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PROGRAMS
Cities
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Archaeologists have found proof that prosperous settlements existed in Jordan 4,000 years before the birth of Christ. The rose-red city of Petra, carved out of a sandstone face in the mountains, was hidden under desert sand for centuries. Jerash, the world’s best preserved Greco-Roman city is situated close to the stylishly modern capital of Amman, home to a beautifully preserved Roman Theatre.
Please note the information below is intended as a guide only - please study this carefully. Entry and health requirements, exchange and currency information are subject to change often without notice. Please check with the appropriate authorities prior to travel to obtain the latest information.
All passport holders require a visa to enter into Syria. Please ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay.
Conditions: Not to have on passport an Israeli visa or stamps of Egyptian / Jordanian borders posts with Israel.
There are no compulsory vaccinations for travellers visiting Jordan but there are several vaccinations that are certainly recommended. If you are arriving from a yellow fever infected area then you will need proof of a yellow fever vaccination. Recommended vaccinations include: Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Hepatitis A & B, Typhoid, Cholera, Rabies and Malaria.
CURRENCYThe currency in Jordan is the Jordanian Dinar (JD) - which is made up of 1000 fils. Coins are 50, 100, 250 and 500 fils and one dinar. The value of the coins are written in English; the numerals are in Arabic only. Notes come in denominations JD0.500, 12, 5, 10 and 20. For everyday use, the JD5 note is about as large as you want.
US$1 = JD0.7100
Changing money is very easy in Jordan and most major currencies are accepted in cash and travellers cheques. US dollars are the most accepted, followed by UK pounds and German Deutschmarks.
Tips of 10% are generally expected in the better restaurants, except where a mandatory 'service charge' of 10% has been added. Elsewhere, rounding up the bill to the nearest 250 fils is appreciated by underpaid staff. Hotels in the mid range and top end categories usually add a service charge of about 10%, plus a 'government tax' of another 10%, thereby adding considerably to the final bill.
EMAIL & INTERNET ACCESSJordan is now truly part of the 'cyber world' and boasts eight Internet Service Providers (ISPs). All are based in Amman, which means that using the Internet in somewhere like Aqaba is four times more expensive than in Amman, because of the long-distance rates involved in contacting the ISPs.
Baggage allowances all depend on the airline but are generally as follow:First Class 40kg
Business Class 30kg
Economy Class 20kg
CLIMATE & CLOTHINGFor such a small country, Jordan has an extraordinary range of climates. The weather in the Jordan Valley is extremely oppressive in summer. Daily temperatures are well in excess of 36ºC and have been recorded as high as 49ºC. Rainfall is low, under 200 mm annually.
Average daytime maximum temperatures in Amman range from 12.6ºC in January to 32.5ºC in August. Snow in Amman is not unheard of and even Petra gets the occasional fall. The area around Aqaba has much warmer, drier weather, with average daytime maximum temperatures of around 20ºC in January and 38ºC in August.
The climate in the desert is extreme: summer temperatures can reach into the high 40s yet there are days in winter when cold winds howl down from central Asia. Rainfall is negligible: less than 50mm per year.
In early summer and autumn, natural fibre clothing is most comfortable. In summer, only pure cotton clothing is recommended. From December through March it can get quite cool, so a jacket, warm pullover and scarf may be required. A sunhat and sunscreen are recommended for the whole country throughout the year.
For non Jordanian nationals there is a local tax of JD10 to be paid for leaving Amman Airport.
Jordan is very safe to visit and travel around; remarkably so considering the turmoil, restrictions and difficulties in other nearby countries, such as Israel, Lebanon, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The general advise for all travellers is to take care - but do not be paranoid.
It is common sense to guard your valuables, use hotel security boxes where available and never leave luggage or belongings unattended. Please take your local representative's advice regarding personal safety when sightseeing independently.
Jordan uses 220V, 50 cycles, alternating current. Wall plugs are the round, two prong type although in Southern Jordan (particularly in Aqaba) you are more likely to find the British three-pronged ones. Bring an adaptor if required as it is cheaper than buying one locally.
Most western brands of print and slide film are available throughout Jordan but at tourist sites (especially Petra) the prices are horrendous. In Amman, a roll of Kodak 24/36 print film costs about JD2.650/3.500; Fuji and lesser-known brands are a little cheaper.
Photography in military zones such as "strategic areas" like bridges and public buildings is forbidden. Taking pictures of anything that suggests any degree of squalor, even the hectic activity of the marketplace, can offend some people's sense of pride. Sensitivity about the negative aspects of their country leads some Jordanians to become quite hostile about snappers.
Jordan does not boast the best range of prices for souvenirs in the Middle East, so if you are travelling elsewhere in the region, you may want to stock up on mementos in Egypt or Syria.
To find bargains and quality items you will need time to shop around and patience to haggle. Particularly good value are: copper and brassware, woodwork, carpets, rugs & kilims, 'Dead Sea' cosmetic products, musical instruments and jewellery.
Arabic is Jordan's official language. English is also widely spoken but any effort to communicate with the locals in their own language will be well rewarded. No matter how far off the mark your pronunciation or grammar might be, you will often get the response "Ah, you speak Arabic very well!"
The Modern History of Jordan, Kamal Salibi
History of the Arabs, Philip Hitti
A History of the Arab Peoples, Albert Hourani
Women in Islam: From Medieval to Modern Times, Wiebke Walther
The best time to visit Jordan is in the spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November), when the daytime temperatures are not going to be too high and the winds are not too cold.
Ramadan is a time when visitors should not eat, drink or smoke in public during the day for one month, so it is not the best time to visit, although some travellers cannot avoid coming at this time. Eid al-Fitr, the great celebration after the end of Ramadan, can last several days. Although this is a fun time to visit, it is best to stay put for a few days because buses are heavily booked, service taxis and private taxis are less frequent and hotel rooms are sometimes hard to find, especially in Aqaba
Jordan, the friendly country, founded by King Abdullah beginning of the 20th century, now a day ruled by his grandson, King Hussein, as constitutional monarch.
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Petra
The most attractive tourist site in Jordan, this rose-red city of
Petra, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site carved around 2000
years ago.
This Nabatean Kingdom endured for centuries, and became widely admired for its
refined culture, massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and water
channels.
By the 16th Century, Petra was forgotten for almost 300
years, then in 1812, the Swiss Johann Burckhardt
revealed to the world this treasure.
The Siq, between the 700 meters high walls, is
the main entrance to reach Petra’s most famous monument, the Treasury, where
one can start discovering this magnificent city.
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Jerash
Acknowledged as one of the best preserved Roman provincial towns in the world.
Jerash was a member of the Decapolis, a dynamic commercial league of ten
Greco-Roman cities.
Today known for its festival, held yearly in July, featuring folklore dances
by local and international groups, concerts, plays, opera, popular singers,
sales of traditional handicrafts and local theatrical plays and poetry
competitions.
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Ajloun
A short journey west from Jerash, through the pine forest and olive is Castle
of Ajloun, built in 1184 by the nephew of
Saladin, who defeated the Crusaders in 1189.
The fortress dominated a wide stretch of the north Jordan Valley it also
protected the communication routes between south Jordan and Syria.
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Aqaba
On the Red Sea, Surrounded with mountains that keeps its weather
nice and hot during almost the whole year.
With its sandy beaches and coral reefs, one of the most important diving sites
in the world, in the turquoise coloured water full of a vast variety of fish
mixing with some of the rarest corals in the world makes the unforgettable
spectacle.
For those who are not interested in scuba diving, Aqaba offers its water for
all type of sports with professional instructors.
The Dead Sea
A unique natural phenomenon in the world, this lowest point on Earth, 400
meters below the sea level, where its water is 10
times salty than the Mediterranean.
The Dead Sea very rich with its minerals, the magnesium, sodium and the
potassium is the ideal place for the demathology, rheumatic, respiratory
problems and the nervous system.
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Um Qeis - Pella - Um Al Jmal
Um Qeis called Gadara in the old times, one of the Decapolis cities, (the ten
Greek-Roman cities situated in the northern part of Jordan, Syria and
Palestine), overhanging the magnificent panoramic view of the northern part of
the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee.
Pella situated in the northern part of the Jordan Valley is one of the most
important archaeological sites of the region.
The major parts of the structure rose from the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic
periods (from the XII to the XIV century).
Um al Jmal, includes the ruins of black basalt houses, a church and a complex
Roman fortress.
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Wadi Rum
Is the most charming desert all over Jordan, where with a jeep,
horse or camel, one can go around to discover.
Wadi Rum challenges also the climbers to climb the granite walls or
participate in a safari in the desert.
Inhabited by the Bedouins, these hospitable and friendly people with whom one
should accept the invitation in the tent to try together their tea with ment
or the coffee with cardamom, sitting around the fire.
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Dana
Thanks to the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN)
who is setting up nature reserves all over Jordan, where Dana is among them
famous with its 600 species of plants, 200
reptiles and mammals, and more than 150 species of birds.
Madaba & Mount Nebo
Madaba is famous with its Byzantine mosaic map showing Jerusalem and other
holy sites in the Greek Orthodox church of St. George.
This masterpiece is among hundreds of other mosaics from the 5th
through the 7 th Centuries, scattered throughout
Madaba’s churches and homes.
Mount Nebo, the memorial of Moses, the presumed site of the prophets death and
burial place, a church was built on the spot by early Byzantine Christians,
which
later expanded into a vast complex, from where the view across the Jordan
valley and the Dead Sea to the rooftops of Jerusalem and Bethlehem is
magnificent. Mukawer not far away from Mount Nebo where John the Baptist was
beheaded.
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Thermal SPAS
Hammamat Ma’in
the most thrilling road in Jordan to reach the springs, once there,
one can climb over the rocks beneath a hot waterfall, soak or swim in the
thermal waters.
Desert Castles
Jordan’s deserts are full with ancient castles, farming estates, forts,
hunting lodges and caravanserai, now a days all known as the desert Castles,
among them is Amra Castle a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its
interior walls and ceilings covered with lively paintings, and two of the
rooms paved with Roman mosaics.
The Azraq fort, in continuous use since the Roman times, was the headquarters
of Lawrence of Arabia during the Arab Revolt.
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The
Crusaders
The most important among these are Kerak and Shobak.
Kerak Castle, is an example of the Crusaders’ architectural, the castle was
enlarged with a new west wing added by the Ayyaubids and Mamluks.
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DAY |
JORDAN 3 DAYS - 2 NIGHTS |
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DAY 1 |
AMMAN / M. & ASSIST AT AIRPORT / TRANSFER TO HOTEL. |
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DAY 2 |
AMMAN / PETRA / AMMAN HOTEL. |
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DAY 3 |
AMMAN / TRANSFER TO AIRPORT . |
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DAY |
JORDAN 5 DAYS - 4 NIGHTS |
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DAY 1 |
AMMAN / M. & ASSIST AT AIRPORT / TRANSFER TO HOTEL. |
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DAY 2 |
AMMAN / MADABA MOSAICS / PETRA / PETRA HOTEL. |
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DAY 3 |
PETRA / AQABA HOTEL . |
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DAY 4 |
AQABA / DEAD SEA ( 400 M-S.L: LOWEST SPOT ON EARTH ) AMMAN HOTEL . |
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DAY 5 |
AMMAN / TRANSFER TO AIRPORT. |
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DAY |
JORDAN RED SEA / AQABA 7 DAYS- 6 NIGHTS |
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DAY 1 |
AQABA / M . & ASSIST AT AIRPORT / TRANSFER TO HOTEL . |
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DAY 2 |
AQABA / FREE FOR DIVING / AQABA HOTEL . |
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DAY 3 |
AQABA / FREE FOR DIVING / AQABA HOTEL . |
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DAY 4 |
AQABA / FREE FOR DIVING / AQABA HOTEL . |
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DAY 5 |
AQABA / FREE FOR DIVING / AQABA HOTEL . |
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DAY 6 |
AQABA / FREE FOR DIVING / AQABA HOTEL . |
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DAY 7 |
AQABA / TRANSFER TO AIRPORT . |
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DAY |
JORDAN 8 DAYS - 7 NIGHTS |
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DAY 1 |
AMMAN / M. & ASSIST AT AIRPOT / TRANSFER TO HOTEL. |
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DAY 2 |
AMMAN / JERASH / AJLOUN / AMMAN HOTEL. |
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DAY 3 |
AMMAN / DEAD SEA / MADABA / AMMAN HOTEL. |
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DAY 4 |
AMMAN / DESERT CASTLES : QUSAIR AMRA + AZRAQ CASTLE + KARRANEH CASTLE / AMMAN HOTEL. |
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DAY 5 |
AMMAN / KERAK CASTLE / PETRA HOTEL . |
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DAY 6 |
PETRA / F.D. PETRA / WADI RUM / AQABA HOTEL. |
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DAY 7 |
AQABA / H.D. FREE / AT NIGHT WADI RUM DINNER IN BEDOUIN TENT / AQABA HOTEL. |
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DAY 8 |
AQABA / TRANS FER TO AIRPORT . |
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