Day 1

Departure Our life-changing journey begins this evening as we board our overnight flight to Jordan.

Day 2

Arrival Jordan

We arrive in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and transfer to our lodging for the next three evenings in Amman.

Day 3 Jerash, Jabbok, Um Qays, As Salt

This morning we travel to Jerash, one of the best preserved and most complete provincial Roman cities. Jerash, Gerasa of Roman Times, was one of the cities of the Decapolis, a confederation of 10 Graeco-Roman cities dating from the 1st century BC situated in Jordan, Syria and Israel. Known as the Pompeii of the East for its extraordinary state of preservation, the ruins indicate human occupations at this location for more than 2,500 years. Our next stop is Um Qays, the old Decapolis city of Gadara, with its spectacular panoramic views overlooking the Sea of Galilee, is the proposed site of Jesus’ miracle of the Gadarene swine. A rare five-aisled basilica from the 4th century was recently discovered and excavated at Umm Qays. Everything about this distinctive arrangement of a church above a tomb at this particular place, strongly indicates that it was designed and built to commemorate the very spot where the early church believed that Jesus performed his miracle. Nearby we find Jabbok, the place that is said to be where Jacob wrestled with God who was in the form of an angel (Genesis 32:24-30). We pass through As Salt, the city that houses the tomb & shrine of Job and tomb of Jethro before returning to Amman.

Day 4 Dead Sea, and Aqaba

Traveling southward we stop at a Dead Sea resort for a relaxing float or optional spa treatment. The infamous Sodom and Gomorrah are believed, although not confirmed to be the burned remains of two cities in the nearby southeastern Dead Sea plain. We will view from a distance a hillside cave near to the small town of Zoar (modern-day Safi). The Bible says Lot’s daughters gave birth to sons whose descendents would become the Ammonite and Moabite people, whose kingdoms were in what is now central Jordan. It is here that Byzantine Christians built a church and monastery dedicated to Lot. From here, we continue on to our lodging for the evening in Aqaba, Biblical Ezion Geber - the lovely seaport of King Solomon.

Day 5 Petra

This morning we turn north toward the amazing mountain fortress of Petra, known to be inhabited by the Edomites - the descendents of Esau. Begin the tour with a walk through the "Siq," an immense crack in the Nubian sandstone, to the city of Petra carved out of the rose red rock. The Treasury, El Khazneh, is one of the most elegant remains of antiquity. Beyond El Khazneh we are surrounded on both sides by hundreds of Petra's carved and built structures. Departing Petra, we travel northward on the famous ancient route of the King's Highway used by Abraham and Moses where to the west we view from a distance the hills bordering the Dead Sea. We overnight in Amman for the next two evenings.

Day 6 Mt Nebo, Mabada, Amman

Mt. Nebo, believed to be the site of the tomb of Moses, commands a spectacular view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. The drive continues to the town of Madaba, the biblical Medeba, 30 kilometers south of Amman. Madaba is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics and at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George we may view the earliest surveying original map of the Holy land. Looking to the northwest we view the Plains of Moab, the area where the tribes of Israel camped before crossing the Jordan. We enjoy a driving tour of the highlights of Amman including visits to the Citadel, Roman Theatre and Old City before checking into our lodging for one last night.

Day 7 Homeward

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.