Tiberias / Sea of Galilee has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
On the clock
14:00 · 18:00
Mornings are often dead flat. The wind usually fills in the early afternoon and strengthens through the late afternoon, with the working window roughly 14:00 to 18:00. It can also die mid-session, so do not ride further out than you are willing to drift back from.
The marks are the clock times the record names, laid on a 24-hour day. The bar between the first and the last covers those hours; it is not a promise of wind.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
thermal
fills in: Mornings are often dead flat. The wind usually fills in the early afternoon and strengthens through the late afternoon, with the working window roughly 14:00 to 18:00. It can also die mid-session, so do not ride further out than you are willing to drift back from.
Typical strength
15-32
The quiver, in words
No local table is published. A visiting rider was lit on a 10 m one summer day and well powered on a 10 m the next, which is the only first-hand figure on record.Across the 15-32 kt band a 75-85 kg rider wants a 12 m for the light start, a 9 or 10 m for the usual afternoon and a 7 m once it tops out; the sizes either side of the 10 m are indicative from the wind range, not measured here. Bring more than one.The afternoon build and the gusts can move you a size within the session.
Direction to shore
generally onshore to cross-onshore at the east-shore Diamond Beach launch; exact angle depends on where on the point/bay you launch
Dominant direction
W to SW in the main summer pattern
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan5
- Feb9
- Mar32
- Apr38
- May71
- Jun, riders' month68
- Jul, riders' month97
- Aug, riders' month90
- Sep, riders' month63
- Oct18
- Nov12
- Dec6
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
- 5%Jan
- 9%Feb
- 32%Mar
- 38%Apr
- 71%May
- 68%Jun
- 97%Jul
- 90%Aug
- 63%Sep
- 18%Oct
- 12%Nov
- 6%Dec
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5% | 19% | 13% | 7.3 kt | W | 17:00 | 14.5°C | 62 |
| Feb | 9% | 26% | 19% | 8.5 kt | W | 16:00 | 14.3°C | 57 |
| Mar | 32% | 53% | 42% | 10.7 kt | W | 16:00 | 16.4°C | 62 |
| Apr | 38% | 65% | 62% | 11.8 kt | W | 16:00 | 21.7°C | 60 |
| May | 71% | 94% | 89% | 15.2 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 24.8°C | 62 |
| Jun | 68% | 87% | 82% | 14.9 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 28.6°C | 60 |
| Jul | 97% | 100% | 100% | 16.9 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 30.6°C | 62 |
| Aug | 90% | 98% | 95% | 15.6 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 30.6°C | 62 |
| Sep | 63% | 87% | 83% | 13.7 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 29.1°C | 60 |
| Oct | 18% | 53% | 47% | 10.8 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 26°C | 62 |
| Nov | 12% | 25% | 15% | 8.5 kt | W | 16:00 | 20.9°C | 60 |
| Dec | 6% | 16% | 13% | 6.7 kt | E | 15:00 | 16.6°C | 62 |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal. A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
freshwater lake, flat to choppy
Standing depth
The entry is a shallow stony shelf you wade out through between rocks, and it drops away soon after. No measured depth has been published. The lake level moves from year to year, so the shoreline, the width of the beach and the extent of the shallows all shift with it.
Tides
none (lake)
Temperature
29°C summer · 14.8°C winter
Wetsuit
Usually no wetsuit in summer; winter exposure protection may be needed.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
3 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Limited and rocky. Stones, tents and gear crowd the launch, and it gets tight on a good summer weekend.
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Rescue
Launch
The kite launch is Diamond Beach on the eastern Sea of Galilee, on Road 92 between Kursi and Ramot, with access described via the Setai hotel area slightly north of Kursi.
Space
Limited and rocky. Stones, tents and gear crowd the launch, and it gets tight on a good summer weekend.
Rules & access
- 2026: Diamond Beach is open and undeclared, without full beach services, and local or environmental limits on overnight stays and camping should be checked before you arrive.
- 2007-2008: official material documents the Kinneret Cities Association role in classifying and managing the lake's beaches, so go by current signage and association guidance.
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Check a Kinneret forecast, a live wind reading and a same-day local report before committing to the drive.
- Approach from the Setai hotel area slightly north of Kursi, off Road 92.
- Wear booties: the beach and the shallow entry are stone.
- Fix your entry and your exit before you launch; there is no easy downwind beach to walk back from.
- Skip the good-forecast summer weekends if you need space to rig.
- Do not plan a morning session. The lake is usually flat until the early afternoon.
- Bring at least two kite sizes; the afternoon build and the gusts can move you a size inside an hour.
- Rig and launch deliberately on the tight rocky shore, and stay unhooked from the kite until it is up.
Getting there
Airport
Ben Gurion Airport (TLV)
Route
Drive from Ben Gurion Airport to Tiberias is reported at about 139 km and roughly 1 h 30 min; Diamond Beach is then on the eastern shore between Kursi and Ramot, so allow extra local driving time from Tiberias.
Transfer
105 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee shore have hotels and guest accommodation. Seasonal camping and caravan stays around Diamond are reported, but check the camping limits before counting on one.
No-wind days
Sea of Galilee touring, Tiberias waterfront, religious/historic sites around the lake, kayaking/SUP/boat activities where locally operated, and Golan/Galilee day trips.
Photos
FAQ
Is it suitable for beginners?
No, Diamond Beach is rated intermediate to advanced, and beginners should only learn there with an organized lesson from an instructor who knows the spot, since the beach and water are rocky rather than sandy.
What is the wind like?
A local thermal wind, mostly W to SW, usually builds around midday and strengthens into the afternoon, typically running 15-32 knots.
When is the best time to kite?
Late May or early June to early September is the main season, with July and August as the core.
Are there kite schools or rental?
Kitelab and Windrose Kitesurf Club are referenced as covering the Kinneret, and local instructors are listed through Kitesurfing.co.il's school directory.
What are the main hazards?
The beach is undeclared with no full services or lifeguard rescue, the entry is rocky, and fluctuating lake levels can affect the shoreline and depth.
Last updated: August 2026