Nine Day Historical & Cultural Tour In Jordan

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)

This morning we begin our journey into the cultural heart of the Hashemite kingdom with a tour of its vibrant capital. The origins of this remarkable city have been traced back some 9,000 years, but it was the arrival of the Ammonites in 1200BC that saw the city begin its rise to prominence as the great city of Rabbath Ammon. The intervening centuries saw it fall under the influences of the Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Ptolemies, Seleucids and the Romans, under whose auspices it thrived as one of the 10 cities of the Decapolis. Our tour this morning will take in some of the highlights of ancient Amman (Philadelphia), including the dominating presence of the Citadel and the Roman Temple of Hercules, the 8th century Ummayad Palace and the Roman Theatre and Nymphaeum. We’ll also take in the sumptuous grandeur of the King Abdullah Mosque, one of the city’s major landmarks, before paying a visit to the Archaeological Museum, a rich repository of Jordanian artefacts that span centuries of the city’s development and occupation. During the course of our day we will benefit from the indepth knowledge of our resident guide, enjoying a talk on the finer points of Roman towns and architecture.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Departing the capital this morning we head north, towards the ancient remains of Jerash, set amidst the graceful splendour of 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 cities that developed subsequent to the conquest of the area by Pompey in 63BC. One of the highlights of the Middle East, a triple arch gateway gives way to colonnaded streets, theatres, temples and baths, a visually absorbing sight that is nevertheless estimated to represent a mere 10% of the original city, the rest of it still awaiting discovery beneath the encroaching landscape of the surrounding countryside. From here, and if time permits, we will pay a visit to the Museum of Jordanian Heritage in Irbid, before taking in the classical sites of Umm Qais, where the remains of ancient Gadara occupy a limestone plateau overlooking the glistening waters of the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights. Another of the thriving cities of the Roman Decapolis, Gadara was once a centre for cultural and artistic enterprise and its strategic location at the heart of a number of important trade routes saw it flourish during the Graeco-Roman period. Less known than some of Jordan’s other historical treasures, Umm Qais is considered by some to be amongst the most enchanting and atmospheric of the Hashemite Kingdom’s cultural treasures and following our visit we will head to Irbid where we will spend the evening. To compliment our tour today we will also enjoy a talk on the Crusades and the Crusader Castles that litter the desert landscapes of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Turning south once more we follow the ancient trading routes along the Jordan Valley, passing through landscapes that have remained relatively unchanged since biblical times as we head first for the ancient remains of Pella. Another once important member of the Decapolis, Pella thrived during the Roman and Byzantine periods and indeed much of its remaining ruins date from these eras. Continuing on we head next towards the unique setting of the saline waters of the Dead Sea, at nearly 400m below sea level the lowest point on earth. Take some time to experience floating in these therapeutic waters, maybe even try a ‘mud pack’ straight from the bottom of the sea. Surrounded by barren hills, this unparalleled body of water has an amazingly high salt content (33%), resulting in the absence of any form of animal life and creating an almost impossible propensity to sink! The next port of call on our incredible journey takes us to the slopes of Jebel Neba (808m), better known as Mount Nebo. An important Christian pilgrimage site for centuries, it is believed that it was from this very summit that God chose to show Moses his promised land. This of course was the prophet’s only sight of his intended destination, as he died shortly after, never destined to see the Jewish people finally end their exile in the wilderness. Our final destination for the day is the small Christian town of Madaba, a former Byzantine settlement that was once 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 (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Travelling along the Desert Highway we continue south today, towards one of the highlights of our journey, the matchless splendours of ancient Petra, the once great capital of the Nabateans. Abandoned centuries ago Petra was the rock cut stronghold of the Nabateans, a fortress city built to protect the lucrative levies its citizens imposed on the rich caravans heading north. Surrounded by imposing mountains and approached through a deep, narrow cleft in the rocks, known as the Siq, it is a unique and unforgettable place and, enhanced by the play of light and shadow, an altogether overwhelming experience. Approaching on horseback we then enter the Siq on foot, following its towering sandstone walls towards the site of the captivating and iconic splendour of the beautiful Khazneh (The famous Treasury). A guided walk through this incredible setting will 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, enjoy the site of its amazing theatre, with its 8,000 seats carved from the solid rock and take lunch opposite the imposing Palace of the Pharaoh’s Daughter (Qasr al-Bint al- Far’oun. After lunch we will then climb up to the Deir Plateau, following a trailing passageway of steps to the great façade of the ‘monastery’ that occupies the summit. At 48m high and 47m wide this imposing structure is the largest in Petra (twice the width of Westminster Abbey’s western front). Amidst this captivating setting we will enjoy another informative talk, learning about the Neolithic Revolution and the development of early agriculture in the area, including the domestication of animals and urban civilisation.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Returning to the city this morning we will once more climb the steep paths to the sacrificial ‘High Places’ (altars) that lie behind the Roman Theatre. The Nabateans had a particular fondness for locating their sacrificial altars on the high and exposed escarpments above the city and Petra is littered with the remainders of these ritual altars, the most famous of which occupies the lofty summit of Jebel Madhbah. From here you can gaze out across the landscapes of the Negev Desert towards Wadi Araba. Taking lunch in the valley there is a chance this afternoon to visit ‘Little Petra’ and the important Neolithic site at nearby El Beidha, to view an excavated Stone Age village where the remains of houses, fireplaces and workshops that date back to around 6000BC have been excavated, providing visitors with access to one of the oldest excavated Neolithic sites on earth.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

We spend a full day today exploring the little used trails that snake across the desert landscapes around Petra. Following in the footsteps of the ancient Nabateans we head into Wadi Al Madras, an ancient suburb of Petra that contains a wealth of Nabatean inscriptions, rock-cut chambers, cisterns and water channels. Continuing on towards Wadi Farasha we then head up towards the High Places of sacrifice once more, before descending into Wadi Enmear, following a narrow gully dotted with tamarisks that leads down past a series of intricately coloured rock formations. Stopping to explore some of the old Nabatean houses that litter the mountainside we enjoy some fabulous views down onto the Theatre in the valley below. This afternoon we aim to retrace our steps through the Siq back to Wadi Mousa. This truly enchanting natural gateway into Petra runs for some 1.2km through the surrounding rock and parts of the original paved road are still visible even today. With its vertiginous walls, towering nearly 200m above, it truly does feel as if one is departing a lost world.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today has been left free for you to enjoy at your leisure. You may wish to stay in Petra and continue exploring its treasures at your own pace. Alternatively you may like to take advantage of an optional jeep tour of the beautiful and dramatic landscapes of Wadi Rum. A landscape of sandstone-mountains and white and pink coloured sands, the deserts of Wadi Rum are another world, inhabited by the nomadic Bedouin peoples for generations and soaked in the legends of Lawrence of Arabia. The Nabateans and the nomadic Thamudic tribes that populated these regions during the early Christian periods have left us some tantalizing glimpses of their time here, in the form of inscriptions dotted throughout the area, affording an insight into the close associations that must have taken place between the Nabateans and the Thamudic tribes. These deserts are also home to some 200 species of plants, including wild watermelon, juniper and palms and the dunes and canyons echo to the sounds of ibex, jackals and striped hyenas. Indeed this seemingly inhospitable landscape can boast 36 different species of mammals, not to mention a plethora of reptiles and over 120 species of birds that include eagles, partridges and finches. This is also the heartland of the proud and noble Howeitat Bedouin. Distrustful of strangers, but ultimately hospitable and loyal, it was from these proud warriors that Lawrence recruited the core of his army against the Turks. The true romanticised nomads of the desert, their characters forged by their environment and their skills honed to survive its harsh moods, the Bedouin are amongst the best trackers in the world. These remarkable people can tell from a single footprint the age, sex and gait of a traveller, whether they were travelling by day or night and can even estimate the weight of the load they were carrying!

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Transferring back to Amman by charter bus our tour ends this morning on arrival at Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport.

Included meals: Breakfast