- Jordan Private Tours
- Classical Jordan - Private Tour
Admire the wealth of Jordan's culture and history as you travel from captivating Petra and historic Amman to the ancient settlement of Jerash and renowned mosaics of Madaba. Combining age-old structures with dramatic natural surroundings, your tour ends with a safari through the rolling desert dunes of Wadi Rum and a chance to float on the salty expanse of the Dead Sea.
Depart on your scheduled direct flight to Amman where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
If you are arranging your own international flights, free airport transfers are available and included in the price. Transfers need to be booked with us at least two weeks before the tour starts and you will need to provide your inbound and outbound flight details.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
A morning tour of Amman's historic downtown area takes in the cultural artefacts of the Archaeological and Folklore Museums and the hilltop ruins of the Citadel which sits on the highest hill in Amman, about 850m above sea level. Occupied since the Bronze Age, it is surrounded by a vast 1700m metre long wall which has been rebuilt numerous times throughout the Bronze and Iron Ages, as well as the Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods. Two of the Citadel's most fascinating sights are the Umayyad Palace, renowned for its distinctive domed entrance known as the chamber, and the towering columns of the Temple of Hercules, believed to be the most significant structure in the historic Amman Citadel. Continue on to the ancient city of Jerash, one of the ten great Roman cities of the Decapolis League with a history of an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years. Hidden for centuries in the sand, the city offers a wealth of well-preserved Roman ruins. Witness its long-standing theatres, paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, and spacious public squares and plazas before returning to your hotel in Amman.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning, set out for the city of Madaba, famous for its 6th-century map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, as well as its spectacular Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, some of which are vibrantly colourful. Travel onward to Mount Nebo, renowned as the biblical city where Moses having led his people from Sinai, stood on the edge of a ridge overlooking the dead sea, and was granted a view of the 'Promised Land' that he would never enter. It is also said that he died and was buried here. In the basilica that marks the spot, beautiful mosaics portray rustic scenes which are as varied with colour as the day they were laid. From here, journey south to explore Al Karak's imposing 12th-century crusader's castle, built on a triangular plateau and an impressive example of the Crusaders' architectural military genius before continuing to Petra for your overnight stay.
Breakfast & Dinner
Today's exploration of the awe-inspiring Nabatean Red Rose city of Petra starts with a dramatic entry through a long, narrow gorge flanked by soaring cliffs. This unique city, one of the 7 New Wonders of the World and a UNESCO Heritage site, was carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people, who turned it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Syria, Greece, Egypt and Rome. Colossal red mountains and vast tombs of a departed race which are such a far reach from modern civilization, are often considered as one of the greatest wonders ever wrought by Man and Nature. Pass dazzling rock formations before the final turn opens up to a view of the iconic 2,000-year-old facade of the treasury. Believed to be a royal tomb, the impressive rock-hewn site may be recognised from the film 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'. Continuing deeper into this fascinating ancient city, you'll have a full day to explore its elaborate, tombs, temples, sacrificial altars and Roman-style theatres.
Breakfast & Dinner
After breakfast, visit Al Beidha, known as 'Little Petra' for the similarity of its rock-cut tombs and structures. Witness centuries-old dining halls, washrooms, fountains and rooms skilfully hewn into stone. Next, travel further south to the undulating desert dunes of Wadi Rum where you'll embark on a scenic jeep safari. Described by T.E Lawrence as 'vast, echoing and godlike', the locals refer to the untamed sea of red sand as the 'Valley of the Moon'. In a land where the sun beams over imposing rock formations, breath-taking crimson mountains and carpets of untouched sand dunes, soak in awe-inspiring vistas in this otherworldly territory. In the midst of this ethereal kingdom, enjoy a unique overnight stay in an authentic desert camp.
Breakfast & Dinner
Transfer from Wadi Rum to the Dead Sea and spend the rest of your day at leisure, providing the perfect opportunity for relaxation. Alternatively, take a trip to the shores of the iconic Dead Sea in the Jordan Rift Valley. Submerged at a dramatic 400 metres below sea level, the lowest point on the face of the earth, this vast stretch of water is 304 metres deep and is renowned as the deepest hypersaline lake in the world; by the time the waters reach the Dead Sea, they are land-locked, resulting in evaporation which leaves behind a dense cocktail of salts and minerals. A fascinating phenomenon occurs here where you can float on the salty waters and also cover yourself in its rejuvenating black mud, making for a truly unique experience.
Breakfast & Dinner
Take another day to relax on the Dead Sea, or explore this area of incredible colour and beauty, before this evening's farewell dinner.
Breakfast
After breakfast, transfer to back to Amman for your return flight to the UK.
If you are arranging your own international flights, free airport transfers are available and included in the price. Transfers need to be booked with us at least two weeks before the tour starts and you will need to provide your inbound and outbound flight details.
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Our tour guide, Sam, was very good. Knowledgeable, funny, and very attentive. He looked after us very well, and I do think his care and advice at each stop really enhanced the tour and our feeling of safety.
Jordan, its fabulous antiquities, and the lovely people will stay in our memories and hearts forever.
Lesley Hilton
28 OctoberEvery day of the holiday exceeded our expectations. Petra was absolutely amazing, exploring Jerash, floating in the Dead Sea was a wonderful and surreal experience, an early morning camel ride, Wadi Rum, everything was a highlight. But in addition to all the amazing highlights and wonders of Jordan, one person was the shining star, our tour guide Ash (Ashraf Bdour). His obvious love of Jordan was infectious; he was absolutely outstanding, kind, informative, and very patient.
Dawn Williamson
26 OctoberIt was a memorable adventure holiday where the organisation and itinerary were nearly spot on. Our tour guide Zeek was wonderful, so funny and informative, and looked after us admirably and made us feel very safe throughout the tour. Our coach driver was really good and the coach was comfortable with plenty of bottled water available, and lots of organised toilet stops and for points of interest and lunches. The welcome at Amman airport and transfer to our first hotel was very smooth, as was the transfer back to the airport on our last day.
Stephen Yearley
12 NovemberThe order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
British Citizens require a visa for Jordan but Mercury Holidays will obtain it for you. We require you to submit your passport information via “My Booking” on the Mercury Holidays website a minimum of 60 days prior to departure. Your visa will be stamped into your passport at immigration at Amman airport which means no visa documentation will be sent to you before you travel. Failure to send us the passport information in the given time will mean that we are unable to apply for a visa on your behalf, and you will need to obtain your own visa. We strongly advise you check your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding passport validity.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org.uk, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability to stroll around the sights, climb stairs and get on and off coaches and boats. The tour pace of Classical Jordan is rated Intermediate. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, and may be getting on and off coaches, trains and boats and climbing steps which may be irregular. You will stay in variety of hotels throughout the tour. Our guides will always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance; however, they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are unfit to complete the itinerary.
The currency in Jordan is the Jordanian Dinar, known as JOD, but US Dollars are also widely accepted in the major cities. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour in order to withdraw money in the local currency.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry and extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £200-£300 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. Tipping is common practice in Jordan and it is customary to tip your driver £1.50 and guide around £3.00 per day and the airport representative £1.50. Tips for the driver and guide can be given at the end of the tour for your convenience. Tips can be given in any currency you have.
This is a partly escorted tour. A tour guide will be with the group from days 2-5. For day 6 and 7 during your time at leisure, you will not have your tour guide with the group. During transfers, an English-Speaking Driver Guide will assist the group.
Private Tour: If you have booked a private tour then you will be accompanied by a Driver Guide or a Driver and Local Guides. These will be available to you during all scheduled sightseeing. Private Tours can depart on any day of the week depending on flight and train schedules and the opening days of the attractions. They will follow the itinerary as described in the brochure unless you have been advised otherwise and you will still have all of the same meals, sightseeing and local excursions included.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Jordan. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where possible. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.
A triple room is available but please note that this will be a twin room with a roll away bed for the 3rd passenger.
Desert Camp
During this tour you will have a night’s stay at the Wadi Rum Magic Camp. Your stay will be in a comfortable tent with en suite facilities, whilst this is a unique experience facilities in the desert are necessarily of a lower standard than those in hotels through the tour. Enjoy traditional Bedouin food, cooked authentically each night.
Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way, so to ensure your comfort and well-being, two bottles of drinking water will be provided on touring days.
Ramadan is the most important month in the Muslim Calendar, and it is a time for people to be with their loved ones, self-reflect and renew their faith. During this time Muslims fast from dawn until dusk and abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum. If you are a tourist visiting Jordan, you will not be expected to fast. While eating, drinking and smoking is strictly prohibited in public places, hotels will offer meals and non-alcoholic drinks at many of their restaurants and bars. If you wish to consume alcohol during your trip, you may do so in your hotel room during the day, and some bars will be open as normal after sunset.
Ramadan is the most important month in the Muslim Calendar, and it is a time for people to be with their loved ones, self-reflect and renew their faith. During this time Muslims fast from dawn until dusk and abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum. If you are a tourist visiting Oman, you will not be expected to fast. While eating, drinking and smoking is strictly prohibited in public places, hotels will offer meals and nonalcoholic drinks at many of their restaurants and bars. If you wish to consume alcohol during your trip, you may do so in your hotel room during the day, and some bars will be open as normal after sunset. Your guide during your tour will be on hand to give you any additional information that you require. When packing for your trip, it’s important you include a couple of different outfit options, so you’re prepared for all the activities you wish to take part in. When you’re relaxing by the hotel pool or sunbathing on the resort beach it’s fine to wear swim wear and beach clothes. However, when out in public during the day, it is advisable to be more covered up to show respect to the local customs. We would recommend that women cover their shoulders and knees and men should wear knee length shorts or trousers when out in public areas.
During visits to Churches/Mosques please note long trousers or skirts should be worn to cover knees, Long sleeved tops should be worn to cover shoulders and ladies should bring a scarf to cover your head.
On your arrival in Amman you will be met by a representative from our local agent, TravCo, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Jordan Travel Service representative will show you to your transfer vehicle.
If you need to contact TravCo during your stay the details are:
TravCo - Jordan: Al Sharif Nasser Bin Jameel Street #2 – Shmeisani PO Box 941642 Amman, Jordan Telephone: 00 962 6 5666866 E-mail: Shatha.barqawi@travco.com or to3.jordan@travco.com
Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency 24 hour contact details for TravCo head office: Zaid Al-Kurdi: 00962 77 8464013 or Suhail Al-Qassas: 00962 775005510 E-mail: Zaid.alkurdi@travco.com
