Family Jordan, Petra And Desert Adventure

Join the tour today in Amman, the capital of Jordan. It is a fascinating city of contrasts - a unique blend of old and new. The Temple of Hercules is in the commercial heart of the city along with ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, art galleries and boutiques that rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops and tiny artisans' workshops. The people of Amman are multicultural, multi-denominational, well-educated and extremely hospitable. They welcome visitors and take pride in showing them around their fascinating and vibrant city.

This morning drive northwards to ancient Jerash, located in the Gilead Hills. One of Jordan's major attractions, Jerash is a beautifully maintained Roman city, considered to be the best preserved of the Decapolis, a confederation of ten Middle Eastern cities under the Emperor Pompey. One of the highlights of the Middle East, a triple arch gateway, gives way to colonnaded streets, theatres, temples and baths. It is estimated that this represents only about 10% of the entire city, the rest is still to be uncovered. We spend several hours exploring the site.

Travelling onto the town of Madaba, once a one of the most important Christian communities east of the Jordan River. Today Madaba harbours a collection of extraordinary mosaics, including the incredible 6th century Great Map of of the holy land mainly Jerusalem. Discovered in 1896, it contains detailed depictions of the important pilgrimage sites throughout the Holy Land, including Jerusalem, and is believed to be the oldest surviving map of Palestine in existence. We watch and learn the procedures of mosaic production from the specialists before returning to Amman.

If time permits, you will be able to wander around the streets of the capital and discover it's unique blend of old and new. The Temple of Hercules is in the commercial heart of the city along with ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, art galleries and boutiques that all rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops and tiny artisans' workshops. The downtown area is much older and more traditional with smaller businesses producing and selling everything from fabulous jewellery to everyday household items. The people of Amman are multicultural, multi-denominational, well-educated and extremely hospitable.

This morning drive to the shimmering Dead Sea. At nearly 400m below sea level, it is the lowest point on earth. Surrounded by barren hills, this unique body of water has an amazingly high salt content (33%) which means no animal life survives and that it is almost impossible to sink! But don't take our word for it, try for yourself. There is also access to a hotel pool, beach, showers and the hotel restaurant and bars.

We then head south following one of the oldest trade routes in the world, the King's Highway, which once carried the richly laden caravans of Solomon. We reach Kerak, imposingly positioned on a hilltop, which became famous in the time of the Crusades as one of a chain of fortresses in the Holy War against Islam. Built in 1132 by Baldwin of Jerusalem, a Crusader king, the castle finally fell to the forces of Saladin himself and who was so impressed with the courage shown by its defenders that he set them free, we spend time touring the castle at Kerak, with stories of what life was like for the early crusaders. From Kerak continue south to Petra, without doubt one of the most famous and awe inspiring sites in the Middle East.

Abandoned centuries ago, Petra was the rock cut stronghold of the Nabateans (and the final resting place of the Holy Grail - according to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade). Surrounded by imposing mountains and approached through a deep, narrow cleft in the rocks known as the Siq, it is a unique and unforgettable place. Enhanced by the play of light and shadow, the sights are an altogether overwhelming experience. In the morning we walk through the Siq and enter this lost city, sighting the famous temple façade of the Treasury as we approach. A guided walking tour will take us to some of the key parts of this remarkable site after which the rest of the day is free to walk through one of the most impressive and exciting attractions of ancient history at leisure.

This evening there is the option to experience a private dinner in nearby Little Petra with a traditional Bedouin style setting inside or outside a cave (depending upon weather conditions). We will be served a traditional barbecue supper including local mezze, seasonal fruit and desserts as we sit around a camp fire on Bedouin carpets with a blanket of stars overhead.

Free day in Petra. Returning to the city you can climb steep paths to the sacrificial 'High Places' (altars) and hike to the top of Jebel Harin (1396m) for a stunning view over Wadi Araba and the Negev Desert. The Monastery is the largest of Petra's monuments and certainly worth the steep climb up to it. Towering to a height of 40m, its doorway alone measures 8m in height, dwarfing anyone framed within it. It is a place to lose oneself in the atmosphere of the past.

We visit a local family in Wadi Musa which is close to Petra for dinner and to learn about the local way of life and traditions. Your tour leader will explain how the meal is prepared as well as how local Bedouin tea and other traditional dishes are made. Dinner is likely to be a national dish of the country, such as Makloobah, which is lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt and served with rice.

We spend today experiencing the beautiful area of Wadi Rum.

Departing after breakfast, head off south for an exciting half-day four-wheel drive through stunning desert scenery. Travelling via the old Roman road, we explore the lesser-known northern areas of Wadi Rum, seeing natural rock bridges and viewing incredible rock sculptures on the way to our overnight camp. After lunch we rendezvous for an unforgettable trek, either on foot or you have the option of taking a camel. We ride and/or walk for about 2 hours through a landscape of sandstone mountains, white and pink coloured sands and a desert that is dripping in the 'Lawrence of Arabia' legend with scenes of the famous film being shot here. The desert has been inhabited by the nomadic Bedouin people for generations and we discover how the Bedouins of Wadi Rum live with explanations from our guide and the opportunity to visit a local Bedouin family and share a cup of tea with them.

During the afternoon we learn about the Bedouin habits and way of life, their culture and the stories that have been passed down from previous generations. They believe that Wadi Rum is beautiful due to its magical landscape, and so we include time in this area with few other visitors which help us discover the silence and majesty of the desert. The Bedouin culture is also famous for story-telling and we get the chance to listen to stories about the past days and generations of those who used to live in the vast desert of Wadi Rum.

We overnight at Space Village Luxury Camp, located in the heart of the Wadi Rum Desert surrounded by dramatic sandstone mountains and huge sand dunes. The individual Bedouin style tents are spacious and feature modern en suite bathrooms and comfortable bedding. There is a large communal dining tent with low Middle-Eastern-style seating or you can relax under the stars on the blankets.

Leaving Wadi Rum, we drive to Aqaba on the Red Sea. Aqaba is Jordan's only seaport and has a long history of occupation and trade. King Solomon's ships left here loaded with copper whilst the Edomites and the Nabateans used the port as part of a trade route from Damascus to Egypt. The Roman 10th Legion was stationed here and during the 12th century the Crusaders made good use of Aqaba's strategic position. During World War I, the Arab troops under Prince Faisal used the fort as a base for attacks on the Ottoman forces. After checking into our hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to relax.

Today you have a free day where you may wish to enjoy the splendid coral reefs and clear warm waters for which Aqaba is famed. Aqaba has numerous watersports activities including sailing, snorkelling and glass bottom boats for hire, so there should be something for everyone. Later this afternoon we will drive back to Amman.

Trip ends after breakfast today.