DAY 1-2: AMMAN Welcome to Jordan. Your first day is a free day for you to arrive, check in to your hotel and introduce yourself to the local area. You can meet your Tour Leader and your group this evening. On Day 2, you will have your Pre-Departure Meeting in the morning, after which you can head out on a walking tour of Madaba and visit St. Georges Church, with a Byzantine mosaic floor map of the holy land - the oldest in existence. Madaba has been inhabited for 4500 years and there are many other archaeological sites from the Israelites and Romans as well as 6th and7th century churches. This afternoon there is an optional city tour of Amman or you can visit Mount Nebo. DAY 3-4: DEAD SEA TO KERAK We head to the Dead Sea this morning, where you have the chance to cover yourself in Dead Sea mud or float in the salty water. The next stop is Kerak, where we'll visit the ancient Kerak Crusader Castle, one of the main highlights of Jordan. Here Crusader knights from Europe battled with the Islamic armies of Saladin. Leaving Kerak we travel for our overnight in Wadi Musa, the town that nestles above Petra. DAY 5: PETRA What can we say about this Nabataean masterpiece that has not already been stated in thousands of guidebooks? Suffice to say it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the new SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD. We will spend 2 nights in Wadi Musagiving you a full day at Petra, and enough time if you wish to visit Little Petra. DAY6-7: WADI MUSA TO JEBEL AL LAWZ After leaving Petra, we leave the truck and head off on a 4 x 4 jeep safari to Wadi Rum. It was here in his desert hideaway that Lawrence of Arabia organised the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans and learnt to ride camels with the best of them. Since Lawrence wrote the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, this incredible desert landscape has become renowned for its stark geographical beauty. Here nature outdoes even the magnificent man-made structure of Petra. We'll spend the night under the stars in the desert, before heading to Aqaba for the morning market. After a look around the bustling seaside town, we'll head out to cross the border into Saudi Arabia. Tonight, we'll camp at Jebel Al Lawz, or "Mountain of Almonds" in Arabic. It's one of the only places in the country to receive snow and is famous for some interesting rock paintings. For the energetic amongst us, there will be time to climb to the top of this particular Jebel. DAYS 8-9: JEBEL AL LAWZ TO TABUK We visit Neom this morning, Saudi Arabia's futuristic mega-city, to see if they have managed to produce artificial clouds for rain or holographic teachers - and whether the estimated $500 billion projects really will be worth it! Our next stop is Tabuk, an ancient stop for hajj pilgrims travelling to Mecca. The Ottomans controlled Tabuk and the pilgrimage routes that led here for centuries - remains such as the old Hejaz railway and Tabuk Castle serve as reminders. We'll have a free day to explore the area - be sure to visit the souqs for handicrafts or some good food. DAY 10-11: TABUK TO AL ULA Travelling onwards, we visit the oasis of Tayma, the oldest known settlement in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and possibly the entire Arabian Peninsula. The Oasis owes its existence to the natural wells that still exist today - the Haddaj Well dates back as early as the 6th century! From Al Ula, we'll explore the other Nabataean masterpiece, the incredible Madain Salah, often dubbed the "second Petra", but many believe it to be better than Petra. There are some great photo opportunities with the red rock mountains contrasted against the black basalt. DAY 12-14: MEDINA TO JEDDAH This morning we head to Medina, the "City of the Prophet". Medina is where the founder of Islam, Muhammed, was given refuge after being forced from Mecca. While the central area of the city is off-limits to non-Muslims, we are still able to visit many major sites and our guide will help explain different sections in more detail. From Medina, we travel to Jeddah, the most cosmopolitan, liberal city in the Kingdom. The city's architecture takes inspiration from the Red Sea's spectacular underwater coral, and you can spend your time here exploring a more laid-back Saudi, the souqs or perhaps you might fancy some scuba diving - use your free time as you choose! DAY 15-18: JEDDAH TO ABHA Our next stop is Taif, where we head up into the hills and the cooler climate. Keep a lookout for the wild baboons that populate the roadsides; visit the largest souq in Saudi Arabia and sample the fresh fruits the region is famous for. We climb higher still as we travel to Abha, our base for a few nights. Described as being the country's most bohemian town, it's a world away from the Saudi we've experienced so far. You can visit Al Muftaha village, a cultural gem famous for its calligraphy graffiti, and head out to explore the hanging villages of Aseer National Park. You might like to use your other free day to head South to the stunning Farasan Islands, visiting pearl merchants on land or the incredible marine life under the sea. DAY 19-22: ABHA TO RIYADH It's a long drive inland to Saudi Arabia's capital, so we'll break up the journey with a camp in the desert - a chance to break out those sleeping bags again! From a mud-brick walled oasis town along desert trading routes, Riyadh - which means "garden" in Arabic - is now one of the richest cities in the world. You can explore the world-class museums, travel up the sky bridge or enjoy the many great cafes and restaurants. From here, we take a 4 x 4 desert safari trip into the Empty Quarter, where you can gaze at the awe-inspiring dunes and strain your eyes for the elusive Arabian leopard. A harsh yet romantic landscape, it's like nowhere else on earth. We'll have a final night in Riyadh before we continue our journey. DAY 23-26: RIYADH TO OMAN We leave city life behind as we head to our last stop in Saudi, the largest oasis on earth which produces one of the biggest yields of dates in the world. While you're sampling the famous fruit, it's also worth reading up on Al Hofuf's history; as one of the main cultural centres in the Kingdom, its university was one of the first to accept female students. Crossing into Abu Dhabi, we'll follow the coast around The Gulf, and camp overnight beachside. Heading inland, we'll drive through more desert and cross into our final country, Oman, where our first stop is to visit the UNESCO ancient beehive tombs at Bat and Al Ayn in Wadi Hajir. DAY 27-29: JEBEL SHAMS TO NIZWA We continue our cultural adventure with stops at Jabreen Castle and the formidable Bahla Fort. Bahla is one of Oman's oldest towns and is famous for its incredible fortress that dates back to the 13th century. After a couple of nights staying at Omani farms, we head into the Hajar mountains. Jebel Shams (Mountain of the Sun) is the country's highest peak, and you'll have the opportunity to trek the Balcony Walk for views of Oman's own "Grand Canyon of Arabia", Wadi Ghul. We'll then travel to Nizwa, the "Pearl of Islam". Famous for producing exquisitely crafted silver - especially the curved dagger, the khanjar - make sure you visit the souq for anything and everything! DAY 30-32: IBRA TO WADI BANI KHALID After the cooler climate of the hills, we travel back down to the lowlands to Ibra, one of the oldest cities in Oman. Also home to some of the largest tribes in the country, Ibra is known for its beautiful handicrafts and the best silver jewellery in the country- a good place for shopping! Tonight we'll enjoy an Omani traditional feast with a tribal leader. After a traditional homemade breakfast the following morning, you can walk and swim off any excess at Wadi Bani Khalid. We're heading into the desert tonight - let's enjoy camping under the stars after a spectacular sunset over the sand. DAY 33-35: DESERT CAMP TO MUSCAT We’re heading for the coast today! We’ll visit Sur and see the traditional dhows and fish market in the town, before checking out some of the beautiful white-sand beaches nearby. We’ll spend the night at Ras Al Jinz to try and spot some of the endangered green turtles that favour the region. As we approach our final city, we’ll stop at Wadi Shab for a short hike and swim in the natural pools. Muscat is beautifully situated on the coast, and we’ll take a city tour to pack in the various highlights, including the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, The Royal Opera House, Mutrah Souq, and the National Museum. Your trip ends in the morning after breakfast.
