March 19-26, 2023
Dates: March 19-26, 2023
An exclusive Bryn Mawr departure.
Tour Highlights:
- Walking food tour at markets sampling traditional foods like hummus, falafel, kenafah and more.
- Women empowerment project to learn about how they have created a platform to support them financially through economic development opportunities.
- Visit a castle in Ajloun, a key trade and pilgrimage intersection between Jerusalem, Cairo, Damascus & Mecca built to ward of Crusader armies.
- Enter the enchanting world of Bedouin hospitality at FeynanEcolodge, meeting locals through various arranged activities like a traditional cooking class or sipping sweet tea with the Bedouins.
- Petra, one of the wonders of the world and a famed archeological site.
- A night under the stars in Wadi Rum as you experience desert life.
- Float in the Dead Sea, considered the lowest point on earth’s surface at 1,300 feet below sea level.
To reserve a space, please contact Immersion Journeys at 917-686-2620 or info@immersionjourneys.com.
Trip Leader: Prof. Alice Lesnick
Cost & Inclusions:
Land Package Only: $3,995 per person (double occupancy)
Single Room Supplement: $595
Includes:
- Accommodations and meals as mentioned in the itinerary below
- Ground transport in luxury coaches
- Airport transfers.
- Excursions and day tours mentioned in the itinerary below
- Entrance fees to sites
- Full time English-speaking local tour guide
- Jordanian visa is free for United States passport holders on arrival.
(A copy of passport with 6 month validity and at least 2 blank pages must be submitted to the tour operator)
Activity Level:
Easy to moderate. You must have good walking ability and dexterity without any human assistance or permanent walking aides (canes, walkers) as you will be also visiting areas that will require walking or climbing uneven pathways and steps. Every effort will be made to ensure your comfort however it will be the responsibility of the guest to advise the tour operator and ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æÓ°Òô regarding any concerns you may have. Please consult with your doctor regarding this trip, its length and location and share this information with them.
Covid-19 Health & Safety Protocols:
The well–being of our guests and staff members on tour will continue to be our highest priorities. We will maintain a healthy environment for travel, even after restrictions are fully lifted and it’s safe to begin travel. We will be establishing and adhering to a detailed set of health and safety protocols for all facets of your tour. We are committed to following the guidelines of the State Department, CDC, WHO, and authorities in Jordan. Detailed protocols for this tour, based on conditions at the time, will be provided approximately 60 days prior to departure.
Itinerary
Depart for Amman, for arrival the next day, March 19, 2023.
(Note: Early arrivals options are available. Contact the tour operator for details.)
You will be met by an Immersion Journeys representative upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. After check–in you will have the day to yourself to rest and explore the area around the hotel. In the evening, meet the group for introductions and a welcome dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Jordan Intercontinental Hotel (Welcome Dinner).
Note: Check–in time is 3:00pm. Depending on your flight arrival times, early check in options are available.
Start your visit to Jordan with a tour of the old city of Amman exploring the Citadel and the Roman Theater, two of the most popular archaeological sites in the city and the Jordan Folklore Museum. We then drive to Jebel Webdeh, the arts and cultural district passing art galleries, local antiquities and handcraft shops. Stop at local restaurants to sample falafel, hummus and the Arab delicacy, Kenafah, eaten at times of celebration. Continue exploring the streets and markets as you get the true feel of the life and culture of everyday Jordanians. Later return to the hotel to freshen up and meet for dinner.
Overnight: Jordan Intercontinental Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
In the morning we drive an hour north to Jerash, the best example of a Roman provincial city in the Middle East. We visit the spectacular Forum, Roman colonnaded street, the Nymphaeum and Artemis Temple. Later visit a small town called Souf, where you will spend a few hours in the company of the local women of Beit Khairat Souf. The goal of Beit Khairat Souf is to create a platform for local women to financially support themselves through economic development opportunities. After lunch, we will drive to Ajloun to visit a castle, dominating the Ajloun skyline and built to ward off Crusader armies at the key trade and pilgrimage intersection between Jerusalem, Cairo, Damascus and Mecca. We will then drive an hour and half back to Amman and the rest of the evening is at your leisure.
Overnight: Jordan Intercontinental Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch)
After breakfast, we will check out of the hotel and head to Iraq Al Amir to visit a local women’s cooperative where you will learn the art of making handicrafts. Next we will drive to Mount Nebo and wonder at the view where Moses looked across to the Promised Land and later died and was buried there. Then we will visit the town of Madaba and discover the amazing Byzantine mosaics excavated from throughout the town. See the ‘Madaba Map’, the oldest preserved mosaic map of the Holy Lands and visit the Shrine of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. Later we will drive 3-hours to Feynan Ecolodge, considered to be one of the top 25 rated ecolodges in the world rated by National Geographic. Depending on our arrival time, we can embark on a short sunset walk (optional) from the lodge to a nearby hilltop for fresh Bedouin tea and stunning views westwards as the sun sets over the vast Wadi Araba desert.
Overnight: Feynan Ecolodge (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Note: The ecolodge has limited room configuration choices with most rooms with separate twin beds.We will not be able to accommodate special requests or room changes
After breakfast, we will stay at the ecolodge where multiple activities will be arranged, offering you a chance to engage with locals, whether it be a walk you can join or have coffee with them, or even cook an authentic vegetarian meal! In the afternoon we will drive 2– hours to the world–famous lost city of Petra, considered one of the wonders of the world. In the evening a unique cooking experience awaits us at Petra Kitchen as we prepare a traditional Jordanian meal, from dips and appetizers to the main course and dessert, and enjoy each other’s company as we eat our delicious meal together.
Overnight: Petra Guesthouse Crowne Plaza (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Marvel at the beauty of Petra, exploring its many caves and tombs. Walk through the Siq, the main entrance to this ancient Nabatean city and be astounded by the magnificent Treasury, now one of the wonders of the world. We will spend a few hours exploring the magnificent city and learn about its history. After lunch, we will drive 2–hours to Wadi Rum and spend the night under the stars in this peaceful desert, enjoying the hospitality of the Bedouins.
Overnight: Al Sultana Luxury Camp (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Enjoy a roughly 2-hour jeep tour that will allow you to travel around Wadi Rum’s valleys, canyons, dunes and deserts, discover rock inscriptions, majestic views of mountains, landscapes and narrow gorges. At each stop you have the opportunity to hike, scramble and explore at your own pace. After lunch, we will drive 4–hours to the Dead Sea, considered the lowest point on earth, at 1,300 feet below sea level. Enjoy time relaxing at the Dead Sea, floating in its salty waters or rest by the resort’s pool. In the evening, we will enjoy a farewell dinner as we toast to our new friendships and experiences.
Overnight: Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea (Breakfast, Lunch, Farewell Dinner)
Spend your last day on the shores of the Dead Sea as you unwind and relax. Enjoy the hotel amenities and go back for a dip into the Dead Sea and cover yourself in its mineral rich mud considered to have medicinal benefits. Depending on your flight departure time, you will be transferred to the airport for your international flight back to the US. (Breakfast)
Note: we recommend a late evening departure flight back to the US to give you the day to spend at the Dead Sea. Hotel check–out time is 12:00PM, however you can store your luggage and continue to use the hotel facilities and enjoy the Dead Sea until your scheduled transfer to the airport.