Beginning in Amman, Jordan's capital and one of the oldest continuously inhabited urban centers in the world, we admire the city's curious blend of old and new in a place where modern buildings and towers share the skyline with ancient temples and amphitheaters. Traveling to Jerash, we find one of the most important and best-preserved Roman sites in the world and our trip into the Jordanian Desert yields unique photo opportunities as we investigate desert palaces built by the Omayyed Caliphs in the 8th century AD and then it's on to one of the highlights of our tour at Petra, 'the red rose city half as old as time', which is considered among the most impressive archaeological sites in the Middle East.
Here, we investigate elegant columns, mystifying temples and elaborate royal tombs carved into multi-colored wall-faces and have the opportunity to ascend mountain slopes for spectacular panoramic views of the city. We visit settlements dating from the Neolithic era, some 8,500 years in the past, travel along the Desert Highway to relax on the white-sand beaches of the Red Sea, take an excursion to Wadi Rum, where Lawrence of Arabia conducted many of his campaigns during the First World War, and stop in at numerous Crusader fortresses on the King's Highway.
The next leg of this 21-day adventure kicks off in Damascus, Syria, one of the highlights of the tour and, indeed, of any trip to the Middle East. Roman temple ruins, some of the oldest mosques in the world, the great Muslim leader Saladin's tomb and abundant museums detailing over 9,000 years of history are but a few of the outstanding sites of interest that 'the pearl of the East' has on offer, making it a destination that itself warrants a visit to the region. We travel into the Syrian Desert to see Bedouin villages, necropolises and ancient temples in desert oases and as we head toward the Crac des Chavaliers, considered by Lawrence of Arabia to be the most perfect castle in the world, we take in fruit orchards, Byzantine churches and the sights and sounds of the Phoenician trading city where the world's oldest known alphabet was discovered.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Breakfast and dinner are included daily (note that hotels in Syria require 'half-board', meaning that in that country we have most of our evening meals in our hotel)
- All transport, accommodation, sightseeing and entrance fees for sites noted as 'visited' in the detailed itinerary
- Gratuities for drivers, restaurant staff, porters, local guides
- Airport transfers for land / air customers arriving / departing on tour dates.
Price Excludes:
- Tour Leader gratuities, lunches, drinks, personal items (phone, laundry, etc), international (if applicable) air taxes, visa fees, and any excursions referenced as 'optional'
- Airport transfers for early / late arrivals / departures or Land Only customers
- Optional trip cancellation insurance
- Our post-reservation trip notes offer further guidance on shopping, not included meals, and visas.
Also see tour packages in:
Middle East
Jordan
Syria
Cultural Journey
Archeology/History
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