The Jewels of Jordan

Middle East

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On this experience, you’ll enjoy the handpicked highlights of Jordan while staying in luxury award winning properties.  You’ll visit the Roman Amphitheater and Citadel in Amman, explore the Greco-Roman city at Jerash, enjoy the magical Rose Red City of Petra, traverse the magic desert at Wadi Rum, and relax while floating in The Dead Sea.

 

Amman – Jerash

You’ll begin your exploration of Amman with your local expert guide at The Citadel which towers above the city from atop Jabal al-Qala’a. The Citadel is the site of ancient Rabbath-Ammon, and excavations here have revealed numerous Roman, Byzantine and early Islamic remains. The most impressive building of the Citadel, known simply as al-Qasr (‘the Palace’), dates back to the Islamic Umayyad period. Its exact function is unclear, but it includes a monumental gateway, an audience hall and four vaulted chambers. A colonnaded street also runs through the complex. To the north and northeast are the ruins of Umayyad palace grounds. Downhill from the Citadel and five minutes’ walk east from downtown, the Roman Theater is the most obvious and impressive relic of ancient Philadelphia.

Next you’ll explore the Greco-Roman city of Jerash for a half day visit. Second only to Petra in tourist appeal, the ancient city of Jerash in remarkable for its long chain of human occupation. Here at a well-watered site in the hills of Gilead, remains from Neolithic times have been found, as well as Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Umayyad and others. Jerash’s golden age, however arrived with Roman rule. Today it is acknowledged as one of the best-preserved province cities of the Roman Empire. Jerash was a member of the Decapolis, a dynamic commercial league of ten Greco-Roman Cities.

Mount Nebo – Madaba – Shobak – Petra

Today you will bid farewell to Amman and head 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 will 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. Next you’ll visit 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. After your visit proceed to Shobak for a visit. Shobak has a long and distinguished history that reached its peak in Crusader times. It too has a great fortress, constructed in 1115 AD by Baldwin I, as a link in the great chain of crusader strongholds across Jordan. The fortress, known as Mont Realis (or Montreal) guarded the crucial Damascus to Cairo trade route. After your day of exploration you’ll be chauffeured to your hotel in Petra.

Today you’ll enjoy a full day casual stroll around the rose city of Petra with your private local guide. You’ll start your walk with an optional horse ride from the main gate of Petra to the entrance of the old city. Then walk on foot along the “Siq “to visit the rose-red city. The ancient city of Petra was built from 800 BC to 100 AD by Nabatean Arabs. In this era Petra was a fortress, carved out of craggy rocks in an area which was virtually inaccessible. In the first and second century, after the Romans took over, the city reached the peak of its fame. Petra covers an area of about 100 square km, in which over 800 monuments can be found. Nowadays Petra is Jordan’s most popular attraction, known as the “rose-red city half as old as time”. You’ll also view The Khazneh (the Treasury) which was featured in ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’.

Wadi Rum & The Dead Sea

Today you’ll be driven to Wadi Rum. Also known as ‘Valley of the Moon’, the landscape of Wadi Rum with its immensity, color and awe-inspiring shapes creates an almost supernatural atmosphere. This is 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 en route to Wadi Rum. Bedouin camps are evident in the Wadi. These are still home to a number of Bedouin families who welcome visitors with the hospitality and generosity that Bedouins are so famous for. You’ll explore the desert on a board a 4×4 Bedouin Vehicle driven by a local Bedouin, which makes for a unique cultural experience. After your visit to the desert, you’ll head to your hotel in the Dead Sea for relaxation.

Today you’ll have the opportunity to relax at your luxury hotel on The Dead Sea which 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). At 400 meters 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 exogenous, 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.

Amman- Jerash- Mount Nebo- Madaba- Shobak- Petra – Wadi Rum -The Dead Sea
Ideal for Couples, Families, Groups & Solo Travelers
Suggested Time: 7 Days, Any Time You Want To Go
Handpicked Hotels: Four Seasons Amman, Movenpick Petra, Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea
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