Jordan’s discovery

Amman, one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities, is where our trip of Jordan begins. Amman, which is home to about half of Jordan’s population, is an intriguing city of contrasts where the modern and the old meet. Explore the vibrant downtown souks, where falafel and baklawa vendors will tempt you, or stop by the hilltop Roman Theatre to get a flavour of the city’s diverse past. Since there are no events scheduled for today, you are welcome to arrive in Amman whenever you choose.A 30-minute drive from our hotel to Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), where you must arrive if you want an airport transfer. Our Explore Leader will meet you for a welcoming meeting the next morning because most planes arrive late in the evening. The meeting details are posted on the hotel reception notice board.
Point of departure
Toledo Hotel, Amman, Jordan, hotel reception
Accommodations at 19:00
Hotel Toledo

We’ll have an introductory briefing after breakfast before travelling to ancient Jerash, which is north of Amman. Having been inhabited for 6,500 years, the city reached its zenith during the Roman Empire when it joined the Decapolis League, a coalition of significant Middle Eastern cities. Only 10% of the city has been revealed since excavation started more than a century ago, making this one of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world. Despite this, you can still get a sense of what life was like in the city. Explore the chariot-racing arena, go to the hilltop temples, stroll the colonnaded lanes, and have your voice heard in the historic theatre.We’ll return to Amman after lunch and explore the city in the afternoon. Our first destination is the Citadel Jabal al-Qal’a, Amman’s highest peak, which offers us sweeping views of the expansive capital. The region has been a royal metropolis for thousands of years, according to artefacts discovered here. Parts of the 7th-century Umayyad Palace and two pillars of the Roman Temple of Hercules remain intact despite the damage caused by earthquakes and invasions. We’ll navigate the souk’s winding streets as we head downtown, taking in the vibrant atmosphere and the smells of the spices and food being sold. We’ll end up in a vintage café that takes us back to the early years of Amman.
Accommodation
Hotel Toledo

We’ll be travelling to Petra and covering a lot of ground today. We’ll leave early and make a stop at Madaba. Dubbed the ‘City of Mosaics’ for good reason, Madaba is home to hundreds of mosaics from the Byzantine era, the most well-known of which is a map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land that was made with two million pieces of stone six superthousand years ago. We’ll continue on to Mount Nebo, which is mentioned in the Old Testament as the location where Moses used to stand to watch over the Promised Land. On a clear day, you can view Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and the Dead Sea from here. We will then travel to Kerak in the south along the King’s Highway.Among a series of fortifications constructed for the Holy War against Islam, this historic Crusader stronghold is the most well-known. We’ll pause to discover its history and stroll through the labyrinth of corridors and halls with stone vaults. Petra, a short drive from Kerak, is where our touring day comes to a conclusion. The ancient ‘rose city’ is Jordan’s most precious gem and one of the seven wonders of the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We might get there in time to see Petra at night, depending on the day. Before you reach the Treasury, which is illuminated by the night, follow the candlelight Siq route and observe how the light dances against the towering canyon cliffs that are covered in stars.Take the Siq path by candlelight and see the light dance against the star-studded canyon walls before you arrive at the Treasury, which is illuminated by the night. As you relax on the beaches in front of the ancient temple, you can hear a welcoming speech from the Bedouin, who still live in the city.
Accommodations in the Hotel Edom

We start our two-day exploration of Petra today. It is impossible to believe this ancient city, which is built into pink sandstone cliffs, but poet John Burgon aptly characterised it as “A rose-red city half as old as time.” Before we have a free afternoon to explore at our own leisure, our Explore Leader will lead us on a tour of Petra’s main attractions. As you get at the location, you are guided down the Siq, a kilometer-long ravine with 200-meter-tall canyon walls. The Treasury, the city’s beating heart, is located at the end of the Siq. Its façade is 43 meters high and remarkably intact.The old city is a vast network of temples and tombs that await exploration beyond the Treasury. Along the colonnaded streets, the Bedouin community that still resides in Petra sells their goods and provides refreshments. The early morning and late afternoon sun emphasises the red, pink, and orange hues in the rocks, causing the façades to change colour as the day goes on. Please be aware that your departure date will determine the hotel’s location. Every hotel is only a 5- to 10-minute walk from the Wadi Musa site or a 25-minute walk from the visitor centre. On the fourth day, groups based in Wadi Musa will have access to transport.Although there is no transport available on day five, you can take a taxi for about £2–£4 each trip. Your final paperwork will include a listing for your accommodation.
Accommodations at the Edom Hotel

You can explore more of Petra for free today. Trek up to the Monastery, Petra’s greatest structure, or ascend the steep road to the High Place of Sacrifice for a view over Wadi Araba and the Negev Desert. We’ll get together as a group this evening to watch a Bedouin cooking demonstration at a family-run eatery. Before we all eat together, our chef will demonstrate how to prepare a classic Jordanian meal, complete with a sweet desert.
Accommodations at the Edom Hotel

We will go from Petra today and enter the Wadi Rum desert, adopting the Bedouin way of life. After taking a bus to the Wadi Rum visitor centre, we will meet up with our 4WD vehicles to continue our drive over the desert. We will go through unexplored areas of Wadi Rum during our three-hour trip along the sands, and our Explore Leader will pause to provide additional background information on the desert’s past.’huge, resounding and God-like…’ according to T.E. Lawrence, Wadi Rum is a 74,000-acre expanse of monolithic granite rock and sandstone outcrops that rise from the sands. Three thousand years ago, the Bedouins perfected their nomadic lifestyle by learning to survive in this harsh climate and adjusting to the weather. We’ll return to camp to enjoy Bedouin hospitality after witnessing the sun set and the dunes glow with blazing red and orange light. In addition to a variety of mezze, we will be served a traditional Zarb, which is a barbecue of chicken or goat meat (vegetarian options will be offered) grilled in the desert sand.We’ll spend the night in a traditional Bedouin tent made of goat hair, which provides the finest defence against the harsh desert weather. Our shared tent will have blankets, pillows, mattresses, and carpets, as well as compartments for each gender. At the end of the site is a block with restrooms and a shower. Subject to availability, you can upgrade to a private tent for no additional fee. Please discuss setting one up with your leader.
Accommodation
Camp Salim

We will leave Aqaba this morning and travel the approximately four-hour trip to the Dead Sea. The lowest point on the earth’s surface is this unusual body of water. We’ll take a dive to feel the enigmatic hovering sensation because it’s nearly hard to sink due to its 33% salt concentration. You can immerse yourself in the revitalising mud of the water, which is known for its therapeutic qualities, while we’re there. Feel free to relax at the bar or by the pool after your swim; there are showers available for freshening up. At last, we will continue our journey to Amman by car.When we get there in the late afternoon, we’ll have time to shop for last-minute mementos in the souk before celebrating the trip’s conclusion with a Jordanian wine at one of the eateries in the downtown area.
Accommodation
Hotel Toledo

At our hotel in Amman, our journey of Jordan comes to a conclusion. Since there aren’t any events scheduled for today, you can leave whenever you like. Our hotel offers luggage storage facilities if your flight is leaving later in the day. You must leave Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) if you want an airport transfer.
Final destination: Toledo Hotel, Amman, Jordan, hotel reception
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