Jordan

Amman

Travel day: The flights from the UK arrive in Amman at about midnight so we will arrange for our guides to fast track your visa approval and get you to your hotel in record speed. FYI - you will love this service as you bypass the queue, feeling rather smug.

Day 1: The following day you will head north from Amman to explore the famous Roman town of Jerash, the Graeco-Roman city [ancient Gerasa], and close second to Petra on the list of favorite destinations in Jordan. Boasting an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years and hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over the past 70 years, Jerash is a fine example of the grand, formal, and provincial Roman towns found throughout the Middle East. One can walk beneath four imposing gates or down the "Street of Columns" north from the “Oval Plaza” while stepping over the tracks of chariot wheels still visible in the paving stones. Continue westward to Saladin's 12th century Arab castle, Qalaat al Rabad (Ajloun), one of the finest examples of military architecture

Day 2: Up early for a guided tour of the old city of Amman, which will include the Roman Theatre, Archaeological Museum and the Citadel, containing the remains of the massive Temple of Hercules. Intertwined will be time to explore the local food market - trying out the 101 olive varieties and experience a delicious lunch of houmous and falafels in a chilled, local hangout, tucked away from the chaos of street life.

After lunch you will make your way to the desert based Feynan Eco Lodge for the night, which will be your first off-grid experience of desert, dust and toyota trucks. This is a candle-lit lodge is tucked away in Wadi Feynan, deep in the heart of the mountainous Dana Biosphere Reserve. Here you will enter an enchanting world of authentic Bedouin hospitality who will take you out for sunset hikes, cook you delicious food and teach you about the stars.

Feynan eco-lodge is supported by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, set up to protect the Kingdom’s finest natural landscapes and one of the last Bedouin communities. Through the lodge you will be contributing to the preservation of the Bedouin culture.

Accommodation

Night one: Landmark Amman Hotel - http://www.landmarkamman.com/en/index.php
Night two: Feynan Eco Lodge - https://ecohotels.me/feynan

Please note we are using 4 or 5 star hotels throughout this trip and the hotels may vary depending on availability and your budget.

Food

Breakfast only included in Amman.
Breakfast and supper included in Feynam Lodge.

Feynan to Petra

Trust us you will be up early in Feynam as the goats will be skipping about outside your bedroom window, so we recommend you head out with the local guide to hike along the old river bed to explore the old copper mines, before having a delicious breakfast outside on the terrace. Mid-morning you will hop back on the trusty toyota's to reach Petra.

In Petra we recommend you stay at the Old Village Resort which is outside the town of Petra, so it is peaceful and away from the coaches. The afternoon is for relaxing pool-side before your big challenge the next day.

One of your nights here you must join "Petra's Kitchen" where you will be taught how to cook a local 3 course meal. Great fun and utterly delicious - if you listen to their instructions.

Accommodation

The Old Village Resort

Food

Breakfast and supper/cooking lesson included.
Lunch is extra.

Petra, the Rose City

Today is all about Petra, and we promise it will not disappoint. It is indeed glorious and magical, carved by the Nabateans into the rose-red Sharah Mountains, hence its name the Rose City.

Being a true Midlifer you need a little challenge to keep you on your toes and to be honest it is so worth it as you enter the site without the crowds. So, brace yourself for an early 15km, 3 hour, hike via the old Bedouin trail which weaves through the stunning mountainous landscape and open farmland - providing huge views across the Great Rift Valley. Utterly stunning.

The hike will eventually lead you up to the stunning Monastery which will suddenly appear in the desert, taking you by surprise. From here you will wind your way along ancient paths to the Treasury, The Roman Theatre, the Courts, Qasr Bint Pharaoun, Temple of the Winged Lion and other monuments before you arrive at the main Siq (the famous narrow and winding fissure between the cliffs) which gives you the iconic view of the Treasury. This will be your "ta dah" moment.

Accommodation

The Old Village Resort

Food

Breakfast and supper included

Little Petra and Wadi Rum

Ok - next up is the start of your Lawrence of Arabia moment but on the way you will take a little detour to enjoy ‘Little Petra’, which is an important suburb to Petra itself and is entered through a narrow opening, similar to a Siq, but on a much smaller scale. The site includes tombs, temples, water channels and cisterns carved out of the rock as well as the remains of plaster frescoes. Personally I loved this site as it was crowd free and had a lovely peaceful vibe to it.

Back on the road and you'll head further South to reach the famous Wadi Rum - and wow, it took our breathe away, literally as we were in a sand storm, which eventually cleared to reveal a stunning moonscape terrain of ancient riverbeds, wind-sculpted mountains, vast desert vistas and smooth and pastel-coloured sands. On arrival you will all hop into another trusty toyota to reach your camp via a few stop offs to meet the long-skirted legionnaires offering cardamom-spiced coffee at the "Beau Geste" outpost and famous rock formations.

Knowledge of the right camp is critical here so please get in contact - there are 100 camp options BUT only 2 worth staying in. You can also experience a camel ride (USD 25 per head) and sandboarding (USD 25 per head) while you are here.

Accommodation

TBC

Food

Breakfast and supper included.

Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea

After breakfast in your desert camp you will head off for your final phase at the Dead Sea BUT along the way we highly recommend you tackle a 2 - 3 hour hike along the Siq Trail, starting at Mujib Bridge, where you follow the course of the river between towering sandstone cliffs to the base of a large waterfall. Depending on seasonal rainfall levels, the gorge may contain pools deep enough for swimming, so pack your swimmers.

After this you will be driven to the Dead Sea to experience being at the lowest point on earth, whilst trying out an invigorating mud bath to cleanse away the desert dust. Here you will watch the sunset over the hills of the Holy Land with Jerusalem in the distance, before heading home the next day. A perfect ending to your desert experience.

Accommodation

Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea

Food

Breakfast and supper included.

Airport Transfer

After breakfast, you will transfer to Queen Alia International Airport for your flight home.