The Ancient Treasures of Jordan with Petra and Wadi Rum

Our nationwide shared chauffeur service collects you from home for your flight to Amman. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.

After breakfast, enjoy a half-day excursion to the ancient city of Jerash, one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world and a highlight of this tour. Jerash has been occupied since neolithic times and was an important city during the Greek, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods when it was known as Gerasa. On a guided tour discover the Oval Forum, Hadrian’s Arch, the Colonnaded Street and the Temple of Artemis. Enjoy free time to explore and grab a coffee, before a scenic drive to Ajloun. It was here that Emperor Hadrian, who ordered Hadrian’s Wall to be built between Scotland and England, stayed over winter in 129-130AD and built an arch well outside the town. Discover the Castle of Ajloun, a hilltop castle with views across the Jordan Valley. Travel back to Amman and relax at the hotel before dinner tonight.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

After breakfast enjoy a city tour of Amman and discover the rich history of this bustling city. Highlights include the Roman theatre in the centre of Amman, a relic of ancient Philadelphia which was built between 138-161AD, and the Jordan Museum which houses over 2,000 artefacts including a collection of the Dead Sea Scrolls. You also visit the ancient Citadel which towers above the city, and King Hussain bin Talal Mosque, the mosque of the King of Jordan.

Next is an exciting highlight of your tour – a cooking class and lunch at Beit Sitti, Grandma’s House. Immerse yourself in the tastes and smells of Jordanian cooking with a visit to the local markets of Amman with a local Jordanian lady. She will help you pick the best fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices for a meal you will prepare. Return to Grandma’s House and cook a traditional four-course Arabic meal under instruction of your host, an experienced home cook who will teach you how to blend herbs and spices to make the perfect Jordanian dish. Dine while enjoying spectacular views of Amman’s old district, before returning to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

An unforgettable adventure awaits you today as you set out this morning to Mount Nebo and historic Madaba. Mount Nebo is the mountain where Moses was allowed to see the Holy Land. Visit the Church of Moses, built by the first Christians, and then continue to the City of Mosaics, Madaba. This ancient city has over 4000 years of rich history and is one of the most prominent cities in the world for its mosaics. See the beautiful mosaics including the mosaic map of Jerusalem, dating to the 6th-century AD, at St George’s Church. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, before continuing to Shobak Castle, a magnificent crusader fortress constricted in 1115AD. Travel to Petra and stay at your next hotel, which is a highlight of this tour because of its close proximity to the gate of Petra.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

No need for a coach to the ancient city of Petra this morning, you can enjoy a leisurely walk with your guide through the entrance of the rose-red city to the Khazhen, or Treasury, which featured in the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Petra is a fascinating place to visit. Built between 800BC to 100AD by Nabatean Arabs, it was a fortress carved out of the jagged rocks, virtually inaccessible and lost to the world until it was discovered in 1812 by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burkhart. Here you can see 800 monuments, but it is believed many more are buried under the sand. After your guided tour you can either explore more independently or return to the hotel with your guide.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

After a leisurely morning, another highlight of your tour awaits today – the magical desert of Wadi Rum. Say farewell to Petra and head to the Valley of the Moon, the largest and most magnificent of Jordan’s desert landscapes with a maze of monolithic rocks which rise from the desert floor. You’ll stay at a tented camp in the heart of Wadi Rum. Enjoy a stargazing experience this evening in the middle of the desert where incredible views of the stars can be seen, and enjoy a traditional Bedouin zarb dinner – meat and vegetables which have been booked underground by the heat of the sand. Enjoy traditional music under the stars as you eat your zarb dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Spend the morning relaxing amid the tranquil beauty of the desert. Explore the sand dunes of Wadi Rum independently or relax in camp with a sweet Bedouin tea and watch the sands change colour in rising sun. Leave Wadi Rum and travel to the Dead Sea, which is 400 metres below sea level, the lowest point on earth, and believed to be the site of five biblical cities – Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Zoar. It has a spirituality and historic legacy, and people have flocked to the waters of the Dead Sea for their curative qualities. With the highest content of minerals and salts in the world, the water possesses anti-inflammatory properties, and its mud has been used for over 2000 years for therapeutic purposes.

Meals: Breakfast

Spend the day at leisure enjoying the waters of the Dead Sea, or the spa facilities at your hotel. There is also an optional excursion to Bethany, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which has two archaeological area, Tell el-Kharrar and the area of the Churches of John the Baptist.

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight back to the UK. Upon arrival, your vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.

Meals: Breakfast