Glimpse of Jordan & Israel

Marhaba and welcome to Jordan. On arrival you are personally greeted by A&K and transferred to your hotel, located in one of the city’s smartest districts. Amman, the capital of Jordan, is a fascinating city of contrasts — a unique blend of old and new, ideally situated on a hilly area between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley.

Four Seasons Amman

Journey north to the ancient city of Jerash, acknowledged to be one of the best-preserved Roman provincial towns in the world, hidden for centuries in the sand before being excavated and restored some 70 years ago. Explore the iconic temple of Artemis at the highest point of the city, the long colonnaded street, with its original stone paving, and the monumental Hadrian’s Arch built to celebrate a visit by the emperor himself.

Later return to the modern, bustling capital. Venture up to the citadel, situated on one of the seven hills that originally made-up Amman, and then spend time wandering through the National Archaeological Museum, home to a collection of artifacts which date from prehistoric times to the 15th century. Take a seat in the magnificently restored 6,000 seat Roman Amphitheatre built during the reign of Antonius Pius in 138-161 CE. Lastly today, stroll through Darat al Funun arts centre, housed in a series of restored sandstone residences and warehouses, which provides a collaborative platform for contemporary Arab artists.

Four Seasons Amman | Meals: BL

Travel south along the King’s Highway, an ancient trade route and important access point for many historic sites. Explore the Christian town of Madaba famous for its beautiful mosaics. Admire the vast mosaic map embedded on the floor of the Church of St. George depicting the Holy Land with Jerusalem at its heart. Continue to Mt. Nebo to admire the spectacular views of the Jordan Valley. It is from this vantage point that Moses is said to have gazed down on the Promised Land. Stop at the 12th century Crusader castle of Kerak before arriving at Petra, the country’s most famous archaeological site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

This evening head to the gates of Petra for a magical candlelight visit to the site. To see Petra by Night by the light of 1,800 candles is truly an out-of-this-world experience! Walk through the Siq to the Khazneh following a candle-lit path and enjoy the haunting music of the Bedouin at the Treasury.

Mövenpick Resort Petra | Meals: BL

Explore on foot the many wonders of the ‘Rose-Red City’, one of the most famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, established as the capital of the ancient Nabataeans as an important stop on the caravan route between Asia, Arabia and Europe. Discover tombs, temples and exquisite monuments hewn from solid brick-red sandstone mountain rock. Whilst the entirety of the Petra site is extraordinary, the most well-known sites include the Treasury, accessed through the narrow ‘siq’ — a naturally occurring geological rift between mountains, the Roman Theatre, the Corinthian and Palace Tombs and the Roman Road. Later climb the 1,200 steps to one of the ancient city’s most awe-inspiring monuments, the Monastery. With a massive facade almost fifty metres square, carved from a chunk of mountain, the summit offers spectacular views.

Afterwards, enjoy a Chef’s Table experience that will take you on a journey of the palate to learn the fine art of Jordanian cooking. Led by your masterful chef, you’ll plan and cook an authentic three-course meal, learning time-honoured skills you can take home forever. Listen in as your teacher reveals culinary traditions, paying special heed to the history of Jordanian spice, from cardamom and cloves, to cumin, ginger, cinnamon, pepper and chilli. The mouth-watering Chicken Maqloubeh is a showstopper for the celebrated tradition of flipping the pot and serving the dish upside down. Afterwards, feast on your fare as you look out over the Petra Hills.

Mövenpick Resort Petra | Meals: BLD

Your morning is at leisure or alternatively, you may like to venture back into Petra for a chance to continue exploring. Perhaps climb up to the High Place of Sacrifice to see The Treasury from above.

Leaving town early afternoon, drive to Little Petra, a miniature version of the great site containing a number of notable tombs as well as some excellent viewing points. Like Petra, it is believed the site here dates back to the first century and may have been a suburb of the larger city where the merchants lived. Continue south to Wadi Rum, setting for the epic 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia and more recently The Martian.

Discover impressive red desert landscapes, huge rock formations, narrow canyons and Bedouin tents on a 4x4 excursion before enjoying a sundowner.

Discovery Bedu Camp | Meals: BD

This morning experience the desert landscape of Wadi Rum in an unforgettable way on camelback as explorers and Bedouin have done for centuries.

Afterwards, head north once more across an arid landscape with strangely shaped mountains to the lowest land-based point on earth, the Dead Sea. At more than 430m below sea level, it is known for its highly salty waters. Spend time in arguably the most luxurious resort on the Dead Sea.

Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea | Meals: B

A day at leisure to enjoy the resort’s lavish facilities and soak up the mineral rich waters whose medicinal qualities have drawn visitors to the area for millennia. Swimming here, with its odd sensation of weightlessness, is a memorable experience. The high levels of salt in the water are nearly 10 times that of the ocean and keep the body afloat, whilst the variety of minerals, including magnesium, sodium, potassium and bromine, promotes health and wellbeing.

Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea | Meals: B

Cross from Jordan into Israel at Allenby bridge and travel south along the Dead Sea to Masada, built by King Herod in 31 BC atop a rocky plateau with views of the Dead Sea. Take a cable car up to this final stronghold, where Jewish Zealots made their last stand against the Romans, ultimately taking their own lives rather than becoming enslaved.

After visiting Masada, stop at Qumran Caves on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea in the Judaean Desert where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in 1947.

Continue on to Jerusalem, an incredibly historic city with a fascinating mix of cultures and flavours. Overflowing with history, it’s a city of the ages, but it is also a living city, a microcosm of the region’s diversity and is home to Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians.

The King David | Meals: B

Your day in this remarkable city, sacred to so many, starts at the Mount of Olives where you’ll admire the stunning views below. Venture into the Garden of Gethsemane, with its ancient olive trees, where Jesus prayed on the night of his betrayal and arrest, then into the Old City to follow the Stations of the Cross of the Via Dolorosa, the route that Jesus took between his condemnation by Pilate and his crucifixion and burial. The old walled city is UNESCO World Heritage listed and is home to several important religious sites which you’ll also explore — the Temple Mount and Western Wall for Jews, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Christians and the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque for Muslims. Make time during the day to wander through the markets of the Christian and Muslim Quarters.

The King David | Meals: B

Start the day with a visit to Yad Vashem — the Jewish people’s memorial to the six million lives lost in the Holocaust. Spend time in the museum and walk along the Avenue of the Righteous, dedicated to the people who risked their lives rescuing the Jews during the Holocaust.

There is also time to explore the Israel Museum whose collection of nearly 500,000 objects includes art, Judaica and ancient artifacts from Israel and beyond. Later travel to the West Bank city of Bethlehem and the UNESCO World Heritage Church of the Nativity celebrated as the birthplace of Jesus and one of the holiest sites in Christianity. It was originally built by the Emperor Constantine in the 4th century and spared destruction by the Persians out of respect for a mosaic of the Magi shown wearing Persian attire.

The King David | Meals: B

This morning you are transferred to Tel Aviv Airport for your departure flight.

Meals: B