From Petra to Palmyra

A Grand 14-day Adventure of the Near East
The Dead Sea Version

This two weeks tour takes you ancient cities and Crusader castles in the
Bible lands of Jordan and Syria that few have visited

DAY 1 - AMMAN -Dead Sea - Monday - Weekly - Year Round.
Arrive in Jordan, landing at Amman where our Jordan-based staff welcomes you, helps with arrival formalities, and escorts you to your hotel on the Dead Sea ,the lowest spot on Earth , maybe you'll experience floating in the waters of the Dead Sea during your stay .
Deluxe : Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea Hotel or the Movenpick Dead Sea.
Prefer to add air fare from USA? please click here. Please click here for the Ultra Deluxe version.

DAY 2 - Amman- Jerash - Pella - Um Qais ( Cedara or Gadara) - Dead Sea - Tuesday (BL)
Today we head east for a a morning tour of Amman. Visit the Roman Theater, the Citadel, the Archaeology and Folklore Museums, old and modern Amman and one of the many art galleries in this enchanting capital city.

Continue northwards to Pella ( "Tabaqat Fahl "in Arabic) in the Jordan Valley , about 78 km north of Amman, Pella is one of the most ancient sites in Jordan , the famous spring in Pella never runs dry. The are seems to have been continuously inhabited since Neolithic times ; and some recent finds even date to Paleolithic times, around 100,000 years ago , on to Visit Um Qais, Gedara of the Bible (Matthew 8:28-34) for a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee, the Yarmouk River and the Golan Heights. We travel southeast to Jerash, among the best-preserved cities of the Romans, and walk among its colonnaded temples and theaters, enjoy lunch at a charming local restaurant , before heading back to your hotel on the Dead Sea .

DAY 3 -Dead Sea - Wednesday (B)
After breakfast, you 'll have the day to yourself , enjoy the resort's facilities and SPA . Full day at leisure .

DAY 4 - MADABA - MOUNT NEBO - Thursday (BL)
We head southward from Amman today along the ancient King's Way. At Madaba we visit the church that holds the oldest known map of the Holy Land. At Mount Nebo, we behold the panoramic view of the Promised Land as Moses saw it just before he died. His grave could well be right on the mountain. Further on, at Kerak, we walk among the ruins of the Crusader castle of Renaud de Chatillon, one of a line of fortifications which stretched from Aqaba to Turkey. Lunch is included enroute . At the end of the day, we reach fabled Petra.

DAY 5 - PETRA Friday (BD)
We spend the entire day exploring Petra, the stunning desert city hewn by the Nabateans from solid cliffs of pink and violet sandstone. Petra was known in the bible as Sela, and rediscovered only in 1812. You'll feel like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark as you penetrate the city through a narrow sandstone gorge, the Siq. We'll see the Temple of the Winged Lion, the breathtaking colonnaded Khazneh tomb, the El Deir Tomb overlooking the Arava Valley, and the imposing Treasury. You can even explore on horseback if you like. In the evening we will call on you for a unique experience :
Dine as a local : The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza ( appetizers ) and salads, and a main course—all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.

The Petra Kitchen offers an evening of learning, fun and a very special dining experience, with each dish gaining the special flavor of a reward well-earned. Great care has been taken to make The Petra Kitchen a truly Jordanian experience—right down to the furnishings, all crafted in Jordan, the tableware, all produced by the Iraq al Amir Women’s Co-operative, and the aprons and table linens, all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation.

Tour experience tonight includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.

DAY 6 - WADI RUM - AMMAN - Saturday (BLD)
Today it's real desert adventure as we board four-wheel-drive vehicles for an expedition to Wadi Rum, the "Valley of the Moon," where Lawrence of Arabia organized the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans during World War I. As you pass Bedouin encampments, you'll believe that nothing has changed in the intervening years. Lunch is included enroute. In the evening visit Kan Zaman Village for dinner, a Folklore show and a preview of the many handicraft ateliers.

DAY 7 - BOSRA - DAMASCUS- Sunday (BL)
We travel overland today to cross the border into Syria to visit Bosra, a Roman City with a 15,000- seat amphitheater, before continuing to our next destination: Damascus. Lunch is included enroute. Your visa for Syria will be waiting for you at the border crossing . This is limited to specific nationalities such as USA , Australia, NZ, EU, Japanese, Singaporean passport holders etc.
The Syrian guide will be waiting for us at the border crossing and escort us north to Damascus.

DAY 8 - DAMASCUS- Monday (BL)
Our tour of Damascus includes the National Museum, the Old Bazaar, Omayyad Mosque, Azem Palace, Via Recta, the House of Anania, the Eastern Gate (Bab ash-Sharqi) in the walls of the Roman City, and St. Paul's Window. If there's time left over, the merchants of the city will be pleased to welcome you with a cup of tea, and to negotiate a purchase, if you're interested. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant.

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
We are proud to be the only ones that are able to afford you such window on the true warm and hospitable Syrian people , come and meet the locals, you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family ( T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town):
This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Syria l! You'll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. As some have inquired after they returned , feel free to ask about the recipes for the local dishes you will enjoy tonight , please let us know in advance of you prefer vegetarian meals.

Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 9 - PALMYRA- Tuesday (BL)
We leave Damascus today and visit Palmyra. The many sites of this ancient city include the museum, the temples of Bel, Baal Shamin and Nebo, the Roman baths, the Tetrapylon, Diocletian's Camp, and the Valley of the Tombs. It'll take us all day to see it all, so we spend the night here. Lunch is included enroute .

DAY 10 - KERAK, HAMA - ALEPPO - Wednesday (BL)
Today we reach Kerak, the Krak des Chevaliers ( Qalet El-Hosn) , the most spectacular of the castles erected by the Crusaders in Holy Land. After an appreciation of this military outpost, we'll continue to Hama, known for its giant water wheels. By nightfall, we arrive in Aleppo. Lunch is included enroute .

DAY 11 - ALEPPO- Thursday (BL)
We see the sights of Aleppo today, including the museum, the Grand Mosque, the Citadel, and the old bazaar stretching fully eight kilometers in length. We'll also have a chance to see traditional caravansaries. In the afternoon, we visit St. Simeon's Cathedral, named for St. Simeon Stylites, a 5th-century Byzantine ascetic who lived atop a pillar for 40 years. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant .

DAY 12 - SERGELLA, APAMEA The Dead Cities - MAALOULA Friday (BL)
Today we follow in the footsteps of Biblical peoples, visiting Sergella, one of the 500 Dead and abandoned Byzantine cities of the North, which flourished between the fourth and seventh centuries but then was mysteriously deserted. Then it's on to Apamea, the Hellenistic City of a thousand columns established by Seleucus Nicator. Finally, we visit the village of Maaloula, where the inhabitants still speak Aramaic, the very language spoken by Jesus. We'll visit the St. Sergius chapel, lunch is included enroute , then continue to Damascus.

DAY 13 - Damascus - Saturday (B)
Today is a full day on your own to explore Damascus as you wish , or maybe last chance for one more shopping trip to the famous souks of Damascus .
Consider adding Egypt in a grand 25 day in-depth tour of the Middle East .

DAY 14 - RETURN HOME Sunday (B)
Our local rep. escorts you to Damascus International Airport for your return flight.

RATES per person in USD $ :
Minimum 2 guests required

Our hotels include the following, as available, similar hotels may be substituted:

Your tour includes:

• All transfers on a private basis : private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.
• Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges.
• All meals as indicated with preset menu (cB = continental breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
• Sightseeing by air-conditioned vehicle with private guide , and entrance fees as indicated
• Complimentary Horseback ride at Petra ( for interested guests) .
• Visa fee for Jordan and Syria . Visa issued upon arrival, American, EU , Japanese, Canadian passport, your passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond arrival date.
  To allow us to secure your visa for Syria, please e.mail us the info listed in your passport info page : passport number . Date and place of issue, date it expires on, date and place of birth, Syria will not issue your visa if you any Israeli stamp in your passport
• Tips to guides, porters and drivers

Not Included:

• Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
• Personal expenditures and beverages.
• Airport taxes.
• Air fare from/to your home country

Recommendations and conditions:

Every effort is made to adhere to the planned itinerary, however, for reasons beyond our control, it may be necessary to change routings, sequence of visits, and departure times.

Important

• Syria will not issue visas for any passport holder that may carry any stamp or visa for Israel.
  
• Border crossings may take some time, depending of several circumstances (traffic, police, documentation, visas, etc.)
  

More Choices :

• Compare with the : Best of Jordan Syria and Egypt .
  
• The 11-day version with a short stay at a resort on the Dead Sea.
  
• Add a Dahabiya sailing cruise on the Nile
  
• Syria and Jordan Tour: From Petra to palmyra .
  The Ultra Deluxe Version. Four Seasons Hotels in 12 Days , or 9 day edition.

• Compare with the Best of Jordan, Syria and Egypt Tour

• Compare with : Egypt and Dubai Tour

• Add Morocco, in a Grand North African Crossing .

• Best of Jordan and Syria in 10 Days

• Tour Syria , Jordan , Israel and Palestine All in 11 Days
  
• Back to Multi-Country Tour List .
  
• Add Lebanon
  
• Add Jerusalem

Sample Charming Boutique Hotels in Syria :

Talisman Hotel: Damascus
Talisman is more than an hotel: it is more like a home. We will provide you all the services and luxury of a five stars residence. Two wide opened courtyards with outdoor swimming
pool. Private and exclusive Turkish Hammam, read more .

Zenobia hotel: Palmyra
built in 1920 … Agatha Christy was one of the welcomed guests , the Zenobia Hotel is ideally located in the middle of Palmyra archeological site; rooms offers a wonderful view of the traces of past civilizations, which you can explore at your ease.

The 26-room hotel offers a wonderful view of the traces of past civilizations, which you can explore at your ease. The hotel is a masterpiece of elegance and warm hospitality that is part of our commitment to tradition particularly amidst this historical surrounding. You are welcome to the world of Zenobia hotel where you relive the past and feel the glorious days of Palmyra.
The hotel rooms; all are air-conditioned, with central heating and a telephone. The Countess suite is a duplex room, with two double beds and a private bathroom on each deck. ( Supplement applies, and you must really book in advance to get this suite)

The Oasis restaurant offers a wide variety of delicious cuisine whether it is indoors or in the open air with a direct view on the ruins.

Palmyra was known as the bride of the desert, where once stood as one of the greatest Roman oasis cities of all times. The extensive roman ruins, only a three-minute walk from the hotel; stand gracefully to remind us of the glory of Palmyra's past

Beit Wakil Hotel: Aleppo
A true example of the distinguished 16th century Aleppine architecture,is a charming palace situated just outside the old city walls.This perfectly preserved structure which has stubbornly defied the destructive elements of time,ranks among the most elegant and
beautiful palaces in the region, read more .