Day 1
We depart from London Heathrow on our flight to Amman. On arrival at Queen Alia airport we will be met and transferred to our hotel in Amman for overnight.
Day 2
Um Qais / Jerash
In the New Testament period, North Jordan was the region of the Decapolis (Greek for ‘ten cities’), where Jesus taught and performed miracles (Matthew 4:25; Mark 5:20). The city of Gadara (modern Um Qais), with its spectacular panoramic views overlooking the Sea of Galilee, is the site of Jesus' miracle of the Gadarene swine. (Matthew 8:28-34). Lunch at Um Qais. Drive to Gerasa (Jerash) where we visit the most complete and best-preserved Greco-Roman city in the Middle East. Dinner and overnight Amman.
Day 3
Amman city tour/ Madaba / Kerak / Petra
The region around the Jordanian capital of Amman was known in the Bible as Ammonite Kingdom (Deuteronomy 2:37; 2 Samuel 10:2), famed for its springs and citadel. Its massive fortifications are still standing, where David arranged for Uriah the Hittite to die in battle in order to marry his widow Bathsheba. We have a bus tour to view old and modern Amman and visit the Citadel, Museum and Roman Theatre. Drive to Madaba, “The city of Mosaics”, where we see the 6th Century Byzantine mosaic map at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George that depicts the Holy Land as early Christians saw it. We continue to Kerak crusader castle. Dinner and overnight Petra.
Day 4
Petra, the Rose-Red City Half as Old as Time.
The ancient fortress-city of Petra, which means “stone” in Greek, was the capital of the Nabateans, who carved this wonderland of temples, tombs and elaborate buildings out of solid rock and who grew rich by levying taxes on travellers to ensure safe passage through their lands.
Petra's exquisite ruins open doorways in time to the biblical land of Moab and the nearby Valley of Moses. The plains of Moab were so named because this area once fell under the control of King Eglon of Moab in the Iron Age (Judges 3:12-14).
To these plains, Moses finally brought his people after their epic wilderness journey. Here is where Joshua prepared the people for the crossing of the river into Canaan (Joshua 3:1). The area's principal water source, Ain Moussa (spring of Moses), is thought to be one of the many places where Moses struck a rock with his staff to bring forth water (Numbers 20:10-12). Aaron's final resting place lies atop nearby Mount Hor, now called Jabal Haroon (Mount Aaron). Dinner and overnight in Petra.
Day 5
Wadi Rum / Dead Sea
We travel on to Wadi Rum where we enjoy a 4 x 4 jeep ride into the desert of Lawrence of Arabia fame, have lunch in the desert and then drive to the Dead Sea for dinner and overnight.
Day 6
Lot's Cave /Baptism Site
This morning we drive to Lot's Cave, via the beautiful Wadi Feifeh road near Tafileh, along the King's Highway. Here, after fleeing Sodom, Lot and his daughters are said to have lived (Genesis 19:30). We continue to the Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan baptism site for an act of worship and lunch. The winding loop in the Jordan River opposite Jericho has long been considered the place of Jesus' baptism. It is known in Arabic as Al-Maghtas (the baptism site). Here the spirit of God descended like a dove upon Jesus, and a voice from heaven said, “This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17,NIV.) About a kilometre east of the river, beyond the thick belt of trees and bush that the Bible calls “the jungle of the Jordan” or “the pride of the Jordan”(Jeremiah 12:5, Zechariah 11:3). The term “Bethany” refers both to the general area between the ancient town and the river. (This should not be confused with the village of Bethany outside Jerusalem, where the Bible says Lazarus was raised from the dead.) The hill at the heart of Bethany, known as Tel Mar Elijah (Elijah's Hill), is revered as the spot where Elijah ascended to heaven.
Dinner and overnight Amman.
Day 7
Mount Nebo / Macharis
This morning we visit Mount Nebo (also known as Pisgah), to see where Moses glimpsed the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 34:1-5). Early Christians revered this spot and made pilgrimages to it from Jerusalem. A small church was built in the 4th Century A.D. to commemorate the end of the life of Moses and was subsequently expanded into the present large basilica with its stunning collection of Byzantine mosaics, we then drive to Um Rassas for a visit before continuing to Mukawir (also known as Machaerus), see where John the Baptist was beheaded after Salome's fateful dance for her step-father (Matthew 14:3-11). Dinner and overnight Amman
Day 8
Return flight to London Heathrow.