Jordan Discovery tour

Our guide will meet you at Amman Airport and transfer you to your chosen accommodation. Today is free for you to settle into your new surroundings and begin exploring Jordan's cosmopolitan capital.

After breakfast we begin our sightseeing tour to visit the 'Desert Castles' many of which date back over 1000 years. Known as 'castles' these sites are actually palaces, fortresses and bath houses and make for a very interesting trip. We concentrate our time on the most impressive sites - Qasr Hallabat, Qasayr Amra and Qasr Hraneh which is visable from miles around. After a short stop for lunch we head to the Azraq Wetlands Reserve which was once home to many buffalo, wild horses and thousands of bird species. Over the last few decades much of this wildlife has been diminished by extensive draining of the lakes. Work is under way at the moment to restore this area to its former glory. Continuing a little further south we reach the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve which is haven for many endangered indigenous species such as the Arabian Oryx, Ostriches, Onagers and Gazelles. Within the area there area viewing towers which allow you to get a good perspective of the area and view the animals from above. Later this afternoon we return to Amman where you can relax within your hotel or visit the many souqs and bazaars which are located throughout the city.

One of the best places to begin a days sightseeing around Amman is the Roman Forum and this will be today's first stop. The Roman Theatre is cut into a depression in the hillside and the huge theatre offers spectacular views of the surrounding area. The original structure was built between 169 and 177 AD whilst under the reign of Marcus Aurelius. The theatre originally seated six thousand spectators and it is still occasionally used for concerts. From here we head to the Odeon which is located just beyond the Amphitheatre. The original structure dates slightly earlier than the large theatre and once seated around 500 and was probably used for council meetings or small scale dramas. Following our short tour of Amman we begin our journey south along the desert highway to Aqaba. We will spend the next 2 nights in a luxury beach resort.

Today is free for you to relax beside the red sea, explore Aqaba or enjoy the many water sports which Aqaba has to offer. The crystal blue waters and colourful reefs around Aqaba offer some of the Red Seas best diving.

We drive out of Aqaba to the spectacular desert & mountains of Wadi Rum. The desert here, with its towering rust coloured rocky 'jebels' awed TE Lawrence during his visits during the Arab Revolt of 1917-18, and was later made famous in the film Lawrence of Arabia. After a Traditional Bedouin Lunch, we take a jeep safari through the stunning desert scenery to see more of the sheer cliffs and bizarre rock formations. Later in the afternoon we continue to Petra where you will have a little free time to begin exploring.

The ancient capital of the Nabataean commercial empire until the Romans finally took over in 106AD, Petra was largely forgotten, except by the local Bedouins, until it was 'discovered' in 1812 by a young Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. This was partly due to its remoteness, and its situation on the edge of Wadi Aruba., whose canyon walls and surrounding hills make it almost impossble to approach except through a narrow, winding cleft in the rock, called the Siq. The city itself has very few free-standing buildings, as the Nabateans chose to carve their homes, buildings and tombs into the multi-coloured sandstone cliffs. We have nearly a whole day today to tour this fascinating city, escorted by an expert guide (4 hour tour, then free time to explore yourselves). We start by walking through the Siq, which rises to 200m above us, and narrows to just 2m wide in places. The ancient Nabatean water channel can still be seen on one wall, as well as some remnants of the terracotta pipes that brought water into the city. All of a sudden, a now classic view appears around one corner, and one of Petra's most impressive monuments, the Khazneh (Treasury) comes into view. Our guide will explain how this, and the other buildings here, are mainly elaborate facades carved into the rock from the top down, and also discuss the spiritual significance of the building style. From the Khazneh, the valley opens out, with tombs carved into the rock on both sides. We'll see the ruined Roman amphitheatre, and colonnaded street, and can walk up a steep and narrow winding gorge past beautifully coloured sandstone cliff walls to the huge and imposing 'Monastery'. The biggest of Petra's carved monuments at 50m high and 45m wide, this is truly spectacular, as are the distant views west across Wadi Aruba and the Jordan valley. Another climb can take us to the High Place of Sacrifice, and Lion Fountain. All in all, this is a full & tiring, but hugely rewarding day touring one of the world's most famous ancient sites. We spend the evening and night relaxing at our hotel.

After breakfast we enjoy a morning guided tour to visit 'Little Petra'. In the afternoon we leave Petra and head to Dana Reserve. Dana Reserve is Jordan's largest nature reserve, covering approximately 320km². The reserve was established in 1989, and is the only reserve in Jordan which covers the country's four different bio-geographical zones - Irano-Turanian, Saharo Arabian, Mediterranean and Sudanian penetration. Because of this, the reserve is the most diverse in Jordan in terms of habitats and species. The number of species recorded so far exceeds 690 plants (3 of these species were thought to be new to science upon their discovery) and 449 animal species. 25 of the world's endangered species can be found in the reserve, making it an area of international importance. This evening will be spent at the Dana Guest House, where you will be able to witness spectacular views and hopefully a great sunset from your room's terrace. Note: The accommodation here is simple but comfortable with mainly shared bathrooms. As it only has 9 rooms, it also fills up well in advance.

We begin today with a guided walk in the reserve where you may be able to view some of the diverse mix of plant and animal species. We then begin our drive to the Dead Sea along the King's Highway (a slower, but much more interesting and beautiful drive than the busy Desert Highway). Our first stop is at the old Crusader town and castle at Kerak, which lies on the ancient Egypt-Syrian caravan routes. Built in 1132AD by the Crusader King, Baldwin 1 of Jerusalem, the castle fell to Saladin in 1188AD. It is still an impressive building with commanding views over the surrounding hills & plains. From Kerak, we head further north crossing several deep Wadis, including the majestic Wadi al-Mujib, where the road winds down, and then up the other side of this 1km deep canyon. Arriving in Madaba, an important Christian town in Jordan, we stop to see some of its famous and priceless Byzantine era mosaics, including one of a 6th century map of Palestine in the Greek Orthodox St. George's church, which was laid out in 560AD on an area of well over 100square metres, using more than 2 million pieces. Close to Madaba is the Mt. Nebo area, used as a memorial to Moses. There are 3 peaks, with spectacular views to the Dead Sea, and on a clear day, all the way to the church spires of Jerusalem. We finish our journey today with a short drive to the Dead Sea.

This morning we will visit the Baptism Site which is one of the most important discoveries made in the middle-east over the last few years. The site is known to be the place where John the Baptist lived and where he most likely baptized Jesus Christ. In the afternoon we return to the Dead Sea where you will be able to enjoy a swim in this strange place, over 200m below sea level. The intense salinity - around 33%, of the waters here - caused by the intense evaporation rate, leads to a very strange swimming experience. In fact, normal swimming is not really possible, and it is easier (and more photogenic!) just to float, sitting or lying in the water. Be careful not to get any water in your eyes, as it will sting very strongly - you'll also discover various tiny cuts you never thought you had. We ensure we bathe where there are clean water springs or shower facilities so that you can wash the salty water off before it dries and starts to itch!

Today we have a full day tour to visit the Roman Ruins at Jerash and Ajloun Castle. Our first visit to Jerash takes us to what is probably Jordan's second most visited tourist site. As with Petra, this is for good reason, as the Roman ruins here are very well preserved, and an excellent example of a Roman provincial city. Gerasa (Jerash) was founded around 170 BC and it was around this time that the idea of a Decapolis emerged. In 63 BC the Romans liberated Gerasa and the following decade saw a period of unprecedented growth - the original town plan was laid down at this time and this still survives today. At Jerash you have a guided tour and plenty of free time to explore further on your own. From Jerash we head to Ajloun Castle which was constructed between 1184 and 1185 AD by Izz al-Din Usama - the nephew of Saladin. The castle at Ajloun is believed to be one of only a few build specifically to protect the country from Crusader attacks. Following our visit to Ajloun we return to the Dead Sea for our final night in Jordan.

Your time in Jordan comes to an end today. You have some free time in Amman today before our guide transfers you to the airport for departure.