Travel to Jordan: Jordan Explorer

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Jordan Explorer

The "Treasury" at Petra

Our Jordan Explorer travels from modern Amman to historic Petra and the sandy beaches of Aqaba.  Following the ancient 'Kings Highway' in the footsteps of Ramses II, the Queen of Sheba, Marcus Anthonius and Cleopatra, the Prophet Mohamed, Jesus, and Lawrence of Arabia, our Jordan adventure traverses the spectrum of the modern and the ancient in a land of spectacular natural beauty and cultural heritage. We visit the nature reserves of Dana and Wadi Rum, Jerash, Madaba, and we float like a cork in the Dead Sea. Discover the dramatic Crusader Castle of Shobak, and explore Petra for two full days with our expert guide. Enroute to the Red Sea resort of Aqaba, visit Wadi Rum where we drive into the surreal dessert landscape with our native Beduoin guides.  Designed for active travelers including families we are invited guests for dinner in local homes.  We can design private custom itineraries for families, or honeymoon adventures, or luxury Jordan vacations with possible extensions to Egypt.

	History and modernity live comfortably together in Jordan

DAY 1 :  AMMAN ARRIVAL
On arrival at Queen Alia International Airport, we are met and transferred to our hotel. Amman was the capital of the Ammonites in 1200 BCE, known in the Old Testament as Rabbath-Ammon. During the 3rd century BCE, Amman was renamed Philadelphia (Greek for "Brotherhood Love") after the Ptolemaic ruler Philadelphus (283-246 BCE). Following Seleucid and Nabataean rule, the Roman General Pompey made Philadelphia part of the Decapolis League - a loose alliance of ten city-states bound by powerful commercial, political and cultural interests under allegiance to Rome. During the Byzantine period, Philadelphia was the seat of a Christian Bishop but the city declined somewhat until 635 ACE when the region became part of the Islamic caliphate and its original Semitic name Ammon or Amman was restored. Dinner and overnight at the Al Qasr Metropole Hotel or similar [D]

DAY 2 :  AMMAN: DESERT CASTLES
This morning we take an excursion out of town to the Eastern Desert Castles (1.5 hours each way) including Karraneh, Amra, and Azraq, which Lawrence of Arabia used as his winter HQ during the worst part of the Arab campaign against the Turks in W.W.I.  Overnight Al Qasr Metropole Hotel or similar [BD]

Floating in the Dead Sea!

DAY 3 :  DEAD SEA: VISIT JERASH, AJLOUN / FAMILY MEAL
We begin our journey through Jordans fascinating history with a visit to Jerash, one of the worlds most extensive restorations of a provincial Roman town. We explore its theaters, temples and colonnaded streets.  We then visit the nearby Castle of Ajloun or Qalaat Errabadh (Arabic for "Hilltop Castle"), with a splendid view over the Jordan Valley. Built in 1184-85 ACE by Ezz Eddin Osama bin Munqethe, a nephew of the Ayyubid leader Salahuddin Al-Ayyoubi (Saladin), to protect the region from invading Crusaders, it was one of a chain of forts which lit beacons at night to pass signals from the Euphrates as far as Cairo. We add the Wildland touch by taking our lunch with a local Jordanian family before descending to the Dead Sea. There is time to take advantage of the facilities of the Spa (additional cost to be paid direct). Overnight Movenpick Dead Sea Spa or similar [BLD]

	Watch the sun set over the beautiful valleys of Jordan.

DAY 4 :  MADABA WALKING TOUR / DANA NATURE RESERVE
Today we drive the famouns Kings Highway, stretching from Amman to Petra.  Almost every historical figure from the Middle East has traveled this road:  Ramses II, Queen Sheba, Moses, Marcus Antonius, Cleopatra, Christ, Mohamed, Lawrence of Arabia and Attaturk.  Today it is your turn!  Original Roman milestones stand by the road's edge, their distances still relevant today.  Our first stop is Madaba "The City of Mosaics."  The 6th century Apostles Church with its Byzantine mosaic floor map - the oldest surviving map of the Holy Land in existence - is a must-see. But our special in-depth walking tour takes you further into the life of this village, introducing you to some of the artisans and craftsmen responsible for the preservation of these extraordinary works of art.  We visit the Madaba Institute for Mosaic Art and Restoration, the only project of its kind in the Middle East, to watch the work being done.  A stroll through the Madaba souk allows a glimpse into the daily lives of merchants and shopkeepers.  After our visit, we take lunch with a local family before continuing to the Dana Nature Reserve.  This vital preserve is a system of wadis and mountains extending from the top of the Rift Valley to the desert lowlands of Wadi Araba, an elevation drop of over 1600 meters. Dana Nature Reserve serves as a refuge for endangered species, including ibex, mountain gazelle, badgers, red fox and wolf. There is some free time to explore the walking trails before dinner.  Dana Village has been continually occupied for about 6000 years. Although this ancient stone village was almost abandoned, it is now coming back to life with color and vitality through assistance from local conservation groups and determination of the local population. Overnight Dana Guest House (private bedrooms; shared bathrooms) or similar [BLD]

DAY 5 :   DANA NATURE RESERVE: DAY HIKES

We spend today in Dana Nature Reserve exploring its diversity of landscapes which range from wooded highlands and rocky slopes to gravel plains and sand dunes. We have a two hour guided walking tour in the morning with a lunch box (included). The afternoon is free to choose our own walks and activities in the reserve. There are a variety of nature trails, from easy one hour hikes to more strenuous four hour hikes. Established in 1993 and covering 320 square kilometers, Dana is the showpiece of Jordan's Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), embracing two major bio-geographical zones and four vegetation zones and supporting a wide variety of wildlife, including many rare species. Today's itinerary is flexible according to the group's interests. Overnight Dana Guest House (private rooms; shared bathrooms) or similar [BLD]

Note: During winter months Nov-Feb hiking trails are closed at Dana and the itinerary may be modified.

The Siq at Petra.

DAY 6 :  SHOBAK CASTLE / PETRA
This morning is left free to explore Dana village and projects.  Aftern lunch, we depart for Petra (1.5 hrs), stopping en route for a visit at Shobak Castle, the first fortress to be constructed by the Crusaders in Transjordan.  The original fortress has been rebuilt by subsequent conquerers - Mamlukes and Ottomans - with delicate calligraphic inscriptions carved into 13th century walls.  The castle boasts secret passages and mysterious stairwells, descending into the cliff.  We arrive in Petra late afternoon, and check into our hotel. Enjoy dinner at the hotel, then walk on your own to the Petra gateway and "siq" a sheer chasm lined with candles.  Following the glow, emerge from the canyon into the opening filled by the magnificent Treasury of Petra, fully illumined in firelight and breathtaking in its magical beauty.  Hear the melancholy strains of Beduoin music and sip a welcoming cup of hot sweet tea, as you are seated.  Embark on a magic carpet ride of tales of the ancient Nabataean people who constructed this amazing wonder of the world. Return to your hotel after the event.  Overnight Movenpick Petra or similar [BLD]

DAY 7 :  PETRA: RED ROSE CITY, HALF AS OLD AS TIME
Today we spend the entire day exploring Petra with our guide. Fulcrum of the ancient world's spice and incense trade for 400 years, Petra is a city hidden behind an almost impenetrable barrier of rugged mountains, approachable only through the Siq, a kilometer long sheer-walled chasm that a force of twenty could hold against an entire army. Built by an industrious Arab people called the Nabataeans who more than 2000 years ago moved up the Red Sea coast from Saudi Arabia (Felix Arabia) to settle in southern Jordan and establish their capital at Petra. The Nabataeans dominated both the land and the Red Sea coastal trade, which included goods that arrived by ship from the Far East (China, India, etc.), and the goods of the Frankincense Route, which came overland from Sheba (Yemen) and from Africa (Somalia, Abyssinia). From Petra, these goods were distributed around the Mediterranean, to Syria, Turkey and Europe. Petra flourished for over 400 years and was the premier trading city of its age. Within the walls of Petra, there are caves, tombs, baths, funerary halls, temples, arched gateways, and colonnaded streets carved from the kaleidoscopic-colored sandstone.  Following the tour, enjoy lunch in the valley at the Basin Restaurant, then continue explorations on your own.  This evening, dinner is taken at the Petra Kitchen, a fun and active hands-on cooking class rewarded with a shared meal of typical Jordanian cuisine.  You may find yourself chopping vegetables for salad or something more intricate - the point is to have fun with your fellow travelers and share the fruits of your labors!  Overnight Movenpick Petra [BLD]

DAY 8 :  PETRA: FREE DAY & DINNER WITH JORDANIAN FAMILY
Today is left entirely free to explore Petra on our own. Our entrance fees to Petra are included (but no guide). In addition to the valley sites there are the High Places, and the spectacular Monastery to visit. Close by is Mini-Petra and the Neolithic site Bayyida, accessible by taxi (on your own). This evening we have an opportunity to meet a Jordanian family and to share their hospitality and food. Overnight Movenpick Petra [BD]

	Patient Camels at Wadi Rum.

DAY 9 :  DRIVE AQABA / EN ROUTE VISIT WADI RUM
After breakfast we drive to the truly spectacular Wadi Rum (1.5 hrs).  On arrival we set off on an hour and a half exploration in 4x4 vehicles. On both sides the brilliant white-yellow sand is sandwiched by towering red sandstone cliffs which soar vertically three hundred feet or more into the air, almost touching the azure blue and generally cloudless sky. Wadi Rum was the setting for the film "Lawrence of Arabia" which gave birth to the mythology that T.E. Lawrence and the Arab irregulars rode through Wadi Rum en route attack the Turks at Aqaba. Unfortunately, this never happened. Although the enigmatic British officer T.E. Lawrence depicted in the film did accompany the Arab irregular cavalry as it captured Aqaba from the Turks during the Great Arab Revolt of 1917-18 ACE, the Arab forces, quite logically, took the more direct, faster and easier route along which the highway to Aqaba now lies. But the legend has brought many to Rum, and when they arrive, it matters not who has been there before, for Rum is one of the earth's truly beautiful environments. After lunch at the Hillawi Beduoin Camp, we continue by road (1 hr) to Aqaba on the Red Sea. The crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea hide a varied and beautiful undersea world of coral, fish and marine life just meters from the beaches. The afternoon is at leisure. Dinner and overnight Movenpick Tala Bay Hotel (or similar) [BLD]

DAY 10 :  DRIVE TO AMMAN
This morning is free to enjoy the beach with lunch at our hotel.  After lunch we take the fast Desert Highway to Amman (4 hrs) for overnight Ammon Qasr Metropole [BLD]

DAY 11 :  FLY: DEPARTURE OR BEGIN TRIP EXTENSION
Transfer to the Queen Alia International Airport for departure or begin trip extension [B]

Questions? Ask Our Program Directors.

. C o n t a c t Sherry Howland 1(800)345-4453