Classics of Jordan
Starring in order of appearance:
The capital
Jerash & Ajloun
The Baptism Site - Bethany Beyond the Jordan
Mount Nebo
Madaba
Kerak
Dana Nature Reserve
Petra
Wadi Rum
The Dead Sea
We don’t believe in ‘one-size- fits-all’.
The below is an itinerary sample – nothing here is set in stone.
The pictures of the hotels in the samples are of different hotels in the same area. We purposely show you several types of accommodation and will choose the perfect accommodation for you and the people you will be traveling with.
When you get in touch with us and like this itinerary, you may refer to it so that we may use it as a springboard.
Your trip will be completely tailor-made to suit you and the people you’re travelling with, based on Mikutu’s questionnaire, through which we will get to know you and your preferences better.
DAY 1: Arrival Amman
We will meet you at the airport and start our exploration of Amman.
Amman is a vibrant and bustling metropolis with a rich history and a unique blend of modernity and tradition.
Today’s program includes:
- The colorful Rainbow Street, Amman’s soho-like district
- The souk around the Grand Husseini Mosque
- Local lunch
- The King Abdullah Mosque
- Downtown Amman and Al Balad
- The Citadel with the Roman Temple of Hercules
- The Umayyad Palace
- The Roman Amphitheater
DAY 2: Amman - Jerash - Ajloun - Amman
This morning we drive north of Amman to the spectacular Roman ruins of Jerash.
You will be greeted by the imposing triple-arched gateway built to honor the Emperor Hadrian’s arrival at Jerash in 129 AD. Next, you will visit the Temples of Zeus, the very long Street of Columns, Cardo Maximus, and the colonnaded streets, and more than 17 churches that were found in Jerash. The city’s many monuments still retain the atmosphere of the once thriving metropolis, famous in its time for its magnificent temples, amphitheatres and plazas.
We then travel further north to the village of Ajloun to visit the ancient Saracen Castle. Afterwards, we head back to Amman.
DAY 3: Amman - The Baptism Site - Mount Nebo - Madaba - Kerak - Dana Nature Reserve
We leave Amman behind and drive south to the mosaic city of Madaba, where we will find some of the world’s most exquisite Byzantine mosaics and the oldest known map of the Holy Land, and then head to the nearby Mount Nebo, from which Moses is said to have stood to behold the Promised Land – Moses is even said to be buried here!
The summit of this lonely, wind-swept mountain offers spectacular views across the Dead Sea to the West Bank and even Jerusalem.
Later, we drive further south to Kerak’s massive Crusader Castle, built around 1140 on a plateau more than 1000 meters above sea level in the biblical land of Moab, as part of a long line of Crusader castles on mountain tops that defended the route from Jordan to Turkey.
Finally, we continue our journey to the Dana Nature Reserve, the first nature reserve in Jordan and an area of spectacular wadis (valleys/river beds) and views.
DAY 4: Dana Nature Reserve - Feynan Hike - Petra
Today we will enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the Dana Nature Reserve as we hike along a beautiful trail to Feynan – our favorite day-walk in Jordan.
The walk is 15 km long and takes about 5-6 hours. After about 2 hours of walking downhill, the trail flattens out and becomes a gentle walk.
During the walk, we pass through three different bio-geological zones: from limestone to sandstone and finally, granite.
We enjoy a picnic lunch along the way and take in the scenery as we walk through Bedouin-inhabited countryside, home to more than 200 different species of birds, donkeys, lizards, goats and, depending on the season, a host of wildflowers.
The flora and fauna change at almost every turn! We pass through green canyons where mistletoe sprouts, and pistachio and fig trees grow. So far, a total of 900 plant, 200 bird, 37 mammal and 36 reptile species have been recorded in the Reserve, of which some are known to be endangered.
After the hike, we drive on to the Rose Red City of Petra. Petra is the legacy of the Nabateans, an industrious Arab people who settled in southern Jordan more than 2000 years ago.
In Petra we will visit the interesting Petra Museum before checking into the hotel.
This evening (only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) you will be treated to a very special experience: we will visit Petra at night, follow the candles through the siq (gorge) and enjoy the local Bedouin music while admiring the night-lit Treasury – a memory that will stay with you for many years to come.
DAY 5: Petra
This morning, we will drive a short distance to Little Petra, a less visited place with a charm all of its own.
After our visit of Little Petra, we will start the hike from here, avoiding the bigger crowds in the morning at the Treasury. This hiking route offers a long, beautiful hiking day around Petra, and means that you can experience the two main (and greatest) entryways to the city of Petra in one day. Walking distance: approximately 15 km.
After about an hour and a half, we start to get tremendous views of the Great Rift Valley to the west.
After another hour, the trail descends into Petra and opens onto one of the city’s most impressive sights: the immense rock-cut façade of ad Deir, the Monastery. We will take a break and lunch here, drink tea and explore the ruins before following the stone steps of a Nabatean processional way down into the heart of Petra.
If time and our energy levels allow us, we will also see the Temple of the Winged Lions and the 8000 seat amphitheater. Along the way down you will find traces of ancient stone steps and eroded relief carvings of deities or ‘god blocks’ cut into the rock walls.
This ancient Nabatean processional route will then lead us downwards, back towards Petra, following the main siq (gorge) for the classic entrance into the city. We now arrive at Petra’s most famous monument, the Treasury.
It is not a surprise that Petra was chosen as the setting for a number of movies, from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade to Aladdin and The Mummy Returns!
DAY 6: Petra - Wadi Rum
Today you will not only experience history, but also the unique landscapes of Wadi Rum during a two-hour adventure by 4×4 through the desert, surrounded by towering sandstone cliffs.
It is not hard to see why Wadi Rum was chosen as the setting for a number of movies, from Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars, Dune to The Martian.
This vast desert, both romantic and extremely beautiful, consists of huge mountains that rise vertically from the pink desert sand and have been carved by the wind into – if you use your imagination – shapes of people, animals and monsters.
In the afternoon we will reach our desert camp for a barbecue dinner and a night under the stars.
DAY 7: Wadi Rum - The Dead Sea
Discover the wonders of Wadi Rum on an optional camel trek or balloon flight this morning.
Perhaps you are ready for a break from the mountains and the desert?
In the morning, we will drive from Wadi Rum for the salty waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth (430 meters below sea level!). On the way from Wadi Rum to the Dead See, we may stop at Wadi Mujib, where you can hike in water filled canyons.
The Dead Sea is rich in minerals and has a high salt content (about 33%). It is one of the most remarkable seas on earth and has attracted travelers in search of rejuvenation for hundreds of years.
You can enjoy a dip in the salt water of the Dead Sea or take a mud bath. We speak from experience: do not put your head under the water or shave a few hours before going in the Dead Sea 🙂
Relax and enjoy your stay in your fabulous Dead Sea Resort!
DAY 8: The Dead Sea - Departure Amman
Our driver will pick you up from your resort and bring you to the airport of Amman (approximately an hour drive away from the Dead Sea) to catch your flight home.
All good songs come to an end….
