Jordan Holidays: Jordan Adventure

Day 1 Amman Airport - Amman Hotel (+/- 45km)

Meet & Assist upon arrival at the gate of the flight, finish the formalities, luggage pick up and transfer to Amman Hotel for overnight.

Day 2 Amman - City tour - Walk through the old City - Desert Castles - Amman (+/- 190km)

Amman: Tour Jordan’s capital city. Explore the citadel, see beautiful temples, churches and visit the museum of Amman.

Later, the perhaps best preserved Roman city of the Middle East. See the impressive hippodrome and at the imposing South Gate admire sites such as the Temple of Zeus, the Roman theatre, The Cardo “Colonnaded Street” and Temple of Artemis.

Then Proceed to the eastern desert to see the ‘desert castles’ where Umayyad remains from the early days of Islam date back to the 8th century AD. Visit the Kharanah, a hotel built in the middle of the desert, and see the charming Amra, its buildings and luxury bath house decorated with frescos depicting life during this era. Further east, Azarq is home to the castle where Lawrence of Arabia resided and wrote part of his book “Seven Pillars of Wisdom”.

Day 3 Amman - Jerash - Ajloun - Dibbin (+/- 120km)

The ancient city of Jerash boasts as unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6 500 years. The city’s golden age came under Roman rule and the site is now generally acknowledged to be one of the best preserved Roman provincial towns in the world. Hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over the past 70 years, Jerash reveals a fine example of the grand, formal, provincial Roman urbanism that is found throughout the Middle East, comprising paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, handsome theatres, spacious public squares and plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates. Beneath its external Greco-Roman veneer, Jerash also preserves a subtle blend of east and west. Its architecture, religion and languages reflect a process by which two powerful cultures meshed and coexisted, the Greco-Roman world of the Mediterranean basin.

The marvels of nature and the genius of medieval Arab military architecture have given northern Jordan two of the most important ecological and historical attractions in the Middle East: the sprawling pine forests of the Ajlun- Dibeen area, and the towering Arab-Islamic castle at Ajlun, which aided in the defeat of the Crusaders eight centuries ago.

Ajlun Castle (Qal’at Ar-Rabad) was built by Saladin’s general in 1184 AD to control the iron mines of Ajlun, and to counter the progress of the Crusaders by dominating the three main routes leading to the Jordan valley and protecting the communication routes between Jordan and Syria. A fine example of Islamic architecture, the fortress dominates a wide stretch of the northern Jordan Valley.

Dibbin, the best remaining area of nature, a natural Pine forest in the country, on limestone slopes of the highest hill range in northern Jordan, between 550 and 1,000 m. Under storey of Arbutus and evergreen Quercus. Parts of the forest remain remote from habitation, although there are some pockets of agriculture. The surrounding area has oaks and olive groves as well. There is a much-used recreational area in the centre of the site, with parking spaces, barbecue sites, restaurant and playgrounds.

Day 4 Dibbin - Madaba - Mount Nebo - Makawir - Wadi El Mujib - Kerak - Dana (+/- 390km)

Visit Madaba and the Basilica of St. George. In the floor of the church is the remarkable 6th century mosaic map – its two million pieces of coloured stone depicting the hills, valleys and towns of the Holy land.

Travel on to Mount Nebo, 800m above sea level, where you can stand on the site where Moses looked out over the “Promised Land”. The magnificent mosaic is second only to Madaba’s world famous mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

Within an hour’s drive from Madaba along the picturesque Kings’ Highway, is Mukawir, the hilltop stronghold of Herod the Great. Upon Herod’s death, his son Herod Antipas inherited the fortress and it is from here that he ordered John the Baptist to be beheaded after Salome’s fateful dance of the seven veils.

The Mujib Reserve is the lowest nature reserve in the world, with a spectacular array of scenery near the east coast of the Dead Sea. The reserve is located within the deep Wadi Mujib gorge, which enters the Dead Sea at 410 meters below sea level. The Reserve extends to the Karak and Madaba mountains to the north and south, reaching 900 meters above sea level in some places. This 1,300 meters variation in elevation, combined with the valley’s year-round water, means that Wadi Mujib enjoys a magnificent bio-diversity that is still being explored and documented today.

Afterwards, visit the best preserved crusader castle in Jordan - Karak.

The Dana Nature Reserve covers 308 square km and is a world of natural treasures. Managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), it is composed of a chain of valleys and mountains which extend from the top of the Jordan Rift Valley down to the desert lowlands of Wadi Araba. The visitor to this area will be awed by the beauty of the Rummana Mountain, the mystery of the ancient archaeological ruins of Feynan, the timeless serenity of Dana Village and the grandeur of the red and white sandstone cliffs. Arrive at the Dana hotel for overnight.

Day 5 Dana - Wadi Finan - Little Petra - Petra (+/- 320km)

Situated deep in Wad Araba’s remote landscape, the Feynan Lodge forms the western gateway of the Dana Biosphere Reserve, and provides an unparalleled experience in desert accommodation. This unique candle-lit Eco-lodge provides 26 uniquely designed rooms for tourists wishing to explore an undiscovered and archeologically rich area of Jordan.

Beyond Umm Sayhun, a short distance north of Petra, the road runs between wild and beautiful outcrops of rock, the color of pale honey. Al-Beidha was also one of the main commercial areas of Petra, the entry and exit point for the trade routes to the north and north-west. Here the caravans from the Negev, Gaza and Askalon, from Jerusalem and the Phoenician coast would arrive and settle for a while to engage in trade, their camels and donkeys quartered in the broad acres near the cistern. The merchants probably stayed in the cool seclusion of the Siq al-Barid, the cold gorge, whose entrance is at the end of a narrowing of the valley. Just before the entrance is a façade of luminous simplicity, at the top of a short flight of steps. It does not seem to have been or a tomb for al-Beidha was designed more for the living than for the dead. Perhaps it was the office of the collector of tolls of the trading caravans that lodged here. Arrive in Petra for overnight.

Day 6 Petra Full Day Visit - Wadi Rum (+/- 75km)

Petra to Wadi Rum. “Vast, echoing and God-like”. These are the words T. E. Lawrence used in describing Wadi Rum. The largest and most magnificent of Jordan’s desert landscapes, this is a stupendous, timeless place, virtually untouched by humans. Overnight and Dinner at a Campsite in Wadi Rum.

Day 7 Wadi Rum full day tour Jeep Ride - Wadi Rum (+/-)

A maze of monolithic rockscapes rise up from the desert floor to heights of 1,750 metres creating a natural challenge for serious mountaineers. Hikers can enjoy the tranquillity of the boundless empty spaces; explore the canyons and water holes to discover 4000-year-old rock drawings and the many other spectacular treasures this vast wilderness holds in store. Also known as ‘The Valley of the Moon’, this is the place where Prince Faisal Bin Hussein and T.E. Lawrence based their headquarters during the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans in World War I, and their exploits are intrinsically woven into the history of this amazing area. Dinner and overnight at a Campsite in Wadi Rum.

Day 8 Wadi Rum - Aqaba - Wadi Arava - Dead Sea (+/- 250km)

Wadi Rum to Aqaba and to the Dead Sea through Wadi Arava. Greatly prized as Jordan’s window to the sea, Aqaba brings a refreshing release from the rose-colored desert to the north. Its sandy beaches and coral reefs are the most pristine on the Red Sea, and Jordanians continuously work hard to preserve it as such.

Indigo-colored deep water lies just off shore in Aqaba, offering kaleidoscopic marine life within easy reach. Exploring means a leisurely drive to a private spot and a short swim out to the reef.

The Dead Sea has an historical and spiritual legacy of its own. It is believed to be the site of five biblical cities: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Zoar (Bela). Today its eastern shore is sparsely populated and serenely quiet. With much of the landscape virtually unchanged since ancient times, this is a favorite spot for a holiday drive. Spend the day sunbathing, swimming, or dining. Relax in the gently lapping waters and be amazed that you can’t sink! Treat yourself to a soothing massage, or try the well-known healing powers of minerals from the sea’s muddy floor. If you’d like a more leisurely stay, spend the night at a comfortable hotel that looks across the sea to the western banks. This west-facing view affords visitors to the Dead Sea the unique treat of its spectacular sunsets.