Best of Jordan

From the bustling city of Amman and the otherworldly vistas of Wadi Rum to the red-rose ancient city of Petra and the shores of the Dead Sea, experience the land of Lawrence of Arabia & Indiana Jones

Overview

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Style	Small Group TourTravel with a small, intimate group of no more than 16 likeminded travelers (and often much fewer), escorted by an English speaking guide and/or tour manager for some or all of your journey. (Some exceptions, including special promotional packages, may accommodate up to 30.) More of these packages Dedicated tour escorts & guides throughout
Departures		Group Size	16 travelers max
Themes	History & Culture
Activity Level	Moderate
What to Expect	This moderately-paced, escorted tour involves a significant amount of walking, often on uneven terrain, requiring a moderate level of physical fitness to fully enjoy the trip. This tour also includes long scenic drives between destinations and may have limited rest stops.
Already booked?	Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more.

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While the ancient Nabatean city of Petra, towering high above the red-rock landscape, is often considered one of the Middle East's most stunning attractions--it's only the beginning of what the Kingdom of Jordan has to offer the modern traveler. This well-traveled land has everything from its impressive rocky formations and hidden oases to bustling cities and remote villages. Explore the winding alleys, busy markets, and historical monuments of Amman. Walk the ruins of Jerash, the "Pompeii of the East," then take in unforgettable views from high atop a hill in Umm Qais. Venture into local villages and share home-hosted meals as you learn about daily life for these traditionally nomadic people. Drive along the King's Highway to Petra, where you'll stand in awe of the elaborately-carved ruins that have stood there for centuries, seemingly unchanged. Set off across the moon-like terrain, stopping along the way to sip cardamom-spiced coffee and explore a unique land that could be a movie scene set on Mars. After all the adventure, slow down and soak it all in as you bathe in the restful waters of the Dead Sea.

Package includes

Flights
Coach
Transfers
Hotel
Meals
Guides

Round-trip flights from New York (JFK) including taxes & fees
All ground transportation and transfers
7 nights' accommodations in deluxe hotels & 1 night in a tented desert camp
13 meals: 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners
Professional English-speaking guide
Comprehensive touring program and entrance fees
Advanced audio headset guided tour system

Optional add-ons

Flights from other cities are available. Request pricing when making your reservation.
Hot air balloon ride over the desert
Ma'in Hot Springs with lunch

Why you'll love it

Tour Amman's ancient Roman Theater, Archaeological Museum and Citadel, which contains the remains of the massive Temple of Hercules.
Explore Jerash, a well-preserved provincial Roman town, popularly known as "Pompeii of the East".
Take in spectacular views over Lake Tiberias and the Golan Heights from Umm Qais.
Weave your own basket using a technique passed down through generations at Beit Al Baraka.
Drive along the 5,000 year-old King's Highway, a stretch of road dotted with ancient Holy Land sites, including Madaba and Mount Nebo
Travel by horseback to the Siq, a narrow gorge that leads to the impressive city of Petra, and enjoy a guided walking tour.
Visit Siq Al-Barid, also known as “Little Petra”, comprised of tombs, temples, water channels and cisterns carved out of rock.
Ride in jeeps to the oasis where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed.
Enjoy Bedouin hospitality as you learn about their way of life.
Float on the Dead Sea, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world.

Itinerary at a Glance

1 Depart USA
2 Amman
3 Amman
4 Jerash, Ajloun, Umm Qais & Amman
5 Amman & Petra
6 Petra
7 Little Petra & Wadi Rum
8 Wadi Rum & the Dead Sea
Optional Excursion: Hot Air Balloon Ride (purchased locally), $195
Optional Excursion: Ma'in Hot Springs & Lunch, $85
9 Dead Sea
10 Depart Amman/Arrive USA

Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices, with flights per person, double occupancy*
2024 DEPARTURES
Dates	Price
Departs U.S.: Thu, Dec 12, 2024 Finishes: Sat, Dec 21, 2024 Dec 12 – Dec 21	$5049	Departed

Dates & Prices, tour only per person, double occupancy*
2024 DEPARTURES
Dates	Price
Starts: Fri, Dec 13, 2024 Finishes: Sat, Dec 21, 2024 Dec 13 – Dec 21	$4149	Sold Out

Options & Fees

Best of Jordan
Rooming Selection
Double Occupancy	included
Single Occupancy	$959
Optional Excursions
Ma'in Hot Springs & Lunch	$85

So that we can offer you the best deals, our packages are, like most hotels and cruises, priced based on double occupancy rooms or cabins. We charge solo travelers an extra fee to cover the extra costs of single occupancy rooms or cabins. (Consider: if you booked a $200/night hotel room solo, you would pay the $200 yourself; but if a couple booked the same room, each one would pay only $100.) But you only pay extra for the rooms or cabins, nothing else, including meals, sightseeing, tips, etc. Why are single rooms more?

Flights & Departure Cities

Departure Airports
New York City (NYC)¹

1. NYC departures will be from either JFK or EWR based upon availability.

This package includes round-trip flights from the city listed above.

Want to fly from another city? We can arrange flights from most major cities. Ask us for a quote for flights from your preferred city when (or after) you book, and we'll get back to you with the price and availability within 3 business days. Of course, you can also book your own flights. More information

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Depart USA

Depart New York on your overnight flight for Amman, Jordan

Day 2 Amman

Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel
Spend the remainder of the day at leisure
Join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner with wine

The InterContinental or similar Dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Upon arrival at Queen Alia Airport, our representative will meet you. Following customs and immigration formalities, you will be transferred to your hotel.

This evening, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant in one of Amman's oldest neighborhoods.

Day 3 Amman

Admire the highlights of Amman during a city tour, including the Citadel, Abdullah I Mosque, and the Archaeological Museum
Visit the Iraq Al-Amir Women Cooperative Society

The InterContinental or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, enjoy a tour of Amman, including the remains of the Roman Theater, the Archaeological Museum, and the Citadel, which contains the remains of the massive Temple of Hercules. Continue to the Royal Automobile Museum, among Amman's most popular sites, where a fantastic collection of perfectly preserved cars, jeeps, and motorcycles owned and enjoyed by the kings of Jordan are on display. Visit the beautiful King Abdullah I Mosque, where Muslims and non-Muslims are welcomed under its magnificent, sky-blue mosaic dome.

This afternoon, visit Iraq Al-Amir Women Cooperative Society Iraq, which aims to make the women in the area financially independent and raise their living standards by increasing their income and preserving local heritage. The cooperative, managed and run by local women, provides various handicraft training projects for women from all villages of Wadi Seer. The cooperative teaches local women how to make multiple heritage products; many are now sold in the village shop and online.

Day 4 Jerash, Ajloun, Umm Qais & Amman

Journey back in time while exploring the remains of ancient civilizations
Visit Jerash, the "Pompeii of the East"
See Ajloun, a 12th century Arab castle
Take in spectacular views over Lake Tiberias and the Golan Heights in Umm Qais
Enjoy a home-hosted lunch followed by a basket-weaving workshop

The InterContinental or similar Breakfast & lunch

Full Day Itinerary

This morning, depart for Jerash, known as the "Pompeii of the East," and perhaps the best preserved of the ancient Greco-Roman towns. Around its colonnaded main street, see the Cardo, South Theater, Temple of Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the Artemis Temple, and the Nymphaeum. The city's 14 churches date from Byzantine times and are filled with fine mosaics. Continue to Saladin's 12th-century Arab castle, Qalaat al Rabad, also known as Ajloun, is one of the finest examples of military architecture.

Proceed to Umm Qais and visit the Greco-Roman town nestled on a hillside of northern Jordan. Marvel at the sweeping view of Lake Tiberias and the Golan Heights from the ruins of the Decapolis city of Gadara. Be transported through time as you walk the path of ancient flourishing civilizations, their remains telling the story of the many travelers who have come before; from the Macedonians, who first established their acropolis, to the Romans, Byzantines, Umayyads, and Ottomans.

Continue to the local village for a home-hosted lunch of local dishes made with seasonal ingredients. After lunch, meet the artists who live and work here. Discover the intricate skills used to weave banana leaves, palm leaves, and straw into simple, traditional baskets. Then, get hands-on and create a woven souvenir to bring home.

Return to Amman and enjoy the evening at leisure.

Day 5 Amman & Petra

Drive along the King's Highway
View the sixth-century Madaba map
Enjoy the panoramic view over the Holy Land from Mount Nebo
Visit Shobak Castle, a Crusader fortress

Movenpick Resort Petra or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Travel along the 5,000-year-old King's Highway, one of the most memorable journeys in the Holy Land, passing through a string of ancient sites. Stop in Madaba, "the City of Mosaics," home to the contemporary Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. View the wonderfully vivid, sixth-century Byzantine mosaic map showing Jerusalem and other holy sites here.

Continue to the most revered site in Jordan, Mount Nebo, the memorial of Moses and the presumed place of his death and burial. Early Byzantine Christians built a small, square church on the spot that later expanded into a vast complex.

En route to Petra, stop in Shobak and visit the ruins of Shobak Castle, an early 12th-century Crusader castle.

Arrive in Petra later today. This evening is yours at leisure to relax or join an optional excursion.

Day 6 Petra

Explore Petra during a guided tour
Enjoy the balance of the afternoon at leisure

Movenpick Resort Petra or similar Breakfast & lunch

Full Day Itinerary

Today's guided tour of Petra begins with a ride on horseback, followed by a walk through the Siq, a narrow gorge flanked by cliffs. At the end of the Siq, the breathtaking sight of the Treasury comes into view with its elaborately carved facade. Explore this site's various tombs and structures and marvel at the artistry and creativity that must have inspired the Nabateans to construct such an impressive and dramatic city. After lunch, return to your hotel.

Day 7 Little Petra & Wadi Rum

Explore Siq Al-Barid, also known as Little Petra
Jump into an open-air jeep and begin exploring the desert
Visit with a Bedouin family, and learn about their life
Ride a camel through Wadi Rum while admiring the breathtaking views

Sun City Camp or similar Breakfast & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, depart for Siq Al-Barid, also referred to as Little Petra, due to its similarities with the leading site of Petra. It is thought to have been an important suburb of Petra. The site includes tombs, temples, water channels, and cisterns carved from the rock.

Depart for Wadi Rum, a vast desert with a moon-like terrain dotted with mountains and covered in sands reflecting the sun's rays in vibrant orange, yellow, and red hues. Reach the Beau Geste outpost, where Bedouins welcome you with cardamom-spiced coffee.

Begin your desert adventure as you drive through the desert in open-air 4x4 jeeps. Along the way, stop to visit with a Bedouin family. See how they make bread and how they milk camels and goats. Listen to stories about the tradition of Arabic coffee and Bedouin tea while enjoying your choice of beverage. Later, trade your jeeps for camels and ride through the desert while taking in the sweeping vistas.

Return to camp this evening for dinner and overnight.

Day 8 Wadi Rum & the Dead Sea

Join an exciting optional hot air balloon ride
Visit Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus of Nazareth was baptized

Movenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

This morning, depart Wadi Rum for the Dead Sea. Along the way, stop in Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where John baptized Jesus of Nazareth. Archaeologists have found over 20 Christian sites here that date back to the Romans and Byzantines.

Arrive early this afternoon at the Dead Sea and check in to your hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure to enjoy the hotel's facilities or join an optional excursion to Ma'in Hot Springs.

Optional Excursion: Hot Air Balloon Ride (purchased locally), $195

Wake up early this morning and take off on an exhilarating hot air balloon ride! Watch the sunrise over the breathtaking landscape and observe how the light plays on the wind-swept sandstone mountains.

Note: Requires a minimum of 5 passengers to operate.

Optional Excursion: Ma'in Hot Springs & Lunch, $85

Ma'in Hot Springs, located 866 feet below sea level, is a series of thermal hot springs and waterfalls. It is said that Herod the Great bathed in their medicinal waters.

Enjoy lunch at the hotel, and relax in the pool while watching the waters tumble over the cliff-side.

Note: Requires a minimum of 2 passengers to operate.

Day 9 Dead Sea

Spend the full day at leisure to enjoy the facilities at your deluxe hotel and spa
Join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner with wine
Some flights may depart shortly after midnight

Movenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea or similar Breakfast & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Spend the day enjoying the facilities of your deluxe Dead Sea hotel and spa. Take advantage of the wide range of relaxing activities, from the infinity pool and indoor Dead Sea flotation pool to the therapies and beauty treatments of the spa. After traveling through the country, you'll appreciate the opportunity to take in the curative waters and mud of the Dead Sea.

This evening, meet your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner with wine.

Note: Some flights may depart shortly after midnight. Departure transfers will take place after the farewell dinner.

Day 10 Depart Amman/Arrive USA

Some flights will depart this morning
Transfer to the airport as you bid farewell to Jordan and board your return flight to the USA
Your journey comes to an end as you arrive in the USA later today

Breakfast

Hotels

The InterContinental

Deluxe

The InterContinental Jordan offers luxury accommodation in Amman's diplomatic area, close to the city's center. This hotel features lavish amenities like multiple pools, evening entertainment, a sauna, spa and massage treatments, and a gift shop.

More information

Movenpick Resort Petra

Deluxe

The Mövenpick Resort Petra is located directly at the entrance to the historic Jordanian city of Petra. The resort features restaurants, a swimming pool, fitness center, and game room.

More information

Sun City Camp

Tourist Class

Located in the heart of Wadi Rum's majestic desert, the incredible Sun City Camp offers the experience of the simple Bedouin life of the valley.

More information

Movenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea

Superior First Class

The luxury Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea enjoys a traditional village setting nestled among lush gardens. The resort is set on the northern shores of the Dead Sea, at the lowest point on earth. Indulge in the legendary therapeutic secrets of the Dead Sea at Zara Spa. Soothe your cares away with their wide range of health and beauty therapies. Revitalize your mind and body in the hydro jet whirlpool, infinity pool, and the indoor Dead Sea flotation pool.

More information

In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.

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Trip Details

What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Please review the visa & entry requirements.
Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Depart from another city? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
What should I know about Jordan? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.