Jordan
Jordan Holiday
Just north east of Egypt lies a country with a wealth of treasures. Jordan has a rich inheritance from bygone civilisations and the remains of these attract many visitors.
The highlight of any visit must be the 'Rose Red City' of Petra, carved into the rock thousands of years ago.
North of the country and the lowest point on the Earth is the Dead Sea, where you can effortlessly float on the surface due to the high salt content. Follow in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia as you visit the windsculpted hills of Wadi Rum where scenes from the famous film were shot.
Our escorted tour offers superb sightseeing and will show you the true beauty
Visit Petra from Amman, the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh or part of our Jordan Explorer tour.
The treasures of Jordan count among the greatest sights in the whole of Arabia, from the ancient Nabatean tombs and temples of Petra to the buoyant waters of the Dead Sea, from the ancient cities of Jerash and Pella to the flourishing resort of Aqaba, sheltered at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba.This narrow arm of the Red Sea is bordered to the west by the Sinai Peninsula (Egyptian territory), and to the east by Saudi Arabia. All Jordan's commercial activity is concentrated in Amman, the inland capital, and in the port city of Aqaba, the country's only window on the sea. Israel's Red Sea port, Eilat, lies just a few miles away. The border between the two countries follows the great depression of the Wadi Araba to the Dead Sea, through the torrid, wind-swept Negev Desert. Despite its awe-inspiring emptiness, travellers are easily bewitched by this immense landscape of bare rock and sand, grandiose by its sheer scale and majesty.
Fed by freshwater springs, Aqaba survived for thousands of years both as a link in trade routes and as a pilgrimage station on the way to Mecca. But by the beginning of the 20th century it had declined to little more than a sleepy fishing village. Since the modernization of its port installations, it has been transformed into an industrial centre of around 40,000 inhabitants. Fortunately for Aqaba, and for tourists, its bay is fringed by one of the world's most beautiful coral reefs. The interest in creating an international aquatic playground did not long escape the promoters, and with the construction of a number of modern luxury hotels, Aqaba was soon on the way to becoming a Middle-East version of the French Riviera. Here, as in Eilat almost next door, you can practise every kind of water sport imaginable; the diving in the crystal-clear waters of the reef is incomparable.
The thrills of water sports in a sunny bay may be enticing, but one of Jordan's greatest highlights is the ancient city of Petra. Hidden within the sheer walls of the Wadi Musa, some 100 km (60 miles) to the northeast, Petra flourished under the Nabateans from the 2nd century BC to the early 4th century AD. This rich and powerful Arab tribe controlled the caravan routes linking Arabia with India and China. It slowly faded away under Roman and Byzantine rule. All that remains today of this great empire are hundreds of superb grotto-tombs and temples, most of them carved into the rose-red rock of the sandstone cliffs. The Bedouins who used to live in the secret city today are housed in a nearby village of concrete dwellings, and many serve as tour guides.