Jordan Insight (8 days)

Today we arrive in Amman transfer to our hotel and check in. The capital is built on 7 hills and has expanded quickly over the last 60 years. Today it’s a modern, cosmopolitan and vibrant city and the start of our journey through the desert kingdom.

The north of Jordan borders both the Galilee and Syria and is a region of hills and fertile spring-fed valleys. This region would have been known to Christ as he wandered preaching to those that lived here. At Pella we find an early Christian refuge from around AD70 and, the rather more-dramatic city of Umm Qais - ancient Gadara – and our visit reveals biblical associations with Christ. From here there are commanding views over the Galilee along with extensive remains including a black basalt theatre and ruined Byzantine town.

We travel on into the Gilead Hills to Ajlun Castle, known locally as Qal'at al Rabad, and built in 1184 by Salahadin’s nephew, a foe of the Crusaders. The castle is a splendid sight of sensitively restored towers, chambers, galleries & staircases - an outstanding example of Arab/ Islamic military architecture. We overnight close by in Ajlun.

A short distance away lies the jewel of the north, Jerash, one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the world. Jerash was referred to as Gerasa in the bible and it is thought that it was built by the soldiers of Alexander the Great. This great city with its cart-rutted Cardo Maximus lined with the remains of shops features theatres, churches, temples to both Zeus & Artemis and a Nymphaeum as well as later churches with wonderful mosaic floors.

After our visit we head east across the black basalt plateau of the Hauran. Here we first find square-built Qas’r Kharana, thought to be a khan (caravanserai) or maybe a tribal meeting place. Its origins are unknown but the date AD710 in one room indicates some antiquity. Further on is the UNESCO-protected Qas’r Amra, a superb barrel-vaulted bath-house used by the Ommayed caliphs on hunting expeditions. It is decorated with wonderful frescoes. Lastly we arrive in Azraq, an oasis town on the road to Baghdad and with links to Lawrence of Arabia who used the formidable basalt castle as his HQ.

Madaba is home to an old map of the Holy Land, picked out by tesserae in a remarkable mosaic on the floor of St George’s Church. Several other mosaics can be seen too before we head the short distance to Mt. Nebo, said to be where God showed Moses the Promised Land.

Next we travel down the King’s Highway to Kerak to wander the vast halls and corridors of the town’s huge Crusader Castle, whose history is linked with Salahadin.

Finally we arrive in Petra and look forward to our visit tomorrow.

Jordan abounds in the richest of archaeological sites however most struggle to beat the magnificence of Petra, 2000 year-old legacy of the Nabataeans.

The Nabataeans’ superb masons carved wonderful tombs and other magnificent buildings from the multi-coloured sandstone. Petra’s most famous monument is the Treasury, reached after emerging from the brightly coloured Siq, a wonder in its own right. This initial view is the classic one of Petra most people have in their minds when they think of the site, and yet it’s just the start of the city.

Beyond we see that we are surrounded on both sides by hundreds of carved and constructed structures, soaring temples, elaborate royal tombs, a carved Roman theatre, large and small houses, burial chambers and much more.

We explore the site fully during our time here, walking to the Monastery, a massive example of what the Nabataeans were capable of, arguably as impressive as the Treasury and certainly well worth the 1-hour climb.

Having explored Petra thoroughly we head south once again, this time heading for Wadi Rum. This is the traditional land of the Bedouin people whose black, goat-hair tents dot the landscape. Proud and hospitable the Bedouin were united under TE Lawrence to fight the Turks during the 1st World War; his legacy remains.

We explore by 4WD winding our way through the vast array of canyons and high-sided valleys to discover Thamudic rock-art, sand dunes and rock bridges. Later we return to camp as the sun is sinks low in the sky watching the colours of the rock walls change from orange to purple as we enjoy a night under the stars.

This morning we leave the desert behind and descend the winding road to the increasingly-popular resort of Aqaba. Occupying a prime location on the Red Sea coast it’s a mecca for divers and snorkellers with its amazing underwater scenery of iridescent fish and corals.

On arrival your time is free to relax as you wish. A variety of optional excursions are available, from diving and snorkelling to glass-bottomed boat trips and even kite and wind-surfing.

Flights from Aqaba to Amman leave in the early morning and connect with international flights to the UK and beyond, or a transfer by road can be arranged to connect with flights from Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport.