DESTINATIONS - Jordan

For thousands of years the ancient Kingdom of Jordan, officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, has played a pivotal role in succeeding civilizations. From the Roman Empire to the early Christian era, from Alexander the Great to Lawrence of Arabia, the Kingdom of Jordan, a veritable bridge between sea and desert, has evolved into a contemporary tourist mecca. The multitude of activities, such as desert and back country hiking, camel safaris, hot air balooning, biking, historical explorations and close interaction with the local populace, make Jordan an ideal destination for Elder Expeditions' active and adventure minded clientele who are looking to experience the spectrum from five star luxury and comfort to a pseudo Bedouin camp experience on the other hand.

Minimum participants: 2 | Maximum participants: 16

Languages: Arabic, English, Spanish

Day 1: (Arrival Day)
We will be picked up at Amman's Queen Alia International Airport and transported to a comfortable boutique hotel in the City of Amman. (No activities are planned for this day)

Day 2: Tour of Amman / Jarash
Those of us on our first visit to an Islamic country, should be prepared to hear, well before dawn, the first of the day's five calls to prayer. We, however, will have another two hours of sleep before our early breakfast which will be followed by a tour of the ancient and modern segments of the City of Amman. After a hearty traditional lunch in a private home where we we will have our first interaction with the locals, we will do a short mountain hike and then set off to explore the ancient Roman City of Jerash which boasts one of the largest collections of Roman ruins outside of Italy.
At the end of the day we will return to Amman for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Madaba/Bike Madaba to Mukawir
After breakfast, we will take a short tour of Madaba, identified as a Moabite town in the Old Testament account of Moses and the Exodus and then we are off to meet our biking guide, a top Jordanian cyclist. After checking out our assigned bikes, donning helmets and receiving a safety briefing, we will leave Madaba on a low-traffic, paved road, escorted by a support vehicle, for a 35 km (about 20 miles) trek to Mukawir, the site of the remains of the fortified hilltop palace of Herodus Antipas, where John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded and from where we will have a spectacular panoramic view of the Dead Sea.

En route we will stop for a picnic lunch.

Day 4: Dead Sea/Dana Reserve
Surprise: a free morning of Dead Sea luxury and self pampering as we experience the unique sensation of floating in the Dead Sea's salty waters and then luxuriating with a mud bath, using the sea's thick, rich mud, believed to have curative powers.
After a sumptuous lunch we will head out to the Dana nature reserve, an eco camp which overlooks the dramatic escarpment of the Jordan Rift Valley. The Dana Nature Reserve, the largest such reserve in Jordan, provides an opportunity to experience spectacular mountains and wadies (valleys) along the face of the Great Rift Valley. As we peer off into the west, toward Israel, we will see scorching sand dunes while, to the east, cool mountain tops will be visible.
Following dinner at camp we will have some free time in and around a Bedouin style tent camp where we will share an easy camaraderie with vith travelers from around the world.

Overnight will be in comfortable tents, fully equipped with mattresses, sheets, pillows and plenty of blankets that will keep us toasty warm despite the desert's falling nighttime temperatures.

Day 5: Wadi Ghweir
Today's 5 to 6 hour hike will cover 18 km (approximately 11 miles) along a river bed, where at times we may have to wade through clean and refreshing waist deep water. Our path will take us down into a spectacular red sandstone gorge, which gradually changes to limestone then to granite. During the last kilometer (about a half mile) of our hike the river's course becomes subterranean. It is this underground section of the river from which the location's name, the Wadi Ghweir, is drawn. As we make our way through this spectacular geologic setting that surrounds today's hiking venture, we will be constantly awed by the different and ever more imposing scenes that appear around each corner.

Another local Bedouin will be waiting at the end of the trail to accompany us to our overnight lodge which is surrounded by several nomadic Bedouin camps where family dwellings consist of tents made of goat's hair wool. As we make our way to our hotel, we will be surrounded by the goat herds which form the foundation of the Bedouin economy.

Day 6: Petra
After breakfast we will be heading to Petra, a gem of a city built 2300 years ago by the ancient Nabateans. Designated as a world Heritage Site in 2007, Petra, with its imposing rose-stone structuress is one of the most impressive attractions in the Middle East and is deemed one of the World's newest wonders. We will spend the day exploring the marvels of this ancient city to which a Victorian traveler and poet attributed the still relevant description:

"Match me such a marvel save in Eastern clime, a rose-red city half as old as time."

Dinner and overnight will be in a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing four star hotel filled with unforgettable local character.

Day 7: Petra back trail
Today starts with a 3 to 4 hour hike along the remote back trail into Petra. Bypassing the throng of tourists we will hike pass Bedouin tent encampments, across boulders and through fascinating desert vistas. Accompanied by a local Bedouin who knows the region well, we are assured that we will safely navigate through the area even where the trail is not marked. Once in Petra, we will take a well deserved short rest before confronting our next challenge: an hour climb up the ancient (but restored and structuraly sound) steps to the imposing monastery built in the second century AD. For those not wanting to brave the steps on foots, donkeys are available. For a small fee payable to the handler, you will be carried to the monastery in some measure of comfort.

Day 8 and 9: Wadi Rum
Following our free morning in Petra and lunch, we will be transferred by motor vehicle to the world famous Wadi Rum, a protected region known worldwide for its scenic beauty and its colorful and massive sandstone desert mountains. Our first activity will be a 20 km (just over 12 miles) bike ride across vast flat hard ground of a dried up desert river bed.

• Witnessing the magic of a desert sunset (weather permiting);
• An authentic "Zarb" feast," a traditional Bedouin dish of meat and vegetables cooked underneath the desert's sand;
• A two to three hour hike through the desert where we will climb to a natural rock bridge, make our way across a boulder strewn gorge, and stop for a view of the petroglyphs that once served as directional markers to the traders of old as they ventured across the western fringes of the ancient silk road from the Far East;
• A two to three hour camel ride across a vast and tranquil expanse of the Sahara Desert;
• A desert picnic;
• "Playing, and romping" on the majestic sand dunes as we scamper (sometimes on all fours) to the lofty heights;
• Getting to know fellow campers from various parts of the world;
• Overnighting in a Bedouin tent (furnished with a cot and warm blankets to ward off the desert nightime chill);

OPTIONAL WADI RUM ACTIVITY: A special opportunity will be available (weather permitting) during our two day stay in Wadi Rum: a hot air desert balloon ride. Anyone interested in this optional experience must sign up with the the accompanying guide not later than Day 6 of the tour. The cost for this optional activity is $185.00 and is in addition to the cost of the tour package.

Day 10: Agaba
After breakfast we will be heading to Aqaba where we will gaze from our five star hotel across the narrow Gulf of Aqaba to the shores of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

Diving, as well as some of the other water activities are optional and require an additional payment. Those wishing to engage in diving must make arrangements with the local host a few days ahead of time.

Day 11: Agaba
We will have a free and relaxed morning in Aqaba before starting out for the overland trip back to Amman. There will be a shopping stop for those who feel so inclined.
Dinner and overnight at an Amman hotel.

Day 12: Departure
We will be transported to the Amman airport where we will bid our Jordanian hosts a final farewell.

Trip Extenstions
If you wish to extend your trip, for example, a visit to nearby Israel, either before or after your Jordan adventure, ELDER EXPEDITIONS is available to assist you in formulating your plans.

2012 and 2013 DATES
September 4, 2012 - September 15, 2012
April 7, 2013 - April 13, 2013

The stated price includes all transportation from the meeting point at the Amman Airport on Day 1 to the return to the Amman Airport on Day 12, all lodging, all meals except for lunch on Day 1 and Day 11, all activity and safety equipment.

The stated price does not include gratruities, beverages or items of a purely personal nature.

A fifty percent deposit is due at the time of booking. The remaining balance (including single supplements, if applicable) is payable thirty days prior to Day 1 of this expedition. Price discounts resulting from additional trip registrants are applied at the time of final payments.

LODGING

Unless otherwise stated in the day to day itinerary above, our lodging will be in various hotels ranging from three to five star.

NOTE: Jordanian law allows alcohol to be consumed in hotels, restaurants and clubs. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY NOT BE CONSUMED ON THE STREET.

Local Hosts/Guides
An English speaking local host / guide will accompany the group throughout. In addition, we will have the benefit of local specific activity guides in the different areas where we will be visiting. For example, our hiking guide in Ajloun will be from the local community. We will have a Bedouin guide in Wadi Rum.

Sufficient instruction will be provided for participants who are beginners or who have limited experience with respect to any of the listed activities. All that is required is a spirit of fun and adventure as well as an open mind and a willingness to try something new.

Elder Expeditions recommends that all participants engage in a physical conditioning and fitness program as part of trip preparation. Our fitness partner, Fit for Trips®, provides custom designed fitness programs designed especially for the activities of each of our ELDER EXPEDITIONS vacations.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

Participants who are nationals of countries other than Jordan are advised to check with the Jordanian embassy (or a Jordanian consular office) in their home countries to determine the applicable passport / visa requirements.
As of the time of publication, U.S. nationals planning to enter Jordan and remain in Jordan for up to ninety days are required to have a tourist visa. You may obtain a Jordan tourist visa on line by following the instructions at:

No inoculations/vaccinations are required to enterJordan, unless you are coming from a country where Yellow Fever is present; in this case you may be required to show a current vaccination. All participants are advised to have a current tetanus shot. Elder Expeditions recommends that you consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/travel/ or your personal physician to consider whether you wish to get shots for typhoid, hepatitis, and other diseases.