Jordan Cultural Journey

Duration:

8 day

Walk, learn from locals and make your own food in our Jordanian way.

An 8 day guided tour specially designed for you to learn more about Jordan's captivating culture...

Highlights:

Amman - Jerash - Ajloun - Madaba - Mount. Nebo - Dead Sea - Petra - Wadi Rum

Day one:

ARRIVE AMMAN

Arrive at Queen Alia International Airport. You will be met and transferred by Car to your hotel: the Amman International Hotel. Pre check-in will be arranged so that you can go directly to your room and luggage will follow immediately.

Tonight enjoy a buffet dinner at your hotel.

Overnight:

Four Seasons Amman

Day Two:

AMMAN CITY TOUR

Begin the day with a city tour of Amman, including the Archaeological Museum, the Roman Theatre, and the Folklore Museum, then walk down town through the bazaars and the Gold Market. Proceed to "Darat al Funun".

The capital of Jordan, Amman, is known in history as Rabbath-Ammon and in Greco-Roman times as Philadelphia. High above the city, at the ancient Citadel, study the traces of Amman's many lives: the regal columns of a roman temple in silhouette against the sky, the elegant capitals of a Byzantine church, endlessly inventive carvings in the Umayyad Palace, fascinating displays in the Archaeological Museum, and digs and ruins everywhere you step. At the foot of the Citadel, take a seat in the Roman Theatre, a deep-sided bowl carved into the hill still used for cultural events.

Darat al Funun is a home for the Arts and the artists of Jordan and the Arab World.

Overlooking the heart of Amman, Darat al Funun is housed in three historical residences built in the 1920's alongside the remains of a 6th century Byzantine church. It speaks of an enduring ancient legacy of urbanism, architecture and cultural identity that is now being enriched by a modern flowering of the visual arts.

Darat al Funun is dedicated to the promotion of the fine arts, while also fostering a cultural and creative dialogue amongst the people of the Arab world, and it seeks to strengthen the vitality and appreciation of contemporary Arab arts and to help today's visual expression take its deserved place as a cornerstone in the building of contemporary Arab culture.

The traditional Amman residences which now house Darat al Funun were built in the 1920's at a time of urban expansion initiated by the leading families in Jordan.

After this, drive to "Jabal Amman" the first circle for traditional "Falafel" sandwich lunch.

Experience our traditional Falafel Sandwich from the best Falafel place in Jordan. This will be a simple meal but undoubtedly will be an experience to remember, as this place is very well known amongst the Jordanians.

Start your cultural walk from Amman's Nature Centre called "Wild Jordan" which belongs to the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) to have an idea on the Nature Reserves in Jordan, then walk around the old houses of Amman dated back to the 1920's and 1930's where your guide will give explanation on the most famous houses in the area (such as the house where His Majesty late King Hussein was born).

Return back to your hotel in Amman for dinner and overnight.

Overnight:

Four Seasons Amman

Day Three:

AJLOUN - JERASH - AMMAN        

After having breakfast at the hotel, drive out to visit Ajloun Castle.

Qalat er-Rabad, as it is known in Arabic, is located on a high peak overlooking the city of Ajloun, in the North of Jordan, some 24 km West of Jerash. According to Salah-Eddin biographer, this castle was built between 1184 and 1185 by one of the Salah-Eddin nephews, to oppose the Crusader castles of Kerak and Shobak. The Mameluks enlarged the original building, the Mongols conquered it in 1260, then it was rebuilt in successive times. The first restoration dates back to 1929.

A deep ditch cut inside the rock surrounds the castle and the drawbridge has been replaced today by an iron footbridge, to give access to the fortress. This is  a complex  example of fortification that spreads out over several floors, from which the defendants were able to resist an attack or a siege even after the first two doors had been conquered.

Head back to your Car and transfer to the Rasun Village in the Ajloun forest. You'll walk part of �The Abraham Path� otherwise called the �Al Ayoun Trail�  that takes around 4 hours.

Acivities will include:

�    Hiking in the woods

�    Visiting the caves from Iron Age

�    Visiting olive tree museum (trees that date back from 1000 years ago)

�    Calligraphy class (guests can have their names written in Arabic letters).

�    Olive Oil Soap factory

From here take the car and drive to Orjan Village where you'll be welcomed to lunch with a local family.

After lunch you'll drive to visit the Greco-Roman city of Jerash, second only to Petra in tourist appeal. The ancient city of Jerash is remarkable for its long chain of human occupation. Here at a well-watered site in the hills of Gilead, remains from Neolithic times have been found, as well as Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Umayyad and others. Jerash's golden age, however, arrived with Roman rule. Jerash was a member of the Decapolis, a dynamic commercial league of ten Greco-Roman Cities. Today it is acknowledged as one of the best-preserved province cities of the Roman Empire.

Head back to your hotel in Amman to have dinner and overnight.

Overnight:

Four Seasons Amman

Day Four:

MADABA - MOUNT NEBO - DEAD SEA

After breakfast, check out from your hotel.

Drive to Mount Nebo.

Mount Nebo is the mountain where Moses was allowed to see the Holy Land� and not allowed to enter it. Nowadays the mountain is a memorial site.  Here is the �Church of Moses�, built by the first Christians.  Ever since the first days of Christianity this mountain has been a holy place and a destination for pilgrimage. Like Moses, you can have a great view over Jordan, the Dead Sea and Israel.  When the weather is clear, you should even be able to see Jerusalem, which is about 60 kilometers away.

Continue to Madaba and start your walk from the visitors centre through the beautiful narrow streets taking you to the Mosaic School where you will learn how the students restore the beautiful ancient mosaic floors.

The Madaba Mosaic School was founded in 1992 to preserve and restore the ancient mosaics, found in so many places in Jordan, but especially on the Madaba Plateau. It was financed originally by a joint venture between the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. It is recognised by the High Council of Education in Jordan as a branch of vocational training.

Continue to Madaba Archaeological Park and Museum.

Inside the Archaeological Park, along with several mosaics of very high interest, you can still see some remains of the Roman forum and the cardo maximus. Next to these, there are also mosaics of Roman houses and residences of wealthy people, like Hipolito's hall.

Lunch: A set menu lunch will be offered at the Haret Jdoudna Restaurant.

This restored historic home turned atmosphere-rich ethnic restaurant in Madaba is just what the doctor ordered after a long day of sight-seeing. If you are travelling in Jordan during the cooler months, you�ll particularly enjoy the fireside seats. The menu is typical regional food with a selection of wine and water.

After this delicious typical lunch board your vehicle again and drive to the lowest point on earth �The Dead Sea�. Check into your hotel.

At 400 metres below sea level, the Dead Sea is infinite in what it has to offer. Ever since the days of Herod the Great, people have flocked to the Dead Sea in search of its curative secrets. Due to high annual temperatures, low humidity and high atmospheric pressure, the air is extremely oxygenated, and the high content of oxygen and magnesium in the air makes breathing a lot easier. With the highest content of salt and minerals in the world, the Dead Sea water possesses anti-inflammatory properties, and the dark mud found on the shores have been used for over 2,000 years for therapeutic purposes.

Enjoy a delicious dinner at the main restaurant of your hotel.

Overnight:

Movenpick Hotel & Resorts

Day Five:

ZIKRA INITIATIVE

Today guests will have the chance to meet local Jordanian people from the Jordan Valley Area (known in Arabic as Al Ghor). Guests will visit the �Zikra Initiative� - a local Non Profit Organisation in the Dead Sea area (1.5 hrs drive). You will learn how to pick tomatoes with the local community, make your own lunch with them, as well as learning many other valuable local skills.

Tomato season is known as Bandora.

By visiting this project you will be helping to generate funding that will equip a community centre in the Village. You will get to experience the serenity of al-Ghor as well as interact and exchange resources with the local Ghor al Mazra�a community.  This exchange denotes an �equal relationship� where the Ghor al Mazra�a community will host you and:

1. Teach you the art of bandora picking

2. Connect you with our Jordanian roots and history

The local community will teach you traditional crafts and skills such as:

-          Bread-making (shraq)

-          Kohol (eyeliner)

-          Kuffieh tassels

-          Gallayet bandora (traditional dish)

-          Henna

-          Basket-Weaving

-          Ornaments

The visit will conclude with a lunch cooked and prepared by the local community and yourselves.

Take part in making change through exchange. Exchange-Tourism will give you and the Ghor al Mazra�a community an opportunity to bridge social gaps as they share with you their culture and lifestyle in exchange for your support!

Head back to your hotel in the Dead Sea, as you'll have the rest of the day to have a rest and enjoy the sunset, have dinner and overnight.

Overnight:

Movenpick Hotel & Resorts

Day Six:

DEAD SEA - PETRA

After breakfast, check out from your hotel.

Drive to Petra, the drive takes around 3 hours and half to reach your hotel and check in.

Full day visit to Petra.

Start your tour of Petra with a horse ride from the main gate to the entrance of the old city (around 800 metres). The ancient city of Petra was built from 800 BC to 100 AD by Nabetean Arabs. In this era Petra was a fortress, carved out of craggy rocks in an area which was virtually inaccessible. In the first and second century, after the Romans took over, the city reached the peak of its fame.  Petra covers an area of about 100 square kilometres where over 800 monuments can be found. When shipping slowly displaced caravan routes, the city's importance gradually dwindled; it fell into disuse and was lost to the world until 1812, when it was re-discovered by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Nowadays Petra is Jordan's number one tourist attraction, known as the "rose-red city half as old as time". The Khazneh (the Treasury) even starred in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Stop for lunch inside Petra at the Basin Restaurant.

After lunch head out of the site and back to you hotel.

This evening, you will have the opportunity to learn how to cook a memorable Jordanian meal with the 'Petra Kitchen' team. Ina  relaxed and informal enviroment you'll work alongside local women under the supervision of an experienced chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza, salads and a main course - all typical Jordanian dishes. You will get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant. Great care has been taken to make this a truly Jordanian experience�right down to the furnishings, all crafted in Jordan, the tableware, all produced by the Iraq al Amir Women�s Co-operative, and the aprons and table linen, all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation.

After dinner, return to your hotel overnight.

Overnight:

Movenpick Hotel & Resorts

Day Seven:

WADI RUM - AMMAN

Check out from your hotel and drive to Wadi Rum.

At Wadi Rum Visitors' Centre pick up your 4x4 cars with local Bedouin drivers and explore the local landscape for around 3 hours, (these cars are owned and driven by the local Bedouins of Wadi Rum).

Otherwise known as Valley of the Moon, the area of Wadi Rum is immense, colourful and awe-inspiring with shapes that create an almost supernatural atmosphere. This was the setting for the film Lawrence of Arabia, and the actual location where T.E. Lawrence set his camp. His book "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" was named after the seven natural columns varying in height located en route to Wadi Rum. Bedouin camps are evident in the Wadi, which is still home to a number of Bedouin families who welcome visitors with the hospitality and generosity that Bedouins are so famous for. Explore the desert with a 4x4 driven by a local Bedouin, or overnight in a real Bedouin tent, in the middle of the desert.

Lunch will be a BBQ picnic lunch inside the desert.

Later on, return to Amman, to check in your hotel and spend the evening relaxing.

Overnight:

Four Seasons Amman

Day Eight:

DEPART AMMAN        

After breakfast transfer to Queen Alia International Airport for your departure flight onwards or home. The drive from your Amman Hotel to the airport will take around 45 minutes. Our representative will assist you with check in and immigration procedures.