Private Tours in Israel
Spend the morning in the world's most sacred city and the afternoon floating at the lowest point on Earth. This private jerusalem and dead sea tour gives your group its own licensed guide and private air-conditioned car, with hotel pickup and a pace that is entirely yours.
Your private Jerusalem and Dead Sea tour begins with the view from the Mount of Olives, then walks into the Old City past the Garden of Gethsemane and the Kidron Valley tombs. See the Byzantine Cardo and the Western Wall, follow the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and browse the markets. After lunch, drive down through the Judean Desert, past the oasis city of Jericho, to the shore of the Dead Sea.
At the beach you float effortlessly in mineral-rich water and can coat yourself in black Dead Sea mud before rinsing off in the showers. Because this is a private Jerusalem and Dead Sea tour, you choose how long to stay in each place, whether that means more time in the Old City or a longer swim.
Allow about 10 hours door to door. Bring swimwear, a towel and your passport. English is standard, other languages on request. Prefer a group day? Book the Jerusalem and Dead Sea tour. Want Masada too? See the private Masada and Dead Sea tour or the Dead Sea relaxation tour.
Numbers match the itinerary below. Solid lines are walking legs, dashed lines are drives. Map is for orientation only.
Your guide and driver collect you from your hotel or private address in the Tel Aviv area, or in Herzliya or Jerusalem. Pack your swimwear in a day bag, and the car keeps it safe while you explore.
Start with the view over the Dome of the Rock and the rooftops, steeples and minarets of the city from the Mount of Olives. On the way down you pass the Garden of Gethsemane and the ancient tombs of the Kidron Valley.
Enter the UNESCO-listed Old City and walk through the Armenian Quarter to the restored Byzantine Cardo, once the city's busiest street.
Visit the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, and watch daily prayer life on the plaza run by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.
Follow the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the holiest Christian site in the Old City. For a deeper church-focused day, see the Christian Jerusalem tour.
Walk through the Christian and Muslim Quarter bazaars and stop for lunch where your guide recommends, before heading east to the desert.
Descend more than 1,200 meters from Jerusalem to the Jordan Valley. You pass the Sea Level marker and views toward Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world.
Relax on a Dead Sea beach with showers and changing facilities. Float in the salty water of the Dead Sea, try the mineral mud and enjoy the desert light. Your guide recommends how long to stay in the water for comfort.
Head back to Jerusalem or the Tel Aviv area for door-to-door drop-off, usually between 17:30 and 18:30. Many guests add Masada on another day with our Masada Dead Sea tour.
You choose your pickup city when you book. We confirm the exact pickup time and place by email or WhatsApp the day before the tour.
Tour ends with: Return to your hotel
Pickup is from your hotel or private address in the Tel Aviv area at around 08:30. Pickup from Herzliya or Jerusalem can also be arranged. Because the tour is private, you can ask for an earlier or later start when you book, and we confirm the exact pickup time the day before.
Shoulders and knees must be covered at churches and at the Western Wall. Shorts and sleeveless tops are not allowed inside holy sites. A light scarf or shawl is handy. Swimwear is for the beach only.
Expect 2 to 3 hours of walking on stone streets and steps in Jerusalem. Floating in the Dead Sea is easy, but guests with heart conditions, high blood pressure or open cuts should check with a doctor first.
All ages are welcome. Children must be supervised closely in the Dead Sea and should keep the water away from their eyes. Child seats are available on request.
The tour is guided in English. Spanish, French, German and Russian guides are available on request for a supplement. Please ask before booking.
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the start time. Cancelling between 48 and 24 hours before the tour carries a 25% fee. Cancelling within 24 hours of the start time, or not showing up, carries a 100% fee.
| When you cancel | Cancellation fee |
|---|---|
| 48+ hours before the start time | Free cancellation |
| 24 to 47 hours before | 25% fee |
| Less than 24 hours before, or no-show | 100% fee (no refund) |
Need to change your date instead? Message us before the tour and we will do our best to move your booking. If we cancel or materially change a tour, you can choose an alternative date, a credit or a refund. Read the booking terms.
This is a private tour, so you pay one total price for your whole group, not a price per seat. The price steps up with group size because a bigger group needs a bigger vehicle: 1 to 3 guests, 4 to 6 guests, 7 to 13 guests and 14 to 16 guests each have their own group price. Choose your number of guests in the booking form and it shows the exact total for your group before you pay. The maximum group size is 16 guests. For larger groups, message us and we will build a custom quote.
Bring swimwear, a towel, flip-flops and sunscreen, and water shoes if you have them. Do not shave on the day, and keep the water away from your eyes. The Dead Sea is about ten times saltier than the ocean, so you float without effort.
A typical plan is about 4 hours in Jerusalem and 2 hours at the Dead Sea, with about 10 hours in total. Because the tour is private, you can shift the balance, for example a shorter walk in the Old City and a longer swim.
Cover shoulders and knees for the churches and the Western Wall, and wear comfortable closed shoes. You can change into swimwear at the beach. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation lists its dress guidelines.
Yes. Kids usually love floating, but they must not splash or swallow the water and need close supervision. Your guide sets a family-friendly pace. Child seats are available on request. For a relaxed beach-only day, see the Dead Sea relaxation tour.
Yes, please carry your passport. The road to the Dead Sea passes through checkpoints where ID can be requested. For current advice see the official Israel tourism site.
English is included as standard. A private guide in Spanish, French, German or Russian can usually be arranged on request for a supplement. Please message us before booking so we can confirm a guide for your date. Guides are licensed by the Israel Ministry of Tourism.
Lunch is not included. Eat in the Old City or at the beach restaurant, whichever suits your group. Your guide will suggest good options. For a Jerusalem-only day, see the private Jerusalem tour.
Yes, the route can be customized. For a dedicated desert day, see the private Masada and Dead Sea tour or our Jericho, Jordan River and Dead Sea tour.
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the start time. Cancelling between 48 and 24 hours before the tour carries a 25% fee. Cancelling within 24 hours of the start time, or not showing up, carries a 100% fee. You can also ask to move your date instead of cancelling, subject to guide availability.
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