On board international flight to Jordan.

Upon arrival, met and greeted by our local guide and transferred to hotel (transfer is not included if you booked the land only package).

Welcome to partake in the city tour of Amman, capital city of Jordan.

Berbers, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Turks, Jews, Assyrians, Egyptians, Canaanites have all left their markings and influences in this historical place which make the whole city a “world history museum”. Step in the King Abdullah Mosque, the largest of such in town, capable of holding as many as 10,000 people worshipping at the same time. The extravagant blue mosaic dome has been the distinct city symbol for quite a number of years. Move on to the Roman Amphitheater, the largest of its kind in Jordan, big enough for hosting 6000 people right at the foot of the Castle Hill and next to Hashemite Square. Follow us to the Rainbow Street in the old town to soak up some Arabian atmosphere in this old city.

Come back to the hotel and relax.

Remarks: Please follow below rules when entering into King Abdullah Mosque:

1. 1. Long pants and long sleeves for male visitors. Long robes with hair cover for ladies. No slippers are allowed.
2. 2. Do NOT wear a cross-shaped jewelry inside.
3. 3. Taking pictures inside is permitted.

Morning agenda is the Citadel of Amman atop one of the seven hills. As the highest point, here is a perfect spot overlooking this ancient” White City” with the World’s Largest Jordan Flag and its tallest flag pole.  Built for the royal family in 720 AD, Umayyad Palace together with Temple of Hercules, Byzantine church, Clock Tower and water supply facilities was functioned as a hilltop capital for Umayyad Caliphate. Visit the Onsite History Museum.

Enjoy your free afternoon to explore the ancient Amman or you are invited to join our optional tour to Jerash with Jordan local flavor lunch at U$129/person.

 Optional Program: Optional tour to Jerash with lunch at U$129/person

Spend some time at Ajlun Castle, atop Mt Auf, which is one of the few Muslim fortresses left from ancient time built on the site of a Byzantine monastery and named after a Christian monk. Archaeological excavations indicate that the castle was destroyed and refurbished many times in the early history and finally enlarged in 1184 A.D. to limit expansion of the Crusaders and to defend the local iron mines. Continue on to Jerash.

Nicknamed “Pompeii of the Middle East”, Jerash is the best-preserved Roman city all over Jordan and it is on the UNESCO list which is an unavoidable archeological site on the bucket list.   The Roman theater, Colonnaded Street, Nymphaeum, Hippodrome, Oval Plaza and Temple of Zeus were well designed and built about 2000 years ago but all buried underground after a severe earthquake. The ruins were first found in 1806 and started to be unearthed in 1920. Thousand’s year-old Arch of Hadrian is still remaining erected as if it were welcoming travelers from home and abroad.

Head back to Amman late afternoon for a restful evening.

Board our bus for the journey to Petra (140mi/230km). Make two stops on the way, first is a photo stop at Wadi Mujib, a captivating and tranquil natural reserve, and second brief stop is Shobak Castle, an eminent Crusader fortification which was built in 1115 AD. The location of this castle was of vital importance as it was on the main artery between Egypt and Syria, a strategic spot to tax the traders and pilgrims at that time.

Arrive at the UNESCO listed Petra, the “Rose Red City” and one of the “New Seven World Wonders”, a busy and thriving city on the trade route about 2600 years ago declined as the trade activities on the Red Sea were emerging and blooming. Petra was far away from any cities distance wise so it was found abandoned and empty when the Arabs seized the area in the 7th century AD. When the Swiss rediscovered this quiet but amazing place in 1812, they were shocked by the grandeur and magnificence of these whole massive constructions but they found no words or documents recording its splendid history. Carved into sheer rosy stones, this awesome area is also called “Rose City” and you could find about 700 ancient tombs scattered around the entire region. The 131ft/40m tall, 2000 years old and breath-taking AL Khazneh has been chosen to be the filming location for many popular American movies. The Siq is a snaky narrow path in the colorful sandstone valley between the high cliffs where you could still see the tombs, water dams, shrines and terraces for putting candles.

Remarks:

1. 1. Please wear comfortable walking shoes today.
2. 2. Bring enough bottle water with you as the weather is usually very dry at this area.

Check in the hotel at Petra and rest up after a full scheduled day.

Today is free for you to enjoy Petra on your own for a more in-depth exploration or you may join our optional day tour to Little Petra and Wadi Rum with tent lunch and special dinner all covered at U$129/person.

 Optional Program: Optional tour to Wadi Rum with two meals at U$129/person

The UNESCO listed Wadi Rum, used to be the ocean bed tens of thousands of years ago, lies about 60mil/100km south of Petra. This area, also called the surface most similar to the moon, is known as the “Valley of Moon”. In Arabic language, Wadi Rum means “Valley of Red Wine” since the sand dunes is mostly in cherry red color which have attracted many film crews to have come and produced world prestigious movies such as “Transformers”, “Star Wars”,” Aladdin”,” The Martian”, “Lawrence of Arabia”. Ride in a 4X4 jeep to Rum Village, Lawrence House, Khazali Canyon, Burdah Rock Bridge, Seven Pillars of Wisdom and Bedouin Camp. The surreal desert terrain, centuries-old rock paintings, traditional life style of Bedouins will all be part of your memories for long. Taste the Bedouin delicacy for lunch and learn how they have lived in the desert for thousands of years.

On the way back to the hotel. Get off the bus at Little Petra, the miniature of the big one, for a sunset photo opportunity. Being the suburb of the Nabatean capital Petra, the Little Petra was served as a staging post on the ancient Silk Road about 2000 years ago.

Stay overnight in Petra.

Embark on our bus to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on land of the earth and also one of the saltiest lakes on the planet.  The unique lake is 1391ft/424m below the sea level and the salinity content of water here is about averagely 8.7 times higher than that of ocean.

Check in the hotel for a free afternoon. You may choose to float yourself on the fabled Dead Sea or enjoy a special Dead Sea mud spa to relax.

Remarks: If you wish to swim in the buoyant Dead Sea, please note the followings:

1. 1. Hotel provides storage bin if available and you may need to prepare deposit in local currency for using it.
2. 2. Hotel may offer bath towel and bath robe for rent.
3. 3. Not recommended to float in the Dead Sea for over 30 minutes each time due to the high concentration of salt. Avoid lake water splashing into eyes or mouth.

Today, join us for a full day tour covering some imposing sites.

Bethany beyond the Jordan, an UNESCO listed attraction, is the baptism site of Jesus Christ held by John the Baptist where pilgrims have been visiting for 2000 years. As one of the three holiest sites of Christianity, the village is located in a beautiful natural reserve with much flora and fauna around.

Mount Nebo is believed to be the holy mountain where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land-Canaan before his death. This is also the summit where you could view the Serpentine Cross Sculpture and overlook the Dead Sea, Jordan River Valley, Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

Madaba，the  “City of Mosaic”. is where a complete vibrantly colorful 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land was found on the floor in the Greek Orthodox Church of St.George.

Karak Castle, a magnificent large stone fort built on the hill top along the King’s way. First constructed in 105 A.D. by the Romans and reinforced in the 12th century by the Crusaders, these historical remains embody a mixture of west European, Byzantine, and Arab designs.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport and board the flight back to your home (transfer is not included if you booked the land only package).

*Please note: Depending on the air scheduling and availability, your flight back to USA/Canada may depart in very early morning the next day (00:00 am-03: 00 am).

For your final day, you may explore the city on your own and transfer to the airport in the evening. Hotel check-out is before noontime. (Late check-out may be available for a fee subject to the hotel policy).