Start your tour from the Dead Sea and take a ride in a private, leisure air-conditioned vehicle to the River Jordan. On route, soak in views of Jordan’s barren landscapes, and pull up at Bethany Beyond the Jordan River, known as El-Maghtas in Arabic, the site on the eastern bank of the river where it’s believed Jesus was baptized by Saint John the Baptist.
Here you will meet your local expert guide, who will accompany you to the riverbanks and key excavated ruins, learning how the site was sanctified as the place of Jesus’ baptism by the Vatican. Sense the powerful atmosphere of spirituality, and see the remnants of Roman and Byzantine churches, caves, wells, and baptismal pools. As you walk, listen as your guide explains why archaeologists believe that it was here that John the Baptist lived, preached, and performed baptisms.
Hear more about this famous Christian pilgrimage spot and how it is held holy in all three major religions — Christianity, Judaism, and Islam for being the believed site of the Prophet Elijah’s ascension to heaven.