Explore Jordan
Start: Amman Finish: Madaba
Duration: 7 Nights
Physical rating: Medium
Special diets catered: Vegetarians
Tour Operator: Intrepid Travel
Group size: 1 - 12
Age range: 15-99 years
Tour operated in: English
Prices From: $1289
Tour Overview
A fascinating mix of natural oddities and ancient wonder, Jordan has so much to offer for the curious traveller. Live it up in cosmopolitan Amman, explore the mystic desert landscapes in Wadi Rum, visit the towering ruins of Petra and trek to its remote hilltop village, and discover the vibrant mosaics of Madaba. Your eight-day small group adventure through Jordan’s hotspots is an exciting and enriching adventure through a majestic desert land – best enjoyed with the eyes of an expert local leader and full of authentic local experiences.
Highlights
Marvel at the well preserved ancient Roman city of Jerash on a guided tour, and discover the religious significance and Ottoman and Byzantine influence in Madaba.- With an included two-day pass to majestic Petra, you will not only have a guided tour of the complex but will also spend time at your leisure to focus on the sections that interest you.
- Experience the best buoyance this side of outer space with time for your small group to effortlessly float in the super-salty waters of the Dead Sea.
- After your day of four-wheel-driving in Wadi Rum, spend a night under the stars with a special experience at a desert camp run by Bedouin locals – full of good food and warm hospitality.
- Hop in a jeep and see the extraordinary desert scenery of Wadi Rum – a rugged lunar-like landscape of huge sandstone mountains and ancient structures hidden in the sandy dunes.
Itinerary
Day 1
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Amman
Location: Amman
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: No Meals
Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome to Jordan’s capital, Amman – cosmopolitan and contemporary, yet steeped in biblical history. Your adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6 pm this evening. As you don’t spend too much time here, it's worth arriving a day or two early to explore the sights. If you do have time, be sure to head to the citadel, taking in its amazing sweeping views of Amman. The Jordan Museum (home to the Dead Sea Scrolls) and the Roman Theatre are both well worth visiting. After your meeting, head out with your new-found travel pals, and perhaps pick up a coffee from one of the cafes and partner it with an ara’yes – a local-style toastie filled with spiced meat.
Optional Activities:
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Day 2
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Wadi Rum
Location: Wadi Rum
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Follow in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia with a journey to Wadi Rum (approximately 5 hours). A half-day jeep safari will take you through some of the most striking desert scenery on the planet. Wadi Rum is full of weird and wonderful lunar-like rock formations, and traces of ancient civilisations can be seen in the many carved inscriptions found throughout the area – from pictographs to Thamudic, Nabataean and Arabic texts. The most enduring monuments in Wadi Rum are those carved by nature – the natural rock bridges, towering rose-coloured sand dunes and scattered rocky peaks. Tonight, sleep in a simple Bedouin desert camp, with the choice of sleeping under a camel hair tent or out under the stars. Enjoy dinner cooked in an earthen oven by your Bedouin hosts. Meaning ‘desert dwellers’ in Arabic, the Bedouins are a semi-nomadic people, and in Jordan up to 40 per cent of the general population is thought to have Bedouin ancestry. Conditions are basic at the desert camp, but the hospitality of your hosts as well as the chance to sleep beneath the twinkling desert night sky will sure make up for it.
Included Activities:
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Day 3
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Wadi Rum
Location: Wadi Rum
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After waking up in the unique surrounds of the camp this morning, head out on a trek around the area (approximately 12 to 15 kilometres), with a stop for tea and a lunch break. You might scale one of the large sand dunes for sensational views of the valley – the perfect chance to snap some unbelievable pictures. Explore the distinctive rock formations and bask in its eerie silence. Wadi Rum is probably best known for its connection with the enigmatic British officer T E Lawrence, who was based here during the Great Arab Revolt of 1917–18. Tonight is again yours to enjoy the traditional Bedouin hospitality and the clear night skies of the desert.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 4
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Petra
Location: Wadi Musa
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
This morning you'll leave your desert camp, taking 4WDs to the main entrance, which is opposite the Seven Pillars of Wisdom – the mountain named after Lawrence of Arabia’s book. The visitor's centre here is also a great spot to buy some jewellery and handicrafts, mostly made by a women's co-operative aimed at supporting local industries. Continue your journey to the fabled city of Petra by private vehicle (approximately 2 hours). The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was discovered by Johann Ludwig Burckhardt – a Swiss explorer. In 1985, Petra was designated a World Heritage-listed site. Once arrived, spend the afternoon on a guided tour of Petra. Squeeze through a mile-long narrow path, known as the Siq, through huge towers of rock and get your first glimpse of the iconic Treasury complex. It’s amazing to think that this enormous, intricate building entrance was hand carved out of the rock.
Included Activities:
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Day 5
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Petra
Location: Wadi Musa
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a free day of self-discovery as you explore Petra on your own. The site is surprisingly big, and so it is up to you to choose your own route around the complex. You could explore the old Roman road, other smaller temples and several old tombs, as well as the rock-hewn amphitheatre. For those who are feeling a bit more active, there's the challenging but highly rewarding 1-hour walk up the steps to the secluded yet stunning Monastery.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 6
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Madaba
Location: Madaba, Dead Sea
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Traverse the King's Highway to the historic crusader castle of Kerak, which stands on a cliff commandingly overlooking Wadi Karak and the Dead Sea in the distance (approximately 2.5 hours). You’ll have time to explore the ruins and discover the legends of centuries-old battles. Pack your swim gear as next you can wash off the dust in the Dead Sea – the lowest point on Earth (420 metres below sea level). This super-salty lake is a perfect place to spend some time relaxing and get some classic floating pictures. For those who are game, why not cover yourself from head to toe for a nutrient-rich natural mineral mud bath. Continue to Mt Nebo – the spot where the prophet Moses is said to have seen the ‘promised land’ and where he’s supposedly buried. Explore this sanctuary and view the remarkable mosaics of the fourth-century church. Afterwards, continue to Madaba, famous for its Ottoman-style houses and beautiful Byzantine-era mosaics, including the acclaimed sixth-century mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land at St George's Church. Other mosaic masterpieces from the fifth to seventh centuries can be found throughout Madaba’s churches, museums and homes.
Included Activities:
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Day 7
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Madaba / Jerash
Location: Madaba, Jerash
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Today you will leave Madaba for a short drive to Jerash – once one of the grandest ancient Roman cities in the world (approximately 1.5 hours). These are some best-preserved Greco-Roman ruins around. The ancient walled town that survives today is a remarkable evocation of life 2000 years ago. It has a striking collection of archways and theatres, baths, public buildings and colonnaded streets, and is a beautiful place to spend a day exploring. Discover Hadrian’s arch, the partially restored hippodrome, ornate public fountains, the south amphitheatre, and see the collection of daily artefacts uncovered during excavations. Grand columns encircle the city's centrepiece, the Oval Plaza. After a full day of exploring, maybe gather your travel buddies together and share a celebratory shisha as you reminisce on your memories of majestic Jordan.
Included Activities:
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Day 8
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Madaba
Location: Madaba
Meals: Breakfast
With no activities planned for today, you are free to depart the accommodation at any time, provided you comply with your accommodation’s internal check-out times.
What's Included
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Madaba — St Georges Church
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Wadi Rum — 4WD jeep safari and desert camp
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Madaba - St Georges Church
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Jerash — Roman ruins
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Wadi Rum — Guided trek
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Dead Sea — Dead Sea visit
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Mt Nebo - Mt Nebo visit
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Accommodation
Hotel (5 nights), Desert camp (2 nights)
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7 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners
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Kerak — Kerak Castle
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Meals
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Petra — Guided tour of Petra
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Petra — Second day entrance (no guide)
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Transport
Private vehicle, Jeep
What's Not Included
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International Travel
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Tipping and Gratuities
Accommodation
- Hotel (5 nights), Desert camp (2 nights)
Transport
- Private Vehicle , Jeep
Included Activities
- Wadi Rum - 4WD jeep safari and desert camp
- Wadi Rum - Guided trek
- Petra - Guided tour of Petra
- Petra - Second day entrance (no guide)
- Kerak - Kerak Castle
- Mt Nebo - Mt Nebo visit
- Dead Sea - Dead Sea visit
- Jerash - Roman ruins
- Madaba - St Georges Church
Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a deposit of 200 GBP to secure a place on this tour, and the final balance is not due till 21 days before departure..
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Secure payments
All payments to TourHub are deposited into an externally regulated Trust account.
Got a question? Check out our Q&As
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Good reasons for travelling privately
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Personalise your trip
Make changes to the itinerary, accommodation, or transport method
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Increased safety during COVID
Spend the majority of time amongst your group to reduce exposure to others
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Travel more exclusively
Your tour guide can focus all their attention on your group
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Travel for a special occasion
Celebrate an important event by only travelling with your friends or family
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