Petra: The 2000 year old Nabatean city of Petra is known throughout the world for its unique buildings carved into the rose red rock. Initially Petra was used as a temporary refuge by Normadic Bedouins. Starting with only a few caves, they carved out the sandstone to create this spectacular and awe-inspiring fortress city. Petra is magnificent, powerful, mysterious and always thrilling. The entrance is spectacular as you approach on foot through a narrow winding canyon until it dramatically opens up to reveal the façade of The Treasury - made infamous as the location for the movie ‘Indiana Jones and last crusade’. It takes several hours to walk through the whole city which can be approached on horseback.

The Dead Sea: The Dead Sea is a unique and spectacular location lying at 410 metres below sea level – the lowest place on the earth’s surface. The leading attraction at the Dead Sea is the hot, soothing, super-salty seawater, which is four times saltier than normal seawater. It is rich in chloride salts of magnesium, sodium, potassium, bromine and several others. This unusually, salty, buoyant and mineral-rich water has attracted visitors since ancient times, all of whom have floated effortlessly on their backs while soaking up the water’s healthy minerals. For thousands of years the healing powers of the water have been known – the Romans treated their wounded soldiers here.

Wadi Rum: The desert landscapes of Wadi Rum were traversed by the great British adventurer - Lawrence of Arabia in his skirmishes with the Ottomans (the film Lawrence of Arabia faithfully recorded its majesty). The startling colours and rock formations carved artfully by the erosions of wind and time are spectacular. The towers of rock, sandy plateau and chasms spanned by the odd natural rock-bridge offer great opportunities for the rambler, trekker or audacious climber, but also for the more contemplative character, wonderful moments of tranquil meditation.

Sights include the principle mountain of Jabel Rum 1754 m, with its Nabatean temple hewn from the rock on its eastern slope a short walk from the rest house. Also in the desert hereabouts are the rock paintings of camels, hunters and warriors carved by nomads from Arabia in the second century AD. A little further way is the Ain Shallaleh desert spring, popularly known for its historical significance as Lawrence’s well.

Jerash: Jerash remains today one of the best preserved and complete of the greco-roman cities which emerged 2.000 years ago. Known as the Pompeii of the East, Jerash is widely regarded as the best preserved city of the Decapolis, a confederation of 10 roman cities dating from the first century A.D. At the entrance to the city is the imposing Triumphal Arch which was built to honor the arrival of the Emperor. During the tour of the ancient ruins you will see the oval-shaped forum, walk along the colonnade street, visit the theater, the three-church complex and the Artemis Temple.

Biblical History: The Jordan Valley, resonant with historic and religious meaning is the starting place for Jordan’s fascinating biblical history. The Valley is named for the River Jordan, where Jesus was baptized and the Prophet Mohammed crossed to Jerusalem, where the Dome of the Rock now stands. In biblical times, the valley was one of the most fertile places in the Middle East, and some of the world’s oldest civilizations sprang from this soil.

Nature Reserves: Jordan has over 1000 square kilometres of protected natural landscapes ranging from the mountains of the eastern Rift Valley to desert lowlands of Wadi Araba. The country embraces four distinct vegetation zones. This condensed variety of landforms and habitats, combined with dramatic changes in elevation, results in a very high biological diversity. Ostrich and oryx are highlights of these areas and you may be lucky enough to see the endangered sand cat, the Syrian wolf, the lesser kestrel and the spiny tailed lizard.

Day 1 Arrival at Amman International Airport and transfer to a city centre hotel (3*).

Day 2 Full day tour of desert castles and Kan Zaman village . Back to Amman for dinner and overnight

Day 3 City tour of Amman and the Roman city of Jerash. Drive back to Amman for dinner and overnight.

Day 6 Full day at Petra. Afternoon, back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 7 Full day at Wadi Rum. Early afternoon, drive to Amman via the desert Highway. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Amman.

Day 8 After breakfast transfer to Amman Airport for departure including meeting and assistance during formalities.

Day 1 Arrival at Amman International Airport and transfer to a city centre hotel (3*).

Day 2 Tour of the ancient and modern capital of Jordan, Amman. Continue to Ajlun Nature Reserve. There are two optional nature walks you can take ranging from 2 -8 km in length.

Overnight in Amman.

Day 3 Madaba; visit the home of the most famous Byzantine Mosaics and Mount Nebo, with its spectacular view of the Holy Land.

Cultural Tour Accommodation

The tour is based on 3* hotel accommodation with en-suite bathrooms however a 4* upgrade is available on request. We favour small locally owned hotels which will give you an impression of the country and its people. This includes the Petra Inn (pictured) which is located spectacularly adjacent to the city entrance and has its bar and restaurant carved out of the sandstone in the style of Petra itself. All the hotels we use have a bar and restaurant where your international standard evening meal will be served.

Trekking Tour Accommodation

The tour is based on 3* hotel accommodation and either Bedouin camping (pictured) or the national park guesthouses. Please let us know which style of accommodation you prefer. Sleeping in the desert is a wild but very peaceful experience. At night there is perfect quiet and beautiful clear skies which offer spectacular options of stargazing. Your Beduoin guides will prepare a campfire at night and offer you traditional Bedouin bread and drinks with your evening meal.

Getting There: