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The Quest for Herod’s Tomb

The Quest of Herod’s Tomb Tour

Although his period of reign was about 2,000 years ago, Herod still stands as one of the most significant rulers in the history of the Holy Land. Appointed by the Romans in 40 BCE, Herod reigned for over 30 years. He brought unprecedented prosperity to the land and transformed it with massive building projects.  Caesarea, Jerusalem, Masada and Jericho are just some of the sites which he either founded, or dramatically changed. He also created a fortified palace complex near Bethlehem, naming it after himself – Herodium. He was eventually also buried in it, a burial that marked the end of an era. Unfortunately, the exact location of the tomb was not described by the historical sources. The site of Herodium has been excavated since the 1960s. This specially designed tour will follow the attempts to track Herod’s tomb, and the discoveries made so far. Prepare for the unknown!

Did you Know?

Reigning over the Jews, Herod kept Kosher, and among others he avoided eating pork. On the other, several times he executed some of his own family members. Augustus phrased it best – “[In Herod’s court it seems that] it is better to be Herod’s pig than his son”.

Morning – Searching for Herod’s Tomb in Herodium

Our tour will start with a 30-minute drive from Jerusalem to Herodium. Set on a promontory hill near Bethlehem, the top of the Herodium’s Citadel provides some stunning views of the Judean Desert. On a good day, the Dead Sea and the Mountains of Moab can be seen. Resembling a volcano, the citadel is a really a massive scale man-made project, which was originally three flights higher than today. The Citadel proved to contain a lavish palace and giant water reservoirs beneath it. No signs of the Herod’s tomb were found there. The lower city was excavated for more than 40 years by Prof. Netzer from the Hebrew University. He discovered a big size pool with a bath house, Jewish ritual baths and some public buildings, but no sign of the legendary tomb.

Sensational Discovery

herodium-tomb-modelIn 2007, in a last attempt before he retired, Netzer dug on the steep perimeter of the Citadel. To everyone’s surprise, one of the probes yielded the foundation of a structure with fine ornamentations. But the most exciting discoveries were framgents of 3 nicely decorated stone coffins. The discovery became international headlines, as Netzer stated he was certain he found the lost sepulchre of King Herod. Our tour will follow the different attempts to track the lost tomb, both in the lower and the upper city. We will also walk through some underground water reservoirs, and finally view Netzer’s discovery. However, a close examination of the finds will also present the problem with identifying this discovery as Herod’s tomb. But if this is not Herod’s tomb, then who was buried here? And if Herod is not buried here, where is he buried??

Noon – Examining Tombs in the Kidron Valley

Following a short lunch break, we will drive back to Jerusalem and visit the famous tombs in the Kidron Valley opposite the Temple Mount. Formed in the same time frame as King Herod, these tombs are a good parallel to the discovery made in Herodium. The comparative analysis will lead us to some interesting theories.

Afternoon – Studying the Finds at the Israel Museum

We will end the day with a visit to the Israel Museum, in western Jerusalem. Established as the national museum of Israel, the Israel Museum also has a big and important archaeological wing. Our focus will be the display of the red limestone coffin, and the fragments of the sepulchre, that Netzer found in Herodium.

Are these all parts of Herod’s tomb? Have we really solved the riddle?

What’s included

  • Guiding done by a licensed and expert private guide
  • Transportation in luxury level van or SUV
  • Pick-up and drop-off at any address
  • Free Wi-Fi and chilled bottled mineral water

What’s excluded

  • Site entrance fees
  • Meals and snacks
  • Gratuities

What to bring

  • Hat and sunscreen
  • Some cash

Email or contact us to inquire more about this special private tour:





















    We booked a helicopter tour with Danny in March. Everything perfectly organized from A to Z!! It doesn't get any better! Thanks a lot for this! 100% recommended!

    Albert S,. Germany

    I would like to thank you once again for the really good time we had in Israel, thanks to you. The whole experience… had an amazing impact on me, it made me see things in a different light.. thank you!

    Mieke Van der V., Holland

    My parents cannot stop talking about how you made this trip so amazing!! .. We just loved how you made everything so interesting and educational. Thank you again for everything!!... Israel is lucky to have you.

    Dalia S., USA

    Thank you for an amazing couple of days, we could not have seen half of what we wanted without you. Everything was perfect!

    Allison W,. USA

    Thanks very much for a really special day. I loved being able to go to the special places for Christians.. an everlasting experience for me… And thanks… for your professionalism and deep knowledge and dedication...

    Ann D., New Zealand

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