Sites in Jordan

Rise on around 800 ms height, Amman city account around 2millions of inhabitants. It’s the capital of the Kingdome, the engine siege of the country. Amman city tour will allow us to find that Amman is a modern capital, but rich with its history. It will give you the opportunity of a direct contact with Jordanians.

the traces of the Greco-roman city in Jerash, called Gerasa in the antiquity is one of the most beautiful archeological sites in Jordan, situated at 46 km to the north of Amman. The oval plaza, the Cardo Maximus, the nympheum, the Zeus and Artemis temples…testify till today the brilliance of the Romans. A visit with the sun sleeping (sunset) will sing poetry of colors. The knowledge of the ancients and the charm of the place make Jerash an important site to visit.

the old Gadara, a Greco-roman city, situated on 29km in the north of Irbid, was like Jerash, a member of the Decapolis, this confederation which linked the Hellenized cities in the Semitic countries. The old texts describe it “the Attic of the Assyrian land”. This green area of philosophers and artists conserve till now a part of its monuments and will offer the visitors in a biblical view, a panorama on the Tiberius lack.

after crossing the greenest lands in Jordan, at 87 km in the north-west of Amman, you will attain Ajlun village and its fortress on 1200m height. The visit of the fortress will offer you an extended view on the Jordan valley, the Galilee Mountains, and the Golan Heights, and by chance, you will meet the guardian with who you can taste the local wine, home made…

situated in the heart of the mountains surrounding the Jordan valley. Pella was the most occupied site during centuries without being empty for a moment, from the Paleolithic to the Muslim period. The first foundation of this city been posed by the Macedonian veterans of Alexander the Great, around the 4th century B.C, on a strategic hill.

a curious dead city in the middle of a huge basaltic concentration. At 91 km to the north –east of Amman. It will attract the visitor due to its remarkable conservation. With its churches, monasteries, its military and administrative urban, its houses and cisterns, give the right example about those Christian cities on Muslim lands.

the Azraq Oasis is about 130 km to the east of Amman. Azrak extends on a basaltic, lime stone and salty land. It’s enclosing around 100km2 of a wiled reserve. Its fortress been built by the Romans in order to defend and protect the waters, and to control one of the invasions roads. It was also considered as the head quarter of Lawrence of Arabia, and Faisal the king, the future king of Iraq.

not too far from Azraq, a modest construction called Amra Palace, cover inside it some paintings from the 8th century A.D. The unique fresco inside made this establishment also unique in the whole world. And it’s classified as patrimonial heritage of UNESCO. The Amra visit is plenty of surprises that I’ll let the guide to make the introduction and make u discover the Palace.

The Kharaneh Palace is an important ancient caravanserai, on the same road of Azraq, about 85km to the east of Amman. It has a square form, equipped with tours in each of its angles. The walls are made from lime stone. An inscription in koufiques characters from the year 92 of the Muslim era, testify its age.

at 10 km to the west of Amman, Iraq Al-Amir is an ancient site situated in the middle of a natural amphitheater of hard and romantic rocks. Qasr Al-Abd, the second name of this site which means (Slave palace). This residence been established by the last heir of the Jew family of the Tobiades, and it’s representing the only Hellenistic monument in the whole Amman region. Its rectangular plan and its megalithic rocks, make this building the unique one in the whole region of the Middle East.

near about 40 km to the south-east of Amman, with the most Christian community in all Jordan, Madaba city conserve the most important byzantine archeological park. More than 150 churches in the city and its regions, traces the history of the byzantine occupation and its evolution. The Palestine map in the St Georges church has an inestimable interest for the topographical studies of the ancient Palestine and the nearby countries. Madaba is an obligatory stop for the touristic groups and the pilgrims too.

At 4km far from the Dead Sea. The Zerqa Ma’in valley form in the send stone gorges natural basins, alimented by some thermal sources (55 to 60 c), issued through basaltic rocks. A certain number of them form hot waterfalls. Do you like to have fun? Don’t lose a moment of distraction in the hot mineral waters of Ma’in.

at only 46 km to the south-west of Amman, in Madaba region, the Mont Nebo rise on 838m above sea level. It’s the mountain where god asked Moses to contemplate the promising land, and where he died. So it will be as the Arab Moab Land tradition, in the front of Jericho. The irresistible view on the Jordan Valley, and Jerusalem Mounts, will appear in you the nostalgia of the old history and certainly a good knowledge about the actuality. More than this, the site will offer you the opportunity to admire its mosaics which they testify the artistic ability of the Byzantines.

is the old supposed Nebo village site. The last step of the Israelites before they got the Promising Land. Florissant in the Byzantine period, today ruined, the churches of St Lot and St Procopius give us some mosaics, particularly rich.

or Makhabros: a village rise on a hill, dominating a nice view on the Dead Sea, and Judah Mounts too. Not too far from the village, the foundation of an old fortress appears, it’s without doubt, the Jew fortress of Makhabros, according to the Bible, is the place where the tragic episode of the death of John the Baptist took place. The climbing to the hill where the foundations are, will give you a large view on the Dead Sea valley, and will let you live the fatal moments where Salome danced to have the head of John the Baptist.

it’s a city on the King’s high way, between Madaba and Kerak. As it has been occupied by the Romans, the most beautiful traces are dated from the byzantine period. Inside of it, you will find a fantastic disordered puzzle of houses and churches in ruins. It’s in between this ruins, where one of the most interesting Mosaics in Jordan were found, representing the principal cities on the both rives of the rift, which divide the Holly Land.

this city rise on 1000m above sea level, at 120km to the south of Amman, the ancient capital of Moab of the Bible, which was Qir- Heres. It’s crowned with the remains of an incredible crusade fortress. The siege of Montreal since 1140, will be under the reign of Renault De Chatillon after his marriage with Etiennette, Philipe de Milly’s daughter. Since that, the history grows, and the guide will lead you to discover the times of the Crusaders.

from a dozen of reserves in Jordan, Dana is a unique case. In the heart of the mountains in a lateral valley which goes to Wadi Araba. Its conserving an interesting wiled life. A visit with a local guide will guarantee you a direct contact with the wiled nature, where fauna and flora live in harmony.

30km before reaching Petra, a road will drive you to the Shobak castle. Sited on the top of a hill, dominating a valley, and going down to the Wadi Araba. This strategic position been built by Bowdoin the 1st in 1115, to control the road linking Syria, Egypt and Hejaz. A visit of this fortress will leave you a remarkable impression about the work and the determination of the Crusaders.

at around 235 km to the south of Amman, the extraordinary site of Petra hides. Known by Reqem in the Bible, which mean the colored. Petra will give you the occasion to admire the natural beauties, living the history through its monuments in the same time. Petra became the capital of the Nabateans around the 2nd century B.C. they excavated the mountains, and transformed some of them to innumerable tombs. They added to there city, an urban system which has a Greco- Roman influence, like the Theatre, the Nyphium, and the Agora…Petra shocks the visitor by its extraordinary frame and its history in the same time.

at around a dozen of kilometers to the north of Petra, a Neolithic village (7000 B.C) remains were found. It’s called Beidha village. Its exceptional importance made it comparable with Chataluq in Turkey. The researches will captivate the travelers with its well conserved remains, retracing the evolution of the settlement starting from the circular hutte. During the same excursion, you will visit nearby, an admirable short Siq where the Nabateans carved other facades like those in Petra, so we call it the Little Petra.

at 330km to the south of Amman, The Wadi Rum is a valley of Saharian type. You will reach it after crossing a sandy Plaines, where the road passes by strange rock formations which you had seen them before from Ras en Naqab balcony. With sunset, all of its petrified phantasms and its sandy costs will take admirable and delicate shades.

the only Jordan Port situated in the depth of Aqaba Golf, and occupied the reserved extremity of Wadi Araba. Aqaba was till today an important intersection for the commercial roads. More than its functions as a port, Aqaba become a principal touristic attraction pole, and recently established as free zone. It’s a nice maritime stationary on the red sea just right on the old city of Ecyon-Geber, and a marvelous under-water garden very rich with its corals.

(Salt Concretion): a short excursion to the Dead Sea, about 55km to the south of Amman, will offer you one of the extraordinary experiences in Jordan. At more than 400m below sea level, with a density of 10 times more than other seas on earth, will guarantee you a unique and unforgettable swimming. You will appreciate the Dead Sea Black Mad, rich with minerals, which will make you to appear young 10 years back.

(Bethany beyond Jordan): in a front of Jericho, in the junction of Wadi Kharrar and Jordan Valley, were found some remains of old churches which they are related directly to the Baptism of the Christ. At about 1km, the archeologists found the remains of a huge religious complex which contains churches, cisterns, and baptismal basins established by the first Christian pilgrims, on the place of the (Bethany beyond Jordan), where John the Baptist had his religious life. A walk through this holly place will mark your tour in Jordan with a memorable step.