DAY 01 – AIRPORT/AMMAN Upon arrival, a driver will meet you at Queen Alia International Airport. Transfer to hotel in Amman. Dinner and overnight. Hotel

DAY 02 – AMMAN/DESERT CASTLE/AMMAN Breakfast. Proceed to Desert Castle in the morning: The castles were built between the 7th century and 8th century, roughly between 660 and 750, under the caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty who had made Damascus their new capital in 661. The majority of the castles lie on the ancient trade routes towards Medina and Kufa. The castles are partly rebuilt from earlier remains and partly new constructions. The function and use of the buildings are yet today not quite determined, scholarship has suggested that they might have served a variety of defensive, agricultural, residential and commercial purposes. There are different theories concerning the use of the buildings, they may have been a fortress, a meeting place for Bedouins (between themselves or with the Ummayyad governor), badiyas (retreats for the nobles) or used as a caravanserai. Many seem to have been surrounded by an oasis and to have served as a base for hunting.

Back to Amman for a visit of the Hashemit Capital in the afternoon. Much of Amman’s tourism is focused in the older downtown area, which is centered around the old souk (a colorful traditional market) and the King Hussein Mosque. The Citadel hill of Amman, known as Jabal el Qala, has been inhabited for centuries, important as a military and religious site. It dates back to Roman and Byzantine times, and later work was carried out in the early Islamic era. The Citadel also is home to the Temple of Hercules which is said to have been constructed under the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius who reigned from 161-180 AD, is similar to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Behind the Roman forum stands a Roman theatre — the largest theatre in Jordan — with room for 6,000 spectators.

Back to your hotel end of the day. Dinner and overnight. Hotel

DAY 03 – AMMAN/JERASH/AJLOUN CASTLE/AMMAN Breakfast. Depart from Amman to visit the archeological sight of Jerash: After Petra, Jerash is the second most popular place for tourists to visit. It offers some of the most remarkable and splendid vestiges in the Middle East. This historic site is characterized by uninterrupted human presence throughout many centuries providing traces of occupation by the Greeks, Byzantines, and the Umayyads. The golden age of Jerash corresponds to the Roman domination.Nowadays, the site is regarded as one of the best-preserved Roman outposts in the world. Jerash is one of the Decapolis cities, a dynamic commercial confederation of ten Greco-Romans cities. The complex architecture of Jerash has made it possible to keep many parts of the city intact. Others parts of the city have been patiently restored by archaeologists from all over the world. When the Emperor Hadrian visited Jerash in year 129 AD, it was already flourishing. In order to honor its guest, the city constructed a triumphal arch that was only one part of an ambitious and magnificent construction.

Continue to visit the village of Ajlun with its fortress and magnificent view into the Jordan Valley

Proceed to Amman end of the day. Dinner and overnight. Hotel

DAY 04 – AMMAN/MADABA/KERAK/PETRA Breakfast. Morning departure south through the king’s way, an ancient route that still has marks left from traders, armies and pilgrims who crossed it centuries ago.

Proceed to Madaba to visit the Byzantine Mosaic in Saint George Church: Known as the King’s Way, the 5,000 year old road through the city crosses a chain of superb old sites. The main attraction in this biblical city is the Byzantine Mosaic of Life in the church of Saint George. This splendid mosaic represents the map of the Middle East with the representation of Jerusalem and other holy places. Composed of 2 million colored fragments and measuring 25 x 5 meters, this piece of art depicts hills and valleys, cities and villages, going to the delta of the Nile. The masterpiece has no equal in Jordan. However, there are multiple mosaics dating from 5th, 6th and 7th centuries dispersed in the churches and houses of Madaba.

Proceed to the King’s Road to reach Kerak: Visit the Kerak castle with its diverse history dated from the Byzantine to the Mamluk period.

Continue to Petra for overnight:

Dinner and Overnight. Hotel.

DAY 05 – PETRA Breakfast. Full Day visiting the Nabatean city of Petra. The visit of the ancient Nabatean Capital starts by a walk through the Siq, a long narrow fissure between two overhanging cliffs. The tour then proceeds to gradually unfold the mysteries of the Red Rose City with its spectacular treasury, Royal Tombs, burial chambers and high places of sacrifice: The Jordanian Kingdom is full of archaeological richness. One of its most amazing natural treasures is the pink rose-colored Nabatean city of Petra which a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Petra is the legacy of the Nabateans, who is established their center in the south of Jordan more than 2,600 years ago. A very strategic station, the Nabateans controlled the trade route of old Arabia, charging right-of-way to travelers wishing passage and providing protection to caravans carrying goods such as spices and silks from India, and ivory and skins from Africa. The Nabatean kingdom prospered for several centuries, and was unanimously admired for its refined culture, its colossal architecture and its clever network of passageways and channels.

Dinner and Overnight. Hotel.

DAY 06 – PETRA Breakfast. 2d Full day visiting Petra.

OPTION TREKKING FROM LITTLE PETRA TO THE MONASTRY INSIDE PETRA (2 to 3 hours)

Free visit on the site.

Dinner and Overnight at the hotel in Petra. Hotel

DAY 07 – PETRA/WADI RUM After breakfast proceed to Beida, also known as Little Petra and the place where the Nabateans used to entertain their guests.

Proceed to the desert of Wadi Rum, Jordan’s largest desert and one of the most spectacular desert landscapes in the world: The Kingdom of Jordan has one of most beautiful deserts in the world: the desert of Wadi Rum. Located northeast of Aqaba, the splendid desert of Wadi Rum is made up of iridescent colors. Wadi Rum is expansive, composed of valleys bordered with red sandstone cliffs on a granite base. These mountains took odd forms caused by erosion from wind and temperature variations between day and night. During a 4×4 excursion, one can discover the many inscriptions and writings specific to the Arabic peninsula and the surrounding areas including the proto-Arabic language and Nabatean engravings and inscriptions. It is in this desert that several sequences of “Lawrence of Arabia” were filmed.

Our jeep tour is 4 hours and we will provide you a private camp inside the reserve to feel the real bedouin experience.

Traditional bedouin dinner and overnight. Bedouin Campsite

DAY 08 – WADI RUM/AQABA/FEINAN After breakfast, Transfer to South Beach in Aqaba, on the Red Sea for a swim.

OPTION DISCOVER SCUBA DIVING

Back to the North through the Jordan Valley Road to reach the Feinan Lodge in Dana Reserve. Transfer to the Lodge by jeep for the last 10 kilometers. Dinner and Overnight. Eco Lodge of Feinan

DAY 09 – FEINAN/DEAD SEA/AMMAN After Breakfast,Transfer to Dead Sea, the lowest point on the surface of the earth for a swim in its warm salty waters: The historical and spiritual heritage of the Dead Sea is like no other and believed to be the site of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is a sea famous for its high rock salt content (magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, silica…) which increases the density of water so much that one floats without sinking. The density of salt contained in the Dead Sea is higher than 20%; unlike other seas which have approximately 5%. Located at nearly 410 meters below the Mediterranean Sea level, it has a tropical climate throughout the year. The Dead Sea is famous for it therapeutic properties, in particular, the Dead Sea salts and mud used for dermatological problems.

Proceed to Amman end of day.

Dinner and Overnight at the hotel. Hotel

DAY 10 – AMMAN/JORDAN VALLEY/KING HUSSEIN BORDER/TIBERIAS/NAZARETH After Breakfast, transfer on the North through the Jordan Valley. Transit to Israel on the King Hussein Border and proceed to visit Tiberias and his lake with private transportation and guide: Tiberias has been venerated in Judaism since the middle of the 2nd century CE and since the 16th century has been considered one of Judaism’s Four Holy Cities, along with Jerusalem, Hebron and Safed. In the 2nd-10th centuries, Tiberias was the largest Jewish city in the Galilee and the political and religious hub of the Jews of Palestine. According to Christian tradition, Jesus performed several miracles in the Tiberias district, making it an important pilgrimage site for devout Christians. Tiberias has historically been known for its hot springs, believed to cure skin and other ailments, for thousands of years.

Visit of the Mount of Beatitudes on the place: The Mount of Beatitudes refers to the hill in northern Israel where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. The traditional location for the Mount of Beatitudes is on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, between Capernaum and Gennesaret. The actual location of the Sermon on the Mount is not certain, but the present site (also known as Mount Eremos) has been commemorated for more than 1600 years.

In the afternoon, proceed to visit Nazareth the largest city in the North District of Israel: Known as “the Arab capital of Israel,” the population is predominantly made up of Arab citizens of Israel. In the New Testament, the city is described as the childhood home of Jesus, and as such is a center of Christian pilgrimage, with many shrines commemorating biblical events. The Mayor of Nazareth is a Palestinian Christian.

Dinner and night in a typical guest house. Guest House

DAY 11 – NAZARETH/SEPPHORIS/ACRE/JERUSALEM After Breakfast, transfer to visit Sepphoris also known as Tzippori. Sepphoris is located in the central Galilee region, 6 kilometers north-northwest of Nazareth, in modern-day Israel. The site holds a rich and diverse historical and architectural legacy that includes Assyrian, Hellenistic, Judean, Babylonian, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, Crusader, Arabic and Ottoman influences. Interest on the part of Biblical archaeologists is related to the belief in Christian tradition that the parents of the Virgin Mary, Anna and Joachim, were natives of Sepphoris, at the time a Hellenized town. Notable structures at the site include a Roman theater, two early Christian Churches, a Crusader fortress that was renovated by Daher El-Omar in the 18th century, and upwards of forty different mosaics.

Then proceed to the city of Acre one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country: Acre, historically, was regarded as a strategic coastal link to the Levant. Acre is the holiest city of the Bahá’í Faith. Acre’s Old City has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Since the 1990s, large-scale archeological excavations have been undertaken and efforts are being made to preserve ancient sites. In 2009, renovations were planned for Khan al-Omadan, the Inn of the Columns”, the largest of several Ottoman inns still standing in Acre. It was built near the port at the end of the 18th century by Ahmed Pasha al-Jazzar. Merchants who arrived at the port would unload their wares on the first floor and sleep in lodgings on the second floor. In 1906, a clocktower was added over the main entrance marking the 25th anniversary of the reign of the Turkish sultan, Abdul Hamid II.

Transfer to Jerusalem end of the day. Dinner and overnight. Hotel

DAY 12 – JERUSALEM Full day visiting the city of Jerusalem: the old city, the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque, the Church of the Holy Sepulcre. Jerusalem is a holy city to three religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), whilst being the country`s largest city. The City of Gold is a fascinatingly unique place where the first century rubs shoulders with the twenty-first century, each jostling for legitimacy and space, and where picturesque “old” neighborhoods nestle against glistening office towers and high-rise apartments. Jerusalem plays an important role in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The 2000 Statistical Yearbook of Jerusalem lists 1204 synagogues, 158 churches, and 73 mosques within the city. Despite efforts to maintain peaceful religious coexistence, some sites, such as the Temple Mount, have been a continuous source of friction and controversy.

Special meeting with the Afrikan and Palestinian Community inside the old city.

Back to your hotel end of the day. Dinner and Overnight at the hotel. Hotel

DAY 13 – JERUSALEM/BEETHLEM/JERUSALEM After Breakfast,Visit of Jerusalem in the morning: Walk on the city walls and overview of the city from the Temple Mount.

In the afternoon, proceed to visit Beethlem: The Church of the Nativity is one of Bethlehem’s major tourist attractions and a magnet for Christian pilgrims. It stands in the center of the city — a part of the Manger Square — over a grotto or cave called the Holy Crypt, where Jesus was born.

End of day, transfer to visit the Monastery of Mar Saba from the Byzantine period.

Back to your hotel in Jerusalem end of the day. Dinner and Overnight at the hotel. Hotel

DAY 14 – JERUSALEM/BEIT JIBRIN/JAFFA/JERUSALEM After Breakfast, proceed to the palestinian village Beit Jibrin: Beit Jibrin was a Palestinian Arab village located 21 kilometers northwest of the city of Hebron. The ruins of three Byzantine-era churches are located in Beit Jibrin. A church on a northern hill of the town, later used as a private residence, had elaborate mosaics depicting the four seasons which were defaced in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. A church south of the town, known as Khirbet Mar Hanna was dedicated to Saint Anne — mother of the Virgin Mary. In Christian tradition, Beit Jibrin is the birthplace of Saint Anne.

After lunch in front of the sea in Jaffa, visit of the city, suburb of Tel Haviv. Jaffa, now absorbed into the Israeli coastal metropolis as a southern suburb of Tel Aviv, represents the most ancient city center and port within the Tel Aviv region. Before the foundation of the new Jewish city of Tel Aviv in 1908 in the sand hills north of Jaffa, Jaffa was the main settlement for Arabs, Jews and the various waves of occupiers (Turks, British, etc…) alike. The old port of Jaffa in the past was the biggest seaport in Israel.

Back to your hotel in Jerusalem end of the day. Dinner and Overnight at the hotel. Hotel

DAY 15 – JERUSALEM/NABLUS/SEBASTIA After Breakfast, proceed to Nablus one of the oldest cities in the world, possibly first established 9000 years ago: Nablus was originally called “Shechem” by its Canaanite inhabitants. The Romans built a new city (Flavia Neapolis, in honor of Flavius Vespasian) a short distance from Shechem. The name Nablus comes from Neapolis. The old city of Nablus is located on the site of Neapolis, but in modern times the city has grown to include the site of Shechem as well. The Old City of Nablus is a charming area filled with winding narrow streets and small shops selling all kinds of foods, clothing, and trinkets.

After lunch in a popular place, transfer to visit the village of Sebastia and his incredible archeological site in renovation. Sebastia is a Palestinian village of over 2,600 inhabitants, located in the Nablus Governorate of the West Bank some 15 kilometers northwest of the city of Nablus. Sebastia is home to a number of important archaeological sites. The ancient site of Samaria-Sebaste is located just above the built up area of the modern day village on the eastern slope of the hill. The ruins dominate the hillside and comprise remains from six successive cultures dating back 10,000 years. In modern-day Sebastia, the village’s main mosque, known as the Nabi Yahya Mosque, stands within the remains of a Crusader cathedral beside the public square. There are also Roman royal tombs, and a few medieval and many Ottoman era buildings which survive in a good state of preservation.

Back to Nablus end of the day. Dinner and overnight. Hotel

DAY 16 – NABLUS/JERICHO/KHIRBET QUMRAN/MASADA/JERUSALEM After Breakfast, proceed to Jericho : Jericho, the “City of Palms”, is a small city within the Palestinian Territories and Israeli-occupied West Bank, close to the northern end of Dead Sea and some 55 km (34 miles) from Jerusalem. Jericho, the “City of Palms”, is a small city within the Palestinian Territories and Israeli-occupied West Bank, close to the northern end of Dead Sea and some 55 km (34 miles) from Jerusalem.

Close to Jericho, visit of the Hisham’s Palace: this winter palace was built by the Omayyad Caliph Hisham Ibn Abdul Malek, before being destroyed by earthquake soon after completion in 747 CE. The extensive site contains royal buildings, a mosque, water fountains and spectacular mosaic floors.

Then proceed to visit the archeological site of Khirbet Qumran: it is best known as the settlement nearest to the caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden, caves in the sheer desert cliffs and beneath, in the marl terrace.

Transfer end of day in the archeological site of Masada. Masada is the name for a site of ancient palaces and fortifications in the South District of Israel on top of an isolated rock plateau, or horst, on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. After the First Jewish-Roman War a siege of the fortress by troops of the Roman Empire led to the mass suicide of the Sicarii rebels. It is located about 20 km east of Arad.

Back to Jerusalem end of the day. Dinner and overnight. Hotel

DAY 17 – JERUSALEM/AMMAN After breakfast, free morning in Jerusalem.

Transfer to Allenby Bridge Border in the afternoon for transit in Jordan. Proceed to Amman end of day.

OPTION HAMAM in a traditionnal place with massage (around 2 hours).

OPTION LEBANESE DINNER

Dinner and Overnight at the hotel. Hotel

DAY 18 – AMMAN/AIRPORT After Breakfast, transfer to the Airport. Assistance with formalities and departure.

 

General InformationHotels

3, 4, or 5 star hotels and one night in a Bedouin camp.

Difficulty/ Hike hrs: Easy

Altitude: From 1200 meters to -400 meters.

Season : suitable for year round.