Day 1: Arrival- Amman Queen Alia Airport

Meet & assist at Amman Airport.

Overnight in Amman

Day 2: Amman- Jerash – Hiking in Ajloun

This morning after breakfast at the hotel, we will drive north to the Roman city remains of Jerash. Founded at the time of Alexander the Great, Jerash flourished as a trade center between Damascus and Petra and we can step back in time and wander along its ancient colonnaded streets and see its incredibly well-preserved temples, baths and hippodrome, complete with Byzantine mosaic floors. After exploring Jerash, we take a short transfer to Al Ajloun, a tranquil and scenic valley and one of the most beautiful in the highlands of Jordan. In the village of Orjan, we will enjoy a lunch of freshly baked bread and local Jordanian dishes, hosted by a local family for a delightfully authentic experience. After lunch, we walk on gentle trails that take us through olive groves and under the shade of fig trees. We will explore the ancient village of Rasun and see its ancient relics of Bronze Age tombs and even a Roman wine press. We visit the locally run women’s artisanal cooperatives and the Soap House, where we can see (and buy) hand-made olive oil soap, scented with local flowers and herbs. Nestled in the Ajloun Forest Reserve, we will find our comfortable rustic cabins for our overnight stay.

Overnight at Ajloun Nature Reserve / Meals: B, L, D

Day 3: Dead Sea – Kerak visit – Dana

After breakfast, we set off south towards the Dana Biosphere Reserve. On our way, we stop at the Dead Sea. Spas around the world charge a fortune for Dead Sea mud packs, but here we can do as the locals do and have fun, scooping up the mineral-rich mud and smothering it over our skin! After experiencing floating in the strangely buoyant waters of the Dead Sea, we continue our drive to Kerak Castle. 900 years after it was built, the castle retains a sense of defiance and belligerence. Marking the extreme eastern edge of the Crusader kingdoms, it was a launchpad for attacks on trade routes and even Mecca itself. Eventually besieged and taken by Saladin in 1189, the castle was later adopted by Bedouin tribes who were revolting against Ottoman rule. Considering its violent past, it remains remarkably well-preserved. Dana Biosphere Reserve is only a short drive away, nestled amongst wind-eroded sandstone formations. At the head of a gorge, the ground drops over 1000m towards the Great Rift Valley and the views are incredible. With four distinct biomes, the area supports a wide diversity of wildlife and we are likely to see griffon vultures, hyrax and copper-blue lizards and, if we’re lucky, a glimpse of a desert fox or an ibex. We will have the rest of our day at our leisure, wandering long the village trails.

Overnight at a hotel in Dana

Meals: B, L, D

Day 4: Dana Village Trail- Little Petra

After experiencing the serenity of morning breaking over the reserve, we take a beautiful, rambling walk; led by a local guide to Wadi Dana. Our reward will be panoramic views across the valley and we will be treated to more wildlife watching opportunities. Our guide will be able to spot and identify animal tracks and point out medicinal herbs and plants that grow here. Our trail will wind its way back to the irrigated gardens and terraced orchards of Dana Village. After arriving back to our start point, we meet our transport and drive to the relatively unknown Little Petra. Little Petra, like its more famous sibling Petra, is a Nabataean site; with buildings and dwellings carved into the steep walls of a canyon around 2000 years ago. Visiting Little Petra is a much quieter and more intimate experience than Petra and a fabulous way of whetting our appetite for the main site tomorrow. We settle for the night at a fixed Bedouin camp nearby, nestled amongst rocky outcrops.

Overnight at fixed camp in Little Petra

Meals: B, L, D

Day 5: Petra Back Trail

This morning, after breakfast, we set off on the back trail into Petra. This easy walk winds its way across weathered sandstone outcrops and natural terraces and balconies, contouring around the faces of cliffs. Views into the Great Rift Valley begin to open up and, eventually, we will catch our first glimpse of the imperious and towering façade of the Monastery. This is one of the most impressive monuments in Petra but, isolated as it is from the rest of the site, receives few visitors. We recommend sitting in the shade, sipping an aromatic cardamom-spiced coffee, and taking in the remarkable atmosphere. Once rested, we descend the stone steps of the Nabataean processional route down into the heart of Petra. Hidden deep within a highly inaccessible valley, it is not hard to comprehend how this Nabataen city lay undiscovered to the outside world for centuries. We will take lunch inside the archaeological site before spending the rest of the afternoon exploring the countless tombs, temples and churches. It is incredible to contemplate that only a small fraction of Petra has been excavated! Our route out takes us past the Roman theatre and, towards the end of the afternoon, to Petra’s most famous and photographed monument: the Treasury. From here, we walk along the thin passages of the Siq, through tight canyons that once guarded the secrets of Petra, to the main entrance and onwards to our hotel. There is an optional evening excursion: to return to Petra after dark. Walking into the ancient city after dark, after the tourists have gone, to experience the Siq and the Treasury lit by hundreds of candles is a very special experience.

Overnight at a hotel in Petra

Meals: B, L

Day 6: Explore Wadi Rum by 4×4 Jeep and on Foot

We set off early this morning to drive to Wadi Rum. On the edge of the desert, at Rum Village, we meet our Bedouin guides. Wadi Rum was best described by Lawrence of Arabia, who had made it his home, as being “vast, echoing and God-like”. Our guides are from the Hoewietat tribe, the same tribe that guided Lawrence, over 100 years ago. Setting off in rugged 4×4 vehicles, we make our way across the seemingly endless red sands to explore soaring sand dunes, mountains and ancient petroglyphs etched into the rock face. After a picnic lunch in the shade followed by sweet herbal tea prepared the Bedouin way, we drive across the desert plains to the natural rock bridge of Jebel Um Fruth and run, bare-foot, down vast red sand dunes. We continue on our way to our desert camp. There will be time to relax and enjoy the sunset, before enjoying an authentic Bedouin feast of meat and vegetables, cooked in a zerb (an underground oven made of sand and stone). For those who want to stay up, we can lay around a campfire, sipping herbal tea. We listen to stories, talk and laugh with our Bedouin hosts under an incredible blanket of stars.

Overnight at a Bedouin Camp in Wadi Rum

Meals: B, L, D

Day 7: Wadi Rum – Aqaba

Optional Camel ride in the morning at Wadi Rum

Waking up in the desert is quite spectacular. Shadows slowly move across the landscape as morning breaks and the sun’s rays will soon warm our faces. For those who want the full desert experience; there is an optional camel ride across the sands, a gentle way to take in the scenery before arriving back into Rum Village. We say goodbye to our Bedouin hosts and transfer to the Red Sea resort of Aqaba, where we have the rest of the afternoon to relax on the beach, perhaps enjoying some swimming and snorkeling.

Overnight at a hotel in Aqaba

Meals: B

Day 8:Aqaba –  Amman Tour

After a relaxed morning, we set off on the 4-hour drive back to Amman.

On arrival, we should have time to take a walking tour of the souks and ancient citadel ruins. The hilltop citadel has been here since the Bronze Age and has been rebuilt, and added to, by subsequent Roman and Byzantine Empires and the Umayyad Caliphate. We will explore the souks and markets, perhaps stopping off at one of the many cafes to take in the street scenes where old men play backgammon and smoke the sweet-scented tobacco of the hubbly-bubbly pipes.

Overnight at a hotel in Amman

Meals: B

Day 9: Amman-QAIA

After breaking transfer to the international airport for our departure flight. (one hour drive)

Meals:B

Included

• An English speaking local Hiking guide at Ajloun /  Dana, Petra backdoor, Bedouin Guide in Wadi Rum.
• All land transport required by the itinerary
• All accommodation as described
• Meals as per the Meal Plan
• All activities/excursions/entrance fees mentioned except where specified as ‘optional’

What’s not Included

• Travel insurance
• Visas (if applicable)
• Some meals as per the Meal Plan
• Tips
• Miscellaneous expenses – drinks and souvenirs etc. Candle-lit evening tour of Petra