Discovery Tour Visiting Lebanon And Jordan

Arrive Beirut and check-in at hotel.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Palm Beach Hotel

This morning we travel along Lebanons Coast to the town of Sidon or Saida with its 13th century Crusader sea castle guarding the mouth of the harbour, an impressive reminder of its continued importance throughout history. We also wander through its atmospheric souks and its caravanserai before travelling up into the Chauf mountains where we enjoy our lunch with a local family in the traditional town of Baadarane. Following our lunch we will continue our journey to visit the impressive Beittedine Palace, enjoying its beautiful architecture, impressive artwork, Byzantine mosaics and its reminders of Lebanon’s rich cultural and historical past. From here we drive to Chtoura to our hotel for the next two nights.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Massabki Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning sees us continuing our exploration by travelling to the site of Baalbek.  This gigantic complex of Roman temples is possibly the largest ever built, and one of the highlights of our tour. The city was known to the Greeks as Heliopolis – the city of the sun – as the Phoenicians worshipped the sun god Baal here. The Romans constructed a huge temple to Bacchus (detailed sculpture work reveals twining vines, poppies and wheat – symbols of the cult of Bacchus) and also the Temple of Jupiter, reached by a monumental staircase. Until the 1970s Baalbek provided a dramatic setting for an international Arts Festival, where Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev once performed. We spend time enjoying the impressive site, where excavations have uncovered a palace and city of a Caliph from the Umayyad dynasty (7th century), which may have been constructed on top of a roman city.  From Baalbek, we then visit Ksara to try out the local wines of the area before continuing on to Aanjar. This site was inhabited during the C7th and C8th AD, but was then abandoned soon after the Ummayad Caliphs were defeated by the Abbasids. Thus the site is a unique example of this period. Construction of the fortified town was based on a symmetrical rectangular Roman layout incorporating graceful palaces, baths and souks. Located on the East-West trade route, around 600 shops have already been excavated.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Massabki Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we drive back to Beirut getting to know more about this ancient and intriguing city, steeped in fascinating history. On our walking tour of the city we visit the Martyr Square and national museum. Beirut has been a prosperous trading city since the Phoenicians (1500BC); it was famous in Roman times for its School of Law and was still an important commercial centre in the 1970s when many international companies had their Middle East HQ in Beirut. Physical reminders of the recent war years are apparent with many bombed out buildings increasingly being demolished or renovated. However, Beirut still retains an element of the glamour from the time when it was known as ‘the Paris of the Middle East’. Once the city tour of Beirut is completed and lunch is enjoyed,  and we are en route back to Byblos, we make a visit to Harissa, the Statue and church of our Lady of Lebanon for views of the Bay of Jounieh. We then continue down to see the Stele of Nar el Kaleb or the ‘Dog River’. Legend holds it that at the mouth of this river, a dog would bark everytime the enemy approached. The Stele sums up the entire history of Lebanon and how its been influenced or inhabited by far away cultures from High Antiquity to the present day.  After this brief visit you will have the option of visiting the Jeitta Caves, a cave the size of a cathedral sheltering a large lake.  A short boat trip across the lake will take you for a close up look at the magnificent stalactite and stalagmite formations.  From here we make the short journey to Byblos, our home for the next 2 nights.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Eddie Sands Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we visit the historical site of Byblos, which claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited town in the world. Long before the time of Athens or Rome, it was an independent city state, trading cedarwood with Egypt in exchange for papyrus. Its name derives from the word for sheets of paper, ‘biblos’, from which we get the word ‘Bible’. We explore Egyptian temples, the Phoenician Royal Acropolis and the Crusader castle. Your time will be free afternoon after this mornings visit so you can enjoy the charms of Byblos at your own pace.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Eddie Sands Hotel Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

This morning we drive to and visit the Tannourine Cedar Reserve. Throughout history, the cedar trees that grow high in the Lebanese mountains have been valued by kings and conquerors for the durability and fragrance of their wood. Some of the cedars date back 1500 years and possibly even to the time of King Solomon, who cleared much of the forest to construct his palace. Since Lebanon’s wealth has been closely connected to the cedar, it has become the national emblem and appears on the flag.. We enjoy a 2 hour walk through this National Reserve before driving to our overnight stop at the peaceful Monastery of St. Antonio's where we experience the serenity and peacefulness of monastic life.

Overnight Monastery (H+) in St Anthony's Qozhaya Monastery Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After our morning visit to the Gibran Museum in Bcharre, we journey into the Qadisha Valley. On foot today we discover the Maronite sites in the Qadisha Valley. This rugged, remote area provided ideal protection for the early Maronite Sect sheltering from Christian persecution. Originating in Syria, the Maronites were believed to have avoided subjugation by mainstream Christians by seeking refuge in the mountains. Today Qadisha’s valley slopes and cliffs are strewn with red-roofed Maronite villages, monasteries built into the sides of cliff faces and hermitages where the 13th century frescoes remain on the walls. Nowadays Maronite services are conducted in Syriac, which is a language closely related to Aramaic, the language of Christ. The traditional Syriac translation of Qadisha is ‘Valley of the Saints’. Our walk is approximately 5 hours, where the first 45 minutes involves a steep descent into the Valley, but we are rewarded by stunning views and the ever changing Lebanese landscape. After our walk, we drive back to Beirut for our night stay.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Palm Beach Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we fly to Amman to begin the Jordanian tour of the Middle East and also to meet other members of our tour who will join us for the week.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Imperial Palace Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we take a guided tour of Jordan's Capital City. 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, Ptolomids, 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 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 gold and herb markets in the city’s downtown district. This afternoon we drive to the hilltop fortress at Ajlun, the only truly Islamic castle in the country. Built in 1184AD by a nephew of the great Saladin, to counter the Frankish threat of the invading Crusaders, its strategic location saw it commanding the trade routes between southern Jordan and Syria. Destroyed by the Mongols in 1260 the citadel was then rebuilt by the Mameluke Sultan Baibars, going on to serve as an Ottoman outpost. After our visit we continue to Jerash. Located in the Gilead Hills, it is considered to be the best preserved city of the Decapolis, a confederation of ten Roman cities. One of the highlights of the Middle East, a triple arch gateway gives way to colonnaded streets, theatres, temples and baths. From here we return to Amman for our overnight stay.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Imperial Palace Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we head south to Madaba, a small Christian town with its collection of extraordinary mosaics, including the Great Map of Palestine (6th century). Discovered in 1896, and only fragmentary, it contains a good picture of Jerusalem. Moving on we investigate Jebel Neba (808m). Better known as Mount Nebo, it is a pilgrimage centre for Christians principally because Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land from this summit. Then following the desert highway we reach Kerak, imposingly sited on a hilltop. Kerak became famous in the time of the Crusades as one of a chain of fortresses in the Holy War against Islam. The castle was built in 1132 by Baldwin of Jerusalem, a Crusader king. After visiting this magnificent castle we then continue down to Petra for a 3 night stay.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Beit Zaman Included meals: Breakfast

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. Our tour enters 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 orientation tour 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, before a free afternoon to continue exploring at your leisure. This evening there may be a possibility of enjoying an enchanting tour of the city by night (optional).

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Beit Zaman Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

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) for stunning views over Wadi Araba and the Negev Desert. The Monastery is the largest of Petra’s monuments and certainly worth the climb up to it. Towering to a height of 40m its doorway alone measures 8m in height, dwarfing anyone framed within it. It is a place to lose oneself in the atmosphere of the past. We also recommend a trip to El Beidha (or ‘Little Petra’ as it is known) or to an excavated Stone Age village where you can see the remains of houses, fireplaces and workshops dating from around 6000BC. And after a full day’s sightseeing, what better way to relax than with a traditional Ottoman Bath (optional).

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Beit Zaman Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

Leaving Petra behind this morning we continue south, crossing more of the rolling desert landscapes towards the haunting vistas of Wadi Rum. Turning off the main road we come upon the remains of the Hejaz Railway, famously attacked by TE Lawrence and his Arab army during the turbulent days of WWI. From here we enter another world, one inhabited by the nomadic Bedouin for generations and steeped in the legend of Lawrence of Arabia, whose exploits have become the 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. On arrival at the Visitors Centre you have the option to take either an optional and unforgettable Camel trek through the dramatic Siq al Barrah marvelling at the panoramas of what must surely be some of Jordan’s most dramatic wilderness or an optional 4x4 drive exploring the dramatic scenery of Wadi Rum. Words struggle to adequately convey the beauty of this special place.  After these optional activites, we then continue onto Jordans Red Sea town of Aqaba.  Here you will have further options of relaxing by your roof top pool, soaking up the sunshine and taking a break to recap on your weeks adventure or enjoy a snorkelling trip.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Days Inn Included meals: Breakfast

Leaving Aqaba behind and returning north we continue to our final destination for today, the unique saline waters of the Dead Sea. At nearly 400m below sea level this is the lowest point on earth. Surrounded by barren hills, this unparalleled water body has an amazingly high salt content (33%) that means no animal life survives and that it is almost impossible to sink! We will have time here to enjoy the strange delights of floating on the Dead Sea and bathing in the skin soothing (and allegedly youth making) Dead Sea mud before heading back to Jordan's Capital, Amman.

Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++) in Imperial Palace Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

Included meals: Breakfast