Brush back the sands of time to reveal Crusader castles and Greco Roman sites at Jerash and Amman s Acropolis

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1 ANCIENT JORDAN 3 TO 11 NOVEMBER 2012 Why join this tour? Explore the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Um er-rasas, with its perfectly preserved church floor, the desert castle at Amra and the breathtaking Rose Red City of Petra Brush back the sands of time to reveal Crusader castles and Greco Roman sites at Jerash and Amman s Acropolis Privileged access to and a unique behind-the-scenes visit of the new Museum at the Dead Sea by its founder and Lot s Cave Sanctuary Tour Overview The Jordan River valley is synonymous with 10,000 years of historical events and the Pharaohs, Alexander the Great, Moses, the Prophet Mohammed and Lawrence of Arabia have all passed along its route. Begin your journey at the UNESCO site of Um er-rasas with its remains of Roman, Byzantine, and early Muslim civilizations. View the Holy Land from Mount Nebo before a trip to remarkable Roman Jerash in the North. Tour the Jordanian capital, Amman, and head to the River Jordan, the Baptism site of Jesus Christ. Enjoy a day exploring the extraordinary desert castles, including Lawrence of Arabia s base, before arriving at Petra, Jordan s most famous site. Explore the breathtaking and unique Rose Red City which marks the 200 th anniversary of its rediscovery in Then enjoy the striking desertscape at Wadi Rum, before a visit to Lot s Cave Sanctuary and an afternoon of relaxation at the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. A fabulous chance to travel the length and breadth of this small country and to take in the highlights of its rich history. The Traveller, 10 Bury Place, London WC1A 2JL T: info@the-traveller.co.uk Registered in England:

2 Tour Lecturer Konstantinos Politis Konstantinos Politis has worked on archaeological projects in Greece, Jordan, Oman, Syria and Liechtenstein. His most important discovery to date is the Sanctuary of Lot s Cave in Jordan, which he fully excavated and published with The British Museum. Dr Politis s recent projects include leading excavations at biblical Zoara in Jordan and Ra s Al-Hadd in Oman, and co-ordinating a comprehensive documentation of all the mosaics of Syria. Flight Details Date Route Flight Number Depart Arrive 03/11/2012 London Heathrow/ Amman (direct, 5 hours) RJ112 16:05 23:05 11/11/2012 Amman/ London Heathrow (direct, 5 hours, 30 mins) RJ111 11:15 14:45 Baggage Allowance Royal Jordanian Airways typically allows up to 20kg per person. Please note: While these flight timings are currently correct, please be aware that they are subject to change by the airlines and we will notify you of any significant adjustment.

3 Itinerary Saturday 3 November London Heathrow/ Amman, Madaba Depart London Heathrow and fly direct to Amman with Royal Jordanian Airlines. On arrival you will be met by Konstantinos Politis, your lecturer, and transferred by private vehicle to your hotel in Madaba for a 2 night stay (approx. 55 minutes). Four nights at the Mosaic City Hotel in the heart of Madaba, within close walking distance of the Church of St George, which houses the famous mosaic map of the Holy Land. Sunday 4 November Madaba, Mount Nebo Today visit the Greek Orthodox church of St George, with its 6 th -century Byzantine mosaic map of the Holy Land. On to Mount Nebo, believed to be the place from which Moses looked out over the Promised Land. In the afternoon, travel to Um Al-Rasass to see the Byzantine ruins and mosaics in the Church of St. Stephen. Known in Arabic as Mayfa'ah, this site is believed to be the place where the prophet Muhammad had his encounter as a child with the Christian monk Bahira. It is also where the Meccan Hanif Zeid bin 'Amr heard the prediction that there would rise a great prophet in Mecca. (B,L,D) Monday 5 November Jerash, Amman A 40-minute drive brings us to the Jordanian capital, Amman. We spend the morning visiting the important sites of the Citadel, the Roman amphitheatre and the museums Jordan Archaeological Museum, Jordan Museum of Popular Traditions and the Jordan Folklore Museum. Head north for an hour to the site at Jerash, settled since Neolithic times. With its heyday in the Roman period, it was one of the cities of the Decapolis and it is today considered one of the finest Roman cities of the Near East. We see the ruins of the Triumphal Arch, the amphitheatre, churches, the forum, the hippodrome and walk down the columned Roman cardo. (B, D) Tuesday 6 November Jordan River, Gadara, Pella To the Jordan River for the Baptism site of Jesus Christ at Al Maghtas (approx. one hour). Travel on to Pella, a site exceptionally rich in antiquities. Besides the excavated ruins from the Greco-Roman period, Pella offers visitors the opportunity to see the remains of Chalcolithic settlement from the 4 th millennium BC, evidence of Bronze and Iron age walled cities, Byzantine churches, early Islamic residence and a small medieval mosque. Continue a further 20 minutes up river to the Greco-Roman site of Gadara (Um Qais), which is in addition to Amman, Jerash and Pella was also once one of Decapolis cities. Perched on a splendid hilltop overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee, its remains include the stunning black basalt theatre, the basilica and adjacent courtyard strewn with nicely carved black sarcophagi, the colonnaded main street and a side street lined with shops, an

4 underground mausoleum, two baths, a Nymphaeum and a city gate. Return journey to Madaba (approx. 2.5 hours). (B, D) Wednesday 7 November Desert Castles, Petra A day exploring the extraordinary desert castles of the 8 th -century Omayyad princes, including Haranah, Amra (with its mosaics and frescoes, Jordan s 2nd World Heritage site) and Azraq with its black basalt fort, Lawrence of Arabia s base. In the afternoon, travel by way of the newly-restored castle at Halabat, also viewing the site museum, to Petra (approx. 2 hours, 45 minutes). Three nights in Petra at the Kingsway Inn Hotel located only two kilometres from the entrance to Petra. The hotel has a swimming pool. (B, D) Thursday 8 November Petra Spend a full day exploring Petra, the famed rose-red city and Jordan s first World Heritage site. The city is the legacy of the Nabataeans who dominated the trade routes of ancient Arabia and developed a city defined by massive architecture and refined culture. Lost in the Middle Ages, it was rediscovered 200 years ago by the Swiss traveller, Burckhardt. View the Treasury, Roman-style 3,000-seat theatre, the impressive Monastery and numerous temples and facades, as well as the Petra Archaeological Museum and the Petra Nabataean Museum. (B, D) Friday 9 November Petra, Wadi Rum Morning at leisure with the option to re-visit the huge sites to see Sidi Al Barid, Little Petra, with its rare Nabataean paintings and the prehistoric village at Beidha. Afternoon excursion south via the Edomite Hills to Wadi Rum (journey time approx. 90 minutes), for a 4 x 4 wheel drive or camel ride through the most magnificent of Jordan s desert wilderness landscapes, home to Bedouin tribes and rich in association with T E Lawrence. Overnight Petra. (B, D)

5 Saturday 10 November Shobak, Lot s Cave, Dead Sea Morning tour of Montreal Crusader castle at Shobak crowning a cone of rock, which rises above a wild and rugged landscape, dotted with a grand sweep of fruit trees below. The castle's exterior is impressive, with a forbidding gate and encircling walls three layers thick. The walls and projecting towers are still reasonably intact, but inside the castle consists mainly of tumbled stones with a few walls and arches. One of the most fascinating remains is the ancient well-shaft cut deep into the rock, with 375 steps leading down to the water supply at the bottom. Then travel to Lot s Cave Sanctuary and the new site museum at the lowest point on earth. In ancient times this was one of the most fertile of areas and home to ancient settlements including Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zebouin and Zoar. Konstantinos excavated the cave for the British Museum and established the link with Lot. He is also Founder of the new site museum, designed by a local architect with locals involved in the administration of its exhibition hall. There are four main themes: The Story of Lot, The Story of Sugar, The Lowest Place on Earth and The Peopling of Ghor. We have the benefit of our lecturer s in-depth knowledge of the site and museum. On to the Dead Sea, a one hour drive, to relax and swim in its salty restorative waters. Overnight at the Dead Sea Spa Resort Hotel, overlooking the Dead Sea. (B, D) Sunday 11 November Amman/ London Early transfer to Amman s International Airport for the Royal Jordanian Airlines return flight to London. ( B )

6 Tour Price Tour Price including flights 2,195 per person Tour Price excluding flights 1,755 per person Single room supplement 190 Includes Flights and taxes Tour Lecturer/ manager Hotel accommodation with half board Gratuities Excludes Insurance Visa available on arrival Additional meals Items of a personal nature Accommodation Comfortable standard accommodation, conveniently located for the sightseeing programme. We have chosen moderate level hotels which offer clean rooms and a local welcome. Transport By comfortable coach throughout with water provided on board each day. Local Conditions The tour is well-paced to give a full appreciation of Jordan s major attractions given the shorter November days. Weather in November is generally still pleasantly warm in the daytime, particularly at the lower altitudes in Petra and at the Dead Sea. Bring something warmer for cooler desert evenings. Visa Information Visa required by British passport holders. Available on arrival free of charge as you are travelling as part of a group. Extension Ideas Extend your stay with a few days on the Dead Sea, visit Jerusalem or combine with Egypt, arranged on a tailor-made basis. Please call to discuss. Minimum Numbers Please note that the tour s viability is based on achieving a minimum number of confirmed travellers. We will review the situation on a regular basis and as soon as the minimum number is reached, we will send you a confirmation invoice. With this in mind, it is important that you do not pay for any supplementary details on your own behalf relating to this trip, such as flights, visas or vaccinations until we confirm the trip is definitely running. Amendments & changes We take meticulous care in preparing our tour itineraries, but we must retain the right to modify or cancel any tour, flight schedule, accommodation or arrangement, as per our Terms and Conditions. Most changes are minor, however if they constitute a more significant change we will of course inform you as soon as possible. Booking To book your place(s) on this tour, please call Mathilda or Julia on +44 (0) or info@the-traveller.co.uk. To secure your place we will require a completed booking form and a deposit of 300 per person. 15/12/2011