Tour Overview
Desert adventurer T. E. Lawrence's wartime trek across Jordan, from Wadi Rum to Aqaba, was one of the most arduous journeys of modern times. These days, however, you can explore Jordan's challenging terrain with considerably less effort. You'll probably forgo camels for, say, an air-conditioned four-wheel-drive. But you might well echo Lawrence of Arabia's awestruck description of Jordan's dramatic desertscapes as "vast, echoing, and God-like." Set on the ancient crossroads between Arabia and the Mediterranean Sea, Jordan is full of historic sites. Crusaders' forts along old trade routes and ancient cities carved from stone will captivate anyone in search of the past. And while the land might be ancient, Jordan's cities offer the modern conveniences that help make your trip to the past a little less demanding. When you tire of desert ardors, you can relax at a Dead Sea spa or go scuba diving in the Red Sea. Although it's mostly covered by desert, Jordan also has mountains, forests, marshes, beaches, plains, rolling hills and fertile river valleys. The Jordan Valley is actually an extension of the Great Rift Valley, which runs through Kenya and Tanzania in AfricaDay by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Amman, JordanWelcome to Amman. Today when you arrive at Queen Alia International Airport, a professional iExplore representative, who will assist you with visas, luggage, and customs, will welcome you. Amman, known during antiquity as Philadelphia, Jordan's capital and largest city (pop. 1,430,000) lays just a short drive from the Syrian and Israeli borders (it's about 45 mi/70 km northeast of Jerusalem). The area has been continuously inhabited since 6,000 BC, though few ancient buildings remain. This modern and bustling city was not much more than a village when it became the seat of government in the 1920s - since then it has grown dramatically. Transfer to your hotel for check-in and enjoy the balance of your day at leisure.
Overnight: Amman Day 2: Amman
Enjoy a full day city tour of Amman. Start the day by visiting the Citadel, the Archaeological Museum, the Roman Theatre, the Folklore Museum, walk down town through the bazaars and the Gold market, then on to visit Darat al Funun. Darat al Funun is a home for the Arts and the artists of Jordan and the Arab World. Overlooking the heart of Amman, Darat al Funun is housed in three historical residences built in the 1920’s alongside the remains of a 6th century Byzantine church. It speaks of an enduring ancient legacy of urbanism, architecture and cultural identity that is now being enriched by a modern flowering of the visual arts. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. After, you will visit the Nature Center of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, and walk through the oldest part of Amman located in “Jabal Amman” the 1st circle, where most of the houses of the well known families of Amman was living or still living till today. Most of the houses are built in the 1920’s or 1930’s. Also visit the Jordan River Design Shop, featuring local handicrafts, during the walking tour. End the tour at the “Pacha” Turkish Bath for bath with a massage. Enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Amman Day 3: Amman- Jerash & Ajlun
Full day excursion to Jerash and Ajloun. In Jerash, the Roman excavations are of about the same size as the modern part of the town. Sometimes called the Pompeii of the East, Jerash flourished in the first century AD and thrived by trade due to the benefits of the “Pax Romana.” Located north of Amman in the biblical land of Gilead lies this city sheltered in a fertile and well-watered valley. At its height, Jerash was home to over 25,000 people. Theatres and temples were continuously added as the city thrived under the Roman Empire. In 330 AD Emperor Constantine announced that Christianity would be the new religion of the Roman Empire’s eastern half, and Jerash fell into the newly formed Byzantine segment. A spate of building ensued, some temples were transformed to churches, and many new churches were erected, with mosaic floors similar to those found at Madaba. The massive ruins are spread over a large area divided and crisscrossed by colonnaded streets whose pavements still show the grooves of chariot wheels. Enjoy lunch at the Green Valley Restaurant in Jerash, and continue on to Ajloun. Visit the castle of Ajloun “Al Rabad Castle.” Qalat er-Rabad, this is the name in Arabic, is located on a high peak overlooking the city of Ajloun. According to Salah-Eddin biographer, this castle was built between 1184 and 1185 by one of the Salah-Eddin nephews, to oppose the Crusaders castles of Kerak and Shobak. Return to Amman for dinner and evening at leisure.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Amman Day 4: Amman- Petra
Depart Amman for a full day excursion to Mt. Nebo, Madaba, the King’s Highway, Kerak, and on to Petra for overnight. Drive to Mount Nebo, the mountain where Moses was allowed to see the Holy Land… and not allowed to enter it. Nowadays the mountain is a memorial site. Here is the “Church of Moses”, built by the first Christians. Ever since the first days of Christianity this mountain has been a holy place and a destination for pilgrimage. Like Moses, you can have a great view over Jordan, the Dead Sea and Israel. When the weather is clear, you should even be able to see Jerusalem, which is about 60 kilometers away. Continue to Madaba. South of Amman proudly stands the “City of Mosaics,” Madaba, perched on an archaeological site with more than 4000 years of history buried beneath it. The quality and quantity of mosaic flooring has made Madaba one of the most prominent cities in the world for mosaics. St. George’s Church houses the world famous mosaic floor depicting a large mosaic map of Palestine. Centrally located on this mosaic floor is a detailed map of Jerusalem as it was during the sixth century AD. At the Church of the Apostles, at the southern entrance of the city, is a mosaic floor attributed to the craftsman Salamanios, depicting the Sea, with the central figure of a woman encircled with a selection of creatures, vegetation and an inscription. Return to your vehicle and proceed to Kerak to visit the Crusaders Castle of Kerak and lunch at Kerak King’s Castle Restaurant. Visit the Crusaders Castle of Kerak, famous of its crusader fortress in the center of underground galleries, rooms and secret passageways and its thick defensive walls pierced by narrow arrow slits where crusader archers held out bravely but in vain for over 100 years. It was the crusaders who made Kerak famous. Payen Le Boutellier, the lord of Montreal, built the fortress in 1142. He made Kerak the new capital of the province because it was situated on the king’s highway, where it could control all traffic from north and south. Return to your vehicle and proceed to Petra via the Desert Highway, for hotel check-in and dinner this evening. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Petra Day 5: Petra
This morning, enjoy a return visit to the site of Petra. After lunch, drive to Wadi Rum, pick up your 4x4 vehicle and driver for a 3-hour drive inside the beautiful desert of Wadi Rum and sunset. Wadi Rum. Otherwise known as Valley of the Moon, the landscape of Wadi Rum with its immensity, color and awe-inspiring shapes creates an almost supernatural atmosphere. The setting for the film Lawrence of Arabia and the actual location where T.E. Lawrence set his camp, whose book “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom” was named after the seven natural columns varying in height located in route to Wadi Rum. Bedouin camps are evident in the Wadi, which is still home to a number of Bedouin families, who welcome visitors with the hospitality and generosity that Bedouins are so famous for. Enjoy a special dinner under Bedouin tents with local music entertainment.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Petra Day 7: Petra- Dead Sea
Transfer to Little Petra for a half-day visit. Return to your vehicle and drive to the Dead Sea via the Desert Highway. Arrive at the Dead Sea and check in, enjoy the balance of the day at leisure. Dead Sea, at 400-meter’s below sea level, the Dead Sea is infinite in what it has to offer. Ever since the days of Herod the Great, people have flocked to the Dead Sea in search of its curative secrets. Due to high annual temperatures, low humidity and high atmospheric pressure, the air is extremely oxygenous, and the high content of oxygen and magnesium in the air make breathing a lot easier. With the highest content of minerals and salts in the world, the Dead Sea water possesses anti-inflammatory properties, and the dark mud found on the shores have been used for over 2000 years for therapeutic purposes.
Breakfast
Overnight: Dead Sea Day 8: Dead Sea:
Enjoy the day at your at leisure for swimming and using the Sanctuary Spa. This afternoon you are collected from the hotel for a drive to the Baptism Site. The Baptism Site: The excavations conducted at Bethany in Jordan have uncovered a I Century A.D. settlement with plastered pools and water systems that were used almost certainly for mass baptisms, and a V-VI Century Byzantine settlement with churches, a monastery, and other structures most probably catering to religious pilgrims. Return to the hotel late afternoon and enjoy the evening at leisure.
Breakfast
Overnight: Dead Sea Day 9: Dead Sea- Amman- Depart
Transfer to Queen Alia International Airport (note: the drive from the Dead Sea to the airport is around 45-minutes.) Our representative will assist you with check-in and immigration procedures for your departure.
Breakfast
