This post-tour option to Petra, Jordan comes after touring
Israel & Palestine: A land shared by two peoples
Scheduled for: February 13th to 23rd, 2024
Itinerary:
Friday, February 23 – depart Tel Aviv/Petra/Wadi Rum
This morning you will have an early morning departure to Ben Gurion Airport where you board a domestic flight to Eilat’s Ramon Airport, a new airport approximately twenty-minutes from the southern Israeli town of Eilat. From Eilat, you drive to the Arava border crossing where you enter Jordan and meet your Jordanian guide and transport vehicle and driver, who will take you to Petra, approximately 1 ½ hours from the Israel crossing.
Your touring of Jordan begins with what is frequently overlooked by tourists, often referred to as “Little Petra”, known in the local Arabic as Siq al-Barid. Located some miles north of Petra, like the name suggests, it is a smaller version of the Petra which you will see tomorrow. Built by the same Nabateans who built Petra, Little Petra is a great architectural example of Petra, prior to its full development, also dating to around 300BC.
However, it was not excavated until the later 20th century and as such is less well known, but no less interesting to visit, particularly prior to what you will see tomorrow. Within one of the caves, one can see interior art is thought to date back to the first century BC.
From Little Petra you drive to the new Nabatean Museum, near the main site. The museum, the first of its kind is dedicated to the Nabatean civilization and provides a greater understanding of the sophistication and level of knowledge Nabateans had attained, particularly in architecture.
Continue to your base for the night, the Old Village Resort, whose architecture and character resembles that of the region. Dinner and overnight. (B, L, D)
Saturday, February 24 – Petra and Wadi Rum
This morning after checking out of your hotel, you drive the short distance to the site of Petra, which was the capital of the Nabatean Kingdom. Petra is best seen by foot, but donkeys can be arranged to take one thru the longest distances if needed, though the area is flat and thus, not difficult for walking. One approaches Petra by walking down the Siq, taking one to the famous Treasury and for those who wish, a hike up to the High Place of Sacrifice. If you have the energy, continue all the way up to the Monastery, Petra’s largest Temple. Upon completion of touring the site, donkey driven buggies will bring you to the site’s exit.
Lunch will be nearby…
From Petra, you drive 1 ½ hours to Wadi Rum to enjoy the amazing desert environment. Your base will be the Aicha luxury camp, where you will have a suite with private bath. Weather permitting, dinner will be under the starts. Overnight in Wadi Rum. (B, L, D)
Sunday, February 25 – Wadi Rum
This morning after breakfast at your desert camp, you continue south to the wilderness of Wadi Rum, a sweeping expanse of rolling desert known for the prominent basalt slabs at its center. You can enjoy a 2-hour jeep tour visiting the highlights of the desert. The Nabatean inscriptions, canyons, red sand dunes and rock bridges and Lawrence of Arabia’s House.
After lunch, depart Wadi Rum and head north eventually arriving to Mount Nebo. According to the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses ascended the hill to look out onto the Land of Canaan. Christian writings say that Moses was buried on Mount Nebo, but there has yet to be archaeological proof of this. You will visit the church at Mount Nebo from which one can not only see the mosaics inside, but when the weather is clear, one can see Jericho and Jerusalem, on the other side of the River Jordan.
From Mount Nebo, we drive to the small town of Madaba, some twenty miles southwest of Amman. Our visit to Madaba will take us to the Greek Orthodox Basilica of Saint George, where a 6th century mosaic map was found of the Holy Land. Aside from the beauty of the mosaic, the map provides the earliest representation of Jerusalem and its mention in conjunction with the “Holy City”.
Following Madaba, we continue on to Amman, the capital of Jordan. Tonight we will dine in a local restaurant and enjoy this final night in Jordan. Overnight in Amman. (B, L, D)
Monday, February 26 – Departure from Jordan
Transfers will be arranged to Queen Alia airport for your flight(s) to your next destination. (B)
Hotels:
PETRA: Old Village Resort ★★★★★
https://www.oldvillageresort.com/
Amman: Intercontinental Hotel ★★★★★or similar
https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/us/en/amman/ammha/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-IC-_-JO-_-AMMHA
Cost Includes:
- One-way air from Tel Aviv to Eilat
- Transfer from Eilat Airport to the crossing to Jordan
- Jordanian visas and border formalities.
- Jordanian guide and vehicle with driver
- Petra touring and lunch
- Drive to Mount Nebo and Madaba for touring.
- Travel to Amman. Overnight in Amman at 5* hotel
- Transfers to Queen Alia International Airport
- All meals as indicated by B, L, D. Any other references to meals are for narrative purposes only.
Not Included:
- Gratuities to guides/drivers
- Alcohol
- Items of a personal nature
