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 About the website Newsletter Archives Press Clippings Client Log-in Passport information (from U.S. State Dept) Trip Evaluation (Hiking) Trip Evaluation (Heritage) |
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 NEW TRIP! October 14-21, 2009 Plan your arrival in Amman for October 13, 2009 at the latest Plan your departure from Amman for October 22, 2009  Join us on this journey to discover the cultural and natural heritage of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Included are visits to the ruins of a Roman city, fortresses dating from the period of the Crusades, the desert forts east of Amman including the Qasr Amra, a World Heritage Site. Jordan's cultural treasury culminates at the incomparable site of Petra where you'll enjoy a three-night stay. Visits to the Dana Nature Reserve and the vast expanses of the Wadi Rum will give you a taste of splendor of "wild Jordan." Ride a camel and sleep under the stars at a bedouin camp in the desert. Conclude with a dip in the Red Sea where coral reefs await!
(Photos on this page by K. Ivanov) |
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Day 1 Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Overnight in Amman Travel northward from Amman to visit the ruins of the Roman city of Jerash known in Antiquity as Gerasa. Jerash enjoyed a period of great prosperity in the second century AD. Noteworthy features at the site include the colonnaded "Cardo Maximus," the principal north-south street of the ancient city and the striking Forum also known as the Oval Plaza. Following the visit of Jerash, continue to the Ajlun Castle (transliterated from the Arabic as Qal'at Ajlun) built by a nephew of Saladin in the late twelfth century as a defense against the Crusaders who maintained fortresses at Kerak to the south and Bisan to the west. Following the visit to Ajlun, return to Amman where you'll spend the evening. |
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5 Mount Nebo. |
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2 Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Overnight at the Dead Sea Today, travel east from Amman into the desert to visit two of several "desert castles" most of which were built in the seventh and eighth centuries. Located along trade routes, these structures were built for defensive and commercial purposes. Qasr Kharana is perhaps the most visually striking of these castles. Qasr Amra (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) was likely used as a retreat by the leaders of the Umayyad caliphate; its interior walls are decorated with frescoes. Later, travel to Madaba to enjoy the mosaics of the Saint George Church. On nearby Mount Nebo, enjoy a panoramic view of the Holy Land. On a clear day, Jerusalem is sometimes visible. (It is said that Mount Nebo is where God allowed Moses a glimpse of the Promised Land.) Overnight in comfortable accommodations on the shores of the Dead Sea, 1,350 feet below sea level. |
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3 Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Overnight in Dana Biosphere Reserve Travel from the Dead Sea across the Wadi Mujib, Jordan's "Grand Canyon" continuing south to the town of Kerak known for its imposing twelth-century Crusader fortress. After touring the castle and having lunch continue to the Dana Biosphere Reserve managed by Jordan's Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. The Dana reserve is the Society's "flagship" reserve and the largest in Jordan. It boasts a spectacular landscape of mountains and wadis (valleys) that are part of Jordan's Great Rift Valley. Dana village serves as a base and is scenically situated on a plateau overlooking the Dana canyonlands. |
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 5 A view of the Treasury from al-Siq. |
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4 Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Overnight in Petra (Wadi Musa) Enjoy a morning walk in the Dana reserve. Transfer by vehicle to Wadi Musa ("Valley of Moses") at the entrance to Petra, Jordan's premier cultural site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Begin your exploration of Petra this afternoon with a walk through al-Siq ("the shaft") to Petra's landmark Khazneh, or "Treasury." Settle into a comfortable hotel near the entrance to Petra, and enjoy a three-night stay. |
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 5 The "Urn Tomb" at Petra. |
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5 Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Overnight in Petra (Wadi Musa) A full day to continue your exploration of Petra. |
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6 Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Overnight in Petra (Wadi Musa) Enjoy a second full day to explore Petra. |
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 5 Wadi Rum transportation. |
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7 Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Overnight in Wadi Rum Travel to the stunning desert landscapes of Wadi Rum. Enjoy a four-wheel drive tour through the desert and overnight in a bedouin-style camp under the stars. |
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 5 The coral reefs at Aqaba offer you a splendid counterpoint to Jordan's desert landsacpes! |
Day 8 Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Overnight in Aqaba Depart your camp in Wadi Rum by camel bound for the Rum village. From there, travel by vehicle to Aqaba on the Gulf of Aqaba, an arm of the Red Sea. Optional boat trip or a snorkeling tour. Enjoy a farewell dinner this evening and celebrate the conclusion of your Jordan adventure! Departure from Aqaba is tomorrow morning. Your accommodations this evening and breakfast tomorrow morning are included. |
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Other Details about this Trip Dates: October 14-21, 2009 Price: TBA Single room for entire trip: TBA Lodging: Seven nights in hotels and two nights in simple guesthouses or supported backcountry camps. Note: Your hotel in Amman on the evening of October 13 is included. Meals: Nine breakfasts, eight lunches, and eight dinners included Trip Begins at hotel in Amman, Jordan Trip Ends at hotel in Aqaba, Jordan |
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Softly Adventures, Inc., PO Box 86250, Portland, OR 97286 |
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Watch this video produced by the
Jordan Tourist Board and get ready for your adventure in Jordan!
