Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Welcome to incredible Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan - the charming yet confounding kingdom that casts a spell on visitors with its World Heritage Sites, friendly towns & inspiring desert landscapes.

Arrive in Amman, the gateway to an ancient world.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Amman Queen Alia International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in & provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

Arrive at the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Amman, the modern capital of Jordan, is one of the oldest inhabited places in the world. A fascinating city of contrasts - a unique blend of old and new, situated on a hilly area between the desert & the fertile Jordan Valley

Recent excavations have uncovered homes & towers believed to have been built during the Stone Age. With many references to it in the Bible, Amman was known as Rabbath-Ammon, the capital of the Ammonites, it was also referred to as the “city of waters’. In the 3^rd century BC, the city was renamed Philadelphia after the Ptolemaic ruler Philadelphus. The city later came under Seleucid as well as Nabtean rule, until the Roman General Pompey annexed Syria and made Philadelphia part of the Decapolis League - a loose alliance of initially ten free city-states under overall allegiance to Rome. Under the influence of the Roman culture, Philadelphia was reconstructed in typically grand Roman style with colonnaded streets, baths, a theatre & impressive public buildings.

During the Byzantine period, Philadelphia was the seat of a Bishop & therefore several Churches were built. The city declined somewhat until the year 635AD. As Islam spread northwards from the Arabian Peninsula, the land became part of its domain. It reverted to its original Semitic name Ammon or Amman.

The ancient capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan city spread over 19 hills, or "jebels"., is a fascinating city of contrasts - a unique blend of old & new, ideally situated on a hilly area between the desert & the fertile Jordan Valley. Often referred to as the white city due to its low size canvas of stone houses, the city offers a variety of historical sites. Towering above Amman, the site of the earliest fortifications is now subject to numerous excavations which have revealed remains from the Neolithic period as well as from the Hellenestic & late Roman to Arab Islamic Ages. 

Though it lacks the storied history & thrilling architectural tapestry of other regional capitals, there is plenty here to encourage you to linger awhile before making for Petra, the Dead Sea or Wadi Rum. In fact, Amman is one of the easiest cities in which to enjoy the Middle East experience.

Amman’s modern history began in the late 19^th century, when the Ottomans resettled a colony of Circassian emigrants in 1878. As the Great Arab revolt progressed & the State of Transjordan was established, King Abdullah I, the founder of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, made Amman his capital in 1921. Since then, Amman has grown rapidly into a modern, thriving metropolis of well over a million people.

Downtown Amman is a must-see. At the bottom of the city’s many hills & overlooked by the magisterial Citadel, it features spectacular Roman ruins & the hubbub of mosques, souqs & coffeehouses, that are central to Jordanian life.

In the commercial heart of the city, ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, art galleries & boutiques rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops & tiny artisans' workshops. Amman’s neighborhoods are diverse and range in cultural & historical context from hustle & bustle of the downtown markets to the art galleries of Jabal Lweibdeh & the modern shopping district of Abdali

Elsewhere, urbane western Amman has leafy residential districts, cafes, bars, modern malls & art galleries; and in earthy eastern Amman, it’s easy to sense the more traditional and conservative pulse of the capital.

The 3 Museums located here, that offer a glimpse of history & culture, they are the Jordan Archaeological Museum, the Folklore Museum & the Museum of Popular Tradition.  Due to the city’s modern-day prosperity & temperate climate, almost half of Jordan’s population is concentrated in the Amman area. The people of Amman are multi-cultural, multi - denominational, well-educated & extremely hospitable.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.  

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08:00 am, proceed for a 3 hour sightseeing tour of Amman.

Visit the Citadel, Museum, Amphitheatre, Folklore Museum, & King Abdullah's Mosque, the old and new part of Amman.

Go up to the enchanting Citadel located on a hill & walk through thousands of years of history & layers of civilizations, since the ancient times of the Ammonites, and provides great photographic opportunities for views over the city. The historical overview not only provides the historical context for Amman, but for entire Jordan. You will also see the Citadel Archeological Museum to see some fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Then, get a taste of ancient Philadelphia - the city that stood where Amman is now over 2,000 years ago - at the Roman Theater close to downtown that reflects the historic legacy of the city. Impressive to note that it has withstood the vagaries of nature for over 2 millennia & with its seating for 6,000 spectators, it is still in use to host cultural events (our office will know if there is anything going on during your dates).

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Modern shopping malls are increasingly abundant in Jordan but open air souqs are what many travellers will remember most. Wander the streets of downtown Amman below Rainbow Street where you will find the hustle & bustle of market streets as in any busy city. Enjoy dipping into spice shops & just taking in the sensory overload of color & smell. There are also some fun fabric & antique shops in this area.

Return to the hotel to Check-out.

Immediately after, depart for Dead Sea, enroute stopping at Jerash for an unforgettable experience of exploring the Roman ruins, including the Corinthian Column, Hadrian’s Arch & the Hippodrome. Visit the magnificent hill town of Ajloun in the north of Jordan.

Jerash is one of the best examples of a Roman provincial city in the entire Middle East located on a plain surrounded by hilly wooded areas & fertile basins. This ancient Graeco-Roman city is a close second to Petra as the favourite destination in Jordan & boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years, making it one of Jordan’s most impressive archaeological sites.

Conquered by General Pompey in 63 BC, it came under Roman rule & was one of the ten great Roman cities, the Decapolis League. Hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over the past 70 years, Jerash reveals a fine example of the grand, formal provincial Roman urbanism that is found throughout the Middle East, comprising paved & colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, handsome theatres, spacious public squares & plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers & gates.

Visit the spectacular oval Forum, stroll down the long colonnaded Roman street, see the lush Nymphaeum that was consecrated to the nymphs, and explore the Temple of Artemis.

Stop at Ajloun to visit the great 12^th century Islamic castle that was built around 1184-1185 AD by the famous Islamic leader Salah al-Din. The massive fortress is one of the very few that were built to protect the country against the Crusaders. Once upon a time it occupied a large stretch of the Jordan Valley. Today it provides superb panoramas from Auf Mountain. Take in the views and explore the ruins, partly caused by Mongol invaders and partly from natural occurrences, such as the earthquakes of 1837 and 1927.

Continue on to Dead Sea.

Without doubt, the world’s most amazing place, the Jordan Rift Valley is a dramatic, beautiful landscape, which at the Dead Sea, is over 400 metres (1,312 ft.) below sea level. The lowest point on the face of the earth, this vast, stretch of water receives a number of incoming rivers, including the River Jordan. The Dead Sea is flanked by mountains to the east and the rolling hills of Jerusalem to the west, giving it an almost other-worldly beauty

Once the waters reach the Dead Sea they are land-locked and have nowhere to go, so they evaporate, leaving behind a dense, rich, cocktail of salts and minerals that supply industry, agriculture & medicine with some of its finest products. The Dead Sea is a body of water that has a very high salt content. Bursting with 21 earth-given minerals, natural Dead Sea Mud is unequalled in its ability to enrich, enhance & hydrate.

Although sparsely populated & serenely quiet now, the area is believed to have been home to five Biblical cities: Sodom, Gomorrah, Adman, Zebouin & Zoar. However, most of all it is famous for being the area that the Dead Sea Scrolls are from.

Specifically a cave in Qumran is the site where a number of ancient manuscripts were found. They were written just after the time of Christ. These scrolls provide contemporary & philosophical information about Jesus & his followers.

Arrive by late afternoon & Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure (we will be happy to offer suggestions for “optional’ programs & make arrangements). Try the wonder of the Dead Sea Mud. With seemingly magical results, your skin will look & feel positively radiant.

Early morning, depart for Petra, enroute visiting Madaba with its churches, Mt Nebo & Kerak.

Just outside Amman, along the 5,000 year old Kings´ Highway, lies one of the most memorable places in the Holy Land. After passing through a string of ancient sites, the first city you reach is Madaba, known as the “City of Mosaics". Best known for its spectacular Byzantine & Umayyad mosaics, Madaba is home to the famous 6^th century Mosaic Map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. With two million pieces of vividly colored local stone, it depicts hills & valleys, villages & towns as far as the Nile Delta.

Next stop is the commanding peak of Mount Nebo, which offers stunning views over the Dead Sea, the Jordan Valley and the Holy Land towards Jerusalem. On the highest point of the mountain, Syagha, the remains of a church & monastery have been uncovered. The church, discovered in 1933, was constructed in the second half of the 4^th century to commemorate the place of Moses' death.

Then, visit the city of Kerak.

The city today is home to around 170,000 people and continues to boast a number of restored 19^th century Ottoman buildings, restaurants, places to stay, and the like.

But it is undoubtedly ancient Crusader stronghold, Kerak Castle which dominates. The town is built on a triangular plateau, with the castle at its narrow southern tip. The castle is some 220m long, 125m wide at the north end, & 40m wide at the southern end where a narrow valley deepened by a ditch separates it from the adjoining and much higher hill - once Saladin's favorite artillery position. Throughout the castle, dark & roughly shaped Crusader masonry is easy to discern from the finely crafted blocks of lighter & softer limestone used in the later Arab structures.

Continue on to the final stop.

Reach Petra & Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure (we will be happy to offer suggestions for “optional’ programs & make arrangements).

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 09:00 am & proceed for a 6 hour excursion to the Red Rose City of Petra.

The visit of the ancient Nabatean Capital starts on horse cart, followed by a walk through the Siq, a long narrow fissure between two overhanging cliffs. The tour then proceeds to gradually unfold the mysteries of the Red Rose City with its spectacular treasury, Royal Tombs, burial chambers and high places of sacrifice.

Often described as the eighth wonder of the ancient world, it is without doubt Jordan’s most valuable treasure. Hidden behind an almost impenetrable barrier of rugged mountains, the legendary city of Petra is, perhaps, the most stunning site in the entire Middle East, carved out of craggy rocks by the Nabateans, an industrious Arab people who settled in the South more than 2,000 years ago, turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India & southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece & Rome. The approach through the cool gloom of the Siq, a long narrow gorge whose steeply rising sides all but obliterate the sun, provides a dramatic contrast with the magic to come. Suddenly, the gorge opens into a natural square dominated by Petra's most famous monument, the 'Treasury' [Al Khasneh], whose intricately carved facade glows in the dazzling sun. The Monastery [El Deir] and the High Place of the Sacrifice [Al Madbah] are among the myriad archeological wonders to be explored in Petra. The giant red mountains & vast mausoleums of a departed race have nothing in common with modern civilization, and ask nothing of it except to be appreciated at their true value - as one of the greatest wonders ever wrought by nature & man.

Return to the hotel by late afternoon.

Balance of the day is at leisure (we will be happy to offer suggestions for “optional’ programs & make arrangements).

Early morning, you will be picked up for short drive to the Arava Border Crossing to begin your journey into Israel.

You will be dropped off at the Jordanian side and will then walk to the Terminal to complete the border formalities. After the completion & obtaining the Visa, you will be met by The Journeys Rep who would be holding a placard with your name & waiting at the exit of the Israeli Terminal. 

You would be transferred to Jerusalem, enroute visiting Eilat - Israel’s southernmost town & a desert resort on the shores of the Red Sea.

The astonishing fish & corals of the temperate gulf waters are unique in their color and variety. Twice yearly, millions of birds fly over Eilat on migration between Europe and Africa, above the stunning red mountains and azure waters of the Red Sea Gulf. The many natural wonders and attractions of this area, the inviting beaches, crystal seas and sunny climate, make friendly Eilat a choice holiday destination for travelers from all over the world.

Spend some time exploring the city and in time, continue on your drive to Jerusalem.

People have been writing about Jerusalem for the better part of its 3000-year history, but still today your first glimpse inside the ancient walled city will leave you speechless. More than beautiful, however, Jerusalem is a spiritual centre, holy to the three great monotheistic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

That three religions have assigned so much importance to a solitary city makes Jerusalem one of the most fascinating places you’ll ever visit. Within a short walk of each other, you can find Christians quietly praying in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jews dancing by the Western Wall and Muslims prostrate before Al-Aqsa Mosque. Whatever your credence, it’s hard not to be swept up in the emotional tide that pulsates through these ancient streets.

Jerusalem, or Al-Quds as it is known in Arabic, has an inevitably powerful effect on its visitors, breeding political activism, religious fanaticism or simply a greater appreciation of the magnificent tide of human history. A quick run through the main tourist sights won’t do it justice, so plan on staying a while, and see what it does to you.

Check-in on arrival.

Morning, at 09:00 am, meet the Tour-guide in the lobby who will accompany you for a full day 8 hour tour of Jerusalem.

Dedicate the first part of the day to visit and join the holy prayer and participate in the Khutba at the Al Aqsa Mosque. Continue on to Haram-e-Sharif, learning about its historical & architectonical background, as well as the many legends told about the holy Al Aqsa Mosque & the Dome of the Rock.

From here we move along the colorful "Suq" (bazaar) to the Church of the Resurrection of Jesus, where the Khalif Omar met the Bishop Sophronius and prayed outside, in order not to desecrate the Holy City. You will also visit the Omar Mosque, situated just outside the church and commemorating that event. Walk through the Jewish Quarter to see some of the archaeological excavations made there, such as the Roman Cardo, and then, if permitted, visit King David's tomb - a place holy for Muslims, Jews and Christians. We end the day at the famous Western ("Wailing") Wall, where we can see Jews from all over the world, in their different dresses, coming to pray near the last remnants of their temple.

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure (we will be happy to offer suggestions for “optional’ programs & make arrangements).

At dawn, depart for Jordan through the Allenby Bridge Crossing, undergoing the same formalities to exit from Israel & enter Jordan. Our Israeli Rep will say good bye at the Israeli Immigration Terminal.

You will arrive at the Israeli side of the Allenby Bridge Crossing by 07:50 am and on conclusion of the Emigration process, you will board the shuttle bus available (with a charge, which you will pay directly) to transfer you to the Jordanian Immigration Terminal located about 5 km away.

After the completion of Jordanian procedures, you will be welcomed by The Journeys Rep (who would be holding a placard with your name) & waiting at the exit and he / she will transfer you straight to Terminal? - Amman Queen Alia International Airport for your onward journey.  B

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