Jordan, a remarkable and as yet relatively undiscovered country, is now attracting the visitors it so richly deserves who come to marvel at its amazingly haunting landscapes, unblemished culture, astonishingly preserved monuments and a history longer that probably anywhere in the world.

Jordan’s story starts at the dawn of recorded history, being close to the heart of the ‘Fertile Crescent’, it was one of the first places where ‘hunter-gatherer’ man learned to farm. Permanent settlements developed with the inhabitants fast becoming middlemen traders of gold, silks, spices and other precious goods between the sophisticated civilisations of nearby Egypt and Mesopotamia. This simple fact of geography was the key to many of the Jordanian monuments you see today. During biblical times, the ancient kingdoms of Moab, Edom and Ammon lay within Jordan’s present-day borders; this is the country of Job and Lot, and it was on Mount Nebo, overlooking the River Jordan that Moses first saw the ‘Promised Land’. The Persians then arrived, whilst Alexander the Great and his descendants ruled for 300 years, after which it became one of the Roman Empire’s richest and most fought-over provinces. Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist and many centuries later the Crusaders fought many a battle with Saladin. Jordan for many centuries then became part of the Ottoman Empire. Then the First World War and the exploits of the legendary Lawrence of Arabia, whose actions largely took place in Jordan. This amazing series of events has created an unbelievable range of influences and an equally stunning array of monuments from early Christian churches, Roman sites and Saracen towns which have fused into a mesmerising and extraordinary kaleidoscope of culture, sights, sounds and architecture.
Think of Jordan though and inevitably what springs to mind is the remarkable ancient city of Petra, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and the terminus of the silk-road from China and the caravan routes from Africa, Egypt and Persia. Its people, the Nabateans, amassed fabulous wealth as traders ‘par excellence’ between exotic lands and the rich markets of the Roman Empire. Reached on foot through a narrow gorge with vertical walls of rock on either side, your first glimpse of the famous Treasury carved into the cliff quite literally takes your breath away! The astonishingly dramatic impact of this staggering building and the rest of the city, set in the middle of a desert wilderness of sun-baked mountains, must have seemed almost mystical to the ancient traveller. Many of you will have already experienced the indescribable awe and wonderment at such world-class sights as the Pyramids, the Grand Canyon, Machu Picchu or Victoria Falls amongst others – well, Petra has that exact same ‘wow’ factor.

We also visit the legendary landscape of Wadi Rum: this fierce untamed sea of red sand, a dramatic valley cut into sandstone and granite rock, rising 800 metres above the desert floor, interspersed with ‘islands’ of massive peaks. This is truly a majestic sight and was the backdrop to Lawrence’s campaign against the Turks with the vivid film ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, beautifully shot on location here.  We see the prominent peak after which Lawrence’s book, the 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom,' was named. The desert sunsets are fire-red and the clarity of air produces an unforgettable display of the starlit heavens in all their stunning glory.

Mount Nebo, where Moses first saw the Promised Land, and Bethany, where John the Baptist baptised Jesus are also on our list as is the classical Roman city of Jerash, with its triumphal gates, baths, hippodrome and theatres. On selected dates our tour then continues into Syria with a stay of two nights in the world’s oldest constantly inhabited city, Damascus.
The Jordanians themselves have distilled thousands of years of Bedouin hospitality into a fine art and they are some of the friendliest and most easy-going people you are ever likely to meet. As befits their position, finely balanced between the many conflicting interests in the region, today’s Jordanians are a thoughtful and diplomatic people, immensely proud of, and so keen to share and explain their traditions.

Furthermore you are in for a real treat when you sample Jordanian cuisine. A unique amalgam of Lebanese, Egyptian and Mediterranean – there’s plenty of tasty dips, fresh salads, stuffed vegetables and superb lamb dishes. 
Jordan is a young country, gaining independence only in 1946, and a stable democracy. Within its borders lies a huge diversity of landscape and some of the most awe-inspiring sights you will ever see. Combine all these with a stay within the old city of Damascus and you have an endlessly fascinating tour, the memories of which will stay with you for a long time to come.