Journey to the Lost City Family Holiday - 8 days from £1089
For centuries the deserts of Arabia have held a special fascination for Western travellers. After visiting the ancient Roman city of Jerash, which has survived an incredible 2,300 years, you take to 4WD vehicles to explore the towering sandstone landscapes of Wadi Rum. You’ll camp, Bedouin-style, under vast, star-filled skies. Turning north you'll visit Petra, the superb 'pink city' of the Nabateans which was hewn by hand from solid rock. Next is one of Jordan’s great natural treasures, Dana Nature Reserve. This little-known reserve aims to protect endangered wildlife such as ibex, gazelle and red fox among its incredible system of wadis and mountains. After exploring Kerak - a key staging post for the Crusaders - you descend to the lowest point on Earth, the incredible Dead Sea, where you'll swim in its salty and amazingly buoyant waters - an amazing end to an amazing trip.
- Rock-cut temple city of Petra
- Desert camp in Wadi Rum
- Float in the Dead Sea
| Departure Date | Return Date | Flight inclusive price* | |
| Adult | Child | ||
| April 12, 2009 | April 19, 2009 | £1199 | £1059 |
*Direct flights with Royal Jordanian from London Heathrow. Flight schedules and preferred airlines can change.
To book any of these late availablity tours please call Imaginative Traveller on 0845 077 8802 or +44 (0)1473 667337
Alternatively you can email online@imtrav.net
| Itinerary |
Day 1: Depart London
Following your flight, you transfer to your first night’s accommodation and check in. Amman is a modern city with an ancient history - the Philadelphia of Roman times, she spreads over seven hills and is the starting point for your exploration of this desert kingdom. Hotel - 2 nights
Day 2: Jerash & Amman
This morning you head 50km north to Jerash. With a history stretching back at least 2300 years, Jerash is one of the finest examples of a provincial Roman town anywhere in the world. Although it was inhabited in pre-Roman times, it was with the coming of Alexander the Great that things really took off! As one of the league of ten cities known as the Decapolis, Jerash (otherwise known as Gerasa) grew in importance until, in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, it was home to more than 25,000 people. The extraordinarily complete remains, which include a forum, a nymphaeum, hippodrome, two theatres (complete with numbered seats!) and several temples, date mainly from this period. Along the famous Colonnaded Street, grooves in the paving stones show where chariot wheels once rolled - kids will love playing gladiators! Elsewhere, remnants of exquisite mosaics still cover some floors.
You have ample time to wander the site and imagine life in ancient times, before returning to Amman with time to relax, or the opportunity to visit some of the city sights, including the Citadel. (B)
Day 3: Wadi Rum
This morning you head south on the five-hour drive to Wadi Rum, taking the Desert Highway. En route you drive to Madaba, famous for its 6th century mosaics set in the ground like giant jigsaws. Just beyond is another biblical site, Mount Nebo, which overlooks the Jordan Valley. The Bible tells us this is the final resting-place of Moses; from here he looked out onto the Promised Land and, thousands of years on, you can do the same.
On your journeys today you may see the black ‘beit ash shar’ tents of the hardy Bedouin who still wander throughout the Middle East as they have for centuries. Moving between the few grazing spots which dot the parched landscape, they survive by breeding goats, sheep and camels. Although the traditional nomadic way of life is starting to disappear as some Bedouin succumb to the lure of fixed accommodation, many adhere stolidly to the old way - albeit with the occasional addition of a 4WD vehicle for transport! Living in such a hostile environment has taught them the importance of a friendly welcome and the ancient code of hospitality to travellers still survives today.
Upon arrival in Wadi Rum, you’ll set-off on a 4WD desert discovery. You’ll stop to enter a narrow siq where many inscriptions can be seen. Passing Thamud nomads from Saudi Arabia and the Nabatean people have both left their mark on the surrounding rocks. Nature provides a number of rock bridges that offer some stunning views.
Your camp is close to the southern entrance of the wadi, and in true desert fashion, you can sleep in a traditional Bedouin tent or under the stars. As the sun sets on the rocky outcrops - the sandstone changes hue, passing through a spectrum of yellow, gold, orange, red and finally purple, as the shadows lengthen and the stars come out. Children (and adults!) will love camping in the desert - the skies are clear and stars stand out brightly. The Milky Way, satellites and shooting stars can be clearly seen - a great way for kids to learn a little about the solar system. Bedouin-style camp (communal sleeping arrangement) - 1 night (BD)
NB: Two & three person ridge tents are also usually available for those that prefer.
Day 4: Wadi Rum - Drive To Petra
This morning, there’ll be time to explore the wadi, which offers some of the most extraordinary desert scenery – maybe by camel (optional). From a distance, Wadi Rum's sheer sandstone cliffs appear to hover like a shimmering mirage on the horizon. It's only from close quarters that you can fully appreciate just how large some are, rising to a height of 1800 metres. It's hard to describe the majesty of this setting without sounding too effusive, suffice to say that the beauty that captivated Lawrence of Arabia is just as evident today. To the Howeitat Bedouin, who have taken it as their own, the area is known as the Valley of the Moon. These people are reputedly the remainder of Lawrence's Arab army who marched with him from Azraq in the north, then stayed behind once battle was done.
Later this afternoon you make the two-hour journey by bus through spectacular mountain scenery to the town of Wadi Musa; situated on the edge of the Araba Valley - the biblical land of Edom. Wadi Musa gives its name to the modern town that stands close to the well-concealed city of Petra - perhaps the world's most famous 'lost city'. You spend the evening in Wadi Musa, before setting off the following day to explore the site in full. Hotel - 2 nights (Swimming pool available in adjacent hotel) (BD)
Day 5: Explore Petra
Petra's exact location was unknown in the West until 1812, when the Swiss explorer J.L. Burckhardt, a convert to Islam, made a short detour to sacrifice a goat at the nearby meli (tomb) of the prophet Harun. As he picked his way towards the foot of the mountain, he stumbled across the siq, the narrow defile that leads to Petra - and the rest is history. Since that day many others have made their way along the same path and, as Burckhardt must have done, gazed in awe at the splendid monuments that adorn this remote valley.
This morning you'll make your way to the fabled site, following the same path as Burckhardt, which funnels you through the banded rock walls that tower above. At the end of the kilometre-long path, you are rewarded by a glimpse of the most beautiful building of all - the Khazneh or Treasury - so-called because the Bedouin believed that the urn crowning the edifice held a cache of gold and jewels. The first sight of this perfectly proportioned tomb, carved from the towering rock, is truly unforgettable, but there's much more to come!
Some 2,400 years ago the Nabateans taxed the trade caravans that plied between Arabia and the eastern Mediterranean and, using the proceeds, built the first houses and temples here. Later these taxes proved even more rewarding, and today the Nabatean legacy includes houses, tombs, temples, a (Roman-built) amphitheatre and much more.
Although it is a tiring walk for kids, it is well worth making the hour or so ascent up the rocky path, which leads to the Monastery, a vast structure rivalling even the Treasury. Time should also allow you to climb to one of the High Places, the mountain-top alters where ritual sacrifices were made; from here there are spectacular views of the mountains, valleys and canyons below. (BD)
Day 6: Dana Nature Reserve
After a drive of around an hour and a half along the King's Highway you turn off and make your way down to the recently developed nature reserve around Dana village. The reserve aims to protect some of Jordan's endangered species, including ibex, mountain gazelle, wolf and red fox. As well as conserving wildlife, Dana has also managed to preserve the timeless traditions still practised in the village.
You'll spend time exploring this fascinating reserve, taking a guided walk along old paths through the mountains. Wadi Dana drops from 1,500m above sea level to 100m below sea level as it plunges from the eastern plateau of the Great Rift Valley down to the Dead Sea. It is possible to gauge the remarkable variety of habitats ranging from semi-arid forests to sub-tropical wadis as you walk. At sunset you’ll be able to enjoy breathtaking views from the terrace. Resthouse (multi-share accommodation) - 1 night (BLD)
Day 7: Dead Sea
Leaving Dana you wend your way along the King's Highway for about two hours, a winding road which follows the contours of the rocky hills, occasionally passing nomadic shepherds as they tend their flocks in the few areas where there is water, to the small town of Kerak. Here a formidable Crusader castle overlooks a long, winding road down to the Dead Sea. The Crusaders had a huge impact on the region in the 11th - 13th centuries, and fought the forces of Islam in a long campaign, which saw many atrocities committed. Their temporary successes can be attributed - at least in part - to an outstanding ability to construct impregnable defensive fortifications, of which Kerak Castle is a prime example. Amazingly - given that it is over 850 years old - a great deal of the structure remains intact, and you can explore the dungeons, passages, refectory and kitchens of the castle, which also houses a small museum.
After visiting Kerak you turn west and descend lower and lower until eventually you arrive on the shores of the Dead Sea - at 400 metres below sea level it's the lowest place on earth. Here the mineral content of the water is so dense that anybody attempting to swim finds that they float, rather than sink! It's a remarkable feeling and one you'll be able to experience for yourself as you relax this afternoon.
This evening you can meet up with the rest of the group for a final meal together, and reflect on your adventures in this fascinating country! Hotel – 1 night (Swimming Pool) (BD)
Day 8: Trip Ends; Fly To London
Transfer to Amman by road; clients travelling on our group flights fly to London. (B)
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