Jordan: Crusaders, Traders & Raiders
Jordan: Crusaders, Traders & Raiders
9 Days Starting and ending in Amman, Jordan
Visiting: Amman, Al-Azraq Castle, Jerash, Mount Nebo, Madaba, Shobak, Wadi Musa, Wadi Rum Desert, Triclinium, Parking Lot, Dead Sea, London
Tour operator:
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
12 - 18
Age range:
-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Travel with expert lecturer and archaeologist Dr Konstantine Politis, who discovered and excavated the biblical sites of Lot’s Cave and Zoara. He also initiated and set up the Museum at the Lowest Place on Earth. Jordan is one of history’s crossroads and battlegrounds, and this tour encompasses the entire range of its heritage and culture.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Fly To Amman
Location: Amman
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Intercontinental Amman
Meals Included: No Meals
Fly from London (regional connections available) to Amman with Royal Jordanian Airways. Transfer to the Intercontinental Amman (or similar) for 3 nights.(N)
Day 2 : Amman - Desert Castles
Location: Amman, Al-Azraq Castle
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Intercontinental Amman
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Explore the ancient citadel of Amman, visit the early Islamic Umayyad Palace, the Graeco-Roman Temple of Hercules, Byzantine churches and see sweeping views across the city. Visit the Archaeological Museum, housing important finds spanning over 100,000 years. Then drive to the eastern desert, passing Umayyad Qasr Kharana and seeing the hunting lodge of Qasr Amra with recently-restored wall paintings. Continue to Azraq oasis, seeing a Roman fort rebuilt in the 13th century and later used by TE Lawrence during the Arab Revolt, and the impressive Wetlands Reserve. Return to Amman via the new highway and Qasr Al-Hallabat. (B, D)
Day 3 : Jerash
Location: Jerash
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Intercontinental Amman
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Drive north through the hills of biblical Gilead to Jerash, one of the best-preserved provincial Graeco-Roman cities in the Near East. Walk through magnificent monumental arches, sprawling oval piazza, colonnaded streets, temples, theatres and Byzantine churches. Then on to visit Umm Qais, ancient Gadara where Jesus performed the swine miracle, then drive down to the Jordan valley with stunning view of Golan Heights overlooking the Sea of Galilee, finally returning to Amman. (B, L)
Day 4 : Mount Nebo - Madaba - Shobak
Location: Mount Nebo, Madaba, Shobak
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: H Hotel Petra
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Drive to Mount Nebo, from where Moses viewed the Promised Land and see where early Christians built the Memorial Church of Moses adorned with beautiful floor mosaics. Drive to Madaba on the biblical Kingfs Highway, a city with many Byzantine mosaics. Visit the Greek Orthodox Church of St George which contains the famous sixth-century mosaic map of the Holy Land, then the Church of the Virgin complex. On to biblical Mefafat at Umm ar-Rasas, a town at the edge of the desert with a dozen churches and important mosaics. Continue to the crusader castle of Monreal at Shobak, built in 12th century by King Baldwin I of Jerusalem but later conquered by Saladin, then rebuilt. Drive to Petra and stay 3 nights at the H Hotel Petra (or similar). (B, D)
Day 5 : Petra
Location: Wadi Musa
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: H Hotel Petra
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A full-day’s exploration of Petra, the remote desert stronghold of the Nabataean Arabs who created a city in their sandstone valleys, unique in the ancient world. Walk through the Siq, the narrow gorge leading to the Treasury, a magnificent Hellenistic-style rock-cut tomb facade. Continue past the theatre, carved out of solid sandstone, to see other sepulchres, temples and churches. After lunch, take an optional visit to Ad Deir, the largest tomb in Petra overlooking Wadi Araba, the deepest part of the Great Rift Valley. (B, L, D)
Day 6 : Wadi Rum
Location: Wadi Rum Desert
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: H Hotel Petra
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Morning drive to Wadi Rum, the spectacular desert made up of vast valleys and towering sandstone peaks, which was the original base of the Great Arab Revolt (1917-1918) and where Lawrence of Arabia, Red Planet and The Martian films were shot. Visit Lawrence’s spring and see ancient graffiti with animal depictions. Picnic lunch at a Bedouin camp. Return to Petra to see a new museum there.* (B, L)
Day 7 : Little Petra - Sanctuary Of Lot - The Dead Sea
Location: Triclinium, Parking Lot, Dead Sea
Accommodation: Resort
Accommodation Name: Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Morning visit to the lesser-known Little Petra at Beidah, passing the crusader castle at Wu’eira and a prehistoric settlement. Continue through spectacular mountain scenery down to Wadi Araba and the shores of the Dead Sea. Stop at Safi to see the first medieval sugar factory and the Ottoman fort attacked by the Arab Legion with Lawrence in 1918. Then climb up to the Sanctuary of Lot, venerating the cave where Lot and his daughters took refuge from the destruction of Sodom. Below, visit the Museum at the Lowest Place on Earth, which explains the unique human and environmental history of the Dead Sea. Drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea (or similar) for 2 nights. (B, D)
Day 8 : The Dead Sea
Location: Dead Sea
Accommodation: Resort
Accommodation Name: Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
At leisure to swim in the Dead Sea with use the resort’s spa and facilities. Optional excursion to the site where Jesus is believed to have been baptised in the Jordan river and/or the Dead Sea Panorama Complex, which describes the geology of the region. (B, D)
Day 9 : Fly To London
Location: Amman, London
Meals Included: Breakfast
Morning transfer to Amman airport and fly direct to London Heathrow with Royal Jordanian Airways. (B)
What's Included
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International flights (and domestic flights if applicable)
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UK departure and overseas airport taxes
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Accommodation, Itinerary & meal basis as described
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Local Transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
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Fully escorted by an English-speaking guide throughout
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Entrance fees unless otherwise stated
What's Not Included
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Insurance
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Optional
Check out our Q&As
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Are flights included in this tour?
All prices for Cox & Kings holidays include international flights, except where indicated. For all destinations, you may be able to arrange your own flights. If you wish to do so, the cost will be deducted from the tour price.
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
Yes. Quoted prices include all entrance fees.
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Can Cox & Kings arrange my visa?
We cannot arrange your visa but we can recommend a reputable visa assistance company who can help with your application. Please contact your tour consultant for details.
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Why do I have to pay more for my holiday if I am a single traveller?
Most hotels around the world charge more per person for a single occupancy room than for a shared twin room, because the cost of maintaining a room for one person can be almost as high as it is for two. In addition, many single occupancy rooms are the same as twin / double rooms.
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What happens if a group doesn’t make its minimum required number of passengers?
If a group tour does not reach its minimum numbers, we will either offer for you to take your holiday on a private basis (which may involve a supplement), or you will be fully refunded.
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What is the maximum group size?
All Cox & Kings group tours have a maximum group size of 18 and average just 14 guests. Travelling in such a small group allows you to make stronger and deeper connections with fellow travellers.
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes. We only work with passionate local guides who have a firm grasp of English – so they can answer all your questions and offer invaluable insight into your destination.
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What is the difference between a 'single' supplement and 'sole' supplement?
A 'single' traveller is someone occupying a single room while travelling with one or more other people, for example a single person travelling on a group tour. A 'sole' traveller is someone travelling on their own. As a single traveller on a group tour (except those in the SoloTravellers collection), please check the single supplement price. If you wish to add an extension to that tour, please th
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When will I get my tickets?
Travel documents will be sent approximately two weeks prior to departure (third party suppliers' policies may vary), unless your booking is made within six weeks of departure, in which case final documents will be sent as soon as possible.
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When do I need to pay my final balance?
Final payment must be made no less than 75 days before departure.
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What are the four tour categories?
***LUXURY These are our most comfortable tours and will usually feature 5-star deluxe accommodation throughout*** ***SUPERIOR Most Cox & Kings tours fall under this category and are based in 4- or 5-star accommodation where available, or the best alternative elsewhere*** ***STANDARD Simpler in emphasis, these itineraries typically feature 4-star or good 3-star accommodation throughout, or the best alternative elsewhere*** ***DISCOVERY Best suited to the hardier traveller, these tours typically include some quite basic accommodation, possibly longer and rougher road journeys and, in some cases, more strenuous activities, such as trekking***
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Do your prices include flights?
All prices for Cox & Kings holidays include international flights, except where indicated. Australasia and Canada holidays do not include international flights so that you may benefit from the best prices at the time you choose to book, taking advantage of major seasonal variations and short term special offers. For all destinations, you may be able to arrange your own flights. If you wish to do
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What is a non-exclusive escorted group tour?
The vast majority of our group tours are exclusive to Cox & Kings clients. However, there are a few exceptions where holidaymakers who booked their tour with another travel company travel in the group.
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When will I get a detailed itinerary?
If you are travelling on a group tour, you will receive a detailed itinerary with your travel pack. If travelling on a private basis, you will receive your detailed itinerary with your confirmation invoice.
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Do I need inoculations?
Many of our destinations have recommended health precautions, which you can read about in our regional documents and health pages. However, we recommend that you contact your doctor who will be able to give you professional advice, arrange any vaccinations and give advice on malaria protection. Alternatively, visit the NHS website for more information.
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What happens if a group tour does not reach its minimum numbers? Will it be cancelled?
If a group tour does not reach its minimum numbers, we will either offer for you to take your holiday on a private basis (which may involve a supplement), or you will be fully refunded.
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Low Deposit
Cox & Kings requires a minimum deposit of 15% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of cox & kings charges.
Up to 75 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 74 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.