Jordan Discovery: 9-Day Cultural Journey

Jordan Discovery: 9-Day Cultural Journey

This 9-day cultural journey with Explore! peels back every layer of Jordan’s extraordinary history – from the Neolithic to the Nabataeans, from the Romans to the Crusaders, and from early Islam to the modern Hashemite Kingdom. Visit the ancient map of the Holy Land in Madaba, stand where Moses gazed upon the Promised Land at Mount Nebo, walk the ramparts of Kerak Crusader Castle, spend a night under the Wadi Rum stars, and float in the Dead Sea. Along the way, feast on mansaf, sip sage tea with Bedouins, and discover why Jordan is the crossroads of civilisation.

Day 1: Arrival in Amman

Arrive at Queen Alia International Airport. Transfer to your hotel. Evening orientation meeting with your Explore! tour leader. Free time to wander Rainbow Street or the old downtown. Overnight Amman.

Day 2: Amman City Tour – Desert Castles

Begin at the Citadel with its Umayyad Palace remains and the hilltop Temple of Hercules. Walk down to the Roman Theatre, still used for cultural events today. After a downtown lunch, drive east into the desert to visit the Umayyad Desert Castles – Qasr Kharana (a remarkably preserved 8th-century caravanserai) and Qusayr Amra (UNESCO-listed, with vivid frescoes of hunting scenes, zodiac symbols, and bathing women decorating its interior walls). Return to Amman. Overnight Amman.

Day 3: Madaba – Mount Nebo – Kerak – Petra

Drive to Madaba, the “City of Mosaics.” Visit St. George’s Church to see the famous 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land – the oldest surviving cartographic depiction of Jerusalem. Continue to Mount Nebo, where Moses is said to have viewed the Promised Land before his death. On a clear day, the panorama sweeps from Jericho to the Dead Sea to the rooftops of Jerusalem. Drive south along the King’s Highway to Kerak, home to one of the largest Crusader castles in the Levant. Explore its vast underground galleries, kitchens, and stables – and the dungeon where Reynald de Châtillon was held. Continue to Petra for overnight in Wadi Musa.

Day 4: Petra – Full Day Exploration

Enter Petra through the Siq at first light. Your guide walks you from the Treasury up the Street of Facades to the Theatre and the Royal Tombs. Climb to the High Place of Sacrifice for the best view of the ancient city. After the guided portion, the afternoon is yours – climb the 800 steps to the Monastery (Ad-Deir), explore the Colonnaded Street and the Great Temple, or simply sit at a café watching the eternal parade of camels, donkeys, and visitors. Overnight Petra.

Day 5: Petra Morning – Wadi Rum

This morning is free for independent exploration of Petra. Revisit your favourite spots, or discover the lesser-visited tombs and temples at the far end of the site. After lunch, drive to Wadi Rum. Board 4×4 jeeps for an afternoon safari across the red desert, stopping at rock bridges and petroglyph sites. Reach your Bedouin camp in time for sunset over the dunes. Learn to make Bedouin bread over the fire, then enjoy a zarb dinner. Afterwards, lie back on cushions and let the Milky Way put on its nightly show. Overnight Bedouin camp.

Day 6: Wadi Rum Morning – Aqaba

Wake to the stillness of the desert and watch the sunrise turn the mountains crimson. After a Bedouin breakfast of fresh bread, labneh, and honey, take a short camel ride through the dunes. Mid-morning drive to Aqaba for a free afternoon – snorkel the South Beach reef, explore the Mamluk fort, or relax with a book by the Red Sea. Overnight Aqaba.

Day 7: Aqaba – Bethany Beyond the Jordan – Dead Sea

Morning at leisure in Aqaba. After an early lunch, drive north to Bethany Beyond the Jordan (Al-Maghtas), the UNESCO-listed site on the east bank of the Jordan River identified as the baptism site of Jesus by John the Baptist. Walk to the river’s edge, where the water is no wider than a country lane, and visit the remains of ancient churches and baptismal pools. Continue to your Dead Sea spa resort. Float in the healing waters and cover yourself in therapeutic black mud as the sun dips below the Judean hills. Overnight Dead Sea.

Day 8: Dead Sea – Amman

Morning at leisure at the Dead Sea – enjoy the spa, pools, and one last float. After lunch, drive back to Amman. Free afternoon for last-minute shopping in the gold souk or visiting the Royal Automobile Museum. Farewell dinner at one of Amman’s finest restaurants – mansaf, maqluba, or a mezze feast with live oud music. Overnight Amman.

Day 9: Departure

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Queen Alia International Airport for departure. Take home Jordanian olive oil, zaatar, Dead Sea salts, and a heart full of Jordanian hospitality. Ma’a salama.

Included

8 nights accommodation (hotels, Bedouin camp, Dead Sea resort) • Daily breakfast • 3 dinners (including Wadi Rum zarb, farewell dinner) • Explore! tour leader throughout • Private vehicle • Airport transfers • Entry fees to Amman Citadel, Desert Castles, Madaba, Mount Nebo, Kerak Castle, Petra (1.5 days), Wadi Rum, Bethany Beyond the Jordan, Dead Sea resort access • Wadi Rum jeep safari • Camel ride

Excluded

International flights • Travel insurance • Jordan Pass (recommended) • Most lunches and dinners • Drinks • Personal expenses • Tips for tour leader and driver