Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom

DEPARTURE

Our adventure with Jordan begins with a meeting at the airport, where we will meet the pilot/guide. Passport and baggage check-in and departure to Jordan.

AMMAN

Arrival at the airport in Amman – the capitol of Jordan, named after Queen Alia- the wife of King Hussein. Transfer from the airport and accommodation at the hotel, and in the evening “Amman by Night”. This will be our first encounter with the culture of Jordan – a trip to less commercial, less frequently visited by tourists places, all in order to feel the atmosphere, learn about local customs and the real nightlife of the city.

AMMAN - JERASH

After breakfast we will go to visit the Citadel – one of the most important monuments of Amman, located on a hill in the very center, with a beautiful view of the whole city. The most impressive is the dignified Temple of Hercules, which was left there by the Romans. Today there is not much left of it, only a few columns, but you can imagine the enormity of this temple. We will also see, located in the very center of the city, King Abdullah Mosque, a majestic building with a blue dome, which can accommodate several thousand worshippers. The next stop is Jerash – a city probably founded by Alexander the Great in the 4^th century BC. After years of Roman Rule, the city was conquered by the Arabs, and its end was brought by a powerful earthquake in the 7^th century, as a result of which all Jerash was covered with the sands of the desert and finally the sands o time. Along its entire length leads a main street, covered with cobblestones, with a chain of majestic columns and buildings. In the area of the archeological site, the ruins of the Christian churches have also been preserved. They are much younger than the Roman ruins. Return to Amman for an overnight stay.

MADABA – MOUNT NEBO – PETRA BY NIGHT

Right after breakfast, we leave towards Madaba, a Christian city in Jordan, where there are churches next to the mosques. In one of them, the church of St. George, there is a famous map of the Middle East created in Byzantine times from mosaics, and considered the oldest surviving map of the Holy Land. It is that on its basis, that biblical scholars and archeologists have found many lost biblical places. Then we will go to Mount Nebo, from the top of which God showed Moses the Promised Land, that is, the entire Jordan Valley, from the Dead Sea to Jerusalem. Mount Nebo is an important point on the map of the Holy Land and plays an important role in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  Already in the fourth century after Christ, churches and monasteries were erected here, and their well-preserved remains can still be seen today. A new temple was erected on the foundations of the ancient building. Its great attraction is the original floor in the form of a mosaic, and the inscriptions preserved on it, perpetuates in memory the names of the craftsmen who laid it and the time of its creation. In the afternoon we will go to Petra, and the road will lead through a gravel and sand desert. On site, we will take part in the evening light and sound show, which will take us to a time 2000 years back. We will spend the night in the area of Wadi Musa, a city that lives and grows thanks to the tourists heading to Petra.

PETRA

This Day is Petra. And only Petra. Inscribed in 1985 on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and in 2007 proclaimed as one of the 7 wonders of the world – Petra – deserves a whole day of our attention. We will visit the ruins of the capital of the Nabataeans, which flourished in ancient times, from the 3^rd century BC. to the 1^st century AD. Petra, whose name comes from the Greek word for rock, is located in a rocky valley, which is reached by a narrow road among the rocks – the Al-Siq Gorge. How difficult it was to find the way to Petra is evidenced by the fact that the one who discovered it for the modern world spent years persuading the locals to show him the way to the “Pink City”. The Nabataeans themselves called Petra – Rqm (Rakmu), which means “multicolored”.  A walk through the Siq canyon, which leads to the beautifully preserved city of the Nabataeans , is the beginning of the festival of colors, and the culmination point is Petra itself, famous for its numerous buildings carved in the rocks. Pink or red? Or maybe more orange? You can see the “Pink City” in photos, in movies, you can listen to stories, but nothing can replace a personal encounter with Petra. We will visit the monuments carved in the rock, there will also be a special time to discover the rock city on our own. It will also be a special time for fans of the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, because it was in Petra that the scene of the entrance to the temple with the Holy Grail was shot.

LITTLE PETRA – WADI RUM

A drive to Little Petra. Built in the 1^st century, it was a suburb of proper Petra. The Arabic name of Little Petra – Siq al-Barid – means a cold canyon, and we will experience the truth of this name, hiding from the heat in the shadow of the high and cold rocks of the gorge. We will start with a walk along the sandy canyon floor. Later, a visit to the largest building of Little Petra – a temple whose entrance is decorated with tall columns. The next point of the day is a drive to Wadi Rum, a desert considered by many to be the most beautiful in the world. A unique attraction awaits us, an exciting jeep ride through the red sands of the desert. Wadi Rum is one of the most popular tourist regions in Jordan among foreign tourists, and two attractions are especially popular – rock climbing on quite difficult walls and camping, as Bedouins do, “under the stars”. The influx of large numbers of tourists to this long isolated region contributes to the wealth of local Bedouins, so it is not surprising to see a Bedouin with a mobile phone or driving an exclusive limousine. In 2011, the protected area of Wadi Rum was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The day will end with a sunset in the desert, and we will spend the night in the Bedouin tents.

AKABA – RELAXATION BY THE RED SEA

After breakfast, we will go to the Red Sea to Jordan’s only seaport – Aquaba, located on the bay bearing the same name. Tourquise waters, golden sand and mountains descending straight to the sea await us. The sunny and charmingly situated region of Jordan encourages holidays at any time of the year. The rich fauna and flora as well as clear water make tourists from all over the world come here to admire the underwater Red Sea world. In many places, coral reefs are just below the surface. There will be a possibility to admire this mysterious world while diving. The gulf of Aquaba is also a place that impresses with its exotic landscape and wonderful monuments of the ancient world.

BETHANIA – DEAD SEA

After breakfast we will go to the Jordan River, a river of great importance for the local inhabitants, not only because of its connection with the Old Testament, but above all because of its influence on the daily life of the local population. We will visit the Baptismal Place of Jesus Christ, which is – according to beliefs – the place where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. As a result of the change in the course of the meandering river, it is located in what is now Jordan, a short distance from the Jordan River. On This day, we will also have the opportunity to experience the charms of the Dead Sea. The sun shines here for over 300 days a year, and the thick ozone layer protects against sunburn. Transfer to one of the beaches, with the possibility of swimming at the lowest point in the world. The waters and mud of the Dead Sea are famous for their healing properties. Contrary to its name, the Dead Sea is not a sea, but a septic tank located in the tectonic trench of the Jordan, with its water table being located more than 400 meters below sea level. We will therefore use all the benefits offered by the Dead Sea, and the photos which we will take on this spot will allow you to keep this day in your memory for many years. Overnight stay by the sea.

DEPARTURE FROM AMMAN

After breakfast, a drive to Amman. Transfer to the airport and departure from Jordan.

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