MIDDLE EAST
GUIDED WALKING HOLIDAYS IN Jordan and Jerusalem
Our walk begins in Aqaba at the Red Sea in the south of Jordan (direct flight connections from Dubai to Aqaba with Emirates)and promises an exciting exploration of Jordan and its antiquity. It also includes 2 nights in the Holy City of Jerusalem in Israel.
We travel to Wadi Rum, once the Lawrence of Arabia's headquarters during the Great Arab Revolt of 1917-1918. Rocky peaks rise out of pink sands and Desert Bedoudines ramble these sands with their camels. Together with our local Bedouine guide we will explore some amazing canyons and walk between towering sandstone cliffs. The ever changing palette of colours is best seen at sunrise or sunset. In the late afternoon we enjoy a gentle camel ride, ending the day with a traditional Bedouin feast and gazing into the stary sky!
We discover fabled Petra, the long-lost city of the Nabateans, a stunning ruin carved from solid red sandstone in the 3rd century BC. Petra is a world heritage site and the sheer sandstone hills form a deep canyon that protects it in all directions. Our walks in Little Petra and Petra take us through the Siq and the Treasury and Royal Tombs. We cross mountains with wide views before descending to the Monastery and climb to the High Place of Sacrifice. One evening we can enjoy Petra at candlelight and we even experience a "hands on" short cooking class.
On our way to Amman we visit Mount Nebo, from which Moses glimpsed the Promised Land. We also visit Madaba, famous for its mosaics, especially the ancient map of the Holy Land. From Amman we visit the Ajloun Reserve, one of the very few wooded regions in Jordan where we have the rare chance to learn our first words in Arabic at the Caligraphy Centre. We also spend some time to see the fabulously preserved Roman ruins at Jerash, an archaeological masterpiece consisting of a triumphal arch, stadium, huge fountain, temples and collonaded streets.
We cross the King Hussein-Allenby Bridge, one of the three passages from Jordan into Israel. Here we will explore the treasures of Jerusalem from the times of King David to the Prophet Mohammed. We walk to the West Wall and can write our own personal prayer note to tuck into the wall, see the golden dome of the mosque on Temple Mount, and follow the path called the Via Dolorossa, where Jesus carried his cross past the Stations of the Cross and we view the Old City from the heights of the Mount of Olives.
Ever since the days of Herod the Great, people have flocked to the Dead Sea in search of its curative secrets. With the highest content of minerals and salts in the world, the Dead Sea water is thought to possess healing properties, and the mud on the shores has been used for therapeutic purposes for over 2000 years. Float in the natural buoyancy of the Dead Sea by its mystical setting and luxuriate at the truly magnificent Spa in our exqusite resort.
OUR HOTELS & CUISINE
We selected our accommodations in Jordan to get a good balance between luxury and authenticity.
Our first 4 nights are spent in very comfortable chalets of a luxurious Desert camp which blends naturally into its surroundings. It has exceptional views of the Moon Valley, a large modern kitchen and even a swimming pool. It was hand built by its Jordanian owners in the Bedouin Arabic tradition, using mostly natural materials from the direct surroundings.
The next 4 nights we are at Beit Zaman, a renovated authentic XIXth century village in Wadi Musa and now transformed into this deluxe resort. Parts of the ruins are left exposed so that you can imagine the setting from a long time ago. The hotel is built on a steep slope and from the restaurant we have a wonderful view over the rose-colored Petra Mountains. The hotel has also a heated indoor swimming pool with an outside terrace.
Our 2 nights in Amman we spend at a hotel in the Shmeisani district, one of the best commercial areas of the city. It has a rooftop restaurant that offers a panoramic view of Amman.
There are many ways of getting to know Jerusalem. Probably one of the nicest is to explore this wonderful city from the Austrian Hospice. It is situated in the middle of the Old City of Jerusalem, directly on the Via Dolorosa and within easy walking distance of all the holy sites of the monotheistic religions. Despite the pulsating life in the streets of the Old City, the Austrian Hospice represents an oasis of peace and relaxation.
The Kempinski Ishtar is a truly luxurious and exclusive hotel, overlooking the Dead Sea and famous for its ozone-rich air, mineral loaded seawater and ultra-violet filtered sunshine The amazing spa complex is set amidst glorious gardens dotted with lagoons, waterfalls and private pools, with indoor Jacuzzi, ice cave, steam room, Ayurveda, Asian therapies and local salt and mud treatments - the perfect setting for our final stop in Jordan.
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Journey through the Holy Land (Biblical Jordan) 
