Jordan, Amman

Private History and Nature Tour with Red Sea 4^*

You've arrived! Amman, where half of Jordan's population resides. After collecting your luggage, you'll meet your driver and head to the hotel in Amman for the night. Depending on your arrival time and traffic in Amman, the journey will typically take between 45 minutes and 1 hour. The rest of the day is free, and there are plenty of reasons to explore Jordan's capital.

Meals are not included. Overnight in Amman.

After breakfast: collect the car around 9:00 am at the hotel.

Then, here are our suggested visits: set off for a tour of the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom. Between the eastern desert and the Jordan Valley, Amman is home to over a million inhabitants. From the top of the citadel, do not miss the incredible view over the old town. But before heading down, you can visit the archaeological museum, the Temple of Hercules, and the Umayyad Palace. A short tour then in the old town, which has preserved a beautiful Greco-Roman Theatre. Next, head to the ancient city of Jerash or Gerasa, about 45 km from Amman. It is the second major site in Jordan after Petra. Today, it is considered one of the best-preserved Roman provincial cities in the Near East. Jerash is the perfect example of Roman municipal planning in the Middle East. If you still have time, you can also take advantage of this day to visit the Ajloun Fortress or the city of As-Salt (former Ottoman capital and recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site). In the evening, we recommend taking a stroll in old Amman and tasting traditional Jordanian dishes.

Lunch and dinner are at your leisure. Overnight in Amman.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure towards Petra.

Suggested visit: drive along the King's Highway to visit Madaba, where you will see the oldest known map of the Holy Land. After this first visit, head towards Mt. Nebo, 10 km northwest of Madaba, the known burial site of Moses. Then continue southwards, passing by the fortress of Kerak, known as the castle of Renaud de Châtillon. You can have lunch in Kerak and continue towards Petra via the Desert Highway. Before reaching the hotel, it is recommended to pass by Little Petra to get a preview of the next day's experience.

Lunch and dinner are at your leisure. Overnight in Petra.

After breakfast, depart for the most anticipated day of the journey.

Suggested visit: explore the renowned Nabataean site of Petra, the capital of the ancient Nabataean trading empire until the Romans took over in 106 AD. Petra is located on the edge of Wadi Araba, and one of the best ways to reach it is through the Siq, a narrow, winding gorge flanked by the imposing canyon walls and surrounding hills. Once in Petra, you will notice there are very few standalone buildings, as the Nabataeans preferred to carve their homes into the pink sandstone cliffs. Meet with your guide at the visitor centre. They will accompany you for approximately 2 hours, after which you are free to explore the various trails of the lost city.

Lunch and dinner are at your leisure. Overnight stay in Petra.

After breakfast at the hotel, you can take a second visit to Petra and head to the Wadi Rum desert in the afternoon. Alternatively, you can go directly to Wadi Rum. Leave your vehicle at the visitor centre car park where you will meet your Bedouin driver who will take you to your camp for the night.

Lunch is at your leisure.

Dinner and overnight stay in a desert camp.

If Petra is the result of the work of humans combined with nature, the cliffs, peaks, and valleys of Wadi Rum owe their 'serene beauty' and 'overwhelming grandeur' solely to themselves. You will make stops at the main points of interest before venturing deep into the desert through the magnificent desert landscape, discovering more steep cliffs and bizarre rock formations. Tonight, you will sleep under a thousand stars around a campfire. Lunch and dinner are prepared on-site by the guide. You are also invited to participate if you wish. A unique and wonderful experience.

Overnight in a desert bivouac.

After a gentle wake-up and breakfast in the desert, you will collect your car to head back towards the lowest point on the planet.

Suggested visits: drive along the Wadi Araba road reaching the Dead Sea. If you wish, you can stop at the Wadi Mujib Biosphere Reserve where you have the opportunity to go canyoning (between April and October). An unforgettable adventure that we highly recommend. Upon arriving at the Dead Sea, you can enjoy the must-see Salt Sea. Not only is it the lowest point on the planet, situated 400 metres below sea level, but it is also considered one of the most spiritual landscapes in the world, full of spectacular natural wonders. You can also make a stop at the Ma'in hot springs. Return the car to your hotel around 5:00 PM.

Lunch and dinner are at your leisure. Overnight at the Dead Sea.

It's time to say goodbye.

After breakfast and depending on your flight schedule, transfer to the airport and assistance with departure formalities.

Arrival day and welcome:

Welcome and assistance by a local English-speaking representative at Queen Alia Airport, who will be waiting for you with a sign bearing the name of our local agency and who will assist you before you go through border control and customs to obtain your visa. Please note that this procedure can be lengthy, taking between 45 minutes and 1 hour depending on the number of travelers. You will then go down to collect your luggage. The local representative may have to wait at customs to meet other travelers, but once you have collected your luggage, they will accompany you to your driver, who will take you to your hotel in Amman for the night in a shared transfer with other passengers. Depending on the time of arrival and traffic in Amman, the journey normally takes between 45 minutes and 1 hour.

The order of visits may be changed for logistical reasons.

For those booking the “hotel only” package (without international flight), please provide us with your flight details as soon as possible via the contact form located in “Help and Contact” at the bottom of the page, so that we can arrange your transfers.

As indicated, the hotel is rated 4* according to local standards. The services provided may not be equivalent to 4* standards in the US.

Transfers:

In the package without transportation, your transfer is included when it falls within the dates of your tour. However, it will be optional at an additional cost when your arrival/departure date differs from the tour dates.

Tips

Tipping is entirely personal, and the decision to tip or not, and how much, is at your discretion, based on your satisfaction with the services received and your personal budget. That said, tips for services provided are part of the local culture and are often expected and greatly appreciated. We are often asked for help and guidance, so we would like to suggest the following amounts:

Tour guides: $3-8 per person per day

Driver: $3-5 per person per day

Restaurants: 10% or leave the change

Knights in Petra: $2-5 (we recommend that you do not ride the horses for animal welfare and safety reasons, but the boys can still expect a tip)

VISA

The visa is obtained on site (a simple stamp)

We can obtain the visa for you free of charge if you send us a copy of your passport at least 10 days before departure.

After this deadline, you will have to pay for the visa on arrival at the airport in Jordan. The cost is 40JOD (to be paid in Jordanian dinars).

Your passport must be valid for 6 months after your departure date from Jordan.

Currency

The currency used is the Jordanian dinar: currency exchange offices and ATMs are widely available, and your driver and/or guide can assist you with currency exchange.

This price includes:

- CAT eco rental car

- 24/7 French-speaking assistance on site

- Unlimited mileage

- Comprehensive car insurance

- Option of a baby seat (no extra charge)

This price does not include:

- Fines (fines will be billed directly by the rental company)

- Fuel, any parking fees.

Car rental conditions:

- Pick up the car at the hotel

- Return the car to the hotel

- A US driver's license is sufficient for rental

- Minimum driver age 21

- Multiple drivers are possible and should be mentioned in the contract

Pick up your rental car at the hotel on day 2 at 9:00 a.m. and return it to your hotel around 5:00 p.m.

Please note: The vast majority of cars in Jordan are Asian brands, such as Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, etc.