Highlights of Jordan
Independent pre-planned 12-day Journey
Starts at the Dead Sea on any day

Visiting the Dead Sea, the Baptism Site, Madaba, Mt. Nebo, Jerash, Ajloun,
Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Amman and Umm Qais

 

Your Trip, Your Way

The trip described below is one which we have previously offered as one of our own Private Journeys and we continue to make it available as a custom-designed itinerary.

We can start this trip on any date and can accommodate any number of travellers. The itinerary can be followed exactly as shown or we can add or subtract days as required or change the order of events to suit your exact needs.

Along the way we will provide expert guides and private air-conditioned vehicles in all locations. We'll pre-arrange all breakfasts and any other meals that you require. We have suggested meals in the itinerary below, but we can adjust this to suit your tastes.

Our itinerary also includes recommended hotels, however we can modify this to use hotels at any comfort level.

In short, we'll start with this itinerary and add to, subtract from or modify it in any way you like.

We'll take care of the details. Then all you have to do is arrive and enjoy your journey.

 

Introduction

The Nabataeans may be gone and the ancient desert settlements may be quiet, but what remains to be visited and studied in this spectacular country is wonderful.

You'll travel to the Dead Sea and the surrounding sites of Bethany (the baptism site), Mount Nebo and the mosaic city of Madaba. You'll also visit the ancient city of Jerash and the castle at Ajloun.

Then head south across desert landscapes as far as Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba.

Return to Jordan's busy capital, Amman where you'll visit the old and new parts of the city as well as the far north at Umm Qais.

Jordan has been welcoming western visitors for decades. The infrastructure is well-developed, the country is peaceful, the hotels are wonderful, the transportation is good and the sites are simply magnificent.

Enjoy the cities, villages, deserts, museums, busy markets, historic and cultural sites of this beautiful country; all in comfort and safety.

Travel on your own or with friends and leave all the details to us.

 

The Journey

During this 12-day trip you'll arrive in and depart from the city of Amman and travel to the far south and north of the country.

And of course, if this itinerary is not exactly what you want, we can change it. Add days, subtract days, change hotels. Anything is possible.

Some highlights of the trip as it is currently shown...

• Grade is "easy to moderate"

• All accommodation

• All transportation

• All airport transfers

• Our own carefully-selected guides

• All tours and entrance fees

• Meals as shown
            ...and lots more

The Full Recommended Itinerary (for a map of this journey click here)

 

HIGHLIGHTS OF JORDAN
PRIVATE TOUR ITINERARY
 

DAY 1	ARRIVAL AT THE DEAD SEA, JORDAN Upon arrival at Amman's Queen Alia International airport, meet our representative and transfer about 70 km to the Dead Sea where you check in to the Movenpick Resort for a two-night stay. A number of rivers, including the River Jordan, flow into the Dead Sea. Once the water reaches the sea it is land-locked and has nowhere to go, so it evaporates, leaving behind a dense cocktail of salts and minerals that supply industry, agriculture and medicine with some of its finest products. The water is warm, soothing and super salty, some ten times saltier than sea water, and rich in chloride salts of magnesium, sodium, potassium and bromine. Visitors can float effortlessly on the water and can even enjoy treatments of the Dead Sea’s rich, black mud. Your starting hotel is located directly on the shore of the sea at the lowest point on Earth, more than 400 metres below sea level. The resort offers a soothing, therapeutic atmosphere with an oriental flair. Designed around a traditional stone village, the resort is decorated throughout with an impressive collection of antiques and artworks. Overnight at the Movenpick Dead Sea Resort.
DAY 2	DEAD SEA - BAPTISM SITE - MADABA - MOUNT NEBO - DEAD SEA (B, L) Breakfast at the hotel. Today you'll visit a few famous sites located in the area. For Christians, the area just north of the Dead Sea is one of the most important holy sites on Earth. This is the place where God supposedly first spoke to Man. It is the Holy Land where Moses received the Ten Commandments, where Job suffered and was rewarded for his faith and where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. You visit the famous Baptism Site, located only a few hundred meters from the Jordan River at a place called Bethany Beyond the Jordan. Archaeological discoveries in this area since 1996 reveal pottery, coins and architectural remains from a 5th century Byzantine monastery as well as an earlier 3rd century building with fine mosaics and what is known as a Christian ‘prayer hall’. If this is correct, it might be one of the earliest Christian prayer facilities anywhere in the world. Also identified is the cave where John the Baptist lived, according to numerous Byzantine pilgrims’ texts. A freshwater channel running from the cave can still be seen today. Next you will drive to Mount Nebo, the place where Moses was buried and the most revered holy site in all of Jordan. Standing on top of this mountain, you can see, as Moses supposedly did, the vast panorama that encompasses the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, Jericho, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. According to legend, this is also the place where Jeremiah hid the Ark of the Covenant. It was a place of pilgrimage for early Christians and Mount Nebo’s first church was built in the fourth century to commemorate the site of Moses’ death. From here you continue on to Madaba, the famous City of Mosaics. Madaba's chief attraction, the contemporary Greek Orthodox church of St. George contains a wonderfully vivid, 6th century Byzantine mosaic map showing Jerusalem and other holy sites. From here you walk a short distance to a local restaurant for lunch before returning to your hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is free for enjoying the sun, sand, mud and salt of the Dead Sea. Free for dinner. Overnight at the Movenpick Dead Sea Resort.
DAY 3	DEAD SEA – JERASH – AJLOUN – DEAD SEA (B, L) Breakfast at the hotel. Today you drive to an area about 50 km north of Amman to the city of Jerash, one of the best-preserved, most dramatic and easily explorable Roman cities in the Middle East. Second only to Petra in popularity, Jerash is known for the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa. It became an urban center during the 3rd century BC and a member of the federation of Greek cities known as the Decapolis ("ten cities" in Greek). Jerash prospered during the 1st century BC as a result of its position on the incense and spice trade route from the Arabian Peninsula to Syria and the Mediterranean region. You spend some time this morning touring the ruins of the city including the Temple of Artemis, Hadrian's Arch, the Temple of Zeus, a few of the numerous churches and the spectacular Oval Plaza. At an appropriate time, you'll assemble in the Roman hippodrome for a display of the ancient sport of chariot racing and a demonstration of Roman military capability. You'll then have lunch at a local restaurant before driving to nearby Ajloun where you visit the ruins of the 12th century Ayyubid Saladin Castle (Qal'at Ar-Rabad) located on the site of an old monastery. The castle was built by Izz al-Din Usama, a general of Saladin army, in 1184 to protect the communication routes between south Jordan and Syria. From here, you return to the Dead Sea. Free for dinner. Overnight at the Movenpick Dead Sea Resort.
DAY 4	DEAD SEA - PETRA (B) Breakfast at the hotel. This morning you depart after breakfast and drive southbound toward Petra. On the way, stop at Kerak Castle, one of the largest castles in the Levant. The castle extends over a southern spur of the plateau and is a mixture of European, Byzantine, and Arab designs. Its walls are strengthened with rectangular projecting towers and long stone vaulted galleries are lighted only by arrow slits. The castle has a deep moat that isolated it from the rest of the hill on the West. Afterwards, continue on to Petra. Petra is Jordan's most famous archaeological site lying in a basin among the mountains forming the eastern flank of Wadi Araba, the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. The site is renowned for its rock-cut architecture. It remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was re-discovered by a Swiss explorer. In 1985, Petra was designated a World Heritage Site. Upon arrival in Petra, check into your hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is free for a late lunch or early dinner at the hotel or at one of the local restaurants in town. Tonight at about 8:30 pm, provided you are here on the correct day of the week, you'll attend a performance of the famous Petra by Night. Walk into the site through the dark Siq, beautifully transformed by the light of 1,800 candles. The show itself is held directly in front of the Treasury and includes haunting music of the Bedouin and a reading by one of the local guides. The performance is simple but magical. Overnight at the Petra Movenpick or similar.
DAY 5	PETRA (B, L) Breakfast at the hotel. Today you spend the entire day sightseeing in the ancient city of Petra. While the guide is available to provide as much information and assistance as you need, you are certainly free to explore the site on your own if you would prefer. Around noon you'll have lunch at one of the local restaurants inside the site. You can stay in the site until sundown or return to the hotel whenever you wish this afternoon. Free for dinner. Overnight at the Petra Movenpick or similar.
DAY 6	PETRA - WADI RUM (B, L, D) Breakfast at the hotel. Today you continue the drive southward from Petra to Wadi Rum, about 90 minutes. Wadi Rum, the largest wadi in Jordan, is a valley cut into sandstone and granite rock which has become an important destination for international visitors. Popular activities in the desert environment include camel riding, walking, biking, jeep excursions and rock-climbing. You'll stop at the local cultural centre for a look at the museum and theatre and for a simple lunch in the adjoining cafe. Afterwards, you'll climb into a jeep and head out for a few hours to explore some of the beautiful sites of the surrounding desert landscape. Then you'll check in to the camp for an overnight stay. There may be time for a swim in the camp's pool or for a short walk before dinner. Overnight at Bait Ali Camp.
DAY 7	WADI RUM - AQABA (B) Breakfast at the camp. Today, in the late morning you leave Wadi Rum and drive for about one hour to the town of Aqaba on the extreme southern tip of Jordan. Aqaba is Jordan’s only seaport, located at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba, the northeast arm of the Red Sea. The city is well-known for its beach resorts offering fun and relaxation to those who come for the sand and sea. Welcome back to civilization! After check in, enjoy the rest of the day in any way you wish. The hotel has beautiful swimming pools and its own beach directly on the gulf. Overnight at the Movenpick Tala Bay Resort.
DAY 8	AQABA (B) Breakfast at the hotel. The waters and coral reefs of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba are well-known as some of the best snorkeling places on Earth. While at the resort you will have an opportunity to try snorkeling, either at the hotel beach or just offshore at one of the reefs. The rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy the resort. Overnight at the Movenpick Tala Bay Resort.
DAY 9	AQABA - AMMAN (B) After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Amman. Amman (population, more than 2 million) is the capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the administrative and commercial capital. It is located in a hilly area in the north-west and was originally built on seven hills but now spans over an area of nineteen hills. The main areas of Amman gain their names from the hills on which they lie. The city has both a modern and a historic touch. Old Amman is filled with souks, small shops and single-family dwellings, all crowded together. The newer parts of the city are relatively modern in comparison. Rapid growth is reshaping the city and transforming it into a major commercial hub. Upon arrival you'll spend some time driving through the diplomatic quarter and the newer parts of the city to get an overall impression of the more modern neighbourhoods before checking in to the hotel for a three-night stay. Overnight at the Intercontinental Hotel.
DAY 10	AMMAN (B, L) Breakfast at the hotel. The most interesting part of Amman is the downtown area which is centered around the old souk and the King Hussein Mosque. Here's where you'll spend much of today. Downtown (Al Balad), has been completely dwarfed by the sprawling urban areas that surround it, but despite the changes, much remains of its old character. Those seeking the atmosphere of the Old City will certainly find it here complete with the bustle of daily life, the capital's greatest souks, fine museums, ancient sites and monuments. Citadel hill, known as Jabal al Qal’a, has been inhabited for centuries and was an important military and religious site. It dates back to Roman and Byzantine times. Remains unearthed at the northern and eastern ends of the Citadel possibly date back to the Bronze Age. The Citadel also is home to the Temple of Hercules which is said to have been constructed under the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius who reigned from 161-180 AD, is similar to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Behind the Roman Forum stands a Roman Amphitheatre—the largest in Jordan—with room for 6,000 spectators. Thought to have been built between 138 and 161 AD by the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, it is constructed into the side of the mountain and is still used for sports displays and cultural events. After visiting the more important sites on foot, have lunch at a local restaurant, after which you are free to stay in the old part of the city to explore further on your own or to return to the hotel. Free for dinner. Overnight at the Intercontinental Hotel.
DAY 11	AMMAN  – UMM QAIS – AMMAN (B, L) Breakfast at the hotel. Today you drive to the very Northwestern tip of Jordan to the village of Umm Qais, tucked into the angle of borders formed by Jordan, Israel and the Golan Heights. This area produces some of the choicest olives in the Middle East. Umm Qais is best known as the site of the Decapolis city of Gadara and the famous miracle of the Gadarene swine, but it is also serves as a base for the spectacular views of the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights. You spend time this morning exploring the remote and widespread ruins of the ancient city which may include the local museum, Roman tombs, the West Theatre, the Basilica Terrace and the paved Decumanus Maximus. Lunch will be served on the hilltop restaurant where you can enjoy great views of the lands below. As the heat of the day becomes apparent, you begin your drive back to Amman. Free for dinner. Overnight at the Intercontinental Hotel.
DAY 12	DEPART AMMAN (B) Breakfast at the hotel. At an appropriate time today you transfer to the airport to board the flight home.

 

Price

The price will be determined after the trip is designed the way you want it. We can change any aspect of the trip to meet your needs.

 

Accommodation

The accommodation recommended in the itinerary has been selected to meet the needs of the experienced Canadian traveller. Of course, we can adjust specific properties according to your wishes.

We have suggested hotels with high standards for cleanliness and comfort. At the same time we have attempted to make use of several styles of properties including modern hotels, beach resorts and so on.

We would estimate that our recommended accommodation is in the 4 to 5-star category on average.