Guide

Tour Leaders are quite simply the glue that holds our tours together. They are chosen for their travel experience and people skills and are thoroughly trained by Explore, widely acknowledged as some of the best training in the industry. A Tour Leader's ultimate aim is to ensure everyone is well looked after and have a fantastic trip. They are there to ensure that the tour logistics run smoothly, that health and safety is adhered to and provide comprehensive briefings at the beginning and throughout the tour.

Meals

A key facet of our responsible approach to tourism is that we encourage our groups to eat in local restaurants that prepare locally grown food. We give customers choice as to their meals and do not use rather bland and impersonal hotel restaurants or all- inclusive options 8 Breakfasts 4 Lunches 1 Dinners

Others

All accommodation, activities and meals that are shown in the itinerary are included in the total cost of your trip You will also receive a complimentary transfer to and from the airport if you arrive on day 1 of the trip and depart on the last day and have provided your international flight information.

Transport

Bus, Bicycle

Accommodation

6 nights standard hotel 1 nights premium hotel 1 nights simple tented camp Standard - Our mid-range accommodation offers a good level of service often with other amenities such as a restaurant, bar, garden or swimming pool. Generally rooms will be comfortable with en-suite facilities. Simple - We stay one night in a simple Beduin campsite, private for Explore travellers. The large communal tent islaid out with rugs, mattresses, pillows and sleeping bags. There are limited washing facilities and separate WC tents. Jordan'stourism infrastructure is well developed and standards are generally good. However, due to the recent considerable rise in tourism in Jordan, hotels are experiencing very high demand for rooms', particularly in and around Petra. This high demand can lead to lower levels of service and quality, as well as occurrences of overbookings, which are often notified to us at a late stage. For this reason, we would like to emphasise that hotel accommodation, including the standard of, is subject to change and facilities are often simple. However, we are confident that these issues are vastly outweighed by our close proximity to historical Petra perfect for exploring. Please note that some hotel swimming pools in Jordan may operate separate timetables for men and women.

Not included:

Others

Any visa costs, spending money and tips are not included in the trip price. You can also book extra nights’ accommodation at the beginning and end of the trip and the cost of this accommodation along with any transfers would be quoted separately.

Flights

International flights not included in the tour cost

Insurance

Travel Insurance is not included

Optional

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 tour notes were originally issued but may change at any time due to currency fluctuations. Please note: These activities are booked and paid for direct with the supplier and do not form part of your Explore holiday contract. Petra - Petra by nightJD17.00 pp; Ottoman bath JD25.00 pp; Cookery demonstration and meal JD25.00 pp Wadi Rum - Camel trek JD20.00 pp. Aqaba - Snorkelling on coral reef including lunch and snorkelling kitJD35.00 pp; Snorkelling from Boat (snorkelling equipment included)JD35.00 pp; Berenice Private Beach club - entrance fee JD10.00 pp.

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Join Trip In Madaba
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Join Trip In Madaba

Arrive in Madaba, an interesting market town known for its Byzantine-era mosaics. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Madaba at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), which is a 30 minute drive from the hotel. You will meet your Tour Leader at the welcome meeting at 8.30am tomorrow. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, perhaps you might choose visit the Madaba Museum, Visitors Centre or one of the many fascinating churches or you may wish to go to a café for a coffee and soak up the atmosphere of this market town.
Day 2 Day 2: Visit Madaba And Cycle To Mt Nebo And Descend To Dead Sea
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Visit Madaba And Cycle To Mt Nebo And Descend To Dead Sea

After the welcome meeting we visit the spectacular Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics of Madaba including the famous 6th century mosaic map of the Holy Land. We then start cycling toward Mt Nebo, reputedly the burial place of Moses and certainly the site for a spectacular view over the valley below. We will stop en route for our included picnic lunch. Freewheeling down the stunning series of switchbacks towards the unique setting of the saline waters of the Dead Sea, at nearly 400m below sea level the lowest point on earth is a great way to start this trip! Surrounded by barren hills, this unparalleled body of water has an amazingly high salt content (33%), resulting in the absence of any form of animal life and creating an almost impossible propensity to sink. We will have the opportunity to 'swim' in its buoyant waters and enjoy the therapeutic properties of its mineral rich mud before continuing on up to Shobak by bus for our overnight stop. On all of the rides you will be provided with filtered water, tea and seasonal fruit and veg for snacks (included). Our total cycling distance today is approximately 36 kilometres (total 82 metres asent and 1273 meters descent).
Day 3 Day 3: Cycle From Shobak Crusader Castle To Petra
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Cycle From Shobak Crusader Castle To Petra

This morning, we drive the short distance across the valley to Shobak Castle. The first of the series of Crusader Castles built in Jordan, it was constructed by Baldwin I in 1115 and only surrendered in 1189 to the Great Salahdin. After our visit to this isolated stronghold we will continue on our journey on the Kings Highway. An ancient road that once carried the treasure laden caravan's of Solomon, to the fabled Nabatean city of Petra, one of the highlights of our journey and surely one of the most spectacular archeaological sites on earth. We cycle the undulating landscape through the fabled land of the Edomites, once home to the largest of the three Transjordanian Iron Age kingdoms that inhabited these wild upland regions. Descendents of Lot's brother-inlaw Esau, the Edomites went on to become rich from trade in copper and luxury goods, before making way to the emerging Nabatean kingdom that went on to create the majesty that is Petra. We will stop en route for our included picnic lunch before continuing southwards as our route takes us from an elevation of some 1700m down to about 1000m and we skirt the lower slopes of the mountains that lead the way to Petra. Tonight there is the opportunity to visit Petra lit by candlelight, a majestic experience. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 42 kilometres (total 800 metres asent and 1014 metres descent).
Day 4 Day 4: Exploring Petra
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Exploring Petra

Abandoned centuries ago Petra was the rock cut stronghold of the Nabateans, a fortress city built to protect the lucrative levies its citizens imposed on the rich caravans heading north. Surrounded by imposing mountains and approached through a deep, narrow cleft in the rocks, known as the Siq, it is a unique and unforgettable place and, enhanced by the play of light and shadow, an altogether overwhelming experience. We walk through the Siq this morning, following its towering sandstone walls towards the site of the captivating and iconic splendour of the beautiful Khazneh (The famous Treasury). A guided walking tour will take us to some of the key parts of this remarkable and ancient site, one of the most impressive and exciting anywhere in the world. We'll take in the Colonnaded Street and the Royal Tombs, enjoy the site of its amazing theatre, with its 8,000 seats carved from the solid rock. A free afternoon affords the possibly of climbing the steep track up to the magnificent sacrificial 'High Places' (altars) and the top of Jebel Harin (1396m) for a stunning view over Wadi Araba and the Negev Desert. Here we find the Monastery, the largest of Petra's monuments and certainly a highlight to any visit to the city. Towering to a height of 40m its doorway alone measures 8m in height, dwarfing anyone framed within it and it is certainly worth the steep climb up to it. This evening you have the opportunity to enjoy an optional Bedouin cookery demonstration and meal at a nearby restaurant, learning how to make a traditional Makloubah (upside down) dish, with meat, rice and fried vegetables, followed by Um Ali, a creamy Arabic dessert with croissant pieces, raisins and nuts (No cycling today).
Day 5 Day 5: Free Time In Petra. Cycle To Little Petra And El Beidha
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Free Time In Petra. Cycle To Little Petra And El Beidha

We have a free morning to revisit the Petra site, relax or shop in Wadi Musa. After a traditional Bedouin meal for lunch we take to our bicycles again and ride to Little Petra - a satellite of the main site. We can also visit the important Neolithic site at nearby El Beidha to view an excavated Stone Age village where the remains of houses, fireplaces and workshops that date back to around 6000 BC have been excavated, providing visitors with access to one of oldest excavated Neolithic sites on earth. On return to Wadi Musa what better way to relax this evening than with a traditional Ottoman Bath (optional). Our total cycling distance today is approximately 20 kilometres (total 399 metres ascent and 414 metres descent).
Day 6 Day 6: Cycle To Wadi Rum And Overnight In Desert Camp
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Cycle To Wadi Rum And Overnight In Desert Camp

Returning to the Kings Highway we pedal south over undulating upland pastures including a few long but gentle ascents and finally, the five-mile freewheel down to the southern desert. Today's picnic lunch spot offers views over Arava and Israel beyond. Cycling along the Old Desert Highway and negotiating sand drifts across the road, we then transfer by bus the remaining kilometres to Wadi Rum. A place that seems more akin to the surface of a distant planet than to anything on earth. The combination of its immensity, colour and awe-inspiring shapes creates an atmosphere that is almost supernatural. Lawrence of Arabia, who held Wadi Rum in high esteem, wrote: 'Our little caravan grew quite self-conscious, and fell dead quiet, afraid and ashamed to flaunt it's smallness in the presence of the stupendous hills. Landscapes in childhood's dreams were so vast and silent'. We have the opportunity this afternoon for an optional 4WD exploration or a camel ride to enjoy the stunning sunset as we ride or walk through a landscape of sandstone mountains and white and pink coloured sands. After sunset, we enjoy the Bedouin hospitality around the campfire under a blanket of stars; a great setting to share stories while sipping mint and sage tea. A traditional zarb, consisting of a chicken or a goat meat (vegetarian options available) cooked under the desert sand, is served as well as a delicious selection of mezze. The campsite we use presents the opportunity to experience traditional Bedouin living arrangements in a large communal style goat hair tent, which provides the best protection against typical desert extremes of hot and cold weather. The tent is laid out with rugs, mattresses, pillows and blankets and is where each tribe would commune to eat, sleep and socialise, as well as a fire pit to sit around and enjoy some local sweet tea. Far away from the tourist centre, roads and within the Wadi Rum protected area, the camp is intimate and provides great views over the desert. A toilet and wash block with limited washing facilities is also available during our stay. Private tents can be paid for locally should you wish, subject to availability. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 58 kilometres (total 770 metres asent and 1240 metres descent).
Day 7 Day 7: Cycle From Wadi Rum And Continue On To Aqaba By Bus
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Cycle From Wadi Rum And Continue On To Aqaba By Bus

On our final day of cycling, we cross the Hejaz railway line and tour the desolate parts of Wadi Rum riding on the 'Jelada' the hard dried mud left from the rare rains. Few other visitors venture to these areas but for cyclists it is an easy riding surface and perfectly flat! A strange world of bleached bones and mirages turn the surrounding hills into towering islands. We then continue by bus to Aqaba, Jordan's only seaport. As we take our last views out across the Jordan Valley we reach Jordan's southern borders, leaving behind the desert and entering a landscape of palm groves and coral reefs, warm glistening waters and the impressive backdrop of the Jordanian Heights. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 35 kilometres (total 181 metres asecent and 210 metres descent).
Day 8 Day 8: Free Day To Relax By The Red Sea Before Returning To Amman
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Free Day To Relax By The Red Sea Before Returning To Amman

We have a free day to relax or perhaps enjoy some more of the 17km of sandy beaches, splendid coral reefs and clear warm waters for which Aqaba is famed. You may like to take the opportunity to swim or snorkel in the Red Sea, or view the coral and marine life from a special reef-viewing boat. Late afternoon we depart the coast and return to Amman.
Day 9 Day 9: Trip Ends
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Trip Ends

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Amman. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Amman at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you need to depart from Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), which is a 40-minute drive from the hotel.

9 days tour

Cycle Jordan

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Cycle Jordan

Day 1: Join Trip In Madaba

Day 2: Visit Madaba And Cycle To Mt Nebo And Descend To Dead Sea

Day 3: Cycle From Shobak Crusader Castle To Petra

Day 4: Exploring Petra

Day 5: Free Time In Petra. Cycle To Little Petra And El Beidha

Day 6: Cycle To Wadi Rum And Overnight In Desert Camp

Day 7: Cycle From Wadi Rum And Continue On To Aqaba By Bus

Day 8: Free Day To Relax By The Red Sea Before Returning To Amman

Day 9: Trip Ends

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