Day 02 - Negev: Masada, Bedouin Hospitality, Camel Ride, Wadi Zohar, Dead Sea

We began the morning in song and prayer before we headed out for an adventurous day!

Our first stop was the Masada. The Masada was built by Herod around 30 BC. The majority of our group tackled the steep Snake Trail (1,148 ft elevation gain!), which was the only entrance up to Masada (thankfully there is gondola now!). You can see the actual structures that made up Masada. Some buildings have black lines on their walls - everything below the black line is original brick and plaster from 30 BC!

Our second stop of the day was a bucket list item! Everyone had the opportunity to ride a camel! Note - people did not ride camels for long periods of time back then (VERY uncomfortable!). Instead, they used the camel’s strength to carry food, spices, and a lot of their belongings while traveling. We also had the opportunity to learn about and experience Bedouin hospitality.

The last stop of the day was Wadi Zohar. Pastor Jesse shared a short devotional about building a firm foundation. In the photo, you can see an old Roman defense camp that was built on a firm foundation many years ago.

After a long day, a large group went off to go float in the Dead Sea.

We will see you all tomorrow! The Jordan River awaits us!