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AMMAN
Approximately 1 800 000 inhabitants, at
an altitude of 750 m, Amman represents
the capital of the kingdom, and the main
engine of the country. A city tour of
Amman allows you, on one hand, to note
that the city, in spite of its modern
aspect, is not deprived of a long
history. On the other hand, it gives you
the opportunity of having a direct
contact with the Jordanians.
IRAQ EL
AMIR
at 10 km from Amman, Iraq El Amir is an
ancient site located in an amphitheatre
of rocks where one can see the gigantic
and romantic ruins of Qasr El Abd; a
palace which was built by the family of
Tobias. Its rectangular plan with the
megalithic stones and its impressive
sculptures of lions represent unique
vestiges in Jordan and all the Near
East.
MOUNT NEBO
At 46 km only to the West of Amman, at
838 m of altitude, is the place where
God had ordered Moses to go to the top
of the Arabot mountains, to mount Nebo,
in the country of Moab, opposite to
Jericho, to see the Promised Land and to
die on the mountain where he will go..
The irresistible sight on the Holy City
of Jerusalem and the Jordan valley can
make emerge in you nostalgia to the old
history and a better comprehension of
the Actuality..! Moreover, this site
will not fail to surprise you with its
mosaics which testify the finesse of the
Byzantines.
MADABA
Containing the greatest Christian
community, Madaba always preserves a
very important Byzantine archaeological
park. More than 150 churches, in the
city and its surroundings, trace the
history of the Byzantine occupation and
its evolution. Moreover, the Map of
Palestine in Madaba represents a
priceless interest for the study of the
topography of Palestine and the
countries of vicinity.
With less than 40 km of Amman, Madaba is
a point of obligatory passage for the
tourists as well as the pilgrims.
UMM ER RASAS
Umm Er Rasas is a city located on the
King’s road, between Madaba and Karak.
We date this city from the Nabatean,
Roman, and especially Byzantine periods.
Inside the surrounding walls of the city
you find a fantastic puzzle in disorder
of reversed towers, and churches into
pieces. Despite this first impression we
had found one of the most beautiful
mosaics in Jordan. A mosaic representing
the principal cities on both banks of
the rift, which divides the Holy Land in
two.
MUKAWIR
Is a village located on a plate from the
Dead Sea as well as foundations of a
strong castle where can be seen at the
same time. The castle may undoubtedly be
the Jewish fortress of Machaerus: the
place where, according to the bible the
tragic episode of the death of John the
Baptist took place.
Once on the top, you will be able you to
have a wide view on the Araba valley and
the Dead Sea but also an opportunity to
recall in imagination the dance of
Salome and its obtaining the head of
John the Baptist.
MUKHAYAT
Mukhayat is the supposed place of the
old village of Nebo, the last stage of
the Jews before the Promised Land.
Flourishing at the Byzantine period,
today in ruins, the churches of St Lot
and St Procopius deliver particularly
rich mosaics to us.
BETHANY
On the Opposite side of Jericho, at the
junction of Wadi Al Kharrar and the
Jordan River, some very old churches
were recently discovered commemorating
the place of the baptism of Christ. The
archaeologists also revealed, to
approximately 1 km upstream, the
vestiges of a whole religious complex
including churches, cisterns and
baptismal font built by the first
Christian pilgrims at the supposed site
of the "Bethany beyond Jordan" where St
John the Baptist preached. A descent to
these places of pilgrimage will mark
your stay in Jordan by a memorable
visit.
MA' IN
At 4 km of the Dead Sea shores, "Zerqa'
Ma' in constitute in the sandy throats a
whole of natural basins, supplied with
thermal hot springs (55◦ to 60◦ C),
coming from basaltic rocks. One of them
forms a hot cascade. If you wish to
satisfy your eyes and to fill your time,
do not miss this mineral water bath.
DEAD SEA
A short driving towards the Dead Sea,
with less than 55 km from Amman, offers
one of the most exciting experiences in
Jordan. With more than 400 m below the
sea level, and a density ten times
higher than any other sea, a small quick
dip in water will make you live an
exciting and unforgettable experiment.
Moreover you can benefit of black mud,
rich with minerals, to soften your skin
and to revitalize your body..!!
JERASH
One of the most beautiful archaeological
sites in Jordan located at 46 km of
Amman. The oval place, the cardo-maximus,
the nymphium, the temples of Zeus and
Artemis... and much more monuments
testify the majesty of the builders, and
the genius of the Greco-Romans.
Moreover, a visit upon sunset will make
you benefit of a poem of colours. The
know-how of the Greco-Romans and the
charm of the site make of Jerash an
imposing city to visit.
AJLUN
After crossing one of the greenest zones
in Jordan, at 87 km North of Amman, you
arrive at the village of Ajlun. A
village crowned by a fortress at more
then 1200m of altitude. A visit of this
strong castle offers a panoramic sight
to you on the Jordan valley, the
mountains of Galileo and the Golan
heights...
With some chance, if you find the former
guard of the site, he will make you
taste the local wine (home made...).
GADARA
Also named "Umm Qeis", Gadara is a
Greco-Roman city located at 29 km North
of Irbid. This city, mentioned in the
Gospel (8, 28), was also a member of the
Decapolis; In addition to the fact that
it was always described as "Athica in
the country of the Assyrians". This
seedbed of philosophers and artists
still preserves a part of its monuments,
and offers to the visitors a biblical
landscape and a panoramic sight on "the
Tiberias" Lake.
PELLA
Founded by the end of the 4th century
B.C., Pella is the witness of the work
of the Macedonians veterans of Alexander
the Great. Located in the heart of the
mountains, it dominates the Jordan
valley: It’s a strategic and rich place
at the same time. A quick glance on the
site enables you to note the
multiplicity and the diversity of the
ruins. In matter of fact, Pella was the
crossroads of all the conquerors and one
of the most continuously occupied sites
in the history of humanity.
KERAK
This city at 1000 m of altitude and 120
km from Amman is the old capital of the
country of Moab, it appears in the bible
under the name of Qir-Heres. Moreover,
it is crowned by the ruins of a fortress
built by the Crusaders. A worthy work of
art that competes with the famous "Crac
des Chevaliers". A lordship of Montreal
since 1140, this one falls to Renault de
Chatillon after its arranged marriage
with Etiennette de Milly. Consequently,
the history did not cease multiplying!!
The guide will go on with you through
time to make you live in the world of
Crusaders.
SHAUBAK
At 30km from Petra, you can fork on the
left to see, sitting at the top of a
hill, the castle of Shaubak, dominating
a small valley which drops towards the
valley of Wadi Araba. This strategic
position of first order was strengthened
by Baldwin 1st in 1115 A.D., to control
the road between Syria and Egypt or
Hejaz. One visit of this castle will
give you a good idea about the grandeur
and the determination of the Crusaders.
PETRA
Petra, an extraordinary site located at
235 km of Amman. Mentioned in the bible
under the name of Reqem (the
"Multi-coloured one"), Petra offers to
you the occasion to admire the beauty of
nature, to go back in condition, and to
live the history through its monuments.
A visit of one or several days can only
create a love relationship giving you
the desire for returning or for sending
somebody from your side.
BEIDHA
Ten kilometers to the North of Petra
stands a Neolithic village (approx. 7000
years AV. JC) of an exceptional
importance, comparable with Chatalhuq in
Turkey. Its excavations will be able to
captivate any traveller by their
vestiges in a very good state of
conservation recalling the evolution of
the human habitat starting from the
circular hut. During the same excursion,
you will visit in the heart of the
neighbouring rocks an admirable small
Siq where Nabateans dug tombs similar to
those in Petra. The reason why it was
named "Little Petra"
WADI RUM
330 km to the South of Amman, Wadi Rum
is a valley of the Saharan type which
you will reach by traversing through
astonishing sandy plain, where the road
comes very close to some of these
innumerable and strange rock formations
that you will have seen since the
balcony Ras Al Naqab. At sunset, all
these petrified fantasizes and the sand
beaches take admirable and delicate
colours. A visit in 4x4 in this desert
will keep on you some unforgettable
memories.
AQABA
This single port of Jordan is located at
the bottom of the Gulf of Aqaba, and
occupies a narrow crack in the
prolongation of the Araba depression. In
addition to its harbour functions, Aqaba
became also one of the principal tourist
centres of attraction. It is at the same
time a tempting seaside resort, and a
marvellous garden of coral benches,
which rests on the old site of
Ecyon-Geber. Moreover, Aqaba was always
the crossroads of civilizations. A tour
in a glass-boat will make you discover
the secrets and the magic of this place.
HARANEH
It is an imposing castle at 85 km East
of Amman; built on a quadrangular plan
with a round tower on each angle, and a
semicircular tower in the middle of each
side. The walls are cut by three rows of
arches. Graffiti in Koufic characters
scripted in 92 of the hegira attests the
oldness of this castle.
AMRA
It is a modest construction whose
interest lies in paintings which
decorate its walls. The varieties of
these drawings and the smoothness of
work make of this hunting lodge a single
site in the world. Thus, it was
classified as world inheritance by the
UNESCO. The visit of this castle hides
surprises which I let the guide reveal
it to you.
AZRAQ
Located in an oasis at 500 m of
altitude, and 130 km at the East of
Amman. It extends on the edge of a
basaltic lava flow, a calcareous zone,
and a small alluvial basin charged with
salts. A true natural reserve which
occupies 100 km2.
The castle was mostly built from blocks
of basalt by the Romans to defend this
important water point and to control one
of the invasion ways of Syria by the
tributes of the desert. It was also the
headquarters of Lawrence of Arabia and
king Feysal.
HAMMAM ES SARAH
At 5km only from Hallabat, you will stop
close to a small recently restored
construction, probably a bath of Umayyad
time. Divided into 3 rooms (caldarium,
tepidarium and frigidarium), this Roman
bath is the most preserved of all
Jordan.
UMM EL JIMAL
It is a curious dead city, in a steppe
strewn with basaltic lava, at 91 km
North of Amman. The tourist will be
interested in Umm El Jimal thanks to its
relatively good state of conservation,
and because it is a good example of
these small Byzantine cities built on
the fringes of the Arabic World with its
churches, its monasteries, its cisterns
in a country without spring waters, its
military and administrative buildings.
HALLABAT
Located between Amman and Azraq, the
castle of Hallabat is an Umayyad fancy
villa from the 8th century built with
reemployed limestone and basaltic blocks
from preexistent monuments. This
characteristic explains the innumerable
Greek inscriptions engraved on the
blocks. Its walls are decorated with
ornaments of frescos; on the ground of
certain rooms, you will be able, by
putting aside carefully sand, to reveal
remains of some mosaics protected by
nature.
DANA NATURAL RESERVE

Among ten reserves in Jordan, Dana
represents a single case.. Located at
the heart of the mountains with an
extent to the Araba valley, it allows at
the same time to discover the diversity
and the multiplicity of the species. A
visit with a local guide, will give you
the opportunity of having a direct
contact with wild and resting nature. It
is also the place where fauna and flora
live in harmony.
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