Others

Guided visits to the following sites and attractions are included. However, this does not include entrance fees into the sites. You should purchase a Jordan Pass before travel which will cover these as well as providing a free Jordan visa. Bustling Amman Roman ruins at Jerash Roman mosaics at Madaba Views over Israel from Mt. Nebo Scenic Kings Highway drive Kerak crusader castle Full day in Petra Wadi Rum jeep safari & Bedouin camp Dead Sea swim, Entrance to Dead Sea beach (with towel & showers). Charging facilities. Desert safari in Wadi Rum.

Guide

As one of our Small-Group tours, maximum group sizes are restricted to 18 people, while the tour is guaranteed to depart with a minimum of just 2. A professional licensed guide accompanies all groups of 5 or more throughout the whole tour. For groups of 2-4, one of our experienced English speaking drivers will escort the group with specialist local site guides used for the tours in Jerash, Amman (Citadel), and Petra. At Encounters Travel we aim to only use local Jordanian guides and reps. We feel this gives you the best experience of the country and the sites you are seeing as well as supporting the local population and economy.

Transport

24-hour airport arrival & departure transfer service Private air-conditioned vehicle throughout tour. 4x4 Bedouin jeep safari in Wadi Rum - The jeeps used in Wadi Rum are provided by the local Bedouins we work with, and while suitable for your desert safari, they may fall below the normal safety and quality standards for vehicles we use during the rest of our tours.

Meals

5 Breakfasts. 1 Dinner.

Accommodation

3 nights in twin/double rooms at a 3 or 4-star hotel in Amman. 1 nights in twin/double rooms at a 3 star hotel in Petra 1 night in a comfortable twin-share Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum. Accommodation upgrades are available on request.

Not included:

Flights

International flights are not included but may be available on request.

Insurance

Travel insurance is mandatory but not included.

Others

Entrance fees to sites visited (included in the Jordan Pass, to be purchased in advance - 70JD) Visa fees (a free visa is included in the Jordan Pass) Tipping. Other meals, snacks and drinks. Pre and post tour accommodation. Single Room Supplement (applicable when a same sex room share cannot be arranged - contact us for details)

Optional

Optional experiences are available on this tour for an additional cost and will be provided to you with your finalised travel documents. Single room supplement - This tour is based on twin-share accommodation, with single bookers paired up with another traveller of the same sex in the group. If the final group make-up means that no room share is available, you do not need to pay this supplement. However, if you would like to guarantee yourself a single room throughout the tour, then please add this option to your booking. Superior hotel upgrade - This option upgrades all your hotels on the tour from the local Jordan 3-star level to 5-star. At the Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum you stay in en-suite tents instead of those with shared facilities. The specific hotels used may vary on different dates but include the Landmark and Le Grand in Amman, and the Old Village or Hyatt Zaman Resort in Petra. The Petra hotels can be considered a good 4-star level despite their official 5-star rating. As-Salt and Bethany tour - Our first visit today is to the hilltop town of As-Salt, around 40 minutes drive from Amman. As-Salt was an important trading link between the Jordan Valley and Eastern Desert, and once the capital of Amman. The town developed its old Islamic architecture using yellow limestone, which was the finest at the time and many impressive buildings can still be seen today, as well as tiny narrow streets packed with shops and stalls. Today the town provides an example of religious and cultural friendship between the local Muslim and Christian population and we take a walking tour on its self-designed ’Harmony Trail’ to learn more about the town and local life in Jordan. We’ll also take lunch with a local family for a first taste of Jordan’s delicious cuisine (if groups are over 10 people or no families have availability that day we will eat in a local restaurant instead). After lunch we descend out of the hills to the Baptism Site at Bethany. This is a relatively recently excavated site believed to be the biblical ’Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan’ where John baptised Jesus Christ. Several churches, caves and pools dating from Roman and Byzantine periods have been discovered here. Both Pope John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI have visited. An electric minibus takes you from the visitor centre to the three sites: Tell Mar Elias, the Baptism Pools and John the Baptist’s Church. After a busy day, we’ll return to our hotel in Amman where we’ll spend the night. Desert Castles and Nature Reserves tour - After breakfast we leave Amman and head east to visit several of Jordan’s Desert Castles - a fantastic reminder of its early Islamic art and architecture. These ’castles’ were located on the old trade routes created during the Umayyad era and are more a combination of forts, bath houses and palaces than true castles. You can still see some mosaics, frescoes, carvings and illustrations on show, moulded by Persian and Graeco-Roman traditions, giving an insight into life during the 8th century. We’ll explore the desert castles of Qasr al-Kharrana, Qal’at al-Azraq and Qseirr Amra and also visit two important nature reserves run by the Jordanian Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN). The Aqraq Wetland Reserve is a uniquely precious oasis located in the heart of Jordan’s eastern desert, between a limestone desert in the west and a basalt desert in the east. The reserve features lush marshland, and glittering pools and streams that are a haven for migratory birds on the African-Eurasian flyway. The Shaumari Wildlife Reserve was initially created as a breeding and reintroduction centre for globally threatened and locally extinct wildlife, particularly the Arabian Oryx. These efforts continue and now a wide variety of rare animals make their home in the reserve, including Ostriches Struthio camelus, Goitered Gazelles, and Persian Onagers. Also found in the area are red foxes, wolves, striped hyenas, Caracals and wild cats, while bird sightings can include Imperial Eagles, Pallid Harriers and Egyptian vultures. There is a good visitor centre on site and guided safaris may be available into the reserve before we return to Amman depending on the time we have available and the reserve’s current arrangements. For your last evening, why not head into Downtown Amman for a final taste of Jordanian food, perhaps giving Jordan’s national dish of Mansaf a go, or the classic falafel and hummus, with a taste of Knafeh, a popular sweet desert to finish.

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Day 1 Day 1: Arrive In Amman. Hotel Transfers Included
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Arrive In Amman. Hotel Transfers Included

Once you arrive in Amman, you will be welcomed by our staff before we transfer to your hotel. We’ll help you check in and show you where the local shops, cafés and restaurants are before we give you some free time to explore the city before we officially start the tour tomorrow. | OVERNIGHT: Amman hotel. | MEALS: NULL. | EXTRAS: Superior hotel upgrade, Single room supplement (required if no same-sex room share available), Extra day in Amman - pre-tour, As-Salt and Bethany tour
Day 2 Day 2: A City Tour Of Amman And Exploring Jerash
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: A City Tour Of Amman And Exploring Jerash

We start the day by heading to the nearby ruined city of Jerash. It’s hard not to be in awe of this masterpiece of Roman architecture which was once hidden under sand. You’ll explore some of the city’s ruined highlights, which includes theatres, baths, fountains, winding paved streets and striking hilltop temples. In the afternoon we take a city tour back in Amman, which is known as the ’white city’ due to its vast collection of white limestone buildings. Your guide will give you a glimpse into Amman’s rich history, pointing out the excavations and renovations made during from the Neolithic period, the Hellenistic period and the late Roman to Arab Islamic Ages. The Citadel is another highlight and you can see the ancient temple of Hercules, the 8th century Umayyad Palace, the Byzantine Church and the 6,000 seat Roman theatre. This intricate 2nd century theatre is still used today for cultural events. | OVERNIGHT: Amman hotel. | MEALS: Breakfast. | EXTRAS: Amman evening food tasting tour
Day 3 Day 3: King’S Highway To Petra With Stops At Madaba & Kerak Castle
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: King’S Highway To Petra With Stops At Madaba & Kerak Castle

King’s Highway to Petra via Madaba and Kerak Another day of exploration awaits, starting with a drive along the picturesque King’s Highway to Petra. Although this route takes a bit longer, its alluring views makes it worth going the extra mile. As we drive, we’ll pass numerous wadis, olive groves and rural villages. We’ll stop in Madaba to visit to the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. Your guide will also show you the famous 6th century Byzantine mosaic map of the Holy Land along with other biblical sites. Next, we’ll make our way up Mount Nebo, which offers breath-taking views of the Holy Land. Back on the road, we’ll cross more wadis, including the impressive Wadi al-Mujib before we reach Kerak Castle - which is one in a chain of Crusader fortresses lined across Jordan on the ancient Egypt-Syrian caravan route. This mammoth fortress was built in 1132 AD by the Crusader King Baldwin and then fell to Saladin in 1188AD. We won’t make any more stops until we reach Petra, where we’ll help you check into your hotel for the evening. You have some free time to do as you please, but we do suggest going on the Petra by Candlelight tour through the Siq to the Treasury. | OVERNIGHT: Petra hotel. | MEALS: Breakfast. | EXTRAS: Petra by Candlelight (arranged locally)
Day 4 Day 4: Full Day Exploration Of Petra, Camping Underneath The Stars In Wadi Rum
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Full Day Exploration Of Petra, Camping Underneath The Stars In Wadi Rum

Today is all about venturing around the prominent Nabatean site of Petra. Until the Romans took over in 106AD, the historic city was the ancient capital of the Nabatean commercial empire. For a while Petra was forgotten and then rediscovered by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. Perched on the edge of Wadi Aruba and protected by canyon walls and hills, this city is hard to reach. To enter, you must walk through a small cleft in the rock called the Siq. You will notice that there are very few freestanding structures in the city, as the Nabateans decided to fashion their homes and buildings into the colourful sandstone cliffs. After a 2-3 hour guided tour of this remarkable ancient city, you have plenty of time to amble around and do some discovering. During the guided tour, you will be taken through the Siq, rising 200m above and just 2m wide. There are still the remains of the terracotta pipes that brought water into the city along this wall as well as the ancient Nabatean water channel. When you leave the Siq, one of Petra’s most impressive landmarks will blow you away - the Khazneh, also known as the Treasury. You’ll get a glimpse of the ruined Roman amphitheater and Petra’s colonnaded streets. We also suggest walking along the narrow gorge past the multi-colored sandstone cliffs to the Monastery. This is Petra’s biggest carved monument at 50 metres high and 45 metres wide. From this point, the views of the Wadi Aruba and the Jordan Valley are breathtaking. This afternoon, we leave Petra and drive into the beautiful desert scenery of Wadi Rum, where friendly Bedouin hosts are ready to greet us at a comfortable camp beneath the towering rocks and cliffs. We spend the evening and night relaxing at the camp, watching the stars and enjoying a delicious traditional Jordanian meal. | OVERNIGHT: Wadi Rum Bedouin camp. | MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 Day 5: A Jeep Safari In Wadi Rum & Dead Sea Swim
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: A Jeep Safari In Wadi Rum & Dead Sea Swim

Wadi Rum jeep safari, Dead Sea swim We spend more time amidst the desert scenery of Wadi Rum today on a jeep safari that passes by more sharp cliffs and intriguing rock formations. This area and its huge rust coloured rocky ’jebels’ was made famous by the film Lawrence of Arabia, that celebrated TE Lawrence’s time here during the Arab revolt of 1917-18. From Wadi Rum, we drive up north to the banks of the Dead Sea - the lowest point on earth, at over 400 metres below sea level. The sea receives a variety of incoming rivers including the Jordan River. When the rivers reach the sea, they merge together before evaporating and leaving behind a unique blend of salts and minerals, supplying local industries with high quality products. West of the Dead Sea, you can view the hills of Jerusalem. This area is believed to have been the home of 5 biblical cities: Sodom, Gomorrah, Adman, Zebouin and Zoar (Bela). The tour will come to a stop and allow you to splash around in these salty waters. Normal swimming is not possible, so we suggest floating instead. As the water is so salty, avoid getting it in your eyes. Later today, we make our way back to Amman. | OVERNIGHT: Amman hotel. | MEALS: Breakfast
Day 6 Day 6: Free Time In Amman. Airport Transfer Included
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Free Time In Amman. Airport Transfer Included

You have free time to do some last-minute shopping or get in some relaxation time until we transfer you to the airport. If you want to make the most of your time, you can take one of the optional day trips such as a full-day tour to the Baptism site at Bethany and Ajloun Castle, a trip to Pella and Umm Qais, a tour of the ’Desert Castles’, or a tour into Israel to visit Bethlehem and Jerusalem. You can also arrange a transfer to Tel Aviv by flight or overland if you want to meet up with one of our Israel tours. It is also possible to fly to Cairo and connect with an Egypt tour. Please ask us for full details and we’ll be delighted to help plan an extension to your tour. | OVERNIGHT: N/A. | MEALS: Breakfast. | EXTRAS: Extra day in Amman - post-tour, Desert Castles and Nature Reserves tour

6 days tour

Jordan Express

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Jordan Express

Day 1: Arrive In Amman. Hotel Transfers Included

Day 2: A City Tour Of Amman And Exploring Jerash

Day 3: King’S Highway To Petra With Stops At Madaba & Kerak Castle

Day 4: Full Day Exploration Of Petra, Camping Underneath The Stars In Wadi Rum

Day 5: A Jeep Safari In Wadi Rum & Dead Sea Swim

Day 6: Free Time In Amman. Airport Transfer Included

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