Jordan Highlights Tour

Day 1: Arrive in Amman

We rendezvous at the group hotel in Amman. KE Land Only package services begin with a single timed group transfer from Amman Airport. The remainder of the day is free to relax in the hotel or explore the immediate vicinity. Overnight at the group hotel. Meals are not included on this day.

Day 2: Visit to Jerash Roman City and transfer to Madaba

After breakfast and a briefing on the week ahead from our guide, we begin this Jordan Highlights tour with a short transfer 48km north to the Roman City of Jerash, one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East. We spend some time here visiting the Corinthian column, Hadrian's Arch and the hippodrome. We continue to Madaba where we visit the 1500 year old Mosaic Map located in the apse of the church of Saint George. The map is of Jerusalem and was created in 542AD by unknown artist monks. We stay overnight in our Madaba hotel. Included meals: Breakfast (B)

Day 3: Mount Nebo, the Dead Sea and Kerak Castle

This morning we begin with a visit to the revered holy site of Mount Nebo (817m.) where Moses was granted his view of the ‘Promised Land’. We then drive to the Dead Sea for a ‘must-do’ float in its salty waters. After lunch at the Dead Sea we drive to Kerak where we visit the famous ‘Crusader’ Castle situated on a ridge-top overlooking the town and with views across to the Dead Sea. Finally we drive to our hotel located close to the ancient city of Petra in Wadi Musa. Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner (B,L,D)

Day 4: Visit to Petra

A short transfer takes us to Beida, where we explore the less-visited canyon of Siq al-Barid, also known as ‘little Petra’ which houses some of the most important surviving examples of Hellenistic style rock paintings. From ‘little Petra’ we hike a quiet back-trail for approximately 5km to the main Petra site. We have a full day in Petra with a qualified guide. Petra was created by the Nabataeans who came to this part of Jordan some 2000 years ago and was occupied for around 400 years. The city then lay entirely deserted and forgotten until its rediscovery in 1812. There are over 800 individual monuments at Petra, including temples, tombs, arched gateways and entire streets, carved from the colourful native sandstone. Other highlights are the High Place of Sacrifice, which offers views across the whole area, and the Monastery reached by way of 800 steps. After our visit we return to our hotel. (B)

Day 5: Revisit Petra and transfer to Wadi Rum

Just one visited is never enough for this amazing city and early this morning we will return to Petra this time using the classic approach through the gloomy kilometre-long chasm of the Siq which provides a dramatic contrast as we arrive at the spectacular bright sun-lit Treasury building, with its intricately carved facade. After yesterday's guided tour we now have the freedom to revisit any particular sites before returning to the tour bus. This afternoon we drive south for approximately 2 hours to Wadi Rum, arriving there in time for dinner and the magnificent desert sunset. For the next two nights our desert accommodation will be in a fixed Bedouin camp. These are very comfortable fixed camps with twin rooms, communal wash basins and showers, and shaded dining and seating areas. (B,D)

Day 6: Exploration of Wadi Rum by 4X4

We have a full day in Wadi Rum to explore its incredible dunes and rock structures. In 2011 Wadi Rum was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. The area features a varied desert landscape consisting of a range of narrow gorges, natural arches, towering cliffs, ramps, and caverns. Petroglyphs, inscriptions and archaeological remains here tell a story of 12,000 years of human eveolution. We will tour by 4WD jeeps and stop at regular intervals to take short walks and to enjoy this stunning landscape. After a day of exploration in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia we return to our Bedouin camp where we enjoy a speciality of the house – a dinner cooked traditionally in a ‘sand oven’. The modern equivalent uses a steel drum buried in the sand. Hot coals are placed at the bottom of the drum and trays of meat and vegetables are racked at different levels in the drum which is then capped and covered with sand. After several hours of slow cooking the results are unbelievably delicious. (B,L,D)

Day 7: Drive to Aqaba

Leaving the desert behind we continue to Aqaba on the Red Sea’s Gulf of Aqaba which is known for its beach resorts and where clear waters and beautiful coral have given rise to many scuba diving centres. The Red Sea resorts specialise in all kinds of water activities besides diving, from wind surfing to cruising on a glass-bottom boat. Arriving in Aqaba we check into our own beach resort hotel and we have time this afternoon to relax by the beach, swim, snorkel, or take one of the many optional extra activities offered here. We stay overnight at the Aqaba beach resort and enjoy a farewell dinner. (B,D)

Day 8: Transfer to Amman Airport and depart

After a free morning in Aqaba for more swimming or other activities, there is a single timed group transfer from Aqaba to Amman airport (approximately 4 hours) where KE Land Only package services end. (B)