Treasures of Jordan

In Amman you will stay in the 4-star Bristol Amman or similar, the 4-star Petra Moon Hotel or similar in Petra and the 4-star Hilton Doubletree in Aqaba. All guest rooms feature private facilities, airconditioning, mini-bar, TV and telephone. Hotel facilities include a restaurant. Hotels will be confirmed in your final documents.

Day 1: UK/Amman

Depart on your scheduled flight to Amman, the capital of Jordan. On arrival transfer to your hotel for a three night stay.

Day 2: Amman

Morning city tour of Amman, including the Roman amphitheatre and the magnificent citadel. Afternoon visit to Jerash, the most beautifully preserved Roman city in existence. Among the magnificent sights you will see are the Temples of Artemis and Zeus, a vast Roman forum, Hadrian’s Triumphal Arch and a mile long street of columns.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 3: Amman

Today we have included a fascinating full-day excursion. This morning we visit the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth, where you can enjoy the unique experience of floating in its waters (weather permitting). Then continue to Mount Nebo from which Moses sighted the Promised Land. You will then visit Madaba to see the remarkable centuries-old stone mosaic of the Holyland, before returning to Amman.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 4: Petra

Today we travel south along the Kings Highway with its breathtaking views of mountains and canyons until you reach Kerak. Here you will visit the ancient fortress, the largest and most impregnable of the chain of fortresses built by the crusaders. Evening arrival in Petra where two nights accommodation has been arranged.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 5: Petra

Today, we include a full day walking visit of Petra – the ‘rose red city half as old as time’. Petra was once a fabulously wealthy city on the caravan trade routes to the east. The people of Petra carved their dwellings and civic buildings out of the sandstone to create a magnificent city like no other before or since. As new trade routes bypassed Petra, the city fell into decline and was abandoned in the 4th century, before being rediscovered for the west by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. The city is concealed beyond a long narrow gorge (the Siq) and you will be guided through this corridor of rock into the lost city. Petra is truly one of the world’s most extraordinary sights and a memorable experience, particularly the first glimpse of the magnificent Treasury Building at the end of the Siq.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 6: Aqaba

This morning there will be an included jeep excursion into the desert of Wadi Rum, immortalised by Lawrence of Arabia, where you will have the opportunity to take tea with the nomadic Bedouin. For centuries the Bedouin have roamed the deserts of the Middle East, living a traditional life at one with their barren surroundings. Visitors have traditionally been few and far between, thus the Bedouin have developed a culture based on hospitality toward infrequent visitors that has become legendary. We then drive to the Red Sea town of Aqaba for our final night. This afternoon is free to enjoy Aqaba, which is renowned for its superb beaches and the range of watersports on offer. Why not wander through the town streets, stopping for a refreshing cup of coffee, or indulge yourself with a trip to the Turkish Bath, which was built in 306 AD and is still running today.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 7: Aqaba/UK

Depart Aqaba and fly to Amman to connect with the return flight to the UK.

Meals: Breakfast