


Jordan - Petra and the Desert Fortresses
From £4,720
Summary
Spend two days in the evocative rock-cut city of Petra
Throughout the recorded past, Jordan shook to the often heavy footfalls of conquerors and felt the sweeping movements of peoples and customs, of prophets and kings. Its Iron Age history, home to the Israelites, Ammonites, Edomites and Moabites, is documented in the Old Testament. And the upheavals caused by the mighty Assyrian and Babylonian Empires and the Roman Empire’s purple centuries in Jordan as a part of Provincia Arabia, are recorded in the New Testament. Here the East first met the revolution of Hellenism, bringing its world philosophy and technological expertise.
Jordan’s position geologically is as important as it is culturally. The dramatic gorges of the wadi beds, the deserts of black basalt and golden sand and the end of the Great Rift Valley containing the salty waters of the Dead Sea – the lowest place on earth.
Petra’s tombs and temples are only a fraction of Jordan’s story. We explore traces of biblical tribes, Roman legions, Christian crusaders, and Islamic caliphates in this promised land of archaeology and fascinating history.
Tour highlights:




- Visit Jerash, the best-preserved (and Jordan’s largest) Roman town in the east, a site that is home to the Oval Plaza and the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis
- Spend two days in the evocative rock-cut city of Petra, an iconic and instantly recognisable site that needs no introduction
- Admire the almost lunar-like desert scenery of Wadi Rum, which was immortalised on film in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and ‘Star Wars: Rogue One’, aboard a fleet of 4x4s
- Discover the mighty crusader castle at Kerak, built in the 12th century and one of the largest in the Levant region
Today's Price
£4,720
Deposit: £750 Single supplement: £810
Includes flights
Meet your Experts
Nick Jackson
Andante Guide Lecturer
Graduating in archaeology from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London, Nick later took up a research post at the University of Cambridge.
Your itinerary
Day 1 - London - Amman
We depart from London Heathrow in the afternoon and arrive at Amman airport late evening. Upon arrival, we make our way to our hotel for a much needed rest.
Snack in hotel room due to late arrival.

Hotel | Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman |
---|---|
Meals included | Dinner |
Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman
Jordan’s largest city is the capital and seat of government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Occupying the hills at the foot of the Ajlun Mountains, fortified settlements have existed here from antiquity and it was the capital of the Ammonites, people frequently referenced in the Bible. Today the city centre is comprised of ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, up-market shopping malls, art galleries and boutiques which rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops and tiny artisans' workshops. The Qasr Metrople Hotel is in the Shmeisani district, one of the affluent areas in Amman. It is a medium sized, four-star hotel and each of its 66 air-conditioned rooms is equipped with flatscreen satellite tv, safety deposit box, coffee machine, hairdyer and free access to Wifi. There are fine views over the city from hotel’s rooftop restaurant and a bar in the lobby area.
Day 2 - Wadi Seer - Dead Sea - Amman
After a leisurely start, we head to the valley of Wadi Seer. Here we find the remains of Qasr-al-Abd, a well-preserved Hasmonean and rare Hellenistic period Palace. Hyrcanus of Jerusalem built the palace around 200BC as part of a much larger estate, that is now covered by the village of Iraq al-Emir. We then spend time both at and in the Dead Sea. The lowest place on earth is also the deepest hypersaline lake in the world, over nine times saltier than the ocean. This salinity has created a harsh environment so it is unsuitable for any plants of wildlife, hence its name. It is however, a unique experience to be able to ‘float’ on the Dead Sea, so we make the most of this opportunity. After our time spent here, we return to Amman.

Hotel | Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman |
---|---|
Meals included | All meals included |
Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman
Jordan’s largest city is the capital and seat of government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Occupying the hills at the foot of the Ajlun Mountains, fortified settlements have existed here from antiquity and it was the capital of the Ammonites, people frequently referenced in the Bible. Today the city centre is comprised of ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, up-market shopping malls, art galleries and boutiques which rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops and tiny artisans' workshops. The Qasr Metrople Hotel is in the Shmeisani district, one of the affluent areas in Amman. It is a medium sized, four-star hotel and each of its 66 air-conditioned rooms is equipped with flatscreen satellite tv, safety deposit box, coffee machine, hairdyer and free access to Wifi. There are fine views over the city from hotel’s rooftop restaurant and a bar in the lobby area.
Day 3 - Gadara - Jerash
We explore two Roman Decapolis cities today as our adventure continues. We start off at the ancient city of Gadara (known today as Umm Qais), which offers views over the Golan Heights and Sea of Galilee. After lunch we continue to Jerash (ancient Gerasa) for the afternoon, which is set in the pine valleys of the biblical land of Gilead, and is one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the east. The architecture is particularly fine, and includes the impressive 2nd century Hadrian’s Arch, the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis and the Oval Plaza - framed by a magnificent colonnade - a unique feature of the Forum.

Hotel | Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman |
---|---|
Meals included | All meals included |
Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman
Jordan’s largest city is the capital and seat of government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Occupying the hills at the foot of the Ajlun Mountains, fortified settlements have existed here from antiquity and it was the capital of the Ammonites, people frequently referenced in the Bible. Today the city centre is comprised of ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, up-market shopping malls, art galleries and boutiques which rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops and tiny artisans' workshops. The Qasr Metrople Hotel is in the Shmeisani district, one of the affluent areas in Amman. It is a medium sized, four-star hotel and each of its 66 air-conditioned rooms is equipped with flatscreen satellite tv, safety deposit box, coffee machine, hairdyer and free access to Wifi. There are fine views over the city from hotel’s rooftop restaurant and a bar in the lobby area.
Day 4 - Amman
The morning is spent in Jordan’s modern capital Amman. Here we visit the Archaeological Museum and the citadel. The museum is home to artefacts from archaeological sites from across the country, including the Dead Sea bronze scroll written in Aramaic characters. The citadel is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world, and we visit the ruins of the Roman Temple of Hercules and the palace of the Omayyad Caliphs. Before lunch we visit the Memorial Church at Mount Nebo. In the afternoon, we make a short drive to the early Byzantine Church of St George in Madaba, where we view the amazing 6th century mosaic map of the Holy Land depicting biblical sites of the Middle East from Egypt to Palestine. Afterwards we spend a little time in the Madaba Archaeological Park before heading back to our hotel.

Hotel | Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman |
---|---|
Meals included | All meals included |
Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman
Jordan’s largest city is the capital and seat of government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Occupying the hills at the foot of the Ajlun Mountains, fortified settlements have existed here from antiquity and it was the capital of the Ammonites, people frequently referenced in the Bible. Today the city centre is comprised of ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, up-market shopping malls, art galleries and boutiques which rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops and tiny artisans' workshops. The Qasr Metrople Hotel is in the Shmeisani district, one of the affluent areas in Amman. It is a medium sized, four-star hotel and each of its 66 air-conditioned rooms is equipped with flatscreen satellite tv, safety deposit box, coffee machine, hairdyer and free access to Wifi. There are fine views over the city from hotel’s rooftop restaurant and a bar in the lobby area.
Day 5 - Umm al-Jimal
Today we head into the eastern desert to explore the dramatic basalt city at Umm al-Jimal, even the doors are made of huge black slabs and some of them still operate! After lunch we travel on to the desert castles, Qasr Azraq, Amra and al-Kharanah, with far-reaching views over the surrounding landscape. Jordan’s desert castles were so called due to their imposing stature, but they served mainly as agriculture and trade centres, and caravan stations.

Hotel | Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman |
---|---|
Meals included | All meals included |
Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman
Jordan’s largest city is the capital and seat of government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Occupying the hills at the foot of the Ajlun Mountains, fortified settlements have existed here from antiquity and it was the capital of the Ammonites, people frequently referenced in the Bible. Today the city centre is comprised of ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, up-market shopping malls, art galleries and boutiques which rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops and tiny artisans' workshops. The Qasr Metrople Hotel is in the Shmeisani district, one of the affluent areas in Amman. It is a medium sized, four-star hotel and each of its 66 air-conditioned rooms is equipped with flatscreen satellite tv, safety deposit box, coffee machine, hairdyer and free access to Wifi. There are fine views over the city from hotel’s rooftop restaurant and a bar in the lobby area.
Day 6 - Umm al-Rasas -Kerak
We visit the church and spectacular mosaics at Umm al-Rasas. A Roman and Byzantine site, the mosaics of the churches have fine depictions of the principal cities of the region. Before lunch we have a brief stop at a viewpoint at Wadi Mujib. On next to the mighty crusader castle of Kerak, one of the largest in the Levantine region. Overlooking the Dead Sea, it was built in 1132 as the first line of defence for the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem. It’s position also gave control of important trade routes between Damascus, Egypt and Mecca, and of the Bedouin herders of the region.

Hotel | Petra Moon Hotel |
---|---|
Meals included | All meals included |
Petra Moon Hotel
Our aim when booking a hotel for our visit to Petra is get as close as we can to the site itself. Time spent there is precious and whilst we have two full days on site, we in intend to make the most of every minute. We will therefore be staying in Wadi Musa, the ramshackle, easy-going town that has built up around the entrance to the Archaeological Park. Wadi Musa or Valley of Moses, is so named as it is believed to be the location in which the prophet gleaned water from stone at Ain Musa (Moses Spring). The town’s economy relies solely on the visitors that flock here and it is a mish-mash of hotels, restaurants, cafes selling sheesha and souvenirs, hammans and convenience stores. Below the façade of tourist trappings, however, Wadi Musa has its own long heritage and has been inhabited probably as long as Petra itself. There is archaeological evidence of a Nabataean palace in Wadi Musa and a Roman bath system. Today the town is home to several tribes including the Hassanat, Nawafleh, Masa’adeh and Amarat and not far away is a Bedouin settlement. Our hotel is the Petra Moon, a medium sized hotel situated close to the entrance gate to the Archaeological Park. It’s soundproofed and air-conditioned rooms are equipped with flatscreen satellite TVs, tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryers, safety deposit box, mini fridge and bathrooms with shower/bath. There is an outdoor swimming pool and a rooftop garden.
Day 7 - Petra
Today is the first of two full days in Petra, and with the archaeological park spread across 200 square kilometres, we will easily fill out time spent here as there is much to explore. Located among mountains and rugged desert canyons, this ancient capital of the Nabatean Arabs is carved directly into a mixture of sandstone cliff face, its colours a mixture of red, white and pink hence it is also known as the “Rose City”. We walk into the site each day, both for the sense of discovery, and to experience the famous entrance to the ravine site, the Siq. As we wander along the colonnaded streets, we take in some of the ancient city’s most significant structures, such as the world-renowned “Treasury” (Al-Khazneh), a temple over 40 metres in height with a truly impressive ornate façade. The Nabateans, though essential nomadic, developed a sophisticated water technology, the remains of which we will also see here during our extensive visit. Led by our expert guide, there are optional climbs on both days to Nabatean ‘Monastery’ and ‘High Place’.

Hotel | Petra Moon Hotel |
---|---|
Meals included | All meals included |
Petra Moon Hotel
Our aim when booking a hotel for our visit to Petra is get as close as we can to the site itself. Time spent there is precious and whilst we have two full days on site, we in intend to make the most of every minute. We will therefore be staying in Wadi Musa, the ramshackle, easy-going town that has built up around the entrance to the Archaeological Park. Wadi Musa or Valley of Moses, is so named as it is believed to be the location in which the prophet gleaned water from stone at Ain Musa (Moses Spring). The town’s economy relies solely on the visitors that flock here and it is a mish-mash of hotels, restaurants, cafes selling sheesha and souvenirs, hammans and convenience stores. Below the façade of tourist trappings, however, Wadi Musa has its own long heritage and has been inhabited probably as long as Petra itself. There is archaeological evidence of a Nabataean palace in Wadi Musa and a Roman bath system. Today the town is home to several tribes including the Hassanat, Nawafleh, Masa’adeh and Amarat and not far away is a Bedouin settlement. Our hotel is the Petra Moon, a medium sized hotel situated close to the entrance gate to the Archaeological Park. It’s soundproofed and air-conditioned rooms are equipped with flatscreen satellite TVs, tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryers, safety deposit box, mini fridge and bathrooms with shower/bath. There is an outdoor swimming pool and a rooftop garden.
Day 8 - Petra
A further opportunity to explore the magnificence of Petra.

Hotel | Petra Moon Hotel |
---|---|
Meals included | All meals included |
Petra Moon Hotel
Our aim when booking a hotel for our visit to Petra is get as close as we can to the site itself. Time spent there is precious and whilst we have two full days on site, we in intend to make the most of every minute. We will therefore be staying in Wadi Musa, the ramshackle, easy-going town that has built up around the entrance to the Archaeological Park. Wadi Musa or Valley of Moses, is so named as it is believed to be the location in which the prophet gleaned water from stone at Ain Musa (Moses Spring). The town’s economy relies solely on the visitors that flock here and it is a mish-mash of hotels, restaurants, cafes selling sheesha and souvenirs, hammans and convenience stores. Below the façade of tourist trappings, however, Wadi Musa has its own long heritage and has been inhabited probably as long as Petra itself. There is archaeological evidence of a Nabataean palace in Wadi Musa and a Roman bath system. Today the town is home to several tribes including the Hassanat, Nawafleh, Masa’adeh and Amarat and not far away is a Bedouin settlement. Our hotel is the Petra Moon, a medium sized hotel situated close to the entrance gate to the Archaeological Park. It’s soundproofed and air-conditioned rooms are equipped with flatscreen satellite TVs, tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryers, safety deposit box, mini fridge and bathrooms with shower/bath. There is an outdoor swimming pool and a rooftop garden.
Day 9 - Little Petra - Wadi Rum
This morning we will visit the Neolithic site of Beidha, where 8th Millennium BC houses can still be seen, and the painted tomb at “Little Petra” (Siq al-Bahrid). Thought to have been an important suburb of Petra the site includes temples, tombs, water channels and cisterns carved out of rock. We drive to Wadi Rum, home of the largest Roman copper mine in the empire. Here we take 4x4s through spectatular scenery, made famous by the filming of “Lawrence of Arabia”. There are also several rock art sites to be explored here. Afterwards, we head back to Amman for a farewell dinner.

Hotel | Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman |
---|---|
Meals included | All meals included |
Al Qasr Metropole Hotel, Amman
Jordan’s largest city is the capital and seat of government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Occupying the hills at the foot of the Ajlun Mountains, fortified settlements have existed here from antiquity and it was the capital of the Ammonites, people frequently referenced in the Bible. Today the city centre is comprised of ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, up-market shopping malls, art galleries and boutiques which rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops and tiny artisans' workshops. The Qasr Metrople Hotel is in the Shmeisani district, one of the affluent areas in Amman. It is a medium sized, four-star hotel and each of its 66 air-conditioned rooms is equipped with flatscreen satellite tv, safety deposit box, coffee machine, hairdyer and free access to Wifi. There are fine views over the city from hotel’s rooftop restaurant and a bar in the lobby area.
Day 10 - Amman - London
We fly from Amman today, arriving back into London in the afternoon.

Meals included | Breakfast |
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Tour dates & prices
Included in your cost:
- Expert Guide Lecturer
- Professional Tour Manager
- Local travel aboard a private air-conditioned coach or 4WD vehicle as required by the itinerary
- Accommodation
- Meals as per the itinerary, tea or coffee with dinner
- Entries to all sites as per the itinerary
- All taxes & gratuities
- Field notes
Tour Departure | Tour ID | Departure date | Return Date | Guided by | Price | Deposit | Single supplement | Availability |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 October 2023 | AJOR231003 | 3 October 2023 (Tuesday) | 12 October 2023 (Thursday) | Nick Jackson | £4,295 (inc. flights) |
£750 | £785 | Book your trip |
19 February 2024 | AJOR240219 | 19 February 2024 (Monday) | 28 February 2024 (Wednesday) | Nick Jackson | £4,720 (inc. flights) |
£750 | £810 | Book your trip |
1 October 2024 | AJOR241001 | 1 October 2024 (Tuesday) | 10 October 2024 (Thursday) | Nick Jackson | £4,720 (inc. flights) |
£750 | £810 | Book your trip |
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