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Itinerary

Day-By-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Depart U.S. for Amman, Jordan

Day 2: Istanbul/Amman We arrive today in Istanbul, Turkey, where we have a day room at an airport hotel before this evening’s flight to Amman. Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel.

Day 3: Amman After this morning’s briefing about the journey ahead, we set out on a “behind the scenes” walking tour that acquaints us with this lively Middle Eastern capital. First we meet locals engaged in nature conservation at the Wild Jordan Centre then visit the Ottoman-style King Hussein Mosque rebuilt in 1924 on the site of an ancient temple. We continue through the busy streets and vegetable markets near the Nymphaeum fountain (ca. 191 AD); the 6,000-seat Roman Theatre (ca. 170 AD) still used today; and the Citadel, offering excellent city views. After lunch in the home of a gracious Amman family, we return to our hotel mid-afternoon. Tonight we enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. B,L,D

Day 4: Ajloun/Jerash Today we travel north through scenic pine forests and olive groves to the town of Ajloun, site of the well preserved Qalaat Errabadh (“Hilltop Castle”), built in 1184 for protection from the Crusaders, with grand views of the Jordan Valley. We continue on to the Roman ruins of Jerash, dubbed the “Pompeii of the East” for its splendid state of preservation. After lunch here we explore the colonnaded streets, theaters, churches, and temples that comprise the largest Roman site outside Italy. At Jerash’s newly restored Hippodrome, we see a performance of Circa Gerasa, a Roman spectacle with gladiators, chariot racing, and military showmanship. B,L

Day 5: Amman/Petra Traveling from Amman to Petra today, we stop en route in Madaba, “City of Mosaics,” known especially for the Byzantine-era mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. We see this ancient relic covering the floor of a church here then continue on to the important pilgrimage site of Mt. Nebo, where Moses is believed to have been buried overlooking the Jordan Valley. We visit Mt. Nebo’s 4th- and 6th-century Byzantine churches, and may be able to catch glimpses of Jerusalem rooftops in the far distance. From Mt. Nebo we proceed to the imposing Crusader fortress at Shobak, one of Jordan's most important early sites. Early this evening we reach the “Lost City” of Petra. B,L,D

Day 6: Petra A UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World,” the archaeological site of Petra fills even seasoned travelers with jaw-dropping wonder. We set out this morning to explore this “rose-red city half as old as time,” a collection of red-hued temples, tombs, civic buildings, an entire city carved into the sheer rock face of the Sharah Mountains by the Nabataeans more than 2,000 years ago. Having prospered from antiquity to the Byzantine era, Petra then was “lost” to all but desert dwellers until its rediscovery in 1812 by a Swiss traveler. Entering through the Siq, the long, narrow rock chamber that betrays no hint of the splendor inside, we spend the day exploring Petra: the dramatic Treasury (a key backdrop in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), the Monastery, 3,000-seat theater, colonnaded streets, rock-cut tombs, and shrines. B,L

Day 7: Petra We return to Petra to spend this morning among the ruins then visit the nearby Al Beida (Little Petra), an ancient suburb that resembles Petra itself. Dinner tonight presents a special opportunity to prepare a typical Jordanian meal alongside local women and a chef at Petra Kitchen. B,D

Day 8: Petra/Wadi Rum/Aqaba A two-hour drive south brings us to Wadi Rum, the dramatic landscape of pink and white sands, ancient valleys, and towering sandstone monoliths rising from the desert floor. Empty and silent, timeless and isolated, Wadi Rum was headquarters for T.E. Lawrence and Prince Faisal bin Hussein during the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire in 1917/18 – and where David Lean filmed parts of his 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia. We’ll take a jeep ride through this other-worldly moonscape then enjoy lunch together. We continue on to Aqaba. B,L

Day 9: Aqaba From desert red to ocean indigo: today we encounter the beauty of Jordan’s front-row seat on the Red Sea, where an off-shore coral reef offers a dazzling kaleidoscope of marine life. We have the opportunity to take an included snorkeling excursion (if we wish) to come face-to-face with the clownfish, Picasso triggerfish, parrotfish, and sea anemone, among the many residents of the reef. This afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the amenities of our beach resort. This evening we enjoy a sunset cruise followed by dinner at the hotel. B,D

Day 10: Aqaba/Dead Sea Believed to have been the site of five biblical cities, including Sodom and Gomorrah, the Dead Sea boasts a legacy of historical, spiritual, and geological import.  This salt lake lying between Israel to the west, Jordan to the east ranks as the world’s deepest hypersaline lake and ­second-saltiest body of water. We learn about this rare geographic phenomenon at the Dead Sea Panorama, a geological museum with magnificent views of the Dead Sea and the hills beyond. We reach our hotel early afternoon; we’re free to “float” in the therapeutic waters or enjoy the hotel’s spa facilities. B

Day 11: Dead Sea/Bethany Beyond the Jordan The Bible comes to life on today’s excursion to the Baptism Site at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the area along the Jordan River where John the Baptist lived and Jesus was baptized. Since 1996, archaeologists have unearthed 20 churches, caves, and baptismal pools dating from the Roman and Byzantine periods.  This afternoon is at leisure; tonight we gather for a farewell dinner at the hotel. B,D

Day 12: Depart for U.S. We depart this morning for the Amman airport, where we connect with our return flight to the U.S. B

Included

Tour Price Includes

• Round-trip air transportation from listed cities
• 10 nights’ accommodations in Deluxe and Superior First Class hotels
• 20 meals: 10 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
• Extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees
• Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director
• Private motorcoach transportation throughout your trip
• Luggage handling for one bag per person
• Gratuities for local guides, dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and all drivers
• $100 frequent traveler credit towards your next Odysseys Unlimited tour ($200 after three tours)

Dates and Prices

2010 Tour Dates & Prices

	Nov 7 Nov 21	Oct 1
New York	$3,195	$3,295
Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Miami Orlando, Tampa, Wash, DC	$3,495	$3,595
Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis	$3,595	$3,695
Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland (OR), San Francisco, Seattle	$3,695	$3,795

 

Please call if your city is not listed or for land only prices. Prices are per person based on double occupancy. Single travelers please add $1,195. Your $375 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days before departure. All 2010 tour prices above are guaranteed.

Business Class upgrade on round-trip international flight: $5,195 per person.

Airline taxes and departure fees of $426 per person are subject to change and will be listed separately on your invoice.

 

Pre-Tour Istanbul Option: $595 Nov; $695 all other dates.  Single Supplement: $295 all dates

Hotels

Hotels & Ratings

Day Itinerary Hotel Rating 1 Depart U.S. for Amman 2-4 Amman Le Meridien Sup. First Class 5-7 Petra Movenpick Petra Sup. First Class 8-9 Aqaba InterContinental Aqaba Deluxe 10-11 Dead Sea Marriott Dead Sea Deluxe 12 Depart Amman for U.S.

Ratings are based on the Hotel & Travel Index, the travel industry standard reference.