Banias Waterfall -- The beautiful and legendary Banias Waterfall is less than a mile inside the Golan, some 15km (9 miles) from Kiryat Shmona and less than 1km (1/2 mile) off the main road. Banias is one of the principal sources of the Jordan River. Head down to the stream for a look at the waters, which begin several hundred feet higher on the Hermon slopes. From here the destination, after dropping into the Jordan River, is the Sea of Galilee. Jordan (from "Yared-Dan") means "descending from Dan," and the river, whose origins are right here, picks up again south of the Sea of Galilee for a twisting, turning run of 113km (70 miles) before emptying into The Dead Sea and becoming a stagnant, oily mixture.
This ancient site has been landscaped by the Nature Reserves Authority. You can take a fast dip, if you can stand the icy waters. The Crusaders fortified a nearby hilltop with what is now called Nimrod's Castle . Buying the combined Banias/Nimrod's Castle admission ticket and hiking or driving over to explore the castle is recommended.
You can buy a combination ticket to the Banias, Hula Tel Dan, Nahal Ayoun, and Gamla nature reserves for NIS 40 ($10/£5); combined entrance to Nimrod Castle and Banias NIS 31 ($7.75/£3.90) for adults, half-price for children.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
