The Jordan (Hebrew נהר הירדן Nahar haJarden, something like "the descending river", Arabic نهر الأردن Al-Urdunn) is a river in the near Eastwhich rises in the Hermon Mountains and flows into the Dead Sea. For many travelers, it is of particular interest because of its close connection with the Bible.
background
The Jordan flows in the northern part of the Great African rift valley; in its southern part, the Jordan is the border river Jordan to Israel and West Bank. It is only about 250 km long, although the information varies greatly due to the numerous bends, but it is at least one of the most famous rivers in terms of name. It's not just the fact that it is the deepest freshwater river on earth that has the Lake genezareth flows through and into Dead sea flows out. Above all, it is its religious significance as a river that the Jewish people crossed when they entered the promised land and in which Jesus was baptized. And increasingly it comes Jordan water issue into the field of view of politics.
The river as such, on the other hand, is not very spectacular and may disappoint the expectations of some visitors - by Central European standards, the Jordan is more of a "river".
River course
The upper reaches - from the mountains of Hermon to Lake genezareth
The Jordan flows through in its upper reaches Upper Galilee, to his catchment area include the Golan Heights.
Source rivers
The Jordan arises in the northern Hule plain through the confluence of the Hazbani, the Banyas (Banias) and des Dan. The Hazbani River comes from the southern Lebanon, its source rivers are the Wazzani, which rises near the village of the same name, and the Haqzbieh. After their unification, they reach Israel after a few kilometers. The banyas has its source in a strong spring at the foot of the Hermon Mountains. The ancient city of Caesarea Philippi was located in its headwaters. The name Banias goes back to the Greek word Paneas after a sanctuary of the shepherd god Pan, which was located at the source. The third and most water-rich source river of the Jordan is the Dan. The three rivers unite at Sde Nehemija in the Hule plain to form the Jordan.
Important travel destinations on the upper Jordan are
- Dan with the nature reserve of the same name, the ancient Tel and the Kibbutz Dan;
- the source of the Banyas with the Pan Grotto, a nature reserve on the river and a several meter high waterfall;
- the Nimrodsburg above Banyas on the western slopes of the Golan (see Banyas) and
- Kirjat Schmona; this city is the main town in the area, but for travelers it is only of interest as a landmark.
The kibbutzim in the area offer simple overnight accommodation, e.g. Kfar Blum, one of the activities on offer is rafting on Hazbani and Jordan.
Hule level
Today's Hule level (also Hule level, Hule valley or HulaLevel) is the highest of three basin landscapes that the Jordan flows through (the other two are the area around the Lake genezareth and the Bet She'an Valley); this region is still above sea level. The plain emerged from the earlier Lake Hule; This lake was dammed up in prehistoric times by the volcanoes of the Golan, when they prevented the Jordan from flowing out with their lava during an eruption. Over time, the river dug through the barriers, but the plain never dried out completely, instead, extensive swampy landscapes emerged. Attempts to dry the plain failed - the area was hardly populated, not least because of the malaria, the roads and settlements were on the edge of the plain, e.g. in Hazor, Dan and Banyas.
It was not until 1950 that the swamp was drained and used for agriculture; the area is now one of the most fertile regions in the country. The remaining lakes and swamps are part of a nature reserve founded in 1963, the first ever in Israel. The importance of the area lies mainly in the fact that myriads of migratory birds from Europe stop here on their way to Africa and back. The flora is also unique: the Hule Plain is the northernmost point where papyrus thrives.
Are worth seeing
- the Hula Nature Reserve Visitors' Center; that is also interesting
- Bird watching at Lake Agamon haHula in the early morning in winter and spring;
- the Tel Hazor on the former Via Maris is one of the most important archaeological sites in Israel.
From Gadot to the Sea of Galilee
At the southern end of the Hule plain near Gadot, the Jordan still flows at a height of around 60 m above sea level. The Sea of Galilee, only about 20 km further south, is already about 210 m under the sea level. Accordingly, the river has a steep gradient in this section, which is why kayak tours and rafting are often offered on this section. Shortly before the confluence of the Jordan in the Sea of Galilee at the Arik Bridge on road 87 lies the Park Hayarden or Jordan Park with the excavations of Bethsaida.
The lower reaches - on the west bank from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea
Around the Sea of Galilee
The Jam KinneretAs it is called in Hebrew, it is the deepest freshwater lake on earth, it plays a major role in Israel's drinking water supply, and it is also of great tourist interest. In particular, the Christian sites on its north bank - like Capernaum, Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes - attract pilgrims from all over the world. There are also other interesting destinations on its banks, such as Tiberias, the most important city in the region. Information about the lake and the sights as well as other travel information can be found in the main article Lake genezareth.
The Sea of Galilee is crossed by the Jordan from north to south. The river leaves the lake near Degania, the kibbutz was founded in 1910, making it the oldest kibbutz at all. The Christian baptismal site is located near Degania Jardenit; Many Christian pilgrims are baptized here in memory of Jesus' baptism in the river.
From Degania to Bet She'an
Due to the excessive withdrawal of water from the Sea of Galilee for the production of drinking water, the Jordan below the lake only receives comparatively little fresh water; in summer, the water treatment can cause the level to drop by one centimeter every day. At the baptismal site Jardenit, which is located directly after the lake on the river bank, it is hardly noticeable; Canoe trips are still offered here and numerous fish still live in the river. However, the picture changes after a few kilometers at the Alumot dam. Here again larger amounts of water are withdrawn for irrigation, so that the Jordan is only a larger trickle in the further course, the water quality of which is also poor due to the discharged sewage.
A few kilometers south of the Sea of Galilee is that of Pinchas Rutenberg Hydroelectric power station built around 1930, which was originally operated with the water of the Jordan and the Jarmuk (or Yarmuk) coming from here, but now no longer produces electricity. Through this section of the Jordan Valley (coming from the Jarmuktal, over a curve just south of the Sea of Galilee and then further south to Bet She'an) the railway once ran from Damascus to Haifa, a branch line of the famous Hejaz Railway. The bridge Old Gesher still reminds of the former rail link; The Peace Island Park is also nearby. From here to the Dead Sea, the eastern bank of the Jordan belongs to Jordan. The Kibbutz Gescher (bridge) is only a little south of the mouth of the Jarmuk; There is a museum here about the dramatic events of the Israeli-Arab war of 1948, in which the kibbutz was destroyed twice.
On the further way on the western bank of the river you will shortly reach the Bet She'an Valley. The first important sight is to the right of the road on the heights: the former crusader fortress Belvoir (Kochav haJarden). The ruins of the castle with their excellent view over the Jordan Valley are today a israeli national park. Shortly before the border with the West Bank, one finally arrives at the main town of this region, nach Bet She'an itself. There is one of the few ways to cross the border of Israel by land: the Sheikh-Hussein Bridge is the only connection with the neighboring country Jordan in northern Israel. Bet She'an, the historic Scythopolis from the Decapolis, is of particular interest to tourists because of its well-preserved ruins from Roman and Byzantine times, which have now also been declared a national park.
From Bet She'an to the Dead Sea
It starts south of Bet She'an PalestinianWest Bank. The Jordan flows here on the eastern edge Samaria and the Judean desert along and finally flows into the Dead Sea. The Jordan Rift is also under Israeli control in the West Bank. Accordingly, Israeli Road 90 continues along the Jordan to the Dead Sea and then further south to Eilat. The Jordan can often not be seen from this road because the river bed lies in a deep valley. The landscape of Samaria lies here in the rain shadow of the mountains and is dry and barren. On the long way through the southern Jordan Valley - after all, it is almost 80 kilometers from Bet She'an to Jericho - the settlement is sparse and there are practically no significant sights.
Not far from the mouth of the Jordan into the Dead Sea, the river passes the plain of Jericho. At the height of the city there is the only connection from the West Bank Jordan about the Allenby Bridge, or - as it is also called - King Hussein Bridge. Just south of the Allenby Bridge lies Qasr el-Jahud; probably lay here the historical baptismal font of Jesus. The baptismal site at Jardenit was only established after 1967 as a possibility for baptism in the Jordan, the baptismal place of Qasr el-Jahud in the border area has been open to visitors again since 2010.
From street 90, street 1 soon branches off to the west, which is where you get to Jerusalem after around 30 km. The remnants of the Jordan flow into the Dead Sea only a few kilometers to the southeast. Here, near the northern shore of the Dead Sea, is the Kibbutz Kalia (Qalya), which is in the immediate vicinity of the excavation site Qumran lies; there the famous "Dead Sea Scrolls" were found.
The lower reaches - on the east bank from Jarmuk to the Dead Sea
On the Jordanian side, the area is mainly used for agriculture. There are problems with irrigation that are quite comparable to those of our western neighbor Israel. The use of Yarmuk water in agriculture does not reduce the problems of water shortages in the lower reaches of the Jordan (and in the Dead Sea). Important places are on this side of the river Umm Qais on the site of the ancient city of Gadara and the excavations of Pella. Further information on the Jordanian east bank can be found in the main article Jordan Rift Valley (Jordan).
Travel tips
The Jordan as a travel destination
The Jordan is only explained that in exceptional cases aim a trip to the Middle East. In any case, it cannot be traveled in the narrower sense - it is too small to be driven on by ship. If you are interested in the river itself, e.g. in historical and religious aspects or in ecological or hydrological questions, you will have to research the information yourself according to the respective interests and plan the trip accordingly - you will hardly find tailor-made solutions. Possible entry points for research could be the following addresses:
- The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel / SPNI is the most important Israeli conservation organization. Here ecologically interested people probably have the best chance of getting useful tips for travel planning.
- Further information is available on the website of Friends of the Earth Middle East, an organization of Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian environmentalists.
- Israel maintains some ecologically valuable river sections Nature and national parks.
- If you are more interested in religious references, you could Biblewalks Provide information on interesting travel destinations (the linked list includes many more sites in the entire region, you have to select accordingly).
A week in the Jordan
The Jordan is less suitable as an explicit destination for a trip, but you can use it as a landmark for a trip and get to know the river in the process. Since large stretches of the Jordan are in areas under Israeli rule, it is advisable to take a trip along the Jordan from Israel. A rental car is not absolutely necessary, but it is highly recommended. The journey follows Israeli Road 90, which runs west of the Jordan, over long distances. Since the southernmost part of the route is in the West Bank runs, you should clarify with the landlord whether there are any restrictions on the use of the car.
A journey by public transport is possible in the Jordan Valley, but often inconvenient, and some destinations are difficult or impossible to reach by bus, and there are hardly any buses south of Bet Sche'an. There is also no bus route that crosses the entire valley; the buses run on sections (Kirjat Schmona - Tiberias, Tiberias - Bet She'an and Bet She'an - Jerusalem over the Dead Sea), which makes planning difficult.
A trip by rental car could look like this:
- 1 day: Arrival in the north of the country, moving into the quarter. Depending on the time of arrival, visit or walk at the place of the overnight stay. Overnight stay in the first two nights either in a kibbutz in the Huletal or in Tiberias (longer journey to the northern Jordan on the following day, but one less change of location).
- 2 day: Visit the Jordan Springs in Dan and Banyas; optional: visit to the Nimrod fortress on the Golan Heights (view over the Hule valley, for more details see main article Banyas), ride with the cable car to Menara (view over the Hule valley), visit the northernmost Israeli village Metulla.
- 3rd day: Visit to the Hule nature reserve, visit to the archaeological sites of Hazor and or Korazim, on the (return) journey to Tiberias, a detour to Jarden Park on the north bank of the Sea of Galilee. Overnight in Tiberias (promenade, cafés) or on the Sea of Galilee; possibly a swim in the lake.
- 4th day: Visiting the Christian sites on the Sea of Galilee: Mount of Beatitudes (View over the lake), Tabgha and Capernaum, optional: Ginnosar with his antique boat, circumnavigating the lake. Overnight in Tiberias.
- 5th day: Continue to Bet She'an. If necessary, a stopover at the Christian baptism site Jardenit, at the confluence of the Yarmuk and the kibbutz Gescher. Visit to the crusader fortress Belvoir (View over the Jordan Valley). Visit to the excavations in Bet She'an. Depending on the day's planning, possibly a final bath in the warm springs of Gan hashloscha. Overnight in Bet She'an or in the surrounding area.
- 6th day: Drive through the southern Jordan Valley to Dead sea. Mainly drive; Stopover possibly in Jericho (Clarify with the landlord whether Jericho can be approached). Hold on to the Dead Sea Qumran, Visiting the excavations there, possibly swimming in the Dead Sea. Overnight at Qumran or further south at En Gedi or En Bokek. Alternatively: A few kilometers back, at Jericho on road 1 to Jerusalem, Overnight there.
- 7th day: Either for Dead Sea activities (En Gedi, Masada, Baden) or in Jerusalem. Return to the starting point.
