An exciting 8 day adventure tour, you will begin with a tour of Amman and the ancient Roman site of Jerash before a scenic drive along the King’s Highway with its deep Wadis, olive groves, and remote rural villages. En-route we stop to visit the Roman mosaics at Madaba, the views from Mt. Nebo, and the impressive Kerak Castle, before we reach the world famous UNESCO world heritage site of Petra. You will have plenty of time to explore this incredible place before our tour moves onto Little Petra and the Wadi Rum desert, where we will be lucky enough to sleep under the stars in a Bedouin camp after taking a jeep safari through the stunning desert landscapes. There is even the chance to take a sunset or sunrise camel ride before we move on to the Red Sea beach resort of Aqaba, where scuba and snorkelling are also available. We then head to the mysterious salty waters of the Dead Sea where, depending on the time of year, you can also go canyoning. We end our tour back in Amman, from where there is always the option to transfer to Tel Aviv and move onto our Fantastic Israel tour!
Arrival location:
JO Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Dead Sea
Departure Location:
JO Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Dead Sea
Included in your experience:
- All accommodation as stated in the itinerary in 3 and 4-star hotels and Bedouin desert camp
- All transport and transfers
- 24-hour airport arrival & departure transfer service
- Services of a tour guide/tour leader for groups of 5 (escort driver and local guides for smaller groups)
- 4x4 jeep safari in Wadi Rum
- All camping equipment in Wadi Rum
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Entrance fees (worth approx. US$110)
Not included in your experience:
- International Flights (available on request)
- Visa fees (20JD, approx. US$30)
- Travel Insurance (compulsory, available from Encounters Travel)
- Meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Hotel Gala Dinner supplements if applicable
- Drinks, snacks, tips and other personal expenses (e.g. laundry)
- Tipping kitty (allow approx. US$30)
- Entry ticket into Wadi Mujib (allow approx. US$26)
- Tips for your tour guide/driver
- Any other items not mentioned above
DAY 1 Arrive in Jordan. Transfer to hotelUpon arrival our staff will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in Amman for the start of your trip. They'll help you settle in and introduce you to the local area.
OVERNIGHTAmman - 3 star hotel
EXTRASExtra night - pre-tour
DAY 2 Amman city tour & JerashWe start today with a tour of Amman’s city centre, visiting the Citadel, Roman amphitheatre and bazaars. Later we visit the incredibly well preserved ancient Roman site of Jerash.
OVERNIGHTAmman - 3 star hotel
MEALSBreakfast
DAY 3 King's Highway to Petra via Madaba and KerakWe depart Amman for a scenic drive along the King’s Highway to Perta, crossing deep Wadis, olive groves, and driving through remote rural villages. En-route we see the Roman mosaics at Madaba, enjoy great views of Israel from Mt. Nebo, and visit Kerak Castle, one in a chain of Crusader fortresses built across Jordan in the 12th Century.
OVERNIGHTPetra - 3 star hotel
MEALSBreakfast
DAY 4 Petra tour and free timeWe enjoy a full day today inside the world famous Nabatean site of Petra. Carved into the rocks and left undiscovered for centuries Petra has always been an enduring attraction for explorers. We include a guided tour of the area with plenty of free time to explore on your own. This evening you may book an optional visit to Petra for the spectacular Petra by Candlelight tour.
OVERNIGHTPetra - 3 star hotel
MEALSBreakfast, Lunch
EXTRASPetra by night
DAY 5 Drive to Wadi Rum via Little PetraToday we drive towards Wadi Rum and en route visit the site of Little Petra, which was a suburb of the main city and provides a great insight into the building of the larger buildings and tombs. At Wadi Rum we enjoy Bedouin hospitality and a 4WD jeep safari through the spectacular desert scenery with its towering cliffs, bizarre rock formations and sandy dunes. This evening there’s an optional sunset camel ride before we sleep under the stars in a Bedouin camp inside the desert reserve.
OVERNIGHTWadi Rum - Bedouin camp
MEALSBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6 Aqaba tourWe bid farewell to our Bedouin hosts this morning and travel south to the Red Sea beach resort in Aqaba. After a short city tour the afternoon is then free to spend at the beach or trying some snorkelling or scuba diving excursions to explore the Red Sea’s coral reefs and fishes.
OVERNIGHTAqaba - 4-star hotel
MEALSBreakfast
EXTRASSnorkelling in the Red Sea
DAY 7 Drive to the Dead Sea and AmmanThis morning we transfer by road along the shore of the Dead Sea where we can float and try to swim in the unique, salty waters. You may also have the opportunity to do the Siq Trail at the mouth to Wadi Mujib. This is a fun ‘canyoning’ adventure that takes between 1 and 2 hours and involves walking, scrambling and some easy rock climbing through a spectacular narrow canyon (siq) up to a waterfall. The recent rainfall levels will determine how much water there is but you should expect some pools and swimming and to get very wet. A good level of fitness is required and we recommend wearing shoes not sandles to protect your toes.
Note: The Siq Trail is not available all year round and is generally only open from April to October and may also be closed at times during these months. Local guides are in place to assist inside the Siq but this is a self-guided section. There is an entrance ticket (currently US$26) which is not included in the tour price. If the water levels seem high & fast, or you are not confident in your fitness then we recommend not to proceed. Always follow the advice of the local guides. You must be able to swim as life jackets are not always available. A minimum age limit of 16 applies.
If he group splits and some people do not want to do this section, then they can enjoy a walk along the shore of the Dead Sea or relax in the vehicle.
OVERNIGHTAmman - 3 star hotel
MEALSBreakfast
DAY 8 Amman. Free time. Transfer to airportYour time is free today until we transfer you to Amman airport for your departure flight. Alternatively you may wish to take one of a number of optional day trips. These include tours to Ajloun Castle and Umm Qais, a tour of the 'Desert Castles', a visit to the Baptism Site at Bethany on the Jordan, or a tour into Israel to visit Bethlehem and Jerusalem. We can also arrange a transfer to Tel Aviv either by flight or overland for people wanting to connect this tour with our Fantastic Israel tour departure which starts on Monday.
OVERNIGHTN/A
MEALSBreakfast
EXTRASExtra night - post-tour