This hugely popular, eucalyptus-shaded baptism site, run by Kibbutz Kinneret, is 100m south of where the Jordan River flows out of the Sea of Galilee. No one knows if this is the exact spot where Jesus was baptised, but groups of Christian pilgrims line up here – praying and singing – to be baptised in white robes (rental/purchase US$10/25, including towel and certificate). Changing rooms are provided.
Those furry rodents paddling around the fish-filled Jordan are nutrias (coypus), natives of South America. The site has a restaurant and a large religious-souvenir shop.
Yardenit is 10km south of Tiberias and 1km northwest of Kibbutz Degania Alef, the world’s first-ever kibbutz (founded in 1910).
