Biblical Jordan (10 days / 9 nights)
Day
1: Amman Airport / Madaba HTL
Meet
and assist at Queen Alia International Airport – Transfer to your hotel in
Madaba, overnight.
Day 2: Madaba / Mount Nebo / Bethany / Dead Sea
Breakfast
at your hotel.
Start
your visit of Madaba:
Containing the greatest Christian community, it always preserves a very
important Byzantine archaeological park. More than 150 churches, in the city
and its surroundings, trace the history of the Byzantine occupation and its
evolution.
Moreover,
the Mosaic Map of Palestine in St. Georges Church represents a priceless
interest for the study of the topography of Palestine and the countries of
vicinity.
Proceed
to Mount Nebo: At 46 km only to the West of Amman, at
838 m of altitude, is the place where God had ordered Moses to go to the top of
the Arabot mountains, to mount Nebo, in the country of Moab, opposite to
Jericho, to see the Promised Land and to die on the mountain where he will go.
The irresistible sight on the Holy City of Jerusalem and the Jordan valley can
make emerge in your nostalgia to the old history and a better comprehension of
the Actuality...!
Continue
to Bethany: On the Opposite side of Jericho, at the junction of
Wadi Al Kharrar and the Jordan River, some very old churches were recently
discovered commemorating the place of the baptism of Christ. The
archaeologists also revealed to approximately 1 km upstream, the
vestiges of a whole religious complex including churches, cisterns and
baptismal font built by the first Christian pilgrims at the supposed site of
the "Bethany beyond Jordan" where St John the Baptist preached. A
descent to these places of pilgrimage will mark your stay in Jordan by a
memorable visit.
Proceed
to the Dead Sea: With more than 400 m below the sea level, and a
density ten times higher than any other sea, a small quick dip in water will
make you live an exciting and unforgettable experiment. Moreover, you can
benefit of black mud, rich with minerals, to soften your skin and to revitalize
your body...!!
Free time at leisure – dinner and overnight.
Day
3: Dead Sea / Machaerus / Wadi Al Mujib / Lot’s Cave / Kerak / Petra
After breakfast, transfer to Machaerus (Mukawir):
It is a village located on a plate from the Dead Sea as well as foundations of
a strong castle where can be seen at the same time. The castle may undoubtedly
be the Jewish fortress of Machaerus: the place where, according to the bible
the tragic episode of the death of John the Baptist took place.
Once
on the top, you will be able you to have a wide view on the Araba valley and
the Dead Sea but also an opportunity to recall in imagination the dance of
Salome and its obtaining the head of John the Baptist.
Proceed
to Wadi al Mujib: It starts form the mountains of Kerak and Madaba
with 900m above sea level and go down to the Dead Sea with 410 m below sea
level and water is going among the Wadi.
Short
stop for photos (without entry).
The
next step will be Lot’s Cave: On a steep hillside, near the town of
Ghor Al Safi (around 3 km north of Safi), where it is said that Lot (Abraham’s
nephew) and his daughters sought shelter from the destruction of Sodom and
Gomorrah. While along the Dead Sea way, you will see Lot’s wife salt pillar, it
is mentioned in the Bible that Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt.
Continue
to Kerak: This city at 1000 m of altitude and 120 km from Amman is
the old capital of the country of Moab, it appears in the bible under the name
of Qir-Heres. Moreover, it is crowned by the ruins of a fortress built by the
Crusaders. A worthy work of art that competes with the famous "Crac des
Chevaliers". A lordship of Montreal since 1140, this one falls to Renault
de Chatillon after its arranged marriage with Etiennette de Milly.
Consequently, the history did not cease multiplying!! The guide will go on with
you through time to make you live in the world of Crusaders.
Visit
of the Castle.
Arrival
to Petra, dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Petra / Wadi Rum
A
full day visit of Petra: located
at 235 km of Amman. Mentioned in the bible under the name
of Reqem (the "Multi-colored one"), Petra offers to you the occasion
to admire the beauty of nature, to go back in condition, and to live the
history through its monuments. A visit of one or several days can only create a
love relationship giving you the desire for returning or for sending somebody
from your side.
Late
afternoon transfer to Wadi Rum, Dinner and overnight in the camp.
Day 5: Wadi Rum / Aqaba
Breakfast in the camp.
Start
your 2 hours 4x4 adventure in the desert.
Wadi
Rum is a valley of the Saharan type which you
will reach by traversing through astonishing sandy plain, where the road comes
very close to some of these innumerable and strange rock formations that you
will have seen since the balcony Ras Al Naqab. At sunset, all these petrified
fantasizes and the sand beaches take admirable and delicate colors.
Proceed to Aqaba:
This single port of Jordan is located at the bottom of the Gulf of Aqaba
and occupies a narrow crack in the prolongation of the Araba depression.
In addition to its harbor functions, Aqaba became also one of the principal
tourist centers of attraction. It is at the same time a tempting seaside
resort, and a marvelous garden of coral benches, which rests on the old site of
Ecyon-Geber. Moreover, Aqaba was always the crossroads of civilizations.
Free
time – dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 6: Aqaba / Amman
Morning: Free
time at leisure in Aqaba.
Afternoon:
Transfer to Amman – dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day
7: Amman / Um Qais / Pella / Amman
Breakfast
at hotel.
Transfer
to Um Qais: Also Named GADARA, a Greco-Roman city located at 29 km
North of Irbid. This city, mentioned in the Gospel (8, 28), was also a member
of the Decapolis; In addition to the fact that it was always described as
"Athica in the country of the Assyrians". This seedbed of
philosophers and artists still preserves a part of its monuments
and offers to the visitors a biblical landscape and a panoramic sight on
"the Tiberias" Lake.
Proceed
to Pella: Founded by the end of the 4th century B.C., Pella is the
witness of the work of the Macedonians veterans of Alexander the Great. Located
in the heart of the mountains, it dominates the Jordan valley: It’s a strategic
and rich place at the same time. A quick glance on the site enables you to note
the multiplicity and the diversity of the ruins. In matter of fact, Pella was
the crossroads of all the conquerors and one of the most continuously occupied
sites in the history of humanity.
Back
to Amman, dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 8: Amman City Tour & Amman tour by night
After
breakfast, start the city tour of Amman: visit
the Citadel, the Roman Theatre & the Archaeological Museum.
Back
to your hotel for rest.
In
the early evening, transfer from your hotel in Amman to Jabal al Qalaa (Citadel Hill
or mountain), where you will enjoy the panoramic view of the surrounding
hills and the roman theater. Then drive to downtown: Pass by the
Hashemite Square and the Roman Theater, then continue beside the Hussaini
Mosque and the Souk (Market).
Taste
the Jordanian sweet (Kunafah), then head to Jabal Amman, where
you will walk through the famous Rainbow Street.
Dinner
in a nice local restaurant.
Continue
for a panoramic tour in the modern part of Amman, then pass by King
Hussein Mosque.
Back
to your hotel, overnight.
Day 9: Amman / Jerash / Tell Mar Elias / Anjara / Ajloun / Amman
After breakfast, transfer from Amman to Jerash: One
of the most beautiful archaeological sites in Jordan located at 46 km of Amman.
The oval place, the Cardo-Maximus, the nymphaeum, the temples of Zeus and
Artemis... and much more monuments testify the majesty of the builders, and the
genius of the Greco-Romans. Moreover, a visit upon sunset will make you benefit
of a poem of colors. The know-how of the Greco-Romans and the charm of the site
make of Jerash an imposing city to visit.
Continue
to Ajloun: After crossing one of the greenest zones in Jordan, at
87 km North of Amman, you arrive at the village of Ajloun. A village crowned by
a fortress at more than 1200m of altitude. A visit of this strong
castle offers a panoramic sight to you on the Jordan valley, the mountains of
Galileo and the Golan heights...
Visit
of Anjara an ancient town located at northern Jordan in the
Ajloun Governorate, east of the Jordan Valley and 30 minutes away from Jerash.
Mentioned in the bible as a place where Jesus, his mother Mary and his
disciples passed through and rested in a nearby cave. The cave, which has long
been a Holy place for pilgrims, has now been commemorated with the Church of
Lady of the Mountain. The cave was also designated by the Catholic Churches of
the Middle East as one of the five pilgrimage sites for the Year 2000. The
others were: Mount Nebo, Machaerus, Tall Mar Elias near Ajloun, and Bethany
Beyond the Jordan.
Proceed
to Tell Mar Elias: An archaeological mound (Tell), in the north of
Jordan, northwest of Ajloun governorate. Mar Elias (Saint Elijah) is the
prophet Elijah. This site is mentioned in the bible to be
the hometown of prophet Elijah, it consists of 2 Byzantine churches:
the bigger, built in the 6th century. And the smaller one, built in the 4th –
5th century, they were excavated in 1999 & 2003. The churches’ floors
include beautiful mosaics of floral and geometric patterns. Part of one of the
church floors, a mosaic inscription mentions prophet Elijah.
Back to Amman – dinner and overnight
at hotel.
Day
10: Amman hotel/ Amman Airport
Transfer
to Amman APT for departure.
Included
services:
§ Meet
and assist upon arrival and departure.
§ Accommodation
at hotels on HB basis (Except on day 8 on BB basis).
§ Dinner
in a local restaurant in Amman on day 8.
§ Transfers
in a modern vehicle, according to number of clients.
§ Professional
English-speaking guide (for 6 pax and more).
§ Local
guide in Petra (2 – 3 hours) for 1 to 5 pax.
§ Local
guide in Jerash (2 hours) for 1 to 5 pax.
§ Entrance
fees and visits of the sites as per program.
§ Free
visa to Jordan if passport details are provided 1 week prior to arrival date.
§ 1
bottle of mineral water PP / day.
§ 2
Hours jeep tour in Wadi Rum.
Excluded:
§ Dinner
on 1st night.
§ Extras
and personal expenses.
§ Insurance.
§ Flight
tickets.
§ All
tips
§ Lunches.
§ Licensed
Guide if less than 6 pax.
§ Drinks.
§ Any
other supplements: (Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, Christmas & New Year’s Eve).
