We've given each of our tours a comfort rating and a tour pace, walking or cycling grade to give you a general idea about the level of activity on each tour and the standard of accommodation you will be staying in at the end of your day's adventure.
Often you'll stay in different styles of accommodation during your tour; so we make an average rating across the entire tour. For more information on where you'll stay each night, please refer to the day by day tour itinerary.
The following excursions and/or activities are usually available and may be arranged locally. Estimated costs are provided below for guidance only, are on a per person basis unless shown otherwise, and may depend on the number of participants. Prices quoted are correct as of the date these trip notes were originally issued but may change at any time due to currency fluctuations.
We suggest allowing £10 for tipping in Jordan and £10 for tipping in Israel and Palestine.
Local Costs
| |
UK |
Israel & Palestine |
Jordan |
| Tea/Coffee |
£1.50 |
£1.20 |
£1.00 |
| Soft Drink |
£1.50 |
£0.85 |
£1.00 |
| Bottled Water |
£1.50 |
£0.60 |
£1.50 |
| Bottle of Beer |
£3.50 |
£2.40 |
£4.00 |
| 2 Course Meal* |
£15.00 |
£20.00 |
£10.00 |
| 3 Course Meal** |
£20.00 |
£25.00 |
£15.00 |
| Bottle of Wine |
£14.50 |
£6.00 |
£20.00 |
| Breakfast |
£5.00 |
|
|
*Cheap local fare in a small cafe or restaurant.
**Typical food in a simple, reasonably comfortable mid-range restaurant.
Important Information
Travel Insurance
It is a condition of joining any of our tours that you must have valid travel insurance. It must indicate that you have cover for (at least) medical expenses and emergency repatriation in the event of illness or injury. We also strongly recommend your policy includes cancellation protection as all deposit paid are non-refundable.
If you require travel insurance for your tour, Explore Worldwide is an appointed representative of Campbell Irvine Limited, who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services authority. Our travel insurance policy is specially tailored to the needs of the adventure traveller and will cover you for any included activity on any Explore trip. You can either purchase this at the time of booking or call us 0844 499 0901 after you have booked.
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Visa Requirements
Jordan: The following information relates to EU passport holders and those who are travelling on group flights arranged by Explore:
Subject to a minimum group size of 5 persons, free visas can be arranged on arrival for all clients if Explore receive your passport details a minimum of 10 days before arrival. Unfortunately we will not know until the commencement of your tour whether the minimum number is attained, therefore we recommend that you allow JD20 (approx £20) in case an individual visa will need to be purchased on arrival. Please note those on the group flight will be met by a Representative to take you through the immigration process. Due to the new security procedures in the airport the representative may not be able to meet the group immediately, so please wait for the rep to come through and assist you with the group visa. This could take up to 30 minutes, perhaps longer depending on the number of tour groups coming through, so please be patient. If you proceed through without the representative, you may affect whether the group can still use their group visa and have to pay for your own individual visa, so please wait until the representative has been let through to assist you.
The following information relates to EU passport holders and those who are travelling on non-group flights or Land Only:
Clients extending their stay, or who for any other reason will not be departing on group flights, will be required to purchase an individual visa on arrival. Visas can be bought on arrival at Amman’s Queen Alia Airport or any border crossing point (current cost JD20, approx. £20).
The Jordanian government levies on all travellers a departure tax of JD8 per person. For travellers departing by air this is usually included in the taxes on the airline ticket and thus nothing will be collected from you at the point of departure. For those travellers departing by land, this will be collected by the immigration authorities at the port of departure from Jordan.
Israel & Palestinian Territories: UK, AUS, NZ, USA & CAN. citizens do not require a visa. Other nationalities should consult the relevant consulate or consular office, or Explore’s recommended visa service. Note: If you do not want your passport stamped by Israeli immigration, ask for a visa card instead (some Arab countries will not accept your passport if it has an Israeli stamp), and specify ‘No stamp, please’. There is a $25 departure tax payable when leaving Israel & Palestinian Territories for Jordan .
All nationalities should consult the relevant consulate.
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All visa information is subject to change. You should confirm all visa related issues with the relevant Embassy prior to departure.
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Vaccinations & Protection
Nothing compulsory, we recommend protection against malaria, typhoid, tetanus, diphtheria, polio and hepatitis A. Consult your travel clinic for latest advice on different prophylaxis available against malaria.
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The above is not an exhaustive list. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by following the NHS and NaTHNaC links at http://www.explore.co.uk/Travelhealth/ and from your local healthcare provider.
Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure.
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Know before you go
We strongly recommend that you check your government’s travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination: safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs, including advice re: the legality of and local attitudes towards same-sex relationships. For UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Advice follow the link at http://www.explore.co.uk/Traveladvice/
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Preparing for your tour
Climate
Jordan: During April-November days are generally sunny and hot without rain (some showers December-March) with temperatures around 32°C. Spring and autumn evenings can be cool and night temperatures can drop suddenly, especially in the desert. Expect cold nights in winter (Dec -Feb) when temperatures can drop to around zero degrees Celsius. Some rain should also be expected at this time of year.
Israel and Palestinian Territories: Has a Mediterranean climate. Summer is hot with fairly high humidity in coastal regions. Rainfall is mostly from November to March: during this period temperatures can drop quite sharply, particularly in December, so pack accordingly.
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Seasonal weather patterns can be unpredictable. For up-to-date information on the weather worldwide please visit www.bbc.co.uk/weather.
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Packing for your tour
To assist with packing for your tour, we have detailed some of the essential items you should take with you.
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Luggage
Unfortunately it does occasionally happen that luggage does not always reach its destination on the same flight as its owner, or possibly it may be damaged in transit. If you are unlucky enough for this to occur, it is important that you file a PIR (Property Irregularity Report) with the airline before leaving the airport. This is essential when you come to make a claim either against the airline or from your travel insurance company
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One main piece of baggage and daypack. Total allowance: 44lb/20kg. Remember you are expected to carry your own luggage so don't overload yourself.
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Clothing
For Jordan pack essentially lightweight clothing, with a sun-hat and neck protection, though a sweater and light jacket are advisable for Wadi Rum. Early mornings can be very chilly when camping in the desert and winters in Jordan can be cold, so please bring suitable warm clothing. We recommend a waterproof jacket in winter. Women are advised not to wear shorts or dresses that are too revealing as this can attract unwelcome attention in the streets of Muslim towns – loose fitting trousers or slacks are ideal. Women should also cover their head and shoulders when entering a mosque and men should wear long trousers. For Israel and the Palestinian Territories convention demands that long trousers are worn in some Jewish and Christian holy places, and women must cover their arms, legs and head. During winter (October to March) medium weight clothing and rainwear is advisable. A fleece will be useful during this time for early mornings (Masada visit) when it can be chilly.
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Footwear
Comfortable walking shoes or boots, trainers and sandals.
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Equipment
Sleeping bags, blankets and mattresses are provided, but we suggest you bring your own sleeping sheet. A personal water bottle and small torch are useful for the nights camping. In addition a high factor suncream and sunglasses.
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Need help on Clothing or Equipment?
Then we suggest you contact Nomad Travel, our equipment partner, who specialise in kitting people out for adventurous travel. You receive a special 10% discount in-store or online. Visit one of their stores, phone 0845 260 0044, or visit their website www.nomadtravel.co.uk/explore for further information.
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General Information
Please note:
RAMADAN 2013 - 9th July to 8th August
Ramadan is a month of fasting observed by Muslims throughout the world, during which time the followers of Islam should not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset. There may be some restrictions to services and minor amendments to the itinerary. Restaurants may have limited supplies of fresh food available during this period.
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Camping is in a communal tent. Privacy and facilities are thus limited but more than compensated for by the locations.
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Country info
Area: Jordan: 89,206 sq km. Israel and Palestinian Territories: 21,000sq km.
Population: Jordan: 5.46 million. Israel and Palestinian Territories: 6.2 million.
Language: Jordan: Arabic, English. Israel and Palestinian Territories: Hebrew, Arabic, English.
Religion: Jordan: 96% Sunni Muslim, 4% Christian. Israel and Palestinian Territories: Jewish, Muslim, Christian.
Local Time: Jordan: GMT +3. Israel and Palestinian Territories: GMT +2.
Electric Supply & Plugs: 220v, 50Hz, European two pin sockets.
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Maps & Books
Recommended Maps: General maps of the area are produced by Hildebrand and Freytag & Berndt. Town plans are available from most major tourist offices.
Recommended Books: TE Lawrence: Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Peter Mansfield The Arabs, Amin Maalouf The Crusades through Arab
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