IN ASSOCIATION WITH ALUMNI TRAVEL PRESENTS. Secret Jordan. With Kate da Costa I April 2017

Transcription

1 IN ASSOCIATION WITH ALUMNI TRAVEL PRESENTS Secret Jordan With Kate da Costa I April 2017 ALUMNI TRAVEL

2 SECRET JORDAN with Kate da Costa I TOUR OVERVIEW YOUR TOUR LEADER: Kate da Costa has a doctorate in the archaeology of the Roman empire in the Near East, and a Masters in International Development Studies. She has worked in Jordan since the mid 1980s, becoming a co-director of the University of Sydney s dig at Pella in 1997, and running her own ARC funded research project the Borders of Arabia and Palaestina since In 2010 Kate established the first International Technical Desk at the Jordan Museum, and worked with curators on a pilot study investigating Jordanian attitudes to archaeological heritage. Over the years, Kate has explored Jordan in detail, from the far north (where she met her husband on a dig at Um Qais), to the Red Sea port of Aqaba. She has also travelled in the region, spending time in Syria and Israel. Kate loves to travel, to meet new people, try new food, and to introduce the charms of the Near East to as many people as possible. Kate has taught archaeology at the University of Sydney and Macquarie University since 2006, and has contributed to study days at CCE and WEA. She has been a Council member of the Near Eastern Archaeology Foundation for several years. Her interests are not limited to the Near East her most recent trip was to Chile, and she has spent time in many European countries. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a microcosm of the Middle East: terraced fruit orchards at high altitude near the Islamic castle of Ajloun through to the sandy deserts of Lawrence s Wadi Rum, ancient tell sites in the Jordan Valley to gigantic prehistoric stone tool knapping sites in the desert; a vibrant contemporary art community and street musicians in the markets of Amman. Even for those who have travelled to the Middle East or Jordan before, there are hundreds of antiquities sites and a surprising amount of modern culture which can be discovered for the traveller who is prepared to take the time. This tour combines modern and ancient Jordan, and the extremes of its landscape. We will stand at the lowest point on earth, visiting one of Jordan s newest museums; we will drink mint tea and cardamom coffee with young Arabic artists and musicians; we will visit women s craft co-operatives in the shadow of Hellenistic palaces, scramble around Iron Age fortresses, enjoy the hustle and bustle of downtown Amman from the safety of cafe balconies, and have the time to explore the amazing ruins of Roman cities.

3 SECRET JORDAN with Kate da Costa I TOUR ITINERARY MONDAY 03 APRIL ARRIVE AMMAN DEAD SEA Flying in to the new Queen Alia airport, we will drive directly to our accommodation on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea where we will have an opportunity to swim in the hypersaline waters, 300m below sea level. It s the perfect way to set ourselves up for three weeks exploring the secrets of Jordan. (Meals in flight, D) TUESDAY 04 APRIL DEAD SEA The eastern shore of the Dead Sea contains many hidden treasurers. Starting with the Museum at the Lowest Point on Earth, we explore the pilgrimage site of the Church of Lot at Deir Ain Abata, mediaeval sugar mills, and then trek up the stunning gorge of the lower Wadi Mujib, Jordan s Grand Canyon. (B,L,D) WEDNESDAY 05 APRIL DEAD SEA Some of the oldest settlements on Earth line the eastern Jordan Valley. We visit three stunning archaeological sites, finishing with the University of Sydney s long running dig at Pella, a place which has been more or less continuously occupied for the last 10,000 years. (B,L,D) THU 06 APRIL DEAD SEA MADABA MT NEBO - AMMAN Christianity came early to Jordan and has left a profound heritage of architecture and, above all, mosaic art. We visit Madaba and its famous 6th century mosaic map, before exploring the churches at Mt Nebo where Moses is believed to have viewed the promised land. We return to the national capital, which will be our base for the next series of excursions. (B,L,D) FRIDAY 07 APRIL AMMAN UM QAIS AMMAN Um Qais, ancient Gadara, sits in one of the most spectacular locations of any ancient city perched above the Sea of Galilee and across from the Golan heights, the black and white ruins of the ancient Roman city blend with the 19th century stone village. We also visit the Dar es-saraya museum, with significant collections of material from archaeological sites in the north. (B,L) SATURDAY 08 APRIL AMMAN JERASH - AMMAN Our image of the classic Roman city, with colonnaded vistas, theatres and a hippodrome, comes to life in Jarash. Rounding out the day, we visit the magnificently restored mediaeval castle of Ajloun, passing eucalyptus trees said to have been planted by WWI diggers. (B,L) SUNDAY 09 APRIL AMMAN Free day in Amman to perhaps visit the Hammamat Main Day Spa. (B,L) MONDAY 10 APRIL AMMAN - KERAK We head off down the ancient route of King Solomon s Highway, stopping at some of the infrequently visited, but exquisite jewels of Iron Age, Nabataean and Byzantine sites that dot the landscape. (B,L,D) TUESDAY 11 APRIL KERAK - DANA Today we visit the imposing Crusader period castle of Kerak, and wander through the charming town to pick up some souvenirs. A stiff but manageable climb takes us up to one of Jordan s most impressive hidden treasures the Nabataean temple complex of Kh Tannur aligned to the solstice it will introduce us to the magnificent rugged landscape of the south. (B,L,D) WEDNESDAY 12 APRIL DANA WADI FEINAN Having overnighted in the restored 19th century village of Dana, today we experience the natural splendours of Jordan, with an optional six hour hike through the world renowned Dana Nature Reserve. Descending (steeply, for the first hour) to the floor of the Wadi Arabah, we can reward ourselves with some pampering at the Feinan Ecolodge. (B,L,D)

4 SECRET JORDAN with Kate da Costa I TOUR ITINERARY THURSDAY 13 APRIL WADI FEINAN PETRA Today we travel to Petra via Shobak Castle. (B,L) FRIDAY 14 APRIL PETRA We spend all day at the main site including the Deir. (B,L) SATURDAY 15 APRIL PETRA Petra is one of the seven modern wonders of the world. Its ruins are difficult to describe in words, so have your camera battery well charged. Entering through the Siq gorge, we follow in the footsteps of Nabataean camel caravan leaders. The wealth they generated was spent in glorifying this city, with extraordinarily elaborate tomb facades cut from the rose red sandstone encircling the city. We will have enough time here to properly visit the tombs, the city, the climb to el-deir, and the surrounding areas including Little Petra (Siq al Barid) and one of the oldest villages on earth, Beidha. (B,L) SUNDAY 16 APRIL PETRA WADI RUM Lawrence of Arabia the romance and the story come to life in Wadi Rum. We will explore this desert area, and seek out the traces of ancient life which are tucked away Nabataean temples, ancient graffiti and much more. We end the day at our (rather swish) Bedouin camp to experience the allure of the Arabian desert. (B,L,D) TUESDAY 18 APRIL AMMAN Today we start to turn from ancient to modern we will stroll down the famous Rainbow Street and visit modern artists in the creative suburbs of Jebel Amman. After lunch, we will walk through the 19th century capital of the region, admiring the Ottoman architecture of the city of Salt. (B,L) WEDNESDAY 19 APRIL AMMAN Downtown Amman is defined by its Roman ruins of the Theatre and Nymphaeum. Today, these also house folklore museums. We will also have a special tour of the Jordan National Museum, which traces the history of Jordan from the first hominids to the complexities of modern Middle Eastern geopolitics. In the afternoon, we continue our exploration of Jordan s exciting arts scene, finishing off the day with some rather yummy cocktails. (B,L) THURSDAY 20 APRIL AMMAN Our last day sums up Jordan and our tour we will take the short drive to the stunning Hellenistic palace/temple complex of Iraq el-amir, and visit the women s cooperative making paper and other crafts, in the nearby 19th century stone village. Your afternoon is free for some last minute souvenir shopping if there s any room left in your luggage after 3 weeks of exploration. Farewell dinner this evening. (B,L,D) MONDAY 17 APRIL WADI RUM - AMMAN Returning to Amman, with a detour to the amazingly well preserved (and rarely visited) Roman legionary castle of Qasr Bsheir, we will spend the late afternoon at the Citadel. Wandering through the columns of the Temple of Hercules, and the soaring walls of the Umayyad Palace diwan, we can get a sense of the hills over which the modern city is draped. (B,L) FRIDAY 21 APRIL DEPART AMMAN After breakfast we transfer to the airport for our return flights to Australia. (B, Meals in flight)

5 TOUR PRICE SECRET JORDAN with Kate da Costa I GENERAL INFORMATION Land Only per person, twin share $7, Single supplement $1, LAND ONLY PRICE INCLUDES: Twin-share accommodation in comfortable hotels with private facilities Transport in comfortable air conditioned coaches Transfers, touring and entry fees as indicated in the itinerary Breakfast daily and other meals as indicated in the itinerary Bottled water on minibus and with meals Service of a Tour Leader throughout the itinerary English speaking local guides All applicable tipping and gratuities for group arrangements Tour booklet LAND ONLY PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE: Return air travel from Sydney to Amman Applicable passenger airport taxes Meals not listed in itinerary Beverages with meals Airport to hotel transfers if not travelling on suggested flights Visa requirements of the tour member Travel Insurance Items of personal nature (phone, laundry) LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Please note that as the itinerary suggests, this tour is quite strenuous. Tour members must be able to keep up with the pace of the tour and have a reasonable level of fitness. There will be a few early morning starts and some long bus journeys. Some of the places visited are on uneven ground and attractions may have deep and irregular steps. Please note that there are no railings! Use your judgement about how much you can do here. A stick might be useful if you need additional support. AIRFARES: Etihad Airways offer the best connections for this tour. Please contact Tony at Alumni Travel (tony@alumnitravel.com.au) for the best fares available at the time of booking. I M INTERESTED...HOW DO I BOOK? Complete, sign and return the attached Alumni Travel Booking Form along with your deposit of $ per person to Alumni Travel. Upon receipt of your Booking Form and deposit, you will receive a confirmation of your place in writing. DEPOSIT AND FINAL PAYMENT: The deposit is accepted as a first installment of the tour cost and will be fully refunded if the arrangements can not be confirmed or the tour is cancelled by Alumni Travel. Final payment for the tour needs to be received at least 60 days prior to tour departure. An invoice will be sent to you about a fortnight before the final payment becomes due. CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS: Any cancellation from the tour needs to be done in writing. The cancellation date will be taken from the day your written cancellation is received by Alumni Travel. Because of the tour cancellation charges imposed by our various suppliers, the following cancellation charges apply, per person: Over 60 days $ Administration Fee days 25% of tour cost days 50% of tour cost Within 10 days 100% of tour cost If a difference occurs between these cancellation conditions and those imposed by our suppliers, then the conditions of the supplier shall apply. There is no refund before or after travel has commenced or for any unused portion of the tour, either in regard to the standard group arrangements or separate independent arrangements. CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS: Any payments by credit card will be subject to the following non-refundable Merchant Administration Fees: 1.5% = Visa / Mastercard 3% = American Express TRAVEL INSURANCE: It is now standard policy with our company that all our international travellers have some type of international travel insurance, so that you are covered for any unforeseen circumstances that may arise. A comprehensive QBE Insurance brochure is available from Alumni Travel. The insurance brochure contains the terms and conditions under which insurance cover will be offered to you. ADDITIONAL TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS: If you would like Alumni Travel to assist you with any additional arrangements pre or post tour, please contact our office for assistance at time of booking. All arrangements need to be finalised at least 30 days prior to your departure. AMENDMENTS: An administration fee of $30.00 per amendment will be charged for any changes made to any reservation within 30 days prior to your departure. Any additional charges imposed by our suppliers will also be payable. PASSPORT AND VISAS: It is the traveller s responsibility to ensure that they possess the necessary travel documentation for the tour, such as a valid passport and any required visas. Your passport should be valid at least 6 months beyond the end of your journey and have two clear pages for each country to be visited in your journey. FORCED CANCELLATION: In the event that passenger numbers do not reach the minimum number of tour participants (approximately 10, excluding the tour leader) required for the tour, it may be necessary to either surcharge or cancel the tour. If such an event does occur, you will be notified at least 60 days prior to the tour departure. TOUR PRICES: This tour price has been calculated on the basis of exchange rates and tariffs as at 02 May 2016 and is subject to change up until final payment has been received. At the time of final invoicing (approximately two months prior to the tour departure date), Alumni Travel reserves the right to re-cost the tour based on actual exchange rates. This could mean an increase or decrease to the above listed prices. Should you decide to cancel your arrangements on the basis of a change in the tour price, normal cancellation charges will apply. ALUMNI TRAVEL PO BOX Q597, Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230 Australia Phone: (02) / I Fax: (02) I robl@alumnitravel.com.au World Links Education Pty Ltd trading as Alumni Travel ABN Lic. No 2TA003088

6 TOUR NAME: First Passenger Title:..Surname (as shown in passport): First and Other Names (as shown in passport): Preferred First Name: Sex: MALE / FEMALE Do you require single supplement? YES / NO Do you require us to organise twin-share on your behalf? YES / NO If sharing what would be your room preference? TWIN / DOUBLE (Please note that Single Supplement will be payable if we are unable to arrange twin-share for you) Do you require Alumni Travel to organise your airfare? YES / NO Are you a Frequent Flyer Member? Member No: Do you have any dietary or seating requests: Do you hold an Australian passport? YES / NO Passport Number: Are you a smoker? YES / NO Do you require business class? YES / NO Airline: If No, please state the nationality: Date of issue: / / Date of expiry: / / Date of birth: / / Place of issue: Occupation: (Passport details are required for all tours travelling outside Australia) Second Passenger Title: First Name (as shown in passport): Sex: MALE / FEMALE Surname (as shown in passport): Do you require single supplement? YES / NO Do you require us to organise twin-share on your behalf? YES / NO Preferred First Name: If sharing what would be your room preference? TWIN / DOUBLE (Please note that Single Supplement will be payable if we are unable to arrange twin-share for you) Do you require Alumni Travel to organise your airfare? YES / NO Are you a Frequent Flyer Member? Member No: Do you have any dietary or seating requests: Do you hold an Australian passport? YES / NO Passport Number: Are you a smoker? YES / NO Do you require business class? YES / NO Airline: If No, please state the nationality: Date of issue: / / Date of expiry: / / Date of birth: / / Place of issue: Occupation: (Passport details are required for all tours travelling outside Australia) Passenger/s Contact Details (Please attach details if Second Passengers Contact Details are different) Street Address: Suburb: State: Postcode: Postal Address (If different from your street address): Suburb: State: Postcode: Home Tel: Work Tel: Fax: Mobile No: Travel Insurance It is compulsory and in your interest to carry travel insurance for health, loss of luggage/belongings and in case of cancellation. Would you like us to send a travel insurance brochure to you? YES / NO Emergency Contact (Person to contact should there be an emergency while you are overseas) Complete Name: Relationship: Street Address: Suburb: State: Postcode: Home Tel: Work Tel: Mobile No: Please also complete the reverse side of this form and then send it to: Alumni Travel, PO Box Q597, Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230 WORLD LINKS EDUCATION PTY LTD (NSW) trading as ALUMNI TRAVEL ABN LIC NO: 2TA003088

7 I have read and understand the Responsibility section detailed below on this form and the General Information and Special Booking Conditions as set out on the back page of the tour information literature and accept them on behalf of myself and my party. I declare that I/they are not travelling against any medical advice. Signature: Date: / / Payment Options 1. Mail - Enclosed is a cheque / money order as a deposit as indicated in my Tour Information 2. Credit Card - Please debit my: Visa / MasterCard / Diners Club / American Express Card No: Cardholder s Name: Cardholder s Signature: Expiry Date: / Payments by credit card will be subject to the following non-refundable Merchant Administration Fee, Visa / MasterCard - 1.5% American Express 3.5% 3. Direct Deposit into the Alumni Travel company bank account. Please list your full name as the payment description, so we are able to locate your payment when we receive your completed booking form. Account Name: Alumni Travel Client Account Bank Name: Commonwealth Bank of Australia Account BSB: Account Number: DEPOSIT AND FINAL PAYMENT The deposit is accepted as a first instalment of the tour cost and will be fully refunded if the arrangements cannot be confirmed or the tour is cancelled by Alumni Travel. A detailed invoice is sent out to all passengers booked on the tour, approximately two weeks prior to due date of the final payment. Final payment for the tour needs to be received at least 60 days prior to tour departure. FORCED CANCELLATION In the event that, due to failure to reach a minimum number of tour participants (excluding the tour leader), it is necessary to cancel the tour, you will receive a full refund of your deposit. If it is necessary to cancel the tour, we will advise you not less than 60 days prior to the tour departure. PASSPORT AND VISAS It is the traveller s responsibility to ensure that they posses the necessary travel documentation for the tour, such as a valid passport and any required visas. In general a passport should be valid at least 6 months beyond the end of your journey and have two clear pages for each country to be visited to allow for entry and exit stamps enroute or for any visas applicable for countries in your journey. At the time of making your booking you will be given information about any visas that may be required for the tour. PRICES Tour prices stated on the individual tour brochure have been calculated on the basis of exchange rates and tariffs valid at time of print and are subject to change up until final payment for the tour has been received. Once final payment is received, no surcharges will apply. Should you decide to cancel your tour on the basis of a change of price, then normal cancellation charges will apply. ALUMNI TRAVEL PO BOX Q597, Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230 Phone: (02) / Fax: (02) robl@alumnitravel.com.au Visit our website: World Links Education Pty Ltd (NSW) trading as Alumni Travel ABN Lic. No 2TA RESPONSIBILITY WORLD LINKS EDUCATION Pty Ltd trading as ALUMNI TRAVEL and/or its associated Companies or Agents, act only in the capacity of agents for the passenger in all matters of transportation, tour operation and other services. All receipts, tickets, vouchers, coupons or exchange orders are issued subject to the terms and conditions under which transportation and other services are provided. World Links Education Pty Ltd and/or its associated Companies or Agents assume no responsibility for loss, injury, accident, delay or damage or irregularity that may be caused to person or property, however caused or arising before commencement and/or during any tour under its management, sponsorship, procurement or otherwise. It is the responsibility of the passenger to make sure he/she is in possession of the proper visas and other travel documents and that they are in compliance with current government and transportation companies regulations. The right is reserved to modify the itinerary in any way considered necessary or desirable, or to change any reservation, hotel feature and/or means conveyance, without allowance or refund but the extra cost, if any resulting therefrom, must be paid by the passenger. The right is also reserved to cancel or withdraw any tour, to replace any tour leader with another, to cancel or withdraw any booking made for a passenger, or to decline to accept any person as a member of a tour. The transportation companies or firms shall be exempt from all liabilities in respect of any detention, delay, loss, damage, sickness or injury however and by whomsoever caused and of whatever kind occurring of or to the passenger at any time when the passenger is not on board a carrier or conveyance used or operated by the transportation companies or firms. The contract of passage in use by the transportation companies or firms concerned shall constitute the sole contract between transportation companies or firms, and the purchase of these tours and/or passenger. All tickets, deposit tickets, coupons or orders are furnished and issued subject in all respects to those terms and conditions under which the means of transportation or other services provided there by are offered or supplied by owners, public carriers, or managing agents. The issuance and acceptance of receipts, tickets, vouchers, coupons, or exchange orders shall be deemed consent to the above conditions. The tour is based on flights as detailed in the itinerary, however any other IATA or non-iata carrier may be used for tour co-ordination.