Compare Jordan - Land of Contrasts by Petra Nights Tours vs Jordan in 8 days - Wonders of the Hashemite Kingdom - Luxury by Exoticca

Day 1: Amman Airport – Salt Hotel

Accommodation: Overnight Mountain Breeze Lodge.

Welcome to Jordan! Our representative meets you with a signage in front of the immigration Amman Airport. Say hello to your friendly, English speaking driver, who transfers you for around 60 km to the countryside lodge, close to Salt. Check-in, remainder of the day free.

Day 2: Salt Hotel – Ajloun Castle – Orjan Village – Jerash – Salt Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Local Home

Pickup hotel lobby to drive 1.5 hours to our first destination. Ajloun Castle, known in Arabic as Qal’at Rabad, was built around 1184/85 by a general serving the famous Islamic leader Salah al-Din. Errected on higher grounds its purpose was to watch over the routes to the Jordan Valley and Syria. There is a small museum inside the castle and don’t miss the great view over the hilly landscape. Continue to the village of Orjan, surrounded by hills and olive trees, where you have lunch at a local home.

We continue to Jerash, once a member of the Decapolis, but its heyday had been under the Romans. It is considered as the best example of a Roman provincial city in the whole Middle East. A local guide will make history come alive. Explore the spectacular Forum, the Roman colonnaded street, the Nymphaeum, theatres and the Temple of Artemis. Return transfer to the lodge.

Day 3: Salt Visit – Dead Sea Beach – Dana Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Overnight Dana Guest House or similar.

Check-out and short ride to Salt, the former capital of Jordan. Nowadays home to around 89,000 people. The town has a different identity and architecture than other cities in Jordan. Here you walk along Hammam Street to see the highlights of the 19th century architecture of this period, yellow houses with long-arched windows in picturesque narrow streets. Well known is the Abu Jaber mansion, built between 1892 and 1906, reputed to be the finest example of a 19th century merchant house in the region. It had been transformed into the Historic Old Salt Museum. You have time to wander up and down the alleys in the old city and get different perspectives and views of the old houses. Drive to the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. The salty water of the lake lets you float, not swim. The mud on the shores is supposed to have healing properties for the skin. After some leisure time at the beach we proceed 2 hours southwards to the village of Dana.

Day 4: Dana to Feynan Moderate Hike – Feynan Ecolodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Bag, Dinner

Accommodation: Overnight Feynan Eco Lodge.

From the village escape today into the nature. The Dana Reserve is characterized by a chain of valleys and mountains which extend from the top of the Jordan Rift Valley down to the desert lowlands of Wadi Araba. Meet your local Bedouin guide and hike about 14 km downhill through sandstone gorges to Feynan. You will see along the trail the beauty and various landscapes of the area. The tour ends in Wadi Feynan, where 3,000 years ago copper had been mined and worked up. Dinner and overnight in the Feynan Eco Lodge, located in the middle of the desert. The lodge serves vegetarian food only, is powered by solar energy and lit in the evenings by candles.

Day 5: Feynan Free Morning – Little Petra – Petra Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Bag

Accommodation: Overnight at 4* hotel like Petra Moon.

Free morning to discover more of the surrounding areas or sign up for one of the group activities the lodge offers. Possible is a hike or a Bedouin experience. A small fee might apply which goes directly to the local host families. Latest check-out from your room is 11:00.

A jeep ride takes you to th reception centre, where you meet your driver again and hit the road to Little Petra for about 2 hours. Little Petra gives you a glimpse what to expect in Petra. You enter the site through a narrow canyon which opens up to carved buildings, tombs and water channels. 15 minutes ride to your hotel in Petra.

Day 6: Petra Visit – Petra Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Overnight stay Petra Hotel.

Today visit the highlight of Jordan, the red rose city Petra! You are able to start as early as 06:00, but early birds, don’t forget to ask the hotel for a breakfast box the day before. Meet your local guide and pass the narrow canyon, the so called Siq, with its colourful sandstone. At the end you will be rewarded with a view of the most beautiful monument: the Treasury. Continue via the Street of Facades to the Royal Tombs and Pharaoh's Castle. After around 2 hours the guide says farewell to you at the restaurant area. You have free time to explore Petra on your own. The young at heart for instance have the chance to climb the 800 stairs to the 45 meters high Monastery El Deir. Return to the main gate to return to your hotel.

Day 7: Petra Hotel - Wadi Rum 3 hours jeep ride – Madaba Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Overnight 3* Mosaic City Hotel or similar.

Our day starts with a 1.5 hour drive to Wadi Rum. Embark a 4x4 and with your Bedouin driver uncover more of the vast desert. The rugged scenery, the changing colours of sands and mountains, the serene atmosphere will make you understand why Wadi Rum is one of the most impressing desert landscapes in the world. The setting had been used for Hollywood movies. You see canyons, red sand dunes, Nabatean rock inscriptions and a natural rock bridge formed over centuries. Say farewell to the desert and drive 3.5 hours to the town of Madaba, known as City of Mosaics.

Day 8: Madaba Hotel – Amman Airport

Meals: Breakfast

Depending on your departure time transfer to Amman Airport to say farewell to Jordan! If you booked an afternoon flight you have the possibility to explore Madaba on your own. Popular is the Greek Orthodox St. George’s Church with the 6th century mosaic map of Palestine. More Byzantine and Umayyad mosaic art can be seen in the Archaeological Park.

Day 1: US - Night on board

Ready to discover the cultural treasures of Jordan? Arrive at your US departure airport to board a flight to Amman.* Night on board. * If either your outbound or inbound flights depart in the early hours (before 4:00 a.m.) you must arrive at the airport the night before the indicated departure day.

Day 2: Amman

Touch down in Amman and transfer to your hotel.* Amman is the modern capital of Jordan but possesses dozens of ancient historical sites, set into the hillside in northern Jordan. Spend the remainder of the day at your leisure. Alternatively, if you arrive early in the day, why not take an optional city tour to get to know the most emblematic sights in the city? ** Dinner and overnight stay in Amman.*** * Possibility of booking early check-in in the next step of the booking process.** Optional Amman City Tour with Dinner: Explore Amman this afternoon, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom founded 7000 years ago. See the city's most emblematic sights including Amman Citadel, Hercules Temple, the Byzantine Church and the Ummayad Palace and pay a visit to the fascinating Amman Archaeological Museum. Head downtown to see the incredible Roman Amphitheatre and the old markets before exploring the newer part of the city. End the tour with an authentic Jordanian dinner at a local restaurant. *** Please note: If you arrive at the hotel after 9:00 p.m, dinner will not be included. Instead, you will have the option to reserve a cold packed dinner for an additional charge in the next step of the booking process.

Day 3: Amman - Jerash - Ajloun Castle - Amman

Breakfast at the hotel. Begin the day with a brief city tour of Amman. See both the new and old parts of the city on a panoramic bus ride. Afterwards, continue to Jerash, known as the 'Pompeii of the East'. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, this amazing Greco-Roman city is the best-preserved example of Roman-era ruins in Jordan. See the impressive Hadrian's Arch, the Hippodrome, the Temple of Artemis and the Roman Theatre, among other highlights, as you explore this amazing archaeological site. Next, continue to Ajloun Castle, built by Saladin in the 12th-century. One of the most amazing castles in the Middle East, here you can soak up the fabulous views of the Dead Sea from its hilltop vantage point. Return to Amman and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure. Dinner and overnight stay in Amman.

Day 4: Amman - Desert Castles - Dead Sea - Amman

Breakfast at the hotel. Head east today to discover the Desert Castles of Azraq, Kharanah and Amra. Dating from the early Islamic era, the castles were built as retreats for the Caliphs of the time. Explore these historic fortresses and learn more about the history of 7th-century Jordan. Afterwards, continue to the eternal Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth at an amazing 400-meters below sea level! Take in the spectacular views before enjoying some free time to relax, swim and float in the salty waters! The mineral-rich mud is said to be therapeutic so be sure to treat your skin to a little indulgence! Return to Amman after an action-packed day. Dinner and overnight stay in Amman.

Day 5: Amman - Madaba - Mount Nebo - Shobak Castle - Petra

Breakfast at the hotel. Set off for Madaba this morning to see the oldest mosaic map in the world, housed within the historic St. George Church. Continue to Mount Nebo, overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Believed to be the place where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land and later buried, take in the spectacular views of this sacred place. Next, drive to the fascinating Shobak Castle, a Crusader Castle dating back to 1115. At the end of the visit, head to Petra and check in at the hotel. Spend the evening at your leisure, ready to discover the ancient city in the morning! If you can't wait, we recommend an optional Petra by Night excursion!* Dinner and overnight stay in Petra. *Optional Petra By Night Excursion: Savour the opportunity to discover the legendary sights of Petra by night! Walk along the Siq Gorge before arriving at the iconic Treasury to admire its legendary candlelit facade. A spectacular sight!

Day 6: Petra

Breakfast at the hotel. Spend today exploring the famed Nabatean capital with an excursion to Petra! During the visit, discover the most important and representative monuments, sculpted into the rock by this ancient civilization. Admire the Treasury, the famous and most internationally recognised monument, as seen in one of the Indiana Jones films and other highlights, such as the Colored Tombs and the Royal Tombs. Let your imagination run wild as you learn about life here in ancient times. Petra is one of those places in the world that you must visit at least once in your life! A true wonder of the world, enjoy an unforgettable day exploring this bucket-list site. At the end of the visit, return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay in Petra.

Day 7: Petra - Little Petra - Wadi Rum

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, head to a lesser-known site named Little Petra, located north of Petra. A narrow gorge of 2 meters wide, this rocky landscape is adorned with typical Nabatean architecture, making this one of the most unique sites in the country. Originally, Little Petra was inhabited by the Nabateans and is home to a number of tombs, water tanks and riverbeds. Next, continue to beautiful Wadi Rum, the desert made famous by Lawrence of Arabia. Take a 4x4 excursion across the lunar-like landscape for an unforgettable experience. We recommend an optional Stargazing Excursion to discover the secrets of the night's sky!* Dinner under the stars and overnight at the camp in Wadi Rum. *Optional Wadi Rum Stargazing Experience: Discover the secrets of the night's sky! Head to an area without light pollution and enjoy a 20-minute presentation before viewing the incredible star constellations with the help of telescopes. This excursion is weather dependent.

Day 8: Wadi Rum - Amman

Breakfast at the camp. At the indicated time, return to Amman and spend the rest of the day at your leisure, soaking up the culture and atmosphere of the Jordanian capital. Dinner and overnight stay in Amman.

Day 9: Amman - US

Breakfast at the hotel.* It's time to bring your adventure through Jordan to an end. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport for a flight back to the US. Arrive in the US and end your trip. * Depending on the return flight schedule and the hotel breakfast service, you may not be able to enjoy the included breakfast on the last day.