jordan - A date with jordan:

Introduction

During this 9-day round trip you will see the highlights of the historical and cultural heritage of Jordan. You will visit Petra, Jerash and the mosaics of Madaba. You will have ample opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Jordanian nature when travelling along the King’s Highway and during your visit of Wadi Rum. The Red Sea near Aqaba will offer you time to relax and enjoy the beautiful underwater world. Next to the excursions the program will leave you plenty of room to explore Jordan for yourself and meet the hospitable local people.

Day by day tour itinerary:   

Day 1: Airport/Amman : Meets and assist at Queen Alia Airport, assist with Visa formalities, transfer to Amman, check in at your hotel, dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Amman/Umm Qais/Ajlun Castle/ Jerash/ Amman : After breakfast, transfer to Umm Qais , which was built mainly out of black basalt. Here you can enjoy the impressive view over Lake Tiberias and the Golan Heights. And then drive down to Rabad Castle (Ajlun castle) you will visit the Islamic military castle of Ajloun. The castle was used by the Islamic armies of Saladin to protect the region against the crusaders. And next destination will be Jerash You will visit Jerash, the Pompei of the East. You will enter Jerash through the monumental South Gate and find yourself wandering around in a Roman city. You will walk in the Oval Plaza surrounded by colonnades, visit the Roman theatre and Byzantine churches with mosaic-covered floors. Enjoy a stroll along Jerash’ main road the Cardo and pass by the Nymphaeum. Jerash has been covered by sand for centuries, the main reason why it is still so well-preserved. You may experience the marvellous acoustics of the theatre, the stage of the Jerash music festival which takes place every year. And see for yourself how the Romans built the earthquake-proof columns of the colonnaded streets. Evening back to Amman, enjoy the night highlights of the capital of Jordan, dinner at your hotel or at nice restaurant, overnight. 

Day 3: Amman/Desert Castles/Amman : Breakfast and transfer to East of Jordan The Romans were not deterred by the desert climate and built a chain of fortresses along the ‘limes arabicus’, the frontiers of their new Arabic province. Most of the castles you can visit nowadays were built by the caliphs during the Ummayyad period. Some are decorated with fine mosaics, frescoes, stone and stucco carvings and illustrations. They stand as silent and impressive evidence of Jordan’s rich history. Today you shall see three of the best-preserved desert castles. Qasr al-Mushatta is the largest and most richly decorated Ummayyad castle in Jordan. It’s a large, square fortress, surrounded by walls with circular towers on every side. Qusayr Amra is placed by Unesco on its World Heritage List. Its interior walls and ceilings are covered with lively frescoes and two of its rooms are paved with colourful mosaics. Qasr al-Azraq is built in black basalt and has been in continuous use since Roman times. During the Arab Revolt it functioned as the headquarters of Lawrence of Arabia. Late in the afternoon you will be transferred to the Azraq Oasis and be shown the highlights of the oasis. Evening back to your hotel in Amman, dinner and overnight. 

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 will be able to overlook the Holy Land and the Dead Sea. If the sky is clear Jerusalem, Jericho and Bethlehem will meet your eye. The journey will continue along the King’s Highway. On the way you will pass through Wadi Mujib, the grand canyon of Jordan. You will stop in Karak for lunch. In the afternoon you will visit the huge castle where Saladin and Richard Lionheart fought during the crusades. While enjoying the beautiful landscapes the journey continues along the King’s Highway to Petra, your final destination for today.  

Day 5: Petra full day:  In the morning a local guide will escort you into Petra and show you the highlights of the Nabatean city. You will enter the city through the Siq and be  rewarded with the most astonishing and dramatic monument in Jordan: the Treasury. You will also visit the theatre, the tombs and façades and the colonnaded street. You will have lunch inside Petra and climb the stairs to the Monastery and admire the splendid view over the Wadi Araba. Evening back to your hotel, dinner and overnight.

 Day 6: Petra/Wadi Rum : In the morning you will be transferred to Wadi Rum. You shall pass the famous seven pillars of wisdom, described by Lawrence of Arabia and explore Wadi Rum by jeep, escorted by a Bedouin guide. You shall see the house where Lawrence of Arabia lived, and the inscriptions made by the Thamudic and Nabatean people centuries ago. And you may even climb one of the natural rock bridges. We will check in at deluxe campsite, (all suppliers and equipment are available), dinner Bedouin BBQ, overnight at the campsite in the middle of Wadi Rum.

 Day 7: Wadi Rum/Aqaba : You will be free to spend the remaining part of the day and the next day according to your own wishes. Suggestions: diving or snorkeling, relaxing on one of the beautiful sandy beaches. Or perhaps you would like to take a trip on a glass boat and see the amazing coral reefs. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Aqaba.

 Day 8: Aqaba/Wadi Araba/Dead Sea/ Baptism/ Amman: in the morning travel via Wadi Araba, the costal between Jordan an Israel, where peace signed in 1995, and will arrive Dead Sea the lowest point on earth, and will have free time for swimming float, mud, The following stop will be “Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing”, and where he also baptized Jesus Christ. Evening transfer to Amman, check in at your hotel, dinner and overnight.

Day 9: Amman/Roman theater/ Citadel/ Airport. Depend of your flight schedule if you have time  will offer you a guided city tour by bus. You will visit the Amman citadel, the Roman theatre and the Suq, a typical Middle Eastern market where you may buy almost everything. And transfer to Airport for your departure.