Jordan & Saudi Arabia Tour

Step back in time and discover the World Heritage Site of Diriyah where the story of modern Saudi Arabia began. Within Diriyah’s historic At Turaif district you’ll see stunning examples of traditional Najdi mudbrick architecture and get a sense of the way of life in the first Saudi capital some two hundred years ago. Your journey continues this afternoon to the National Museum for a crash course in Saudi history. The day concludes with an orientation tour of downtown Riyadh where you will have a magnificent panorama over the Saudi capital from the Kingdom Tower’s Sky Bridge observation deck.

A comfortable train journey will take you north from Riyadh to Ha’il. En route, you will see the huge expanses of the sparsely populated central Arabian desert and pass through the oasis of Buraida – an important centre of date production in Saudi Arabia.

Travel through the red sands of the Great Nefud Desert to reach the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Jubbah. Here, on the walls of Jabal Umm Sinman the finely accomplished rock art may be as much as 11,000 years old and sheds light on human activities, hairstyles and clothing during the Palaeolithic period. Lady Anne Blunt, one of the first Europeans to witness Jubbah’s art, wrote in 1879: ‘Jubbah is one of the most curious places in the world, and to my mind one of the most beautiful.’ This afternoon, drive to AlUla and check in at your desert resort.

AlUla’s stunning natural beauty, as well as its fascinating past, will be revealed on today’s tour. Your first stop will be the Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building. A private tour in a vintage-style Land Rover with a local ‘Rawi’ (storyteller) will then take you to the 2000-year-old city of Dadan (noted for its Lion Tombs) and to Jabal Ikmah’s to see the centuries-old rock art. Then, stroll along AlUla’s shaded Heritage Oasis Trail and enjoy the sight of tens of thousands of palm trees. Set off this afternoon on a 4WD adventure in search of the desert canyons and weathered terracotta-hued mountains that lie just outside AlUla. Conclude your sightseeing with a visit to Elephant Rock.

Continue your AlUla sightseeing with a guided tour (shared) of Old AlUla, where you will climb up to the fort and walk through a maze of crumbling mudbrick ruins that were once surrounded by 14 gates. Then, travel off-road to explore the canyon of Wadi Abu Aoud and admire the impressive rock art at that includes several ‘magic carpets’. This afternoon discover the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hegra on a private tour in a vintage-style Land Rover with a local ‘Rawi’ (storyteller). The fabulously situated tombs of the ‘second Petra’ had been ‘lost’ to the world until its ‘rediscovery’ in 1876. The day’s sightseeing will conclude with a drive up to the Harrat Unwayrid to see a fine panorama over the oasis of AlUla and the desert beyond.

Fly from AlUla to Amman, Jordan on a non-stop flight. On arrival, you will be met and driven north to Jerash, which is one of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the Middle East. Jerash. Also called the ‘City of 1,000 Columns’, Jerash was visited by Roman Emperor Hadrian in 129AD. Its stunning remains are the equal of Ephesus in Turkey and are prized by UNESCO as an ‘ancient meeting place of East and West’. On completion of your guided visit, continue to Amman.

Travel south along the Desert Highway to Kerak, where you’ll visit the huge Crusader and Mamluk castle. Constructed in the 12th century to protect the eastern flank of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Kerak Castle is one of the largest fortifications in the Middle East and was once colloquially referred to as Krak of the Desert. Lunch today will be with a local family and will give you the opportunity to savour Mansaf, Jordan’s national dish. After your meal, drive onto Petra, stopping en route at Little Petra for a tantalising foretaste of the stunning sites to come.

Start the day with a privately guided tour of ancient Petra lasting between 2 to 3 hours. The site is approached via the Siq, a dramatic narrow gorge of striking beauty hemmed in by cliffs up to 80 metres in height. After 1.5 kilometres, the stunning edifice of the Treasury (El Khazneh) emerges dramatically through a narrow gap. Further on, the intricately carved Royal Tombs, Street of the Facades, Rock-cut theatre and Qasr al Bint all wait to be discovered. A buffet lunch will be provided within the site. The afternoon is free to continue exploring Petra independently. We recommend the hike up to see the enormous ‘monastery’ – but be aware there are 800 steps!

Return to Petra and continue exploring this enormous site (unguided). You might like to climb up to the ‘High Place of Sacrifice’ for some of the best views in Petra, walk off the beaten track through little-visited Wadi Farasa, or follow the Al Khubtha trail to the spectacular Treasury viewpoint. Dedicated trekkers might consider taking the hike up to Jabal Haroun – the biblical Mt. Hor – which is topped by a white tomb that is believed to that of the prophet Aaron.

Drive along the Desert Highway to Madaba to see the famous Byzantine mosaic map of the Holy Land at the Church of St. George. Then, after lunch, visit Mt. Nebo – the spot from which Moses saw the Promised Land – and descend to the Dead Sea in time to watch the sunset (or go for a dip in the ultra-saline waters).

A private transfer will bring you to Amman International Airport.