Tread in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia, crusading knights and Bedouin tribes, who once crossed the length and breadth of Jordan leaving their mark on its mystical desert landscapes. Our springboard to the spellbinding ancient trading history of Jordan is the white stone city of Amman, which you will have an opportunity to explore at your leisure after being transferred to your hotel from the airport. Meet your fellow travelers this evening for a drink followed by dinner.
This morning, embark on a city tour of Amman to see its Citadel, Archaeological Museum, Roman Amphitheater and Folklore Museum. Our next stop is to Iraq al-Amir where you’ll visit the Iraq al-Amir Women's Association for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Learn first-hand how they make soap from olive oil and craft greeting cards and notebooks from recycled paper. Try your hand at making your own before enjoying a lunch prepared by the women. Continue to the ancient city of Jerash, a favorite city of the Roman emperor Hadrian and an important stop on the incense and spice trade route to the Mediterranean. Amble past its soaring Corinthian columns and view its almost intact city walls, before returning to the seven hills of Amman, where tonight you’ll Connect With Locals on a Be My Guest experience featuring a meal of Jordanian favorites.
The rose-red facades of Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, are waiting. Journey along the King’s Highway to Mount Nebo, where Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land. See the 6th-century Madaba Mosaic Map and explore the crusader stronghold of Shobak Castle. Later, arrive in Petra and Dive into Culture as you learn how to make traditional Bedouin cardamom-spiced coffee before enjoying dinner with a local tribe. Under a canopy of stars, discover the warm hospitality and rich traditions of desert life.
Imagine silk and spice caravans plying their wares as you Dive Into Culture and enter this mystical trading city through the narrow Siq, flanked by towering cliffs soaring 80 meters high. Emerging from the path, the stone facade of the Treasury with its ornate decoration looms ahead – the first of many wonders to be explored. Leaving this ancient wonder behind, you’ll trek through the timeless landscapes of the Wadi Rum desert, once described by T.E. Lawrence as 'vast, echoing and god-like'. Check into your accommodation in Bedouin tents and soak up the endless desert landscapes. Watch a breathtaking sunset lighting up the surrounding sandstone mountains in brilliant golden hues, then gaze up as the day turns to night and the star-studded sky takes center stage for the rest of the evening.
This morning, journey through desert landscapes of Wadi Rum. Embark on a jeep tour through the desert watching the landscape rise almost 2,000 meters from the desert floor, amidst which you'll find canyons, waterholes and rock paintings that span millennia. Return to Amman before continuing to the Dead Sea and checking in to your hotel.
Set in a beautiful and dramatic landscape, the Dead Sea is famous for its mineral-rich waters. Relax and enjoy the resort, soak in the warm, rejuvenating black mud and float effortlessly in the salty waters. Explore further with an Optional Experience to Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the sacred site believed to be where Jesus was baptised and an important pilgrimage destination for centuries.
This morning, bid farewell to this extraordinary land.
