Private Christian Heritage Tour of Madaba and Mount Nebo

After pick-up from your Dead Sea hotel, journey by a private, air-conditioned vehicle to the city of Madaba, known for its early medieval mosaics. The most famous is the 6th-century Mosaic Map of the Holy Land, housed in Madaba’s 19th-century Orthodox Saint George’s Church.

On arrival, join up with a local guide and, after admiring the church’s deceptively simple exterior, head inside to view the interior and mosaic. Wander around the richly detailed map, and learn how it depicts the Holy Land and Jordan of its time. Admire the colorful renderings of the Dead Sea, Jericho, and Jerusalem, note the references to biblical locations.

Next, drive to Mount Nebo, heading to the top of this mountain ridge where it’s believed Moses saw the Holy Land before he died. Admire the views over the Jordan Valley, and on a clear day, across to the Holy Land; and see the modern sculpture depicting Moses. Tour Mount Nebo Franciscan Church, a modern shrine that houses floor mosaics from around the 6th century. Gaze at the still-vivid scenes of soldiers, horses, hunters, and animals like peacocks and lions, and hear fascinating facts about the mosaic’s discovery.

Afterward, continue to Mukawer (Machaerus); a fortified hilltop palace to the east of the Dead Sea, founded by Herod the Great. According to 1st-century Romano-Jewish scholar, Flavius Josephus, the fortress was where John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded in 32 A.D., with his head presented to Herod’s son, Herod Antipas, on a plate by Princess Salome. View the ruins of this once-palatial and impregnable fortress, making out the walls, baths, and even the hall where it’s believed that Salome danced. 

Then, rejoin your vehicle, and return to Dead Sea, where your day finishes with a hotel drop-off.