Things to do in Jericho
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Jericho
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best season: mild, dry and sunny at 18 to 24C by day, the winter sun escape, with flash flood care in wadis after rain.
Excellent in March with Wadi Qelt flowers, warming fast to low and mid 30s by May, with Easter pilgrim traffic in spring.
Brutal heat, highs in the high 30s to low 40s Celsius. Sites at opening only, no midday hiking, pools and evenings carry the trip.
Second good window: still hot in October, comfortable and dry by November, with autumn date harvest colour in the valley.
What's on
- Epiphany at Qasr al-Yahud 6 January, Western churches
Large celebrations at the baptism site; expect crowds and possible restrictions, confirm access in advance.
- Theophany at Qasr al-Yahud 19 January, Orthodox churches
Orthodox celebrations on the Jordan, among the busiest pilgrim days of the year at the site.
- Easter period pilgrim traffic spring, dates vary by year
Pilgrim groups pass through Jericho in numbers; book stays and drivers ahead.
- Mawsim Nabi Musa spring, historic pilgrimage season, dates and gatherings vary by year
Historic pilgrimage to the Nabi Musa shrine; ask locally whether any gathering is planned before visiting that week.
- Medjool date harvest autumn, harvest timing varies
Valley farms harvest dates in autumn; roadside stalls around Jericho sell fresh dates and bananas.
Best things to do in Jericho
Tell es-Sultan
UNESCO listed ancient Jericho tell with layers back to around 9000 BC, a Neolithic tower and almost no shade.
Elisha's Spring
The spring beside the tell that made settlement possible here, a shaded stop paired with Tell es-Sultan.
Hisham's Palace
Umayyad palace with a vast sheltered bath mosaic and the Tree of Life panel, best seen early or late.
Monastery of the Temptation
Cliff monastery reached by cable car over the oasis, with a cave church and views to the Dead Sea.
Zacchaeus Sycamore Tree
The old sycamore tied to the Zacchaeus story in Luke 19, a five minute stop in the town centre.
Nabi Musa
Quiet Mamluk era shrine of Moses on the desert road, atmospheric outside pilgrimage season.
Where to stay in Jericho
Jerusalem Road resort area
full service hotel stays with a driver
Resort hotels south of the centre with pools and parking, a taxi ride from dinner and the sites.
Tell es-Sultan and Ain es-Sultan
independent travellers on foot in cooler hours
Guesthouses by the tell, the spring and the cable car, with the most local advice per dinar of any area.
Aqabat Jaber
budget and hostel stays
Residential neighbourhood south west of the centre with local cafes and an everyday, non tourist feel.
North Jericho and Nu'eima edge
resort stays near Hisham's Palace
Garden resorts and big family restaurants on the northern edge, quiet at night and car dependent.
Think twice about
- Unmanaged Dead Sea shoreline
Sinkholes, sharp salt, soft ground and no supervision. Float only at managed beaches such as Kalia and Biankini.
- Riverbank and church compounds outside the managed Qasr al-Yahud site
Militarised border zone with signed mine risk around closed compounds. Stay inside the managed site and follow instructions.
- Wadi Qelt canyon in midday summer heat or when rain is forecast upstream
Extreme heat with no shade or reliable water, and flash flood risk after rain in the Jerusalem hills.
Best restaurants in Jericho
Green Valley Restaurant
Spacious garden restaurant for generous grills, mezze and salads, the default local recommendation.
Limona Restaurant
Large garden restaurant in Nu'eima for family evenings, Mediterranean plates and shisha.
Temptation Restaurant
Long running lunch restaurant by the tell and cable car, built for the Jericho tour day.
Sultana Restaurant
Straightforward local restaurant for Mediterranean plates and grills at town prices.
Outdoor things to do in Jericho
Qasr al-Yahud Baptismal Site
Managed baptism site on the narrow Jordan in a border zone, reached by one permitted road only.
Kalia Beach
Managed paid Dead Sea beach most Jericho tours use, with showers, shade, mud and a float.
Biankini Beach
Resort style paid Dead Sea beach with pool and restaurant, good for a slower family float day.
St. George's Monastery
Cliff built monastery in Wadi Qelt reached by a steep descent, with a viewpoint above the canyon.
Wadi Qelt
Guided desert canyon hike past springs, aqueducts and St George's Monastery, dawn starts only in heat.
Best hotels in Jericho
InterContinental Jericho
Historic five star tower by the closed Oasis Casino; it takes bookings, but check it's actually operating.
Jericho Resort Village
Sprawling garden resort with pools, popular for Palestinian family weekends and tour overnights.
Oasis Hotel Jericho
Newer full service hotel with spa and pool on the Jerusalem Road, best used with a driver or taxis.
Auberg-Inn
Family guesthouse in an orange grove near the tell, with a praised breakfast and knowledgeable hosts.
Sami Youth Hostel
Basic, sociable backpacker hostel in Aqabat Jaber, also listed as Sami Hostel, with local cafe life nearby.
Is Jericho expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ₪180 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ₪350 a person |
| Splurge | ₪750 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Qasr al-Yahud Baptismal Site: a few days ahead
- Wadi Qelt: a few days ahead
- InterContinental Jericho: weeks ahead
- Jericho Resort Village: a few days ahead
- Oasis Hotel Jericho: a few days ahead
- Auberg-Inn: a few days ahead
- Book guesthouses and resorts ahead for December to February and weekend dates, arrange a Wadi Qelt guide a day ahead, confirm Qasr al-Yahud opening on the day, and reconfirm the InterContinental in writing before relying on it.
Is Jericho safe?
- Follow checkpoint and border zone instructions exactly, carry your passport and entry slip at all times, and plan for extreme heat and sun, flash floods in wadis after upstream rain, and sinkholes on unmanaged Dead Sea shoreline.
Jericho travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Buying a cable car ticket before checking the monastery is open that day, donkey handlers at St George's presenting a bill for an unagreed ride, first taxi fares quoted at the Allenby terminal, and Dead Sea products at tour stops at multiples of town prices.
Getting around Jericho: public transport and more
- Shared taxis from Ramallah take under an hour by road when checkpoints flow. From Jerusalem most visitors route via Ramallah, take a private taxi, or join a guided day. Carry passport and entry slip for checkpoints, agree taxi fares before moving, and never take an Israeli rental car into Area A Jericho.
Who Jericho suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Jericho your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
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