Day trips from Jerusalem

Masada National Park

גן לאומי מצדה

Dead Sea

Herod's cliff-top palace-fortress and the site of the rebels' last stand against Rome, a UNESCO World Heritage site above the Dead Sea. You can ride the cable car from the eastern side or walk up the Snake Path from the east or the Roman ramp from Arad in the west.

English spoken

Call Directions Website

Address: Masada National Park, Route 90, Dead Sea גן לאומי מצדה, כביש 90, ים המלח
Phone: *3639
Hours: Summer Sun–Thu and Sat 08:00–17:00, Fri and holiday eves 08:00–16:00. Winter Sun–Thu and Sat 08:00–16:00, Fri and holiday eves 08:00–15:00. Entry closes an hour before; the last cable car up leaves an hour before closing.
Website: en.parks.org.il
Price: ₪₪
Last checked: 2026-09

Call ahead to confirm hours.

Plan your visit

Tickets

Adult ₪37 Child ₪21

₪37 / ₪21 is entry without the cable car. The cable car is charged separately and does not include entry: one way ₪32 adult and ₪16 child, return ₪54 adult and ₪32 child. The Yigal Yadin museum is ₪20 flat and must be reserved. Headphones for simultaneous translation in English, German, French, Russian or Spanish cost ₪15 extra at the night show. Entry is covered by a Nature and Parks Authority Matmon annual subscription and by the Israel Pass; Matmon subscribers pay ₪35 for the audiovisual show instead of ₪45.

Discounts

Students ₪31, reservists ₪28, soldiers in regular, national or civilian service ₪21, Israeli senior citizens ₪19, school pupils ₪10. Groups of more than 30: ₪31 adult, ₪18 child.

Parking

Covered parking at the eastern (Snake Path) entrance; parking, toilets and a visitor service centre on the western (Roman ramp) side, reached from Arad on Route 3199.

Getting there

About 1 hour 30 minutes from Jerusalem by car on Route 1 and Route 90, 18 km south of Ein Gedi. Egged lines 486, 444 and 421 run from Jerusalem Central Bus Station to Masada roughly hourly Sunday to Thursday and until early afternoon on Friday; line 444 usually needs an advance reservation. No buses from Friday afternoon until Saturday night.

How long to allowFull day trip AgesAll ages if you take the cable car — the cable car and the bridge are wheelchair accessible and the plateau has concrete paths. The Snake Path is an hour's steep climb graded high difficulty; the Roman ramp is half an hour and intermediate. The descent into the Northern Palace is many steps with handrails. Indoor or outdoorOutdoor On Shabbat and chagimOpen Best time to goAutumn, winter and early spring. Masada in July is a heat-management exercise, not a day out: the Parks Authority cuts the Snake Path's last ascent to 10:00 in ordinary hot weather, 08:00 when it is very hot and 07:00 in extreme heat. AccessibilityAt the eastern entrance: covered parking, museum, shops, film halls and lifts are all accessible, and the cable car and bridge take wheelchairs. On the plateau: concrete paths, toilets, handrails on steps, benches, shaded gathering places and access to most key sites and lookouts, with models and relief maps for visitors with impaired vision. The lookouts and models substitute for the stepped descent into the Northern Palace.

Insider tips

Book a time slot online; if your slot is full on arrival you will be asked to show the confirmation to get in.
In extreme heat the Snake Path shuts for ascent at 07:00 and the Roman ramp at 11:00 — check the forecast the night before.
The Snake Path opens for ascent about an hour before sunrise; arrive 30 minutes earlier to buy tickets.
The cable car price is on top of entry, not instead of it.
The Tanners' Tower is closed for safety; the light and sound show runs Tuesdays and Thursdays on the western side.

On the map

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