Totally Jordan – 8 days land only

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- Return airport/hotel transfers
- 2 nights 4* hotel accommodation in Amman
- 2 nights 4* hotel accommodation in Petra
- 1 night accommodation in a deluxe desert camp in Wadi Rum
- 2 nights 4* hotel accommodation in Madaba
- Breakfast daily & selected dinners
- A 4x4 desert safari through the sand dunes of Wadi Rum
- Touring of Amman, Jerash, Umm Qais, Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum, Umm ar-Rasas, Mt Nebo & Madaba
- Assistance of a tour guide
- HIGHLIGHTS: Amman, Umm Qais, Petra, Umm ar-Rasas, Madaba, Jerash, the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum desert & Mt Nebo 

* Excludes entrance fees of approx. USD140 - USD150 & a tipping kitty of approximately USD35 - USD40 *

** A high sesaon supplements of R2500 per person applies for set departures 23 APR 2016 - 28 MAY 2016 **

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Amman

Saturday. Welcome to Jordan and the start of an amazing adventure. Arrive Amman, included transfer to our hotel and overnight. Overnight - Amman

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Ancient Cities & Roman Ruins

Amman - Jerash - Umm Qais - Amman. Heading north, we visit Jerash, the Graeco-Roman city known as the ‘Pompeii of the East’. Built over 2,000 years ago, Jerash is widely regarded as the best-preserved city of the Decapolis, a confederation of 10 Roman cities dating from the 1st century! We’ll explore the site taking in the colonnaded street, amphitheatre, nymphaeum, forum and more before continuing to Umm Qais (Gadara), a dramatic black-basalt Roman city of the Decapolis with panoramic views over the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights. Overnight - Amman (B)

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Day 3: Mt Nebo & Umm ar Rasas

Amman - Mt Nebo - Umm ar Rasas - Petra. This morning, we tour the citadel of Amman, Archaeological Museum and enjoy free time shopping in the local souq, before visiting Mt Nebo - the single most important biblical site in Jordan. Having led the Israelites for 40 years through the wilderness, Moses finally saw, from this awesome vantage point, the Promised Land, that God forbid him to set foot in. We too can enjoy the excellent views offered of the Jordan River Valley, the northern shore of the Dead Sea, Jericho on the opposite bank and (on clear days) the towers on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

Later we visit Umm ar Rasas, a haunted deserted city on the ancient caravan routes. The village is the site of the now ruinous Roman garrison town of Kastron Mefaa, which developed during the Byzantine and Umayyad periods into a relatively important city. Large mosaic floors from two of its dozen or more churches have been painstakingly cleaned and protected. The mosaic floor of the Church of St Stephen dates to 785, over 150 years after Muslim rule was established in Jordan, and depicts the cities of the day including Jerusalem, with Palestinian cities below such as Nablus and Gaza and seven Trans-Jordanian cities including Philadelphia (modern-day Amman), Madaba and Karak.

Consider doing a Petra by Night excursion (payable locally) for a tantalizing candlelight stroll through Petra’s Siq….a romantic preview of things to come! Overnight - Petra (B)

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The Rose City

Chief among Jordan’s many archaeological riches is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Rose City of Petra. The city was first settled around the 6th century BC by the Nabataean tribe from Western Arabia. Rediscovered in 1812, it remains on the list of many travellers. We access the hidden archaeological treasures of the Rose City on a walk through a narrow, deep siq, where the rocks finally give way to reveal the famous facade of Al-Khazneh (the Treasury). It's also possible to ride a horse through the Siq. Continuing our walk, we’ll then go on to explore chunks of this fantastic once-lost city which is full of tombs, temples, an impressive amphitheatre and a Roman colonnaded street. The intrepid can ascend the hundreds of rock-cut steps to Ad-Deir. Better known as the Monastery, Ad-Deir has a similar facade to that of the Treasury, but is far bigger and the views from the nearby cliff-tops are awesome. Want to learn how to cook Middle Eastern food? Consider opting for our Petra Kitchen bolt-on tonight! Overnight - Petra (B)

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Wadi Rum

Petra - Wadi Rum. There is a chance to revisit Petra this morning before our afternoon drive to Wadi Rum. A vast, silent landscape of ancient riverbeds, pastel coloured stretches of sandy desert and amazing rock formations known as jebels that rise from the desert floor awaits. Boarding 4x4 jeeps, we take an exhilarating desert safari across the sand dunes, taking in the breathtaking scenery of Wadi Rum. Tonight, we enjoy a Jordanian dinner at our camp. Overnight - Wadi Rum (B, D)

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Dead Sea

Wadi Rum - Karak - Dead Sea - Madaba. This morning, we explore the vast 12th century Crusader castle of Al Karak. It took the Crusaders some twenty years to erect their fortified stronghold, which through the proceeding centuries withstood countless attacks. Note: Shobak crusader castle maybe visited as an alternative to Karak, depending upon weather and opening times.

Continuing on, we descend some 1300 metres to the lowest point on the earth's surface to the Dead Sea. Sitting at 422 metres below sea level we spend the afternoon floating like a cork in the salt-laden, buoyant Dead Sea and lathering up with a detoxifying mud. Then we drive on to the bustling Muslim-Christian market town of Madaba. Overnight - Madaba (B, D)

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Madaba

Famed for its Byzantine mosaics, including the fascinating map of the Holy Land made in the 6th century out of two million stone pieces and now housed in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, Madaba, its mosaics, quaint village shops and local market are all here to explore at leisure today. Overnight - Madaba (B)

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Madaba

Saturday. Madaba - Amman Airport. Explore Madaba your way, before hotel check-out and included onward departure transfer to Amman's Queen Alia airport. (B)