Sunrise at Masada Fortress

Flashback to that time I hiked up to the Masada mountain complex in Israel at 4am to take in an epic sunrise.⁠ * Masada isn’t just any old mountain; it’s an ancient fortification erected by Herod the Great in 30 BCE residing on an enormous rock plateau, and today you’ll see the fortress ruins. * According to my guide, when Roman troops invaded Masada at the end of the First Jewish–Roman War, almost 1,000 Sicarii rebels and Jewish freedom fighters — those who had been trying to get rid of the Romans from Judea — killed themselves, as they would have rather committed suicide and be with God than be killed or enslaved by their enemy. * Today, you can hike up a steep 45-60-minute climb to pay your respects at the site and also take in the view out toward the Dead Sea. * By the way, if you're interested in visiting Israel -- particularly solo -- @MyTrendyTrail wrote a super in-depth guest post providing insider tips and itineraries.⁠ * You can swipe up in my IG Stories to grab the guide!