Cultural & Culinary Tour of Jordan - 15 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Amman, Turkish Bath Experience

Welcome to Jordan! Your private driver will be waiting at the airport to take you to your accommodation in Amman, the capital of this desert country. Once an Iron Age stronghold turned Roman Decapolis, Amman is a perfect mix of old meets new. The city is studded with ancient ruins tucked between modern buildings and mosques. Leave your bags back at the hotel and lace up your comfy walking shoes to get started exploring the "City of Stairs." 

Go back in time this afternoon on an excursion to Amman's Turkish Baths at Alf Layla Wa Layla. This opulent experience dates back to the Ottoman period and starts with a steam bath to help you relax, unwind, and wash away the jet lag. Afterward, you'll partake in an invigorating body scrub to help purify both body and mind, followed by a gentle massage. 

Day 2: Amman Graffiti Tour, Alternative Downtown Tour

You'll get your first introduction to the city on a downtown street art tour this morning. Learn more about Amman's artistic community as your small group follows a guide who's deeply entrenched in the city's vibrant hip-hop scene. Walk through bustling neighborhoods and quiet alleyways in search of colorful murals that tell the story of Jordan while simultaneously learning more about Amman's history and contemporary culture. You'll also get a bird's-eye view of the city from several different perspectives along the way.

This afternoon, continue your explorations off the tourist trail with an alternative downtown tour. You'll discover the far east and west neighborhoods of Jabal al-Weibdeh and Jabal al-Jofeh, contrasting their stark differences while uncovering more street art, graffiti, and local markets along the way. End the experience by enjoying freshly brewed tea on a local's rooftop with expansive views over the city.

Day 3: Archaeological Tour of Pella, Transfer to Umm Qais, Foraging Tour

Today starts with a 1.5-hour transfer from Amman to Pella, an ancient archaeological site over 6,000 years old. With the help of your private guide, you'll uncover well-preserved Roman ruins and Byzantine temples tucked in rolling green hills. Roman baths, Byzantine homes, and an Islamic mosque are just some of the features you can look forward to exploring with a private guide. Afterward, get back on the road for the 40-minute transfer from Pella to Umm Qais, where you'll be spending the night. This city was once known as Gadara and is home to impressive ruins, including ancient theaters and Ottoman villages.

After settling in at your hotel, spend this afternoon on a foraging excursion with a local guide. The surrounding hills are full of edible plants, veggies, and fruit-bearing trees, all ripe for the picking, and you'll set off in search of these delicious, natural ingredients, including chamomile, almonds, and mushrooms. You'll be supplied with walking sticks, foraging bags, water, and tea with snacks to help fuel your culinary adventure. 

Day 4: Tour Roman & Byzantine Ruins in Jerash, Transfer to Ajloun, Soap House Hike

Grab a delicious breakfast at your hotel this morning to help nourish your body for another day of exploring dense forests and crumbling ruins. First, you'll transfer just over an hour south to see some of the world's best-preserved Roman and Byzantine ruins at Jerash with a private tour. Spend four hours discovering this Greco-Roman city with highlights like the second-century Hadrian's Arch, the Temple of Artemis, a coliseum, fountains, and colonnaded avenues. It's not difficult to imagine what life was like around 63 BCE, Jerash's heyday, although this city was inhabited for thousands of years.

This afternoon, your driver will continue 30 minutes west to the Ajloun Forest Reserve, where you'll spend the night among a landscape of wooded hills and small valleys. Once you've settled in, meet your local guide and set off on a three-hour hike. You'll be following the Soap House Trail, a 4-mile (6.5 km) trek that winds through meadows of colorful wildflowers and forests of strawberry and pistachio trees. The grand finale is the Ajloun Soap House, where local women create Orjan pure olive oil soap. Purchase your very own herb-infused soaps to take home as souvenirs before making your way back to the start.

Day 5: Arabic Calligraphy Class, Countryside Farm Visit, Transfer to Amman

Continue your immersion into Jordanian culture today with a private class at the Calligraphy House in the Ajloun Forest Reserve. Learn about the principle methods of Arabic calligraphy from local women as you practice writing your name with a dried reed instrument in the peaceful setting of the surrounding forest. You'll get to take this and your calligraphy home as a beautiful souvenir. 

Later in the day, your driver will take you on an hour's drive back toward Amman, stopping en route at a farm in the As-Salt countryside. Here, you'll follow along with a local woman as she teaches you to make homemade jam with flavors like hibiscus and oregano, depending on the season, and jameed, traditional dried yogurt. You'll get the chance to sample these delicacies and purchase a jar or two to bring home before heading back into the city for the evening. 

Day 6: Visit Iraq al-Amir Women's Cooperative, Carakale Brewery Tour

Day six begins with a visit to the Iraq al-Amir Women's Cooperative. You'll meet local Ammani women and watch as they practice their skilled crafts, from paper making to pottery and handloom weaving. Join the ladies for lunch afterward, sharing in a traditional meal. This co-op aims to support women in their artistic endeavors, aiming for them to become financially independent while also preserving local heritage through traditional crafts. Don't miss the chance to grab a one-of-a-kind souvenir or two to take home with you.

You'll head for the Carakale Brewery this afternoon. Tour the facility as you learn more about Jordan's first craft brewery, all bottled and brewed here in Amman. Sample some of their refreshing beers that are cold-fermented and brewed in the German tradition, like the Blue Valley Kölsch, Blonde Ale, or Pale Ale. Although the topic of drinking can be a bit contentious, ideas around alcohol are more relaxed in Jordan than in neighboring countries, and the brewery aims to continue paving the way for craft beer in the Middle East.

Day 7: Full-Day Wine Tasting Excursion

Explore more of Jordan's burgeoning beverage scene today on a private wine-tasting excursion. You'll be picked up at your hotel and transferred to the Mafraq Plateau, a region of northern Jordan with intensely fertile soil. An ancient volcano created the area's basalt terroir, which lends itself to the distinctive tasting notes at Haddad Family Wines, the first winery in all of Jordan. Taste wines, learn about their vineyards and viticulture, and enjoy a buffet brunch. Everything from sparkling wines to chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon are produced here.

Continue your wine escapades this afternoon by visiting a winery in Azraq. You'll drive for an hour to reach the winery, where you'll head down into the cellars to taste five different wines paired with artisanal cheeses. But the fun doesn't stop there! Head back to Amman in the evening for one final wine tasting at the JR Wine Experience in the Abdalai Neighborhood. You'll have the opportunity to discover 20 different types of wine handcrafted from grapes grown on the Mafraq Plateau.

Day 8: Transfer to Karak via Madaba Tour & Lunch

Day eight begins with a short, 45-minute drive from Amman to Maldaba. Called the "City of Mosaics," you'll have plenty of time to see the sights after a delicious lunch at Hikayet Sitti, also known as Food Basket. Traditional dishes like magdous, stuffed eggplants, and manageesh, Jordanian flatbread topped with cheese and za'atar seasoning, are just some of the mouthwatering offerings on the menu. Don't forget to fuel up with a cup of coffee before continuing on your adventure. 

Walk off lunch exploring Madaba with your local guide. You'll explore famous sites, like the Church of St. George, which holds the sixth-century Madaba Map. Continue on to the Madaba Archaeological Park, where you'll uncover more Byzantine mosaics that depict what life was like in Biblical times. End it all with a grand finale at the highest peak in Madaba, the Martyr's Memorial which provides striking views over the city. Afterward, you'll make the two-hour transfer to the city of Karak. You'll discover more of this Crusader stronghold and its impressive castle in the morning.

Day 10: Full-Day Hike from Dana to Feynan Ecolodge

Lace up your hiking shoes, join your private guide, and kick off an epic, 8.7-mile (14 km) trek in the Dana Biosphere Reserve with a visit to the Feynan Copper Mines. The trail winds its way through arid terrain and towering rock formations and leads you down an easy path to reach the impressive underground system of mine shafts and tunnels. Feynan was once an important copper supplier for the Roman Empire and although these mines were once lost to time, you'll have the rare chance to explore them today.

Continue along the trail to reach the Feynan Ecolodge, an off-grid yet luxurious property that embraces its rugged mountain home in distinctive ways. This oasis in the desert has won countless awards and has been featured in famous publications like National Geographic. After settling in for the evening, take part in fun activities like stargazing through a Mead telescope, helping the staff set the corridors aglow by candlelight come evening, or enjoying board games and tea by the fireplace. 

Day 11: Sunrise Hike, Bedouin Excursion, Transfer to Petra, Cooking Class

Before saying your goodbyes to the Dana Biosphere Reserve, spend the morning hiking through its beautiful landscapes for a sunrise to remember. Follow your Bedouin guide along shepherd trails and ridgelines, watching as the sun paints the desert hues of ocher and vermilion. Back at the lodge, you’ll have one last Bedouin cultural experience. Several families live near Feynan Ecolodge and open their homes to visitors, teaching their traditions, like weaving goat-hair tents, brewing Arabic coffee, and baking arboud bread, firsthand. 

Spend the afternoon transferring three hours to one of Jordan's most important—and famous—sites: the ancient city of Petra. While you won't get any glimpses this evening, you'll dive into Jordanian culture taste buds first. Roll up your sleeves and start practicing your culinary skills at a cooking class where you'll learn from professional chefs how to prepare traditional dishes like mansaf, made from lamb and fermented yogurt, and other mezze dishes.

Day 12: Self-Guided Tour of Petra

Today, you'll explore Petra, Jordan's incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site and ancient Nabataean city. This metropolis was once an important trade city to both the Nabataeans and Romans, producing riches like frankincense, exotic spices, and myrrh. Start at the visitor's center, where you can plan your adventures and enter the site. Walk through the Siq to reach Petra's core, a passageway flanked by towering cliffs that ends in striking views of the Treasury, Petra's most iconic monument. 

Take your time to uncover this fascinating New Wonder of the World, but be sure to seek out the Royal Tombs, the Monastery, and colonnade-flanked streets. You might recognize certain locations from famous movies filmed here, from "Lawrence of Arabia" to "Aladdin" and "Dune." If you're looking for something more adventurous, several hiking trails, like those to the High Place of Sacrifice and the Monastery, provide challenging climbs and jaw-dropping views. Your driver will be waiting for you after you've finished exploring, making the transfer back to your hotel for the evening a breeze. 

Day 13: Transfer to Wadi Rum, Cookout at a Bedouin Camp, Camel Sunset Ride

Make the 1.5-hour transfer to Wadi Rum this morning, where you'll spend the rest of the day immersed in Bedouin culture. The vast desert landscapes of Wadi Rum are steeped in thousands of years of history, with the petroglyphs and inscriptions to prove it. Drive through these otherworldly rock formations and along sand dunes to reach the Bedouin camp and your home for the night. You'll learn how to tend the fire, brew coffee, and learn about other facets of their seminomadic life. 

After your morning of cultural experiences, take part in another Bedouin pastime and way of livelihood—camel riding. You'll stroll off into the desert with your trusty steed as the sun begins to set into the dunes. Make a pit stop at a perfect perch with views over Wadi Rum's arid landscapes to enjoy Bedouin tea and snacks. Back at camp, look to the skies to see a bright blanket of stars illuminating the clear desert sky while you sit around the fire you helped create.

Day 14: Explore Wadi Rum: Hiking, Jeep Tour & Camel Ride

Kick off another day of desert adventures with a morning Jeep excursion to see the area's impressive rock formations and lunar landscapes up close. Along the way, seek out the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Thamudic inscriptions (in a now-extinct language), a Nabataean temple, and Lawrence's House (named for T.E. Lawrence or Lawrence of Arabia). 

Grab a delicious lunch back at camp before heading out on a three-hour hike through the desert with a Bedouin guide. You'll get an insider's look at the terrain, learning about this unforgiving landscape from an expert who has lived here all their life. In the evening, hop back on a camel and stroll off into the sunset with your trusty steed as the sun begins to set into the dunes. After a traditional dinner around the campfire, look to the skies to see a bright blanket of stars illuminating the clear desert sky from camp.

Day 15: Transfer to Amman, Depart

It's time to say goodbye to both the deserts of Wadi Rum and the country of Jordan. Your driver will be waiting this morning to take you on the three-hour transfer back to the airport in Amman. See you next time!

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