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A trip through Petra and Jerusalem It encompasses two of the tourist destinations that every traveler should know at least once in his life. Therefore, they are the two highlights of this 8-day circuit, which has a route designed expressly to reach both cities. But in addition to this, this trip includes many other interesting destinations, especially from the religious, historical and cultural point of view: Jerash, Madaba, Mount Nebo, Bethlehem … Take a look at the stages of this travel through Petra and Jerusalem and discover the best of Jordan and Israel in just over a week.
Petra is undoubtedly the great tourist attraction of Jordan. It is because of the magic that distills its monuments carved in the rock, defying the laws of gravity and inspired by the most beautiful classical structures. But it is also because of the pinkish color acquired by its cliffs and cliffs, which have earned it the name of the ‘pink city’. And of course, for the fame that Hollywood films such as
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
.
But Jordan is much more than that, and we will discover this in the first part of this trip through Petra and Jerusalem.. Without going any further, very close to Petra is Al Beida, also known as Little Petra, because it is an enclave very similar to its ‘big sister’… but less known and, therefore, less visited.
And the same capacity to amaze has other historical destinations in Jordan, such as Jerash, one of the best preserved Roman cities in the entire Middle East. Or the medieval castles of Ajloun and Karak, which tell us about Christian Crusades and Muslim reconquests. Or even Madaba and Mount Nebo, two places where history and religion intermingle. Not to mention the Dead Sea, which is the lowest point on the entire planet, as well as a top-notch thermal destination.
The three days that this circuit passes through Israel have a sacred character, as they will take you to discover the most emblematic places of the Christian Holy Land, as well as the Jewish Promised Land and Muslim Palestine.
Jerusalem is a city that will take a lot of time, deservedly. Corners such as the Mount of Olives, the Via Dolorosa or the Cenacle are places that visitors will never forget, especially if they feel the Christian faith. But we will also visit spaces as symbolic for Jews, such as the Western Wall and the Tomb of King David, or even for Muslims, such as the Esplanade of the Mosques.
And there will be a very special excursion on this trip through Petra and Jerusalem: the one we will undertake to Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus, which is full of magic in the last days of December but is worth visiting any day of the year.
This trip through Petra and Jerusalem It is not circular: it starts at Queen Alia Amman International Airport but ends at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport. In this way, the itinerary of 8 days and 7 nights reaches more tourist destinations, for the enjoyment of the most explorer travelers. This is the route, stage by stage.
In this circuit, which will take us on a trip through Petra, Jerusalem and many other places of interest, starting in Amman: at the airport of this city, the Reina Alia, the flight of entry to the country will arrive, and in it the staff of our agency will pick you up. Once the border formalities have been completed, the transfer will be made to the hotel in Amman, by private vehicle.
Before traveling to Petra and Jerusalem, this circuit will bring many surprises to the participants, which we will begin to discover already on this second day. After breakfast at the hotel, we will head north to visit two places of great interest.
The first is the castle of Ajloun, built by the troops of Saladin and rebuilt by Mamluks, thus becoming an impregnable fort for crusaders and Mongols in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. In addition, the views of its surroundings are very special, because the nature reserve that extends around it is the greenest and most fertile area of Jordan.
The second place to visit in the morning is Jerash, an ancient Roman city that has been preserved in magnificent condition. That is why the columns of the Oval Square or Forum, the Arc de Triomphe of Emperor Hadrian or its two theaters, as well as temples and monumental fountains, are still standing.
After returning to Amman for a free lunch, we will return to the road, this time to move west and undertake a steep descent: the one that will take us to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the planet and a large lake of extremely salty water, famous for its mud and spa treatments. Therefore, free time will be left so that, whoever wishes, can take a bath.
In the late afternoon, we will return to Amman to have dinner at the hotel and rest from such an intense day.
After two nights in Amman, it will be time to leave the Jordanian capital momentarily, but not before having a new breakfast at the hotel and, above all, visiting the most emblematic places of the city. Among them, the Roman ruins and the Citadel, the ancient heart of this city with thousands of years of history.
After the guided tour of Amman, we start a
road trip
that will take us to three very different places, but all of them interesting. The first is Madaba, a medium-sized city of great religious tolerance, with a large presence of churches. In one of them, the Orthodox of St. George, a Byzantine mosaic that transcends art is exposed: it is a large map of the Holy Land of the sixth century, probably the oldest preserved of this sacred territory.
Next, we will move to nearby Mount Nebo: it is here that, according to the biblical account, Moses saw the Promised Land and, unable to enter it, remained as his place of death. At present there is an interesting church, an interpretation center and a viewpoint that brings us closer to the contemplation that the prophet had.
After enjoying the views, we will return to the road to add kilometers to the route, stopping at Karak Castle. This imposing fortress was the work of the Christian crusaders of King Baldwin I of Jerusalem (twelfth century), but fell to the Muslim sultan Saladin in his reconquering advance. Undoubtedly, a magnificent example of military architecture in a transcendental period for the history of both religions.
Already in the last bars of the day we will arrive at the surroundings of Petra: the town of Wadi Musa, where our hotel will be to spend the night and have dinner.
If you choose this circuit for your trips to Petra and Jerusalem, this fourth day already offers you its first highlight: the ancient capital of the Nabataeans, also called Pink City, luxury setting in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Therefore, after breakfast at the hotel, we will start the visit without further delay.
Helping us with a horse service to reduce times, the list of attractions is very extensive: the Siq (access canyon), the Street of the Façades, the Roman city with its Colonnaded Street, the royal tombs … And of course, the Treasury or Al Khazneh, a mortuary temple carved in sandstone, whose beauty and elegance seem to defy the laws of nature.
Even with these and many other images on the retina, we will leave Petra to visit her ‘younger sister’: Little Petra. This enclave that reminds so much of Petra was probably a
Caravanserai
or settlement that served the Nabataean capital, and still today preserves spaces carved in the rock that had very diverse functions: commercial, religious, residential …
At the end of the visit of this striking place, we will return to Amman, where dinner and the night of rest at the hotel await.
The fifth day of this circuit is a day of transition between the trip to Petra and that of Jerusalem: After breakfast at the hotel in Amman, we will head to the border with Israel, which we will cross through the Allenby Pass. The access procedures have a variable time according to the controls of the authorities, so we will come with time and patience.
And once on Israeli soil, we will travel through the Judean desert by car until we reach Jerusalem. But for the moment it will only be a contact with this imposing city, since the guided tours will take place the next day. The hotel for this and the following nights will be very close to the Old City.
For many, this tour through Jordan and Israel, with trip to Petra and Jerusalem, leave the best for last: in these last days we will visit the most remarkable corners of the sacred city for the three monotheistic religions. So after breakfast at the hotel, we will start an intense and unforgettable day of sightseeing.
We will start at the Mount of Olives, where the Jewish Cemetery is located and where the Garden of Gethsemane is: its basilica, also called of the Agony or of the Nations, recalls the arrest of Christ after being betrayed by Judas. From here, moreover, the panoramic views are magnificent.
From the Mount of Olives we will pass to the Old City, specifically to the area of the Western Wall, so important for the Jews for being the only standing element of Solomon’s Second Temple. And very close to it extends the Esplanade of the Mosques, where the Dome of the Rock stands out.
Mount Zion is the next stop, with three spaces that will move tourists of all beliefs and origins: the Tomb of King David, the Cenacle where Jesus dined with his disciples and the Dormition Abbey, place from where Mary ascended to heaven.
From Mount Zion we will travel to the neighborhood of Ein Karem to know the birthplace of St. John the Baptist and to visit the Holocaust Museum, which pays tribute to the victims of Nazi barbarism.
After such an intense morning of visits, a very special excursion arrives in the afternoon: the visit to Bethlehem and to the places related to the birth of Jesus, such as the Basilica of the Nativity, a World Heritage Site. The church of Santa Catalina and the Grotto of San Jerónimo are other spaces of great value for Christianity.
For all that has been described, the sixth day is undoubtedly one of the most intense of
Although days ago we dedicated half a day to make the trip to Petra, in Jerusalem It takes at least two days to discover the most important places of this sacred city. Therefore, after breakfast, we will start a second route of visits that will take us to your past and present.
In the Old City, we will now focus on the places related to the Calvary of Jesus, walking along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, right in the place where he was crucified and buried. Later we will visit the Jewish quarter, with standing vestiges of the Hebrew city that was under the dominion of the Roman Empire. For example, the Maximum Thistle.
But the interest of Jerusalem also lies in its more current side, as we will see in modern constructions. For example, the Knesset or Parliament, or the Israel Museum: here we will contemplate the valuable Dead Sea Scrolls and a huge model will take us to the Jerusalem of Herod and Jesus.
On the way back and after dinner for free, it will be time to spend the last night in the hotel in Jerusalem.
The eighth is the last day of this brief but intense tour of Jordan and Israel, where trips to Petra and Jerusalem They are marked in red but without detracting from other destinations of enormous interest. All this will be in the mind of each traveler at the time of return: after breakfast and at the agreed time, it will be time to transfer to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport. We will do it in a private vehicle with driver, and with enough time to carry out all the exit procedures. After providing assistance, if necessary, we will say goodbye with gratitude for the company and with the hope of seeing each other again at another circuit.
In the contracted travel package, the following services are included:
The following expenses are not included in this tour by Jordan and Israel, with travel to Petra and Jerusalem:
Fill out the form below to receive a free non-binding quote tailor-made by a specialized agency in Jordan.
DMC travel agency specializing in tailor-made trips to Jordan
Mandala Tours, S.L, NIF: B51037471
License: C.I.AN-187782-3
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