Experience Jordan: Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum, & More - 10 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Amman

Welcome to Jordan! Upon your arrival at the Queen Alia International Airport, meet your guide who will assist you through immigration and transfer you to your downtown hotel to get settled and rest up for the week ahead. One of the oldest cities in the world, inhabited since the bronze age, Amman has grown into a modern and vibrant city.

Day 2: Visit Jerash - Drive to Umm Qais

Set out this morning to Jerash, one of the best preserved Greco-Roman cities in the Middle East. Spend time wandering the extensive site and be sure to check out the well-preserved remains of two amphitheaters, the north-south Colonnaded Street (or "cardo maximus" as it is known in Latin), as well as the oval forum, and Hippodrome (a stadium for chariot races).

Next, continue to Umm Qais in Jordan's northwest. Explore the sprawling Greek and Roman ruins, pausing to admire the beauty of the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee in the distance. Check into your nearby accommodation, Beit Al Baraka, in the heart of Umm Qais and settle in, and if you're up for it, why not head back to the ruins to take in the sunset.

Day 3: Full day in Umm Qais

Today is yours to explore Umm Qais and the surrounding area. Take advantage of Beit Al Baraka's proximity to Umm Qais and the historic town of Gadara. Choose from several fun activities, including, hiking, biking, beekeeping, basket weaving, or joining a cooking class.

Day 4: Visit Ajloun Castle - Return to Amman

After a delicious, locally sourced breakfast at your accommodation, continue your journey and head south to the town of Ajloun, in the highlands. Here you will discover the 12th-century Ajloun Castle, a fortress built to ward off the Crusader armies at the vital trade and pilgrimage intersection between Jerusalem, Cairo, Damascus, and Mecca. Roam the ramparts and enjoy the sweeping views over the Levant (a sizeable geographical area in the Eastern Mediterranean). When you're ready, you'll return to your hotel in Amman.

Day 5: Amman city tour - Visit Madaba & Mount Nebo - Drive to Feynan

Today you will join a city tour of old Amman where you will explore the Amman Citadel (Jabal al Qal'a) and the 2nd-century Roman Theater, two of the most famous archaeological sites in the capital. Next, stroll amid colorful wares and aromatic spices in the old souks (markets), stopping at a local restaurant to lunch on authentic falafel and hummus.  

Afterward, you'll depart for Mabdaba to discover its intricate Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, including the large Madaba Map, the oldest preserved mosaic map of the Holy Land. From here, you'll continue your journey to Mount Nebo. According to the Old Testament, this is the lofty peak where Moses took in the view of the Promised Land and is now considered one of the holiest places in Biblical tradition. Look out at the Dead Sea and beyond, before eventually making your way to the Memorial Church of Moses, a modern structure that now houses excavated relics from the region.

Carry on south until you reach Feynan Ecolodge, touted by National Geographic as one of the best ecolodges in the world. Depending on when you arrive, enjoy the facilities of the lodge set amid a stunning rocky setting in the Dana Biosphere Reserve. Experience the magic of a night without electricity, like a mouthwatering vegetarian dinner served by candlelight. Enjoy an evening marveling at the desert sky: a blanket of twinkling stars.

Day 6: Feynan Ecolodge experience - Drive to Little Petra

After breakfast, participate in any number of the ecolodge's group activities, such as hiking, biking, or taking a cooking class. In the early afternoon, you'll transfer to Siq al-Barid, or more commonly known as Little Petra, an archaeological site just north of Petra, and like Petra, an ancient Nabataean city with buildings carved into the sandstone walls of a canyon. Enjoy another star-full evening, as you relax in the glow of lanterns under the night sky in a Bedouin camp close to Little Petra.

Depending on the day of the week and timing, there is the opportunity to enjoy Petra by Night, a tour of the Siq and the Treasury by candlelight (only offered on certain nights of the week).

Day 7: Explore Petra - Camp in Wadi Rum

This morning you'll head the 10 minutes south to Petra, dubbed the "Lost City" as it is relatively recently re-discovered. Spend the day experiencing this ancient Nabataean city. Walk through the Siq, the three-quarter-mile narrow gorge (1.2 km) that opens up to the magnificent Treasury, the entrance guarding the old city. Then explore the Street of Facades, a row of monumental Nabataean tombs, as you work your way to the steps that lead you to the High Place of Sacrifice. Take in the view of Wadi Musa below and if you have the energy, why not climb up the additional 800 steps to Petra's largest monument, the Monastery.

After a full day of exploration, you'll continue your journey to the vast red desert of Wadi Rum and your Bedouin-style camp.

Day 8: Wadi Rum Jeep tour - Drive to Aqaba

Wake up refreshed in the great outdoors, and take in the panoramic desert views from your campsite before heading out for a four-hour Jeep tour of the area as you follow in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia. You'll climb over red dunes, through rock bridges, and over rock canyons to discover millennia-old rock inscriptions, petroglyphs, and fantastic photo opportunities. You'll even visit the ruins of a building erected on an old Nabataean cistern believed to be where Lawrence hid out during the Arab Revolt (1917-1918). Meanwhile, enjoy sweeping views of the mountains and gorges in the background.

In the afternoon, your driver will bring you to Jordan's only coastal city, Aqaba (1-2 hours) where you can spot the city lights of nearby Israel and Egypt.

Day 9: Boating excursion & BBQ lunch - Drive to the Dead Sea

Today will be spent at the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan's access point to the warm waters of the Red Sea as you hop aboard a glass bottom boat. Enjoy views of the abundant marine life beneath you as well as the coastal views to neighboring countries, Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. If you're up for it, swim and snorkel your way to discover the precious coral and range of tropical fish up close. Return to the boat when you're ready and dry off in the warming sun with a prepared-for-you barbecue lunch.

After an afternoon of sun and surf, you'll check out of your hotel and continue your drive north to your accommodation along the shores of the Dead Sea.

Day 10: Float in the Dead Sea - Amman City tour - Depart

Take the early morning to soak in the calm, mineral-rich waters before returning to Amman where you will have the remainder of the day to explore Amman before your evening departure. Visit the arts and cultural district of Jabal Weibdah, stopping to check out an art gallery or local antique and handicraft shops that strike your interest.