Jaunts

Masada is an ancient fortress built by King Herod of Judea between 37 and 31 BCE atop a rock plateau situated in the South District of Israel on the eastern border of the Judean Desert near the shore of the Dead Sea. Herod is not credited with discovering the site, which had historically been chosen for its remote location that naturally provided protection to its dwellers but it was he who built a mini-city there as a refuge against his enemy, the Romans.  Around 73 or 74 CE, the Romans sieged Masada to find that the inhabitants, most likely Jewish freedom fighters, had chosen to take their own lives rather than surrender. To many, Masada symbolizes the brave human struggle for freedom from oppression.

The highest point is approximately 1,300 feet on the east edge of Masada and the top of the flat plateau is about 1,800 feet x 900 feet.

In 2001, Masada was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and is a top attraction in Israel due to its historical significance and magnificent views of the Judean Desert and Dead Sea.

WHY HIKE AT SUNRISE?

So glad that you asked! The answer is simple: witnessing the sun beginning to rise over the Jordanian Mountains and emerge over the Dead Sea is a breathtaking experience. There is a sense of accomplishment after reaching the top and you will be rewarded with extraordinary panoramic vistas and the ability to tour the impressive remains of Herod’s fortress.

WHICH PATH TO CHOOSE?

Great question! There are two paths to hike to the top:  The Snake Path (East side) and The Roman Ramp (West side). You must choose your path beforehand in order to plot your driving route to one of the two entrances, accordingly. Driving between the two is quite a distance so it is important to note that you will have to descend/exit on the same side that you ascended. The visitors’ center, cable car, restaurant and gift shop are only accessible on the East side (but none of these are open at sunrise).  If you are weary of the hike, then skip sunrise and take the cable car to the top later in the day. Definitely look into the evening light show (West side) and offerings at the visitors’ center (East side).

WHAT WAS THE CANDI DISH EXPERIENCE?

It was dynamic and invigorating!  Many choose to take a private or group tour from Jerusalem to hike Masada at sunrise given that the arrival will be in the dark and in unfamiliar territory coupled with the desire to be guided and educated on the sites the entire time by a pro.

We chose to do it on our own. This is how we did it:

1) ROAD TRIP with a rental car from Tel Aviv airport after arriving in Israel specifically for this 24-hour journey to the Dead Sea. The drive was less than 2 hours and gave us a glimpse into the diversity of the State.

Car rentals in Israel are reasonably priced but note that there will be an airport pick-up charge and most likely a maximum limit of 250 km per day.  So, if you plan to only use the car for a day it may be worth reserving it for two to give you the 500 km limit (assuming that you will not be penalized for returning the car early).  Rules and regulations are clearly explained by the rental car companies so be sure to read them. Lastly, you may wish to become familiar with the various English spellings of cities (i.e. Masada = Metzada, Massada.) for inputting into the GPS.

2) Consider STAYING at a resort in Ein Bokek, which is an approximate 15-minute drive from Masada.  Most hotels have relaxing spa facilities (farewell jet lag!) and are within walking distance to the Dead Sea. Other options in the vicinity are the guest houses/hostels at Ein Gedi or at the base of Masada. The Candi Dish visited this seaside area “off season” which is a totally different ball game from “peak season” with respect to costs and crowds.

3) BREAKFAST is a MUST to fuel up pre-hike!  Given that it will be too early to eat at your hotel before you head out, I highly suggest buying non-perishable food ahead of time.  There are establishments in the shopping centers along the Dead Sea in Ein Bokek but you should check for their opening times beforehand so that you are not stuck without grub.

4) Planning a TIMETABLE is key.  Sunrise was at 6:33 am that morning so the goal was to be atop Masada by then. We departed the hotel at 5:10 am to allow 20 minutes for the drive (there was construction on Route 90) for the 5:30 am opening of Masada National Park.

5) The ROUTE from Ein Bokek to Masada’s Snake Path (the route to the Roman Ramp is different on Route 90; via Arad) is a straight shot and you will see a sign that prompts you to take a left into the park (this is helpful in the dark).  Follow the road to the guard gate and take a left (before the barrier) to the parking lot. Purchase tickets, pick up a map and enter at the guard gate.

6) Thankfully we had FLASHLIGHTS because it was really dark at first. The summation is that The Snake Path is challenging (blame it on jet lag, dehydration from traveling and the fact that we did not pace ourselves at first)!  Our climb took an hour (including water and photo breaks).  There was a group of experienced hikers that made it in approximately 30 minutes and other folks took longer than 60 minutes.

7) AH HA! Reaching the top was exhilarating!  We seized each moment and took in the endless photo opportunities and explored the self-explanatory sites for over an hour.  Spending time discovering Herod’s ancient city gave us the chance to take the cable car down in a zippy 3 minutes.

 

 

 

 

It is amazing how different everything looks in the broad daylight.

Summary List before your Masada Hike:

Plan ahead:  check sunrise time and weather conditions
Dress in layers according to temperatures
Don’t forget to bring: a flashlight; abundant water; camera, hat, sunscreen.

 

Whether you visit independently or on a tour…go for it!