You might not first associate kayaking or rafting on the River Jordan with Biblical tales, but after viewing the Jordan from a kayak on a hot summer day, you’ll have a whole different perspective! And it’s not only something extreme sports enthusiasts do. The kayaks on the Jordan come like big inflatable rafts for two to five people rather than typical kayaks. All of the kayaking facilities are located in the Upper Galilee, where the Jordan River is broader than it is farther south and north of the Sea of Galilee.
In 1986, a member of Kibbutz Kfar Blum came up with the concept of river kayaking. Currently, a few Kibbutzim in the area provide kayaks and rafts for use on the Hatzbani River, which flows into the Jordan River. The conventional routes take approximately an hour and a half, but many people go longer since they pause for a rest on the beautiful grassy banks.
The kayaking route includes a kayak slipway at Kfar HaGoshrim. For families with children five years old and older, the kibbutz offers a four-mile family walk that takes an hour to complete. A challenging path that can take up to two hours is also available.
Kayaking
The enjoyable pastime of kayaking includes navigating across water in a small boat with the use of a double-bladed paddle. It enables the driver of the boat to navigate across waterways by sitting face forward and moving the boat forward with alternating side-to-side strokes with the paddle. The upper torso is free and exposed as the paddler sits in the cockpit with the legs extended beneath a covered deck.
Kayaks have existed for millennia. It was initially utilized for canal navigation by the Inuit people in the Arctic regions. It was a practical means to go across the sea, hunt, and fish. It has evolved into the popular leisure activity that is recognized today thanks to its simple accessibility and fundamental functionality.
Jordan River
The Jordan River’s waters have a spiritual significance that distinguishes them from other rivers since they flow through the geography and history of the Bible.
Jews value the Jordan because Joshua led the tribes of Israel over it dry-footed to reach the Promised Land after years of exile in the desert. Christians should take note of this since Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. Elijah and Elisha, two prophets, also crossed the river without shoes, and Naaman, a Syrian general, was cleansed of leprosy after bathing in the Jordan at Elisha’s advice.
Sea of galilee
In the Gospels, the Sea of Galilee is sometimes referred to as Lake Tiberias or Lake Gennesaret; each term refers to the same sizable body of water in northern Israel. Its length and width are each roughly 13 kilometers. Its beaches contain Capernaum, Jesus’ residence for the most of his public ministry. Its northern end is where the Jordan River enters, and its southern end is where it exits. It is the world’s lowest freshwater lake.