When: March 19-23, 2010         

Led by:Jim Gold

Price includes:

• Transfers
• City tours
• Private deluxe motor coach
• Entrance fees
• Professional tour guide
• Breakfasts, dinners

Featuring:

• Jerash: The ancient city of Jerash boasts as unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6.500 years. The city's golden age came under Roman rule and the site now generally acknowledged to be one of the best preserved Roman Provincial towns in the world! Jerash reveals paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, handsome theatres, spacious public squares, Plaza baths, fountains, and city walls pierced by towers and gates. Jerash preserves a blend of east and west. Its architectures, religions and languages show how two powerful cultures, the Greco-Roman world of the Mediterranean basin and the ancient traditions of the Arab Orient, coexisted.
• Wadi Rum: Perhaps the most magnificent landscapes in the Kingdom abound in Wadi Rum, one of the truly most breathtaking experiences of Jordan. Life has not changed in Rum for a long time. As soon as you step foot on its pinkish sand, you are transported back to the days of Lawrence of Arabia. Here is where this brilliant British officer conducted military liaisons with Sherif Hussein of Mecca. Today Lawrence's spring is still used as a water source for the Bedouins and their cattle. Stunning in its natural beauty, the famous Wadi Rum epitomizes the romance of the desert. With its "moonscape" of ancient valleys and towering sandstone cliffs, Wadi Rum is home to several Bedouin tribes living in camps throughout the area. Climbers are attracted to Wadi Rum because of its sheer granite and sandstone cliffs. Hikers enjoy its vast empty spaces. Adventurous visitors may also explore the area via fourwheel driving, excursions, on camel caravans or simply hiking on foot.
  
• Petra: This astonished, mesmerizing rose-red city was once the stronghold of the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled in southern Jordan more than 2000 years ago. Admired then for its refined culture, massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and water channels, Petra is now a UNESCO world heritage site that enchants visitors from all corners of the globe. Much of Petra's appeal comes from its spectacular setting deep inside a narrow desert gorge. The site is accessed by walking through a long chasm (or siq), the walls of which soar 200 meters upwards. Petra's most famous monument, the Treasury, appears dramatically at the end of the siq. Its towering facade is only one of myriad archaeological wonders to be explored at Petra. Various walks and climbs reveal literally hundreds of buildings, tombs, baths, funerary halls, temples, arched gateways, colonnaded streets as well as a 3000 seat open air amphitheater, a gigantic first century Monastery and a modern archaeological museum. A modest shrine commemorating the death of Aaron, brother of Moses, was built in the 13th century high atop mount Aaron in the Sharah range.
  
• Crusader Shobak Castle: Perched on a hill with commanding views on every side, the Castle was built by Baldwin I in 1115. It served initially as main residence of Seigneur le Boutellier, later becaming a link in the crusaders chain of castles running from Antioch to the Red Sea.
• Amman: Amman, the capital of Jordan, is a modern, friendly city. Known as Rabbath-Ammon during prehistoric periods and later as Philadelphia, the ancient city that was once part of the Decapolis league. Now it boasts a population of around 1.5 million. Often referred to as the white city due to its canvas of white stone houses, Amman offers a variety of historical sites including the Citadel and the magnificent Roman Theater as well as an impressive array of restaurants, and shopping areas.
• Madaba Situated south of Amman, Madaba is known for its mosaics dating from the Byzantine era. Many are located in private homes, and were discovered when owners dug their foundations. The map of the holy land at St. George's church dates from the 6th century AD.; its clarity and precision helped archaeologists discover many other important sites in Jordan and the West Bank. Also found in this marvellous town is the Church of the Apostles.
• Mount Nebo: This Monastery is located on a hill overlooking the Holy Land. It is believed to be the burial place of Moses. Containing many precious mosaics, the custodians of the monastery are Franciscan monks most notable of whom is Father Picirillo, an archaeologist who has written many books on the history and archaeology of the Holy Land.

Day 1: Friday, March 19:
Drive to Amman. Our tour of the Hashemite Kingdom begins! En route, visit Sheik Hussein, and Jerash. Overnight Grand Palace Hotel.

Day 2: Saturday, March 20:
Morning departure from Amman for Wadi Rum! Late afternoon drive to
Petra. Overnight at Petra Panorama Hotel.

Day 3: Sunday, March 21:
Full day tour of Petra! Visit the Crusader Castle of Shobak. Evening return to Amman.

Day 4: Monday, March 22:
Morning city tour of Amman. Then visit Madada and Mt. Nebo. Overnight Grand Palace Hotel.

About Jim Gold