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Wildland Adventures | Jordan Explorer | www.wildland.com -2-

Itinerary Overview Explore Jordan from modern Amman to historic Petra and the Biblical waters of the Dead Sea. Following the ancient 'Kings Highway' in the footsteps of Ramses II, the Queen of Sheba, Marcus Anthonius and Cleopatra, the Prophet Mohamed, Jesus, and Lawrence of Arabia, our Jordan adventure traverses the spectrum of time in a land of spectacular natural beauty and cultural heritage. We visit the nature reserves of Dana and Wadi Rum, Jerash, Madaba, and float like a cork in the Dead Sea. The centerpiece of all Jordan, Petra, is yours to explore with our expert guide and independently. Wander the deep-red sands of Wadi Rum where we take a 4WD excursion into surreal desert landscape with a local Bedouin driver. This is an active adventure for those travelers who wish to get off the beaten track and truly explore the authentic Jordan.

DAY OVERNIGHT HOTEL MEALS HIGHLIGHTS

1 AMMAN Al Qsar Metropole Hotel Meet on arrival and transfer to hotel

2 AMMAN Al Qsar Metropole Hotel B Walking tour of Amman, Jebel al-Q’ala, street

markets

3 AMMAN Al Qsar Metropole Hotel BL Drive to Jerash, hike Ajloun Reserve. Lunch at

local restaurant

4 DANA Dana Guest House BLD Drive Dana Nature Reserve via Madaba. Walking

tour of Madaba

5 DANA Feynan Eco-Hotel BLD Full day walking / hiking in Dana Nature Reserve,

cross country to Feynan Eco-Hotel

6 PETRA Petra Guest House B AM in Dana Nature Reserve. PM drive Little Petra

via Shobak Crusader Castle.

7 PETRA Petra Guest House BLD Full day guided tour of Petra. Lunch in valley,

group cooking class and dinner at Petra Kitchen.

8 WADI RUM Desert Camp BLD Morning at Petra, afternoon 4X4 tour of Wadi Rum; overnight desert camp

9 DEAD SEA Dead Sea Marriott B Drive to Dead Sea via Kerak Crusader Castle and

Mt Nebo

10 DEAD SEA Dead Sea Marriott B Optional activities at Dead Sea

11 FLY B Transfer to the airport OR extend your trip to Egypt or Israel

Itinerary in Detail DAY 1 : AMMAN On arrival at Queen Alia International Airport, you are met and transferred to your hotel. Amman was the capital of the Ammonites in 1200 BCE, known in the Old Testament as Rabbath-Ammon. During the 3rd century BCE, Amman was renamed Philadelphia (Greek for "Brotherhood Love") after the Ptolemaic ruler Philadelphus (283-246 BCE). Following Seleucid and Nabataean rule, the Roman General Pompey made Philadelphia part of the Decapolis League - a loose alliance of ten city-states bound by powerful commercial, political and cultural interests under allegiance to Rome. During the Byzantine period, Philadelphia was the seat of a Christian Bishop but the city declined somewhat until 635 ACE when the region became part of the Islamic caliphate and its original Semitic name Ammon or Amman was restored. Dinner and overnight Al Qasr Metropole Hotel.

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DAY 2: AMMAN Join your guide for a walking tour of Amman. This is a city of hills, so bring your walking shoes and high spirits. Explore Jebel al-Q’al’a (Citadel Hill) with its Roman Temple of Hercules and Byzantine Ummayad Palace. Then it’s a tour of street food – public markets and bazaars. If you’re game, try a hookah at a local café. Overnight Al Qasr Metropole Hotel [B] DAY 3: JERASH / AJLOUN NATURE RESERVE We begin our journey through Jordan’s fascinating history with a visit to Jerash, one of the world’s most extensive restorations of a provincial Roman town. We explore its theaters, temples and colonnaded streets. We then visit the nearby Castle of Ajloun or Qalaat Errabadh (Arabic for "Hilltop Castle"), with a splendid view over the Jordan Valley. Built in 1184-85 ACE by Ezz Eddin Osama bin Munqethe, a nephew of the Ayyubid leader Salahuddin Al-Ayyoubi (Saladin), to protect the region from invading Crusaders, it was one of a chain of forts which lit beacons at night to pass signals from the Euphrates as far as Cairo. Enjoy lunch at a local Jordanian family restaurant before returning to Amman. Overnight Al Qasr Metropole Hotel [BL] DAY 4: MADABA WALKING TOUR / DANA Today we drive the famous Kings' Highway stretching from Amman to Petra. Almost every historical character from the Middle East that you can think of has traveled this road; Ramses II, the Queen of Sheba, Queen Zenobia, Moses, Marcus Antonius, Cleopatra, Augustus, Mohamed, Richard Coeur de Leon, Christ, Lawrence of Arabia, Gamal Attaturk - the list goes on and on. Today, it is your turn. Original Roman milestones stand at the side of the road, their distances still relevant. Our first stop is Madaba, the “City of Mosaics.” While most visitors to Jordan make a quick stop in this charming village to glimpse its most famous mosaic, a 6th century Byzantine map - the oldest surviving map of the Holy Land in existence - you will meet some of the people responsible for the very survival of these fabulous works of art! Join your guide for a stroll through the Madaba “Souq” getting a glimpse into the daily lives of merchants as they go about their business. Finally, we make a stop at the Apostles Church, with its spectacular mosaic dedicated to the 12 Apostles, its centerpiece dominated by a regal woman personifying the sea and all its real and mythical creatures. We continue to the Dana Nature Reserve, a visionary program combining scientific research with sustainable tourism, benefitting the traditional inhabitants of the village. Dana Nature Reserve is a system of wadis and mountains extending from the top of the Rift Valley to the desert lowlands of Wadi Araba, an elevation drop of over 1600 meters. This vast, newly developed reserve serves as a refuge for endangered species, including ibex, mountain gazelle, badgers, red fox and wolf. There is some free time to explore the walking trails before dinner. Dana Village has been continually occupied for about 6000 years. Although this ancient stone village was almost abandoned, it is now coming back to life with color and vitality through assistance from local conservation groups and determination of the local population. Overnight and dinner at Dana Guest House [BLD] DAY 5: DANA We spend today hiking from the Dana Village into the heart of the spectacular Jordanian high desert. Our trail contours huge escarpments of the Wadi Dana, along impressive white sandstone domes overlooking the reserve below before descending through all four of Jordan’s eco-zones, each with a distinctive landscape and complex of flora and fauna. Look for the tiny but brilliant blue agana lizard, or the black iris, which could be thought of as Jordan’s national flower. Overnight at Feynan Ecolodge, recognized as one of the “top fifty ecolodges in the world” by National Geographic Adventure Magazine. [BLD] DAY 6: SHOBAK CASTLE / PETRA Enjoy a leisurely last morning at Feynan before checking out to continue on with our Jordanian adventure. We stop en route to Petra for a visit to Shobak Castle, the first fortress to be constructed by the Crusaders in Transjordan. The original fortress has been rebuilt by subsequent conquerors –

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Mamlukes and Ottomans, with delicate calligraphic inscriptions carved into exterior walls dating from the late 13th century. The castle boasts secret passages and mysterious deep stairwells descending into the cliff on which the fortress is perched. Shobak is also surrounded by additional ruins of Ottoman homes an ancient palace complex and ghostly arches of a long-crumbled church. We arrive in Petra, the crown jewel of Jordan archeological sites, in late afternoon. Overnight Petra Guest House. [B] Please Note: Many guests choose to take advantage of the magical “Petra by Night” event on Monday/Wednesday/Thursday evenings. If you wish to add this activity, please consider an additional $25 per person DAY 7: PETRA Today we embark on a four hour guided tour of Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. No amount of hype can prepare you for the thrill of entering the ancient city through the dramatic chasm of the ‘Siq.’ Inside Petra valley there are caves, buildings, tombs, baths, funerary halls, temples, arched gateways, and colonnaded streets carved from the kaleidoscopic-colored sandstone. We explore the valley with our local guide and learn that for more than 400 years Petra was the fulcrum of the ancient world's spice and incense route; a city hidden behind an almost impenetrable barrier of rugged mountains, approachable only through the 'Siq', the kilometer long sheer-walled chasm that a force of twenty could hold against an army of ten thousand. Built by an industrious Arab people called the Nabataeans who moved up the Red Sea coast of Felix Arabia (Saudi Arabia) to settle in southern Jordan more than 2000 years ago-the Nabataeans dominated the Frankincense Trade Route from Sheba to their capital at Petra. Petra bacame the center for trade goods arriving via the Red Sea from the Far East and which came north overland on the Frankincense Route from Sheba (Yemen) and from Africa (Somalia, Abyssinia, etc). Following the tour, enjoy lunch in the valley at the Basin Restaurant, then continue exploring the myriad trails on your own. This evening, join other travelers for a cooking class at the Petra Kitchen, a fun and active hands-on experience rewarded with a shared meal of typical Jordanian cuisine. You may find yourself chopping vegetables for salad or assigned something more intricate – the point is to have fun with your fellow travelers and share the fruits of your labors! Overnight Petra Guest House [BLD] DAY 8: WADI RUM The full morning is free to return to Petra for last minute photos and exploring the places you may have overlooked previously. After lunch, we drive to the truly spectacular Wadi Rum (1.5 hrs). On arrival we set off with our local Bedouin guide on an hour and a half – two hour exploration in 4x4 vehicles. On all sides the brilliant white-yellow sand is sandwiched by towering red sandstone cliffs which soar vertically three hundred feet or more into the air, contrasting brilliantly against the azure blue and generally cloudless sky. Wadi Rum was the setting for the film "Lawrence of Arabia" which gave birth to the mythology that T.E. Lawrence and the Arab irregulars rode through Wadi Rum en route to attack the Turks at Aqaba. Unfortunately, this never happened. Although the enigmatic British officer T.E. Lawrence depicted in the film did accompany the Arab irregular cavalry as it captured Aqaba from the Turks during the Great Arab Revolt of 1917-18 ACE, the Arab forces, quite logically, took the more direct, faster and easier route along which the highway to Aqaba now lies. But the legend has brought many to Rum, and when they arrive, it matters not who has been there before, for Rum is one of the earth's truly spectacular environments. Enjoy hot tea at sunset while watching the colors of the dunes and rugged mountains catch fire. Overnight in a comfortable private tent under the stars at Desert Camp [BLD] DAY 9: DEAD SEA Depart this morning from Wadi Rum for the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. The views of the entire Jordan Valley are revealed as we descend. Enroute, we visit the Crusader castle of Kerak then onto Mt Nebo, where Moses saw the Promised Land for the first time, but was denied entry. This is a serene spot for reflection and strolling through the gardens, inhaling fragrant eucalyptus all around. Arrive to the Dead Sea in time to jump into the saline waters which enable you to bob like a cork, never sinking. Many believe in the curative powers of the mud, slathering it over limbs and body. Regardless, it makes for interesting photographs! Overnight Dead Sea Marriott [B]

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DAY 10: DEAD SEA This day is free to take advantage of a number of fascinating excursions. You may choose to visit the river Jordan, where Jesus was baptized, Lot’s Cave, or perhaps the Zikra Initiative, a community engaged in what they call “Exchange Tourism.” Or pamper yourself with a massage and spa services at the hotel. Overnight Dead Sea Marriott [B] DAY 11: DEPART Transfer to Queen Alia International Airport for departure. [B] END OF SERVICES Actual routes and activities may vary. Local trip coordinators reserve the right to change accommodations to similar quality alternatives. PLEASE NOTE: This itinerary does not have set departure dates, however it is recommended to arrive in Amman on a Wednesday, Friday or Saturday in order to participate in the optional “Petra by Night” event on Day 6 ESTIMATED 2014 PRICING (Based on double occupancy)

SEASON 2 4-6

Spring/Fall $3465 $3085

Please inquire for single, triple rates INCLUDED SERVICES

Airport transfers and land transportation as noted Accommodations as noted Private vehicles with English-speaking driver (except in Wadi Rum) English-speaking local guides at the major tourist sites* Shared 4x4 vehicle ride in Wadi Rum with Bedouin guide All entrance fees to sites for touring as noted Meals as indicated [B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner] Pre-departure services of Wildland Adventures

*You may request a private guide to travel with your party throughout the 11 day

program for an additional charge NOT INCLUDED SERVICES

International flights between USA and Jordan Visa for Jordan (JD20, payable in Jordanian Dinar only upon arrival at airport) Airport departure taxes Tips and gratuities Alcoholic beverages and bottled drinks Meals not indicated above Extra costs for optional excursions or services on own or to be paid direct Travel insurance Extra costs due to unanticipated changes in your itinerary for reasons beyond our control

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