Itinerary
Difficulty/effort level: Moderate
Friday, December 27 - Madrid / Amman:
Presentation at Madrid Barajas airport at least 3 hours before the departure of flight A3703 to Amman and stopover in Athens. Flight departure at 16.35:21.20 p.m. and arrival at Athens airport at 23.50:3940 p.m. Departure to Amman at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. on flight AXNUMX.
Saturday, December 28 - Amman / Madaba / Mount Nebo / Dead Sea / Dana (PC):
Arrival at Amman International Airport at 02.05:40 am. Assistance and transfer to the Saraya hotel or similar where we rest until breakfast time after which we begin our adventure heading by bus to Madaba, known as “The city of mosaics”. We will visit the church of Saint George where the famous mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the 435th century is located. Made up of two million tiles of brightly colored local stone, it shows hills, valleys, towns and cities up to the Nile Delta. There are hundreds of different mosaics from the XNUMXth to XNUMXth centuries, spread throughout the churches and buildings of Madaba. Later we approached Mount Nebo, where Moses finally saw the promised land and the Jordan Valley, after XNUMX years of exile, a very symbolic place for the three religions: Jewish, Christian and Muslim. We continue along the ancient road known as the “Way of the Kings” to reach the Dead Sea in the Jordan Valley. We will stop to experience the strange sensation of floating effortlessly in its saline waters and being aware of being in the deepest depression on the planet. XNUMX meters below sea level! After eating next to the Dead Sea we continue to Dana, which is the Dana nature reserve and the starting point of our trekking. Dinner and accommodation at the Tower Hotel or similar.
Sunday December 29 - Dana / Wadi Malaga (PC) 23.5km:
Our trekking begins with a day of descent through the Feynan Valley. Traveling through diverse ecosystems, from the high mountains to the valleys, from the green of the vegetation to the ocher of the desert, encountering numerous species of flora and fauna along the way, such as mountain goats and birds, some endemic to the area. Feynan is known for its ancient Roman copper mines which we will pass through on the way to Wadi Barwas. We will end the day enjoying a traditional dinner. Accommodation in camp.
Monday December 30 - Wadi Malaga / Ras Al Fied (PC) 14km:
We will begin our day today walking through the desert towards the mountains, which we will reach by ascending to the Ras Naqb pass along a mountain path used by the transhumant Bedouins that offers us an interesting panoramic view of the desert and the Wadi Araba as the area is known. Jordan Valley in this part of its route. Continuation to the Ras Al Fied camp, where we will enjoy a traditional Bedouin dinner.
Tuesday December 31 - Ras Al Fied / Little Petra (PC) 20km:
The landscape changes radically as we head deeper into the sandstone hills, an open, almost lunar landscape, easy to walk and enjoy the first signs of Nabataean influence carved into the mountains that surround us. The road passes by Bedoul camps, nomads who settled in these lands more than a thousand years ago. When they were discovered by the local Arabs, they did not follow any religion, they were considered pagans until they converted to Islam, giving them their current name “Bedoul” which in Arabic means “Changed” although they are a people clinging to their ancient traditions. Dinner and accommodation at Seven Wonders Bedouin Camp or similar.
* Note: To spend the night in Little Petra you need a permit that must be obtained and may be rejected, therefore, tonight may be in another camp.
Wednesday, January 1 - From Little Petra to Petra via the Back Trail (PC):
Today is the big day to visit one of the wonders of the world, the Nabataean city of Petra, but we are not going to enter the way everyone else does, but rather along a spectacular path known as the back Trail that runs along a strip of the mountain and ascends to the monastery of Ad-Deir, built by the Nabataeans in the SI in honor of Obodas I, after his death and which is located in the upper part of the city. We visit from the monastery, descending to Petra to see the Nabataean temples and tombs and arriving at the fantastic Temple of the Treasury to leave the city through the canyon made so famous by the Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark movie. We return to our camp, small Petra, for dinner and overnight.
Thursday, January 2 – Petra / Wadi Rum (PC):
Breakfast and early departure to the Wadi Rum desert, whose beauty lies in the landscape from which enormous jebels or vertical basalt mountains emerge. For many it is one of the most beautiful desert landscapes in the world. Wadi Rum or Valley of the Moon is located 1600m above sea level and is the most important desert in Jordan. The word “Rum” means high or elevated in Aramaic, referring to the altitude at which it is located, which gives it a unique climate. Wadi Rum has been inhabited since prehistoric times by various cultures, including the Nabataeans, who have left their mark on the petroglyphs. Today several Bedouin tribes live there. The highest point is Mount Jabel Umm Adma with 1840m altitude. Our route goes by 4x4 between enormous wadis or valleys to Jebel Burdha, which we will ascend to its summit. It is a climb, not difficult, but impressive. It is a very special adventure due to the aesthetics of the passages we pass through. (If someone doesn't want to do it, that's okay, they can wait in a place of great beauty and then continue our exploration of Wadi Rum). The upper part of this Jbel shows us a fantasy of nature excavated by water and wind, an incredible rock bridge right at the top that delights photographers. Later we continue by 4x4 to discover the most emblematic places of this magnificent environment, passing by the house of Lawrence of Arabia, the Neolithic rock carvings, the spectacular Khazali canyon, a narrow fracture in which we enter under the imposing figure of the Jbel Khazali, the natural Rock Bridge and of course we will see the sunset in the desert. Night and dinner in Bedouin camp.
Friday, January 3 - Wadi Rum / Aqaba:
Sunrise in the desert and breakfast after which we left for another mythical geographical point, the Gulf of Aqaba, a strong contrast to reach the sea after days in the desert. We will go diving in the crystal clear waters of Aqaba and today it is time to rest peacefully in our hotel enjoying free time to walk or shop. Free afternoon. Night and dinner at the hotel.
Saturday January 4 - Aqaba / Kerak / Amman:
Free time in Aqaba and mid-morning we begin our return to northern Jordan, visiting the 5th century crusader castle of Kerak on the way to Amman. This is one of the XNUMX crusader castles of the Holy Land, it is located on top of a hill and imposingly dominates the landscape. We will know the secrets and the difficult historical passages that occurred in this place full of history and legend. After the visit we continue to Amman. Night at Saraya hotel or similar
Sunday, January 5 - Amman / Roman City of Jerasa / Amman Airport (MP):
Early breakfast to head north to visit one of the most interesting Roman cities in the area of the old Roman empire, the ancient city of Jerasa. The beauty of the architecture and the great organization of this settlement show us the importance of this city surrounded by fertile fields. Conquered by General Pompey in 63 BC, it fell under Roman rule and was one of the ten great Roman cities, the Decapolis. The city experienced its golden age during Roman rule, during which it was known as Gerasa and today it is considered one of the best preserved Roman cities in the world. After the visit to Jerasa we will propose a place to have dinner and later go directly to the airport to take the return flight.
Monday, January 6 - Amman / Madrid (AD):
Departure of the return flight to Madrid with a stopover in Athens, A3941 at 03.15:06.00h and arrival in Athens at 3700:09.05h. Connection with flight A12.15 departing at XNUMX:XNUMX a.m. and arriving at Madrid Barajas airport at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. The end of the trip.
FLIGHTS:
27 DEC MAD ATH A3703 1635 2120 27 DEC ATH AMM A3940 2350 0205 06 JAN AMM ATH A3941 0315 0600 06 JAN ATH MAD A3700 0905 1215
