9-day
classical tour of Jordan’s
cultural and natural highlights
During this 9-day round trip you shall
see the highlights of the historical and cultural heritage of Jordan.
Next to Petra, Jerash
and the mosaics of Madaba you will also visit
some of the most beautiful Islamic castles in the EasternDesert.
And of course we shall also show you some of the most beautiful Jordanian
landscapes: Wadi Rum, the Azraq
Oasis and the grand canyon of Jordan. And last but not
least there will be ample time to spend in Aqaba
near the Red Sea, to relax on the beach
and enjoy the colourful coral reefs.
Day 1Flight to Amman
and transfer to your hotel, where you will enjoy dinner and stay
overnight.
Day 2After breakfast we will take you on a guided city tour of Amman. You will visit the Amman
citadel, the Roman theatre and the Suq, a
typical Middle Eastern market where you may buy almost everything. Next
the bus will drive you to the north of Jordan,
to Umm Qais
where you may admire the impressive view on Lake Tiberias
and the Golan Heights. At the guesthouse
we will serve you a traditional mezze lunch. In
the afternoon you will visit Jerash, the Pompei of the
East. You will enter Jerash through the
monumental South Gate
and find yourself wandering around in a Roman city. You will walk in the OvalPlaza surrounded by colonnades,
visit the Roman theatre and Byzantine churches with mosaic-covered
floors. Enjoy a stroll along Jerash’ main road
the Cardo and pass by the Nymphaeum.
Back in Amman, after dinner you will have plenty of time
to enjoy the nightlife.
Day 3After
breakfast you will depart early for the EasternDesert. The Romans
were not deterred by the desert climate and built a chain of fortresses
along the ‘limes arabicus’, the frontiers of
their new Arabic province. Most of the castles you can visit nowadays
were built by the caliphs during the Ummayyad
period. Some are decorated with fine mosaics, frescoes, stone and stucco
carvings and
illustrations. They stand as silent and impressive
evidence of Jordan’s
rich history. Today you shall see three of the best-preserved desert
castles.
Qasr al-Mushatta is the largest and most richly decorated Ummayyad
castle in Jordan.
It’s a large, square fortress, surrounded by walls with circular towers
on every side. QusayrAmra is placed by Unesco
on its World Heritage List. Its interior walls and ceilings are covered
with lively frescoes and two of its rooms are paved with colourful
mosaics.
Qasr al-Azraq
is built in black basalt and has been in continuous use since Roman
times. During the Arab Revolt it functioned as the headquarters of
Lawrence of Arabia. Late in the afternoon you will be transferred to the Azraq Oasis and be shown the highlights of the oasis.
Dinner is served in Azraq Guesthouse and you
will stay there overnight.
Day 4You
will depart early for Madaba and visit the
famous mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Your next stop will be MountNebo, where like Moses you will
be able to overlook the Holy Land and the Dead Sea.
You will leave Madaba southwards and travel
along the King’s
Highway to Mukawir, the hilltop
stronghold of Herod the Great, which is surrounded by ravines on three
sides. It was at Mukawir where Herod Antipas
ordered the beheading of John the Baptist to please Salome. The journey
will continue to Umm ar-Rasas where you
will visit the church
of St. Stephen,
which contains
Jordan’s largest mosaic floor featuring images of
the fifteen major cities of the Holy Land.
You will also visit the highest standing ancient tower of Jordan,
which still puzzles specialists because it doesn’t contain a door or
inner staircase. It is believed to have been home to a pillar saint. The
journey to Karak takes you through WadiMujib, the grand canyon of Jordan.
In Karak you may enjoy dinner in one of the
traditional restaurants and spend the evening as you wish.
Day 5In the morning there will be a visit to the castle of Karak,
where Saladin and Richard Lionheart fought
during the crusades. You will continue along the King’s Highway, passing
several ravines. In the restored medieval village of Dana
your lunch is served at the guesthouse, which offers an excellent view of
the Dana
Nature Reserve.
In the afternoon you will visit the castle of Shobak.
During the crusades period it was known as MonsRealis, since it was the first castle
established by the kingdom of Jerusalem at the other side of the river Jordan.
Late in the afternoon you arrive in Petra
for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6In the morning a local guide will escort you into Petra and show you the highlights of the Nabatean
city. You will enter the city through the Siq,
the narrow gorge and be rewarded with the most astonishing and dramatic
monument in Jordan:
the Treasury. You will also visit the theatre, the tombs and
façades and the colonnaded street.
In the afternoon you are free to wander
around in Petra
and explore the area for yourself. You may climb the stairs to the
Monastery and admire the view over the WadiAraba. Perhaps you would like to walk all the way up
to the High Place of Sacrifice and see the obelisks which are believed to
represent the most important Nabatean gods, Dushara and Al ‘Uzza. After
dinner at the hotel you will have plenty of time to explore the village of WadiMusa
and maybe have a drink at the Cave Bar.
Day 7You are free to spend the morning according to your own liking.
Suggestion: visit Little Petra, which dates back to prehistoric times.
After lunch you will be transferred to Wadi Rum. You will pass the famous seven pillars of
wisdom, described by Lawrence of Arabia. Our guided jeep tour will show
you Lawrence of Arabia’s house and Thamudic and
Nabatean inscriptions made centuries ago. And
you may climb one of the natural rock bridges. Late in the afternoon you
will continue to Aqaba, where you can spend the evening according
to your own wishes.
Day 8You can spend this day in Aqaba entirely
according to your own wishes. Suggestions: relax and spend time on the
sandy beaches, go diving or snorkelling, take a trip on a glass boat and
enjoy the beautiful coral reefs.
Day 9Late in the afternoon you will be transferred to Amman and fly back home.
Via Jordan Travel, Tel: +962 3 201 2299 ,
Fax: +962 32022990,mob +962 795549974 , Email: info@viajordan.com
