Rendezvous with Jordan

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Airport / Amman

  Meeting and assistance at Queen Alia airport, help with visa formalities, transfer to Amman, hotel check-in, dinner and overnight stay.

• day 2

  Amman / Umm Qais / Ajlun Castle / Jerash / Amman

  After breakfast, transfer to Umm Qais, built mainly of black basalt. Here, you can enjoy the breathtaking view of Lake Tiberias and the Golan Heights. Then, go down to the Rabad Castle (Ajlun Castle) and visit the Islamic military castle of Ajloun. The castle was used by the Islamic armies of Saladin to protect the region against the Crusaders. The next destination will be Jerash. You will visit Jerash, the Pompeii of the East. You will enter Jerash through the monumental south gate and find yourself in a Roman city. You will stroll on the oval plaza surrounded by colonnades, visit the Roman theater and the Byzantine churches with mosaic-covered floors. Enjoy a walk on Jerash's main road, the Cardo, and pass by the Nymphaeum. Jerash remained covered in sand for centuries, which explains why it is still so well preserved. You will be able to experience the wonderful acoustics of the theater, the stage of the Jerash music festival that takes place every year. And see for yourself how the Romans built the earthquake-resistant columns of the colonnaded streets. In the evening, return to Amman. Overnight in the capital of Jordan, dinner at the hotel or in a nice restaurant, overnight stay.

• day 3

  Amman / Desert Castles / Amman

  Breakfast and transfer to the East of Jordan. The Romans were not discouraged by the desert climate and built a chain of fortresses along the limes arabicus, the borders of their new Arab province. Most of the castles you can visit today were built by the caliphs during the Umayyad period. Some are decorated with fine mosaics, frescoes, engravings, and illustrations in stone and stucco. They are a silent and impressive testimony to Jordan's rich history. Today, you will see three of the best-preserved desert castles. Qasr al-Mushatta is the largest and most richly decorated of the Umayyad castles in Jordan. It is a large square fortress, surrounded by walls with circular towers on all sides. Qusayr Amra is inscribed by UNESCO on its World Heritage list. Its interior walls and ceilings are covered with vivid frescoes, and two of its rooms are paved with colorful mosaics. Qasr al-Azraq is built of black basalt and has been used since Roman times. During the Arab Revolt, it served as the headquarters of Lawrence of Arabia. In the late afternoon, you will be transferred to the Azraq oasis where you can admire the highlights of the oasis. In the evening, return to your hotel in Amman, dinner and overnight stay.

• day 4

  Amman / Madaba / Nebo / Kerak Castle / Petra

  After breakfast, transfer to Madaba and visit the famous mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Your next stop will be Mount Nebo, where, like Moses, you can overlook the Holy Land and the Dead Sea. If the sky is clear, Jerusalem, Jericho, and Bethlehem will catch your eye. The journey will continue along the King's Highway. On the way, you will pass by Wadi Mujib, the great canyon of Jordan. You will stop at Karak for lunch. In the afternoon, you will visit the immense castle where Saladin and Richard the Lionheart faced each other during the Crusades. While enjoying the magnificent landscapes, the journey continues along the King's Highway to Petra, your final destination for today.

• day 5

  Full day in Petra

  In the morning, a local guide will escort you to Petra and show you the highlights of the Nabataean city. You will enter the city through the Siq and be rewarded with the most amazing and spectacular monument in Jordan: the Treasury. You will also visit the theater, the tombs, the facades, and the colonnaded street. You will have lunch inside Petra, then climb the stairs to the monastery to admire the splendid view over the Wadi Araba. Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

• day 6

  Petra / Wadi Rum

  In the morning, you will be transferred to Wadi Rum. You will pass by the famous Seven Pillars of Wisdom, described by Lawrence of Arabia, and explore Wadi Rum by jeep, escorted by a Bedouin guide. You will see the house where Lawrence of Arabia lived, as well as the inscriptions made by the Thamudic and Nabataean peoples centuries ago. You can even climb one of the natural rock bridges. We will check in at the luxury camp (all suppliers and equipment are available), Bedouin barbecue dinner, overnight at the camp in the middle of Wadi Rum.

• day 7

  Wadi Rum / Aqaba

  You will be free to spend the rest of the day and the next day as you wish. Suggestions: scuba diving or snorkeling, relaxing on one of the beautiful fine sandy beaches. Or maybe you would like to take a glass-bottom boat tour to admire the coral reefs. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Aqaba.

• day 8

  Aqaba / Wadi Araba / Dead Sea / Baptism / Amman

  In the morning, travel via Wadi Araba, along the coastline between Jordan and Israel, where peace was signed in 1995. Then, arrival at the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. You will have free time to swim... The next stop will be "Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing," and where he also baptized Jesus Christ. Evening transfer to Amman, hotel check-in, dinner and overnight stay.

• day 9

  Amman / Roman Theatre / Citadel / Airport

  Depending on your flight schedule, if you have time, we offer you a guided tour of the city by bus. You will visit the Amman Citadel, the Roman Theatre, and the Suq, a typical Middle Eastern market where you can buy almost anything. Transfer to the airport for your departure.