LAND OF THE BEDOUINS

Transcription

1 11 days

2 Countries visited Jordan Tour Highlights The ancient ruins of Jerash Madaba`s famous mosaics Dana Biosphere Reserve - amazing natural beauty Petra - stunning carvings and landscape A night under the desert sky Float in the Dead Sea - the lowest point on Earth Places visited Amman Jerash Ajloun Mount Nebo Umm Qais Madaba Crusader s Castle of Kerak Petra Shobak Castle Wadi Musa Wadi Rum What's included Airport pick-up & drop-off ID 13 - P a g e 1

3 Ground transport Accommodation Entrance fees to sites Breakfasts and most other meals (refer to itinerary for meal plan) Drivers and guides What's not included not mentioned in itinerary Drinks Visa Fees Tipping Camera / video camera fees Personal items (laundry, telephone, etc.) Medical expenses Any services not mentioned in itinerary All accommodation subject to availability. Final accommodation choices will be confirmed after booking. ID 13 - P a g e 2

4 Your Itinerary Map ID 13 - P a g e 3

5 Your Itinerary Explained Date Place visited B: The first part of the text in each day is the itinerary schedule and will explain what you will Breakfast normally see/do during this day of your itinerary. --L: The part of the day s text in italics (and comes after the three dashes --- ) is background Lunch information on the places or sites on that day of your itinerary. It is not part of your D: itinerary and may mention places that will not be visited on your itinerary. If you have any Dinner questions please ask us. Travel times where noted are only meant as a guideline. Tour Itinerary Day 1 Amman Arrive into Amman airport where you will be met by a Travel The Unknown representative and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in a comfortable hotel in Amman. N/A Overnight in Harir Palace Hotel, Amman Amman Day 2 Amman Amman - Salt After breakfast you will board private transport and drive through the old part of the city of Amman, visiting the Citadel and the Roman Amphitheatre. Drive through the old souk before stopping for a typical Lebanese mezze lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch drive to the ancient city of Salt (1 hour), the first capital of Jordan. Return to Amman for overnight. --Now Jordan s rapidly-developing capital, and the wealthiest in the Middle East outside the gulf, Amman can be dated back to Pre-Neolithic Times, and is referred to in the Bible as Rabbat Ammon. In the past, conquered by the Assyrians, the Persians and the Macedonians, Amman s most impressive ancient sites date to Roman times. The old citadel area, situated on a hill overlooking the city, boasts the Temple of Hercules, originally constructed by Marcus Aurelius in the late 1st century and modelled on the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, Turkey. However, some of the temple remains are thought to date to the Bronze Age. BL ID 13 - P a g e 4

6 Salt, the first capital of Jordan. It houses the tomb of the biblical Job, a wealthy, righteous man from the Land of Uz as well as the tomb of the prophet Jethro, who was Moses' fatherin-law. Take a walk through the streets of the old city of Salt where you will be surrounded by splendid yellow sandstone buildings incorporating a variety of local and European styles - typically with domed roofs, interior courtyards, and characteristic tall arched windows. Total travel time : 2 hours Overnight in Harir Palace Hotel, Amman Day 3 Ajloun Ajloun - Jerash Drive to Ajloun (1.5 hours) and vist the site. Drive to Jerash (1 hour). After lunch visit the site of Jerash. Overnight in a hotel in Jerash. --Hilltop town Ajloun is best known for its impressive 12th century crusader castle, Qailat Al Rabat. Dominating a stretch of the Jordan Valley, the fortress was the site from which Saladin launched his successful campaigns against the crusaders. Originally boasting four towers, parts of the castle, including the battlements, were destroyed by the Mongol s attack in the 13th century, and two earthquakes in the 19th and 20th centuries did further damage, but today Jordan is committed to a restoration program. Aljoun is also allegedly the birthplace of the Prophet Elijahand, and the site of Tell Mar Elias is located just outside the city, boasting some exquisite Byzantine Church mosaics. Also nearby is the serene Lady of the Mountain Church. BLD Jerash is one of the biggest preserved Roman cities outside of Italy.The history of Jerash is a blend of the Greco-Roman world of the Mediterranean basin and the ancient traditions of the Arab Orient. A close contender to Petra for Jordan s favourite destination, this ancient city has survived for a staggering 6,500 years, boasting an unbroken chain of human occupation. First established by Alexander the Great, Jerash had its golden age under Roman rule and most of its ruins date to this time. Hidden for centuries in sand, Jerash has been excavated and restored over the past 70 years, and now stands almost as it would have appeared in its former glory. A fascinating example of the grand style of provincial Roman urbanism found throughout the Middle East, beguiling Jerash is composed of elaborately paved and colonnaded streets, handsome theatres, public squares and plazas, baths and fountains, and overlooked by striking hilltop temples. Surrounding the city are the old city walls, pierced by the remains of ancient towers and gates. Total travel time : 2.5 hours Overnight in Olive Branch, Jerash Day 4 Umm Qais - Pella - Madaba Drive to Umm Qais (1 hour) to visit site. Afterwards drive to Pella (1 hour), which is one of the most ancient sites in Jordan and a favourite of archaeologists, being exceptionally rich in antiquities. After the visit we continue to Mount Nebo, and then on to Madaba (1 hour) for overnight. --- BL Madaba ID 13 - P a g e 5

7 Umm Qais (or Gadara) is one of the most spectacular ancient Greco-Roman cities of the Decapolis, situated next to the famous site of Gadron. Known as the 'Jewel of the North' and perched dramatically on a hilltop overlooking the Golan Heights, the Yarmuk Gorge and the mythical Sea of Galilee, Umm Qais is thought to have been the place of Jesus s exorcism of the demonic Gerasens a biblical story in which Jesus exorcised the demon spirits, turning them into swine which he sent down Umm Qais s slopes into the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8: 28-34). This important city was renowned for its cosmopolitan atmosphere, attracting an array of writers, artists, philosophers and poets. Like Pella, its' sister Decapolis city, Umm Qais was blessed with fertile soil, abundant water and a location astride a number of key trading routes connecting Asia and Europe. Today Umm Qais boasts impressive remains. The serene theatre is made from black basalt, while the basilica and adjacent courtyard are strewn with exquisitely carved black sarcophagi. The old city has a colonnaded main street with a side-street lined with shops, an underground mausoleum, two baths, a nymphaeum, city gate and the outlines of what was once a spectacular hippodrome. According to the Bible this is where Moses lived out his remaining days, able to see the Promised Land but never to enter (Deuteronomy 34: 1-8). Mt. Nebo offers a fantastic view westward, with a vista that includes the Dead Sea, the West Bank, the Jordan River and, on a clear day, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Pella is one of the most ancient sites in Jordan and a favourite of archaeologists, being exceptionally rich in antiquities. It is perfectly situated in a fold of the hills that rise from the Jordan Valley next to a spring that issues water to a small river, never running dry. The tell itself seems to have been continuously occupied since Neolithic times with flints from this period being found here. More recent finds 2 km north of the tell even date to Palaeolithic times, around 100,000 years ago. Total travel time : 3 hours Overnight in Dalilah Hotel, Madaba Day 5 Madaba - Um ar-rasas - Karak - Dana Early in the morning we will take a tour of Madaba visiting the Church of St. George in the middle of town. The church is the home of the Mosaic Map of Palestine, which represents the Holy Land and its surrounding regions. We then will be transported to Um ar-rasas. The highway twists and winds its way through the heart of Jordan, connecting Madaba, Karak, Tafileh, Shobak and Petra. The King's Highway is the world's oldest continuously used communication route. This royal route will lead us to Karak. We will then drive Dana Biosphere towards Dana Biosphere Reserve where we will be spending the night. Overnight in the Guesthouse in Dana. Reserve --Um ar-rasas is a UNESCO World Heritage site located south of Madaba, off the King's Highway. The site contains Roman, Byzantine and Muslim ruins including churches and a military camp. The Church of Stephen has the largest perfectly preserved mosaic floor in Jordan. This mosaic depicts hunting and fishing scenes and the most important cities of the region (including Kastron Mefaa, Philadelphia, Madaba, Esbounta, Belemounta, Areopolis, Charac Moaba, Jerusalem, Nablus, Caesarea and Gaza). BLD ID 13 - P a g e 6

8 Kerak lies on the ancient caravan routes that used to connect Egypt to Syria and its' commanding position almost 1000 meters above the Dead Sea Valley made it a strategic asset of great importance. The city was the ancient capital of Moab and was also used by the Greeks and Romans. Kerak reached its full splendor in the 12th century with the arrival of the Crusaders. The major attraction at Kerak is the magnificent Crusader fortress of Kerak, which made Kerak the new capital of the province; superbly situated on the King's Highway where it could control all traffic from the north and the south and grow rich by the imposition of road-tolls. This castle soars above its' valleys and hills like a great ship riding waves of rock; an excellent example of the Crusaders' architectural military genius. Madaba, located 30 kilometres southwest of Amman, is most famous for its exquisite 6thcentury mosaics. Its history dates back at least 3500 years, however. Madaba, which was known in the Bible as the Moabite town of Madaba, is mentioned in the Old Testament account of Moses in Exodus (Numbers 21: 30). The Church of St. George in Madaba is the home of the Mosaic Map of Palestine, which represents the Holy Land and its surrounding regions. The mosaic, made around 560, measures a staggering 25 by 5 meters and was originally composed of over 2.3 million pieces. Total travel time : 3 hours Overnight in Dana Guest House, Dana Biosphere Reserve Day 6 Dana Biosphere Reserve Free day in Dana Biosphere Reserve. Optional hiking - from a 1 hour gentle walk to a full day strenuous trek (guide in park at additional cost). Overnight in Dana. --Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan s most impressive eco-project, ranges in elevation from sandstone cliffs of over 1500m to the Wadi Arabi desert at 50m below sea level. Home to many species of plants and animals, the park is the perfect place to go hiking or just to Dana Biosphere relax. BD Reserve Overnight in Dana Guest House, Dana Biosphere Reserve Day 7 Shobak - Petra Drive to Shobak castle which is known as Mont Realis (Montreal), yet another castle in the great chain of Crusader fortresses which stretches across Jordan. Continue to Wadi Musa. Afternoon free. Enjoy Petra in a unique way on a Petra by Night tour where you will walk through the candle-lit Siq and reach the Treasury where Bedouin music is played and a cup of tea will be ready to warm you up. Learn about Petra and the Nabataeans, before returning back through the Siq. Overnight in Petra. B Petra Note: Petra By Night visit is available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only --- ID 13 - P a g e 7

9 2000 years ago the town of Shobak was the greatest city of the Arab nation. Today, the remains of the once spectacular Shobak Castle are set in barren surroundings, dominating the landscape on a hill some 1,300 metres above sea level and towering over the valley of fruit-trees below. Isolated from the town of Shobak, Shobak Castle s appearance certainly captures the imagination. The remains of the castle today are mostly additions and reconstructions made during the Mamluk period, but numerous Crusader features still survive. In the North-East corner, the keep is decorated with Quaranic inscriptions in Kufic script which are thought to date to the time of Saladin. The castle also boasts two churches, the first one with a baptistery and the second with a crusader cross carved into the wall. Beneath the second church are catacombs, containing Christian carvings, Islamic tablets and what are considered to be the remains of Saladin s throne. Total travel time : hours Overnight in Petra Moon Hotel, Petra Day 8 Petra Petra Full day visit of the site of Petra. Walking into Petra you will quickly realize why this ancient city is one of the world's wonders. The Victorian traveler and poet Dean Burgon gave Petra a description which holds to this day -"Match me such a marvel save in Eastern clime, a rose-red city half as old as time". Yet words can hardly do justice to the magnificence that is Petra. Overnight in a hotel in Petra. --Petra is one of the world's greatest heritage sites and one of the world's seven New Wonders - an ancient rock city that was the capital of the Nabatean Kingdom. Built around 2,300 years ago, the imposing rose-stone palaces are an impressive testament to the power and influence of the Nabateans who controlled trade around the area in the 3rd century BC. Petra is surrounded by hills in which tombs have been carved into the pink sandstone. The site includes some 800 structures. B Overnight in Petra Moon Hotel, Petra Day 9 Wadi Rum Wadi Rum After breakfast we head to Wadi Rum where we will meet our Bedouin host at Rum village. We will take a jeep tour to get acquainted with the surroundings. We will stop for lunch at the foot of the Khazaali Mountain before continuing our desert exploration by jeep. Some of the major attractions include Lawrence Spring, Thamodian Script, the remains of Lawrence House, a Nabatean Temple, Al Khazaali Canyon and Rakabat Um Ishreen. After watching a beautiful sunset we return to our Bedouin camp in the heart of the desert for a feast of Zarb - a traditional Bedouin dish of meat and vegetables cooked underneath the desert's sand, and a night under the Milky Way. Our Bedouin camp for the night is a Bedouin tent made of goat hair. It is built in the heart of Wadi Rum in a secluded area. Facilities are simple. Our host is a local Bedouin native of Wadi Rum. Overnight in a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum. --- BLD ID 13 - P a g e 8

10 Wadi Rum is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in south-west Jordan. It has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times and is dotted with massive rock formations. It is virtually untouched by humanity and its destructive forces. Here, it is the weather and winds that have carved the imposing, towering skyscrapers, so elegantly described by T.E. Lawrence as vast, echoing and god-like. Much of David Lean s Lawrence of Arabia was filmed in Wadi Rum. Total travel time : 2 hours Overnight in Hillawi Camp, Wadi Rum Day 10 Dead Sea Bethany - The Dead Sea In the morning we leave Wadi Rum and head towards the Dead Sea, stopping first in Bethany. Visiting the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth, will give you the opportunity to indulge in a unique floating experience in the warm salty waters of the Dead Sea. Or why not try a mud bath believed to have curative powers? Overnight at the Dead Sea. --Without a doubt one of the world s most amazing places, the Jordan Rift Valley is a dramatic, beautiful landscape which, at the Dead Sea, is over 400m (1,312 ft.) below sea level. The lowest point on the face of the earth, this vast stretch of water receives a number of incoming rivers, including the River Jordan. Once the waters reach the Dead Sea they are land-locked and have nowhere to go, so they evaporate, leaving behind a dense, rich, cocktail of salts and minerals that supply industry, agriculture and medicine with some of its finest products. The Dead Sea is flanked by mountains to the east and the rolling hills of Jerusalem to the west, giving it an almost other-worldly beauty. Although sparsely populated and serenely quiet now, the area is believed to have been home to five Biblical cities: Sodom, Gomorrah, Adman, Zebouin and Zoar (Bela). BL The baptism site of Bethany is the place where, as described in the New Testament, Jesus resurrected Lazarus from the dead, before entering Jerusalem for the final time. Even by the time of the Crusades, the area remained an important pilgrimage site for Christians. Nearby is the biblical site the Mount of Olives. Total travel time : hours Overnight in Dead Sea Spa Hotel, Dead Sea Day 11 Amman - Departure Early start and transfer to Amman airport for onward flight. B Total travel time : 1 hours Amman ID 13 - P a g e 9

11 Accommodation Amman : Harir Palace Hotel (Hotel) 2 nights Phone : Address : Amman, Jordan Website : Jerash : Olive Branch (Hotel) 1 night The Olive Branch is a family run, medium-sized hotel near Jerash. It is situated on a mountaintop offering fantastic views of the Dibbin Nature Reserve. Although the ancient city of Jerasa is only five kilometers away, the Olive Branch offers a healthy, relaxing atmosphere far away from the noise of the city. Phone : Address : Guzn Al-Zaytoon Road, Jerash, Jordan Website : Madaba : Dalilah Hotel (Hotel) 1 night Located in Madaba, Dalilah Hotel offers comfortable accommodation. Room facilities include; Wi-Fi access, LCD TV, mini refrigerator, safety box and air conditioning. Phone : Address : Madaba Aisha Um Al Mumeneen St b Madaba, Jordan P.O.BOX 942 Website : ID 13 - P a g e 10

12 Dana Biosphere Reserve : Dana Guest House (Guest house) 2 nights Perched on the edge of Wadi Dana, this beautifully styled building offers a homely atmosphere with breathtaking views of the reserve. It contains 9 clean and comfortable bedrooms (with shared bathroom facilities), each with a private terrace overlooking a 1,000 metre drop to the basin of the Wadi Dana. Traditional Arabic food is also served here. Wi-Fi can be accessed in public areas. Phone : / Address : Al Tafileh, Ḑānā, Jordan Petra : Petra Moon Hotel (Hotel) 2 nights Phone : Address : Petra, Jordan Website : Wadi Rum : Hillawi Camp (Camping) 1 night Spend a night under the stars in this traditional Bedouin camp. ID 13 - P a g e 11

13 Dead Sea : Dead Sea Spa Hotel (Hotel) 1 night Dead Sea Spa Hotel is situated on the shores of the Dead Sea, 420 meters below sea level at what is known as the lowest point on Earth. Located within an hour from Queen Alia Airport and 45 minutes from Amman, the hotel offers breathtaking views of the world s deepest salt lake and the surrounding mountains. Rooms feature a blend of modern and resort-style amenities with sea, pool or mountain vistas. Phone : Address : Dead Sea Road, Sweimeh, Jordan Website : All accommodation subject to availability. Final accommodation choices will be confirmed after booking. ID 13 - P a g e 12 Powered by TCPDF (