As
the name suggests, this tour takes in the main
highlights of Jordan.
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Tour
Amman, the capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom
of Jordan, the you will be driven east to the
Desert Castles. These seemingly isolated
pavilions, caravan stations, secluded baths and hunting
lodges, were at one time integrated agricultural
or trading complexes, built mostly under the
Umayyads (661-750 AD), when Muslim Arabs had
succeeded in transforming the fringes of the
desert into well-watered settlements. Widely
varied in function and architectural style,
these ancient castles, baths, hunting lodges and
fortified palaces belonged mostly to Umayyad
princes. Scattered
throughout the black basalt desert, the Desert
Castles stand as a testament to the flourishing
beginnings of Islamic-Arab civilization. Aside
from being widely considered as the most
spectacular and original monuments of early
Islamic art, these complexes were built as
retreats from city life.
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See
Mount Nebo, which
dates back to the
12th century BC, where the Prophet Moses viewed
the “Promised Land”, and is believed to be
buried. Visit the remains of the mosaic floors
with stunning designs that feature hunting and
pastoral scenes, found in the small church,
built by the early Christians in the 4th century
AD.
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Proceed
to Madaba, home of the most famous Byzantine
mosaics. Visit the School of Mosacis (Workshop)
which was founded to preserve and restore the
ancient mosaics found in so many places in
Jordan & visit the greatest and most
significant of all the city’s treasures, the
wonderful mosaic map of ancient Palestine, which
is located on the floor of the Greek Orthodox
Church of St. George.
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Spend
a day and night at Hammamat Ma’in which is set
around a series of hot springs located
264 meters below sea level in one of the most
breath-taking desert oases in the world.
Thousands of visiting bathers come each year to
enjoy the mineral rich waters of these
hyper-thermal waterfalls. The
therapeutic properties of these waters were
already known and exploited in antiquity. During
the 7th century AD, pilgrims from all
over the world bathed in these natural hot
springs. The pilgrimage route started in
Jerusalem, passed through Jericho, Ayun Moussa
(Springs of Moses), Mount Nebo and ended in a
restorative bath at Hammamat Ma’in.
Herod the Great swam here, Salome traditionally
danced, and John the Baptist was beheaded.
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Visit
Jerash, previously known as the Roman city of
Gerasa. It is an approximately 50min drive
to the north from Amman and displays some of the
finest, most extensive and best preserved
remains of the the Roman Empire.
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Travel
southwest to the Dead Sea approximately 45kms
from Amman. The natural phenomenon created
a historical site of legendary significance
where nature's minerals and salts converge to
create beauty products. Due to its high
salt content, swimming in the Dead Sea is quite
an experience, for one will float without
exerting any effort.
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Experience
the natural man-made wonders of Petra 'The Rose
City', the capital of ancient Nabateans, carved
into the rock thousand of years ago. An
entire city was carved out of the highly
coloured mountains some 2000 years ago by a sematic
people from Northern Arabia.
A
highlight is an optional Petra by Night tour,
where only the light of flickering candles under
the gaze of the moon and stars will guide your
way to the Treasury where you will hear Bedouin
stories along with oriental music. The
walk will take about 30–40 minutes.(
Subject to cancellation depending on weather
conditions & number of participants /
operational on Mondays, Wednesdays &
Thursdays ).
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Journey
through Wadi Rum, a vast silent place, timeless
and starkly beautiful. It is one of
Jordan's main tourist attractions, being the
most reputably stunning desert scape in the
World.
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Travel
68kms south to Aqaba with its balmy winter
climate and idyllic setting. Aqaba is
Jordan's year round aquatic playground.
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