.
Watch artisans carve olive wood sculptures.
A photo stop at sea level in the desert, then float or relax on the beach (45 NIS).
Drop-off at the David Citadel Hotel.
★★★★★Absolutely the most incredible tour we have done. The entire team was so kind, very knowledgeable, and attentive. The flow was perfect, and we visited some incredible landmarks throughout Bethlehem and Palestine. Visiting the Dead Sea was surreal. [...]
★★★★★Our tour guide, Elias Boaz, was excellent - very credible, knowledgable and mindful. He mentioned the most salient info and stories about the historic & holy places we visited.
★★★★★Amazing experience! Highly recommend. Well organized and knowledgeable guide.
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No. The listing says entry is 45 NIS per person, paid on the day, and towels and lockers are extra.
Not always. The listing says entry to the Birth Grotto and St. Jerome's Grotto depends on church access, services, restoration work, queues and time, so it cannot be guaranteed.
A valid passport and an Israeli visa, according to the listing, plus comfortable shoes, a hat, swimwear, a towel and sunscreen.
Travel advice changes, so check your own government's before you go. The US State Department rates Israel Level 3, "Reconsider travel", in an update of 23 October 2026; its Level 4 areas are the north, the area near Gaza and the Egyptian border, and the alert does not mention the Dead Sea. The UK Foreign Office, in advice updated 22 July 2026, advises against all but essential travel to the West Bank except East Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho and all areas south of Jericho, which covers the Dead Sea road. This tour cancels free up to 24 hours before.
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The Church of the Nativity and Shepherds' Field with a local guide, then the afternoon at the Dead Sea.
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