Jordan Family Adventure Holiday

Join tour today in Amman, the capital of Jordan. It is a fascinating city of contrasts – a unique blend of old and new. The Temple of Hercules is in the commercial heart of the city along with ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, art galleries and boutiques that rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops and tiny artisans' workshops. Everywhere there is evidence of the city’s much older past. Due to the city’s modern-day prosperity and temperate climate, almost half of Jordan’s population is concentrated in the Amman area. The residential suburbs consist of mainly tree-lined streets and avenues flanked by elegant, almost uniformly white houses in accordance with a municipal law, which states that all buildings must be faced with local stone. The downtown area is much older and more traditional with smaller businesses producing and selling everything from fabulous jewellery to everyday household items. The people of Amman are multi-cultural, multi-denominational, well-educated and extremely hospitable. They welcome visitors and take pride in showing them around their fascinating and vibrant city.

Overnight Standard Hotel

This morning we depart the capital and head north, towards ancient Jerash, located in the Gilead Hills. One of Jordan’s major attractions, this beautifully preserved Roman city is considered to be the best preserved of the Decapolis, a confederation of ten Middle Eastern cities under the Emperor Pompey. One of the highlights of the Middle East, its triple arch gateway gives way to an array of colonnaded streets, theatres, temples and baths that is estimated to represents only about 10% of the entire city, the rest of this incredible site still to be uncovered. We will tour this magnificent venue with a local guide, spending the morning exploring this most captivating of settings.Our afternoon journey sees us heading first for Jebel Neba (808m). Better known as Mount Nebo, this has been an important pilgrimage centre for Christians for centuries, principally on account of the fact that just before his death God revealed the Promised Land to Moses from this very summit. Our next stop is the town of Madaba, where we will overnight, once a Byzantine community that was one of the most important Christian communities east of the Jordan River. Today it harbours a collection of extraordinary mosaics, including the incredible 6th century Great Map of Palestine. Discovered in 1896, and only fragmentary, it contains detailed depictions of the important pilgrimage sites throughout the Holy Land, including Jerusalem, and is believed to be the oldest surviving map of Palestine in existence.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Departing Madaba early today our journey first takes us to the imposing Crusader fortress of Kerak, built in 1132 by King Baldwin of Jerusalem to defend the road against the armies of Islam. Imposingly sited on a hilltop, Kerak was once one of a chain of fortresses in the Holy War against Islam, until it finally fell to the forces of Saladin himself, who was so impressed with the courage shown by its defenders that he set them free. From Kerak we travel on the desert highway all the way to Wadi Rum where we have to option to take a camel trek or walk before enjoying our tales from a local bedouin Story Teller and our night under the stars.

Overnight Basic Camping Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we cross a landscape of sandstone mountains and white and pink coloured sands on 4WD's to visit the haunting vistas of Wadi Rum. We enter another world, one inhabited by the nomadic Bedouin peoples for generations and steeped in the legend of Lawrence of Arabia, whose exploits have become stuff of legend. Indeed scenes from the remarkable film of his life were shot here, deep in the fabulous purple-black mountains that rise from the sand of the desert. From here we then make our way by bus to the Gulf of Aqaba and Jordan’s only seaport. Aqaba has had a long history of occupation and trade. King Solomon’s ships left here loaded with copper, whilst the Edomites and the Nabateans used the port as part of a trade route from Damascus to Egypt. The Roman 10th Legion was stationed here and during the 12th century the Crusaders made good use of Aqaba’s strategic position before Saladin finally took control of the area. During the later conflicts of World War I, the Arab troops under Prince Faisal used the fort In Aqaba as a base for attacks on the Ottoman forces. As we take our last views out across the Jordan Valley we leave behind the desert and enter a landscape of palm groves and coral reefs, warm glistening waters and the impressive backdrop of the Jordanian Heights. The rest of the afternoon is free to enjoy this setting, perhaps making the most of the marine wonders off shore with an optional snorkelling trip into Aqaba’s azure waters.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

Today you have a free day where you may wish to enjoy the splendid coral reefs and clear warm waters for which Aqaba is famed. Aqaba has numerous watersports activities, including sailing, snorkelling and glass bottom boats for hire, so there should be something for everyone.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

This morning we drive to one of the world's most beautiful sites - Petra. Surrounded by imposing mountains and approached through a deep, narrow cleft in the rocks known as the Siq, Petra is a unique and unforgettable place and, enhanced by the play of light and shadow, an altogether overwhelming experience. Approaching the Siq we follow its towering sandstone walls towards the site of the captivating and iconic splendour of the beautiful Khazneh (the famous Treasury), one of the city’s most iconic structures. A guided orientation tour will then take us to some of the key parts of this remarkable and ancient site, one of the most impressive and exciting anywhere in the world. We’ll take in the Colonnaded Street and the Royal Tombs and enjoy the site of its amazing theatre, with its 8,000 seats carved from the solid rock that surrounds it. The rest of the day is then free to continue exploring at your leisure, making your own way back to the hotel in your own time.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today you have a full free day at Petra (‘rock’ in Greek). Returning to the city you can climb steep paths to the sacrificial ‘High Places’ (altars) and hike to the top of Jebel Harin (1396m) for a stunning view over Wadi Araba and the Negev Desert. The Monastery is the largest of Petra’s monuments and certainly worth the steep climb up to it. Towering to a height of 40m its doorway alone measures 8m in height, dwarfing anyone framed within it. This is truly a place to lose oneself in the history and ambience of the past. The (optional) plan today is for the younger members of the group to prepare the evening meal and treat their parents to some Middle Eastern delights should you wish to learn some of the secrets of Middle Eastern cuisine!

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Leaving Petra this morning we travel back up North to Amman via a well earned soak in the Dead Sea en route. At 418m below sea level this salty expanse of mineral rich water is the lowest point on earth and has been revered for centuries for its beneficial properties. Surrounded by barren hills, this remarkable body of water has an amazingly high salt content (33%), which means no animal life can survive here and it is almost impossible to sink! Don’t take our word for it, try it for yourself.  We will then return to Jordan's bustling capital city for our final overnight stay.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

Tour ends in Amman after breakfast.

Included meals: Breakfast