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Welcome to Jordan! Upon our arrival at Queen Alia International Airport, we will be met and assisted, then transfer to Amman for dinner and overnight at the Regency Palace Hotel. (D)
After breakfast, begin the day with a city tour of Amman. Amman, the capital of Jordan, offers both the old and new. See the Roman Amphitheater followed by the Citadel, the Archeological Museum, Folklore Museum, and the beautiful King Abdullah Mosque. Afterwards we will visit some of the desert castles. In the 7th and 8th centuries the Umayyad Caliphs built the Muslim treasures known as the Desert Castles, east of Amman. These were originally hunting lodges, forts, and caravanserais where people gathered to exchange news, relax, and defend their territory. Return to Amman for dinner at a traditional restaurant and overnight at the Regency Palace Hotel. (B/D)
Today we will head north of Amman to the sites of Jerash, Ajlun, and Um Qais. In Jerash you will visit the ruins of one of the grandest Roman cities in the Middle East. You will see the Triumphal Arch, the Hippodrome, the Temple of Zeus, the Forum, the mile long street of Columns, the Nymphaeum, the Temple of Artemis and the Viaduct Church. The Amphitheater is still used for an arts festival and is remarkably well preserved. Ajlun Castle (Qal’at Ar-Rabad) was built by one of Saladin’s generals in 1184 AD to control the iron mines of Ajlun, and to deter the Franks from invading Ajlun. Ajlun Castle dominated the three main routes leading to the Jordan Valley and protected the trade and commercial routes between Jordan and Syria; it became an important link in the defensive chain against the Crusaders, who unsuccessfully spent decades trying to capture the castle and the nearby village. Um Qais, historically known as Gadara was renowned in its heyday as a cultural center. It was the home of several classical poets and philosophers, including Theodorus, founder of the School of Rhetoric in Rome. Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee, Um Qais has an impressive colonnaded terrace and the ruins of two theaters. You will see a blending of Greco and Roman architecture, as well as remnants of Byzantine and Ottoman civilizations. Return to Amman for dinner and overnight at Regency Palace. (B/D)
After breakfast, we head to Madaba. In the town of Madaba you will visit the Byzantine church of St. George, home to a stunning mosaic map of the ancient Middle East. Afterwards continue to nearby Mount Nebo where you will visit the church on top of the hill from where, it is believed, Moses viewed the Promised Land. His tomb is also located at this site, as well as a beautiful array of mosaics in the floor of the church. You will be able to experience the spectacular panorama of the Jordan Valley, Jericho and the Judean Hills, just as Moses did. Continue on to Wadi Rum for dinner and overnight at the Jabal Rum camp. (B/D)
After breakfast, transfer to Wadi Rum for a four hour 4×4 jeep tour exploring the desert canyons, rock formations and more. The canyon or wadi is a nature preserve and has an abundance of desert flora and fauna, set in a landscape sometimes called the Valley of the Moon. Afterwards we will visit the Nabatean site referred to as “Little Petra” because of its smaller scale but similar architecture to the site of Petra. Dinner and overnight at Beit Zaman in Petra. (B/D)
After breakfast begin your exploration of Petra, the “Rose Red City.” This incredible hidden city, inhabited by the ancient Nabateans, lay concealed from 100 AD until it was re-discovered in the early 1800’s. Take a horse ride to the “Siq” (Canyon) entrance then walk the rest of the way through the narrow, winding cut in rocks into the valley. Your first glimpse of the magnificence of the place will be of the Treasury as you round the last bend on the pathway. The Treasury and the other buildings have been carved out of the canyon walls in the pink sandstone. Continue past the Roman Theatre, the Corinthian Tomb and the Palace Tomb. Dinner and overnight at Beit Zaman. (B/D)
After breakfast we will depart for the Dead Sea. On the way we will stop at the fortress of Kerak. Kerak is a crusader fortress, built over older fortresses, located on the King’s Highway in the area known in ancient times as Moab. The history during the Crusades of this fortress is filled with intrigue, treachery, and murder. But the history of this area goes back to the Iron Age and the ancient Nabateans. We will visit the archeological site of Bethany, the ancient settlement of John the Baptist and where Jesus is believed to have been baptized in the Jordan River. Dinner and overnight will be at the Evason Hot Springs Spa and Hotel in Ma’in. (B/D)
Today is a free day on your own to enjoy the spa, or go for a hike and enjoy the spectacular views of the Dead Sea and surrounding landscape. Dinner and overnight at the Evason Spa Hotel. (B/D)
After breakfast, transfer to QAIA for departure. (B)
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