Grand Tour of Jordan

Set out on your journey! Flight to Amman, the Jordanian capital and dinner on board. You are welcomed by our representative at the airport. Look for the sign with your name and let our team handle the visa formalities for you. Set up and night at the hotel.

After the breakfast, departure for the Desert Castles. The first castle visited is Qasr Al-Kharaneh, located 55 km away from Amman. It is probably the only one among the Desert Castles that had a military function, as the architecture suggests it. However, for some scientists, the size of the stables suggests, in reality, a caravanserai. Qasr Amra is located 26km away from Azraq, on an island formed in the bed of a Wadi almost always dry. This small, well-preserved castle has clear lines and rounded outlines with blonde stones that perfectly blends in the desert. Qasr Amra was built in the early 8th century by Caliph Walid I, a great lover of hunting, poetry and various pleasures. The castle was badly affected by an earthquake in 1927 but is still beautiful. It is the inscription above the main entrance that allowed to date the renovation in the 13th century, the potential date of the construction of the mosque in the centre of the courtyard. Back to Amman in the afternoon. Dinner and night at the hotel.

Take your breakfast at the hotel. Then departure for Umm Qais. Built on the site of the ancient city of Gadara, this city of the Decapolis (grouping the ten largest cities of the region during the Roman period) is located on a spectacular site. From the promontory, enjoy a breathtaking view on the Jordan Valley, the Golan Heights, the lake Tiberias, and the Yarmouk Valley. Composed of two parts, the ancient city and the Ottoman village, you can admire its 3000-seats black basalt theatre, remarkably preserved, and restored. Continuation on the Jordan Valley for a stop at the archaeological site of Pella. Those ancient ruins are in a unique place and are known for their detailed mosaics. You pursue your journey to Aljoun where you can lunch before visiting the ruins of its 12th century castle. This imposing fortress was built by a general of Saladin’s army: Al-Din Usama. Erected on the site of an old monastery you can enjoy from there a superb view of the Jordan Valley. Back to Amman for dinner and night at the hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel. Departure for the visit of Iraq Al Amir, a great Hellenistic site known for its palace from the 2nd century BC. Carry on towards the city of Salt to discover an authentic city with its yellow stone humped houses from the Ottomans’ era. Salt was the first Jordanian capital for a short period of time under the reign of Abdallah the First. A walk will allow you to discover the city as well as a museum describing the evolution of Jordanian life since the Ottomans’ era. Little tip: take the time to wander the commercial streets where you can make your purchases including spices! Finally, you will enjoy a good lunch with inhabitants at their homes or in a restaurant depending on availability. Back to Amman for dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Go on a city tour to discover the secrets of the Jordanian capital. Built on seven hills, between the desert and the green Jordan Valley, Amman takes its name from the Ammonites, a people descending from Abraham. On this vast hill you can admire, a sumptuous view of the city. Before going down, go and explore the Archaeological Museum as well as the Temple of Hercules and the Umayyad Palace. In the lower town, visit the beautiful Greco-Roman theatre, which can accommodate about six thousand spectators. After lunch, departure for the city of Jerash. Explore Jordan’s second largest site after Petra! Today, considered as one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the Near East, it was hidden under the sand for several centuries before being discovered and restored for 70 years. The city was built entirely in an orange pink limestone, magnified by the rays of the sun at dawn and at sunset. You can admire the treasures of this Roman city with its streets paved with colonnades, huge temples and theatres, its baths, and fountains as well as its pierced walls. Back at the hotel for the dinner and the night.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for the Route of the Kings to visit Madaba. Also called the city of mosaics, this Byzantine bishopric has 14 churches of major artistic value as well as extraordinary schools of mosaics. Enter St. George's Church in Madaba and contemplate its map of Palestine exhumed in 1898 during the construction of the church. This mosaic from the 6th century, barely altered, traces the geography of the Byzantine Near East. Thereafter departure for Mount Nebo, 10 km northwest of Madaba. It is at its summit that Moses would have seen the Promised Land right before his death. Culminating at 840 m above the sea level, the mountain became a universal pilgrimage site for Christians. Before leaving this city, you will have the opportunity to visit one of the mosaic workshops. Continuation for the city of Kerak right before Lunch. Explore this fortress from the crusader era, built around 1140 under the direction of Pagan the Butler. The crusaders called it back then: “the Krak of the Moabites”. The fortress is located on a rocky plateau and is a fine example of crusader architecture mixing with European, Byzantine, and Arab style. You then take the road to Petra via the desert road. Dinner and night at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for an expedition entirely devoted to Petra, the pink city. Geology explains the colourful city, which is entirely carved from soft sandstone. However, what you can see today is the result of men's work through the ages. Nearly 800 monuments can be observed in Petra over 100 square kilometres. It is the eighth wonder of the world and has been registered World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is today, the most famous site in Jordan and in the Middle East. You will cross the Siq, narrow and long fault due to a prehistoric earthquake. At the end of the Siq, suddenly appears Petra's most majestic monument, "Al Khazneh" or the "Treasure" with a Greco-Roman decoration. Be ready to be astonished by the beauty of the city! Beyond the Treasure, there are hundreds of carved buildings, temples, royal tombs, baths, arch-shaped doors, cobbled streets and above all, The Roman Theatre with about 3000 seats. You will cross the Romain Cardo and visit the Qasr El Bint, the only temple still standing and in a remarkable state of conservation. Lunch at the site restaurant. The afternoon is free. If your physical condition allows it, you can attempt the ascent to the monastery of El Deir to admire the masterpiece of the site, "The Monastery". Back to the hotel at the end of the day. Dinner and night at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for "little Petra". Less famous than Petra, this site is worth a visit. This troglodyte village, from the Nabatean’s era, is a marvel on its own. Explore the little city and admire the tombs and temples carved in the rock. You will then take the road to the Wadi Rum desert. If Petra is the result of men's work, the cliffs, and valleys of the Wadi Rum owe their peaceful beauty and overwhelming grandeur to themselves. This desolate site was, in fact, one of the highlights of the Great Arab Revolt, magnified by director David Lean in one of the most impressive scenes of his movie: Lawrence of Arabia. Lunch in a Bedouin camp to enjoy the hospitality and the gastronomy of the nomads. In the afternoon, you will go on a 2 hours tour in a 4X4 pick-up to admire the splendour of this thousand-year-old desert. Dinner and night at the camp.

Wake up in Wadi Rum and enjoy the sunrise over the desert. Breakfast at the camp before starting the excursion in 4x4 in this wide valley. This desert is bordered by high cliffs (Jebel Rum: 1754m) with strange shapes eroded by wind and sand (pink, green or black sandstone needles). Here, it is the water and the wind that have carved these gigantic and imposing towers. Explore Al-Burrah Canyon, the longest canyon in the region with its 5.2 km length and its beautiful views. Enjoy a picnic in this marvellous landscape. Your last surprise of the day: a breathtaking sunset in the middle of the desert before heading to the Bedouin camp. Dinner and night at the camp.

Breakfast in the Bedouin camp. Enjoy the last moments in the Wadi Rum, timeless place that has been left virtually untouched by Man. Departure to the splendid seaside resort of Jordan : Aqaba. This sunny city is known to be the perfect place to relax and enjoy marine scenery. Enjoy a swim in the Red Sea or ask us about scuba diving among corals and fishes! Dinner and night at the hotel. Option: Aqaba yacht outing for 4 hours with lunch.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure via the Wadi Araba road towards the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth with its 417 meters below the sea level! This place is recognized around the world to have the most various and high-quality natural salts. Rich in minerals, this water is known to treat certain diseases and to literally makes people float due to its salt content. The Dead Sea is not only a sightseeing tour but also an exceptional relaxing place. Lunch at the hotel's restaurant. Enjoy a free afternoon to relax and enjoy the sun. Dinner and night at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Free day at the Dead Sea! Relax and swim on the shores of this extraordinary sea. Lunch at the lowest point in the world. In the afternoon, you can enjoy the hotel's various activities including the Spa (with extra charge). Dinner and night at the hotel.

Transfer to the airport to take your flight back home.