New Year's in Wadi Rum
NEW YEAR TOUR: Celebrate a festive Bedouin New Year’s Eve in the heart of the Wadi Rum Desert. Add the fascinating Lost City of Petra, bobbing in the Dead Sea, exploring Roman ruins, and you'll be kicking off your New Year in style pm this 8-day tour of Jordan!
For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more download our Trip Notes
Tour overview
Itinerary
Day 1 Welcome to Jordan!
Day 1 Welcome to Jordan!
27 December. Once you arrive in Amman you are met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to spend at your leisure.
Day 2 Jerash & Umm Qais
Day 2 Jerash & Umm Qais
Amman - Jerash - Umm Qais - Amman. Today we tour Jerash, arguably the world’s best-preserved Roman provincial city with whisper-perfect acoustics in the South Theatre, chariot-wheel marks in the paving stones of the Cardo and an exciting chariot race in the 2,000-year-old Hippodrome. Drive to Umm Qais (Biblical Gadara) to visit a dramatic black-basalt Roman Decapolis city, featuring great views over the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights. Later this evening, we head out for a meal and a stroll along Rainbow Street to experience modern Amman with its hip bars, rooftop restaurants, art studios, bookshops and curious.
Day 3 Mt Nebo & Umm ar Rasas
Day 3 Mt Nebo & Umm ar Rasas
Amman - Madaba - Mount Nebo - Umm ar Rasas - Petra. Today we tour the citadel and Archaeological Museum of Amman before we take a walk through the bustling local souk to enjoy typical Jordanian street treats of falafel and hummus at the country’s most popular local street stand. As the pictures on the wall will prove, the unglamorous food stand was a great favourite of the late King Hussein.
Leaving Amman we’ll stop first at Mt. Nebo, the site from which Moses saw the Promised Land. Having led the Israelites for 40 years through the wilderness, Moses finally saw them from this impressive vantage point. This amazing panorama includes the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, Jericho and the spires and domes of the Mt. of Olives and Bethlehem on the Judean Hills just across the wide valley. Later, we visit Madaba en route to Petra where we see the Church of St George, the Madaba Archaeological Park, Apostles Church and Madaba Museum.
Our next port of call is Um ar-Rasas, one of Jordan’s World Heritage sites and once an important stop on the busy caravan routes. The impressive mosaic floor of the St. Stephen Church features medallions commemorating all the early Christian pilgrimage sites of the region, and the extensive ruins also include one of the area’s earliest Stylite towers, where a Byzantine hermit lived atop the tower and preached to the pilgrimage visitors.
Day 4 The Rose City of Petra
Day 4 The Rose City of Petra
Begin the day with a walk through the mysterious mile-long Siq, the narrow gorge with towering sandstone walls which leads into the ancient capital city of the Nabatean trading empire. Explore the Khazneh (the temple of Indiana Jones fame), Theatre, colonnaded street and museum. After lunch, climb to ad-Deir (the Monastery), Petra’s largest carved façade.Travelling in 2024? Consider the Petra by Night excursion available to book locally (approx. USD$25), for a tantalizing candlelight stroll through Petra’s Siq.NOTE: Not available on our 2023 New Year tour
Day 5 New Years Eve in Wadi Rum
Day 5 New Years Eve in Wadi Rum
Petra - Wadi Rum. This morning we have the opportunity to join our guide for a return visit to Petra, along the “secret way” of al-Madras, with visits to the High Place of Sacrifice and Wadi Farasa. At mid-day we’ll make a stop in the Wadi Musa souk to pick up shawarma sandwiches and fruit and veggie snacks from the local produce souk before making the scenic drive to Wadi Rum. We board our after 4x4 jeeps and tour the moonscape desert terrain, arriving to our remote camp site, deep in the heart of the Wadi Rum Protected Area.
See out the old year at a Bedouin NY party featuring folkloric dancing, Bedouin musicians, hands-on demonstrations of traditional Bedouin coffee and bread making, fireworks and more….along with a lavish buffet dinner and champagne toast at midnight.
Days 6-7 Shobak Castle & the Dead Sea
Days 6-7 Shobak Castle & the Dead Sea
Wadi Rum - Shobak - Dead Sea. Happy New Year! After breakfast at our campsite on day 6, we head north along the Desert Highway to visit Shobak Castle, which is perched dramatically on a hill top and was built by the Crusader King Baldwin I in 1115. After exploring the castle we descend some 1300 meters to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the earth’s surface. More than 400 meters below sea level, the mineral-rich Dead Sea is the world’s original health and beauty spa. Bob in the waters and slap on some of the famous black Dead Sea mud to give your skin an invigorating boost.
Day 7 is free to further relax and pamper yourself at the Dead Sea. Enjoy this natural phenomena, whiling away the time bobbing in the mineral rich buoyant waters and lathering up with a detoxifying mud bath.
Day 8 Dead Sea
Day 8 Dead Sea
03 January. Dead Sea - Amman Airport. Hotel check out and included onward transfer to the airport in Amman. Departure transfers are offered on day 8 at 23:00 (evening of day 7), 04:00, 07:00, 09:00, 12:00 and 16:00. If you would like a departure transfer at any other time or a transfer with post tour accommodation this can be arranged, please enquire.
If you have extra time and wish to head back to Amman, why not book our 2 day end in Amman add on? Perfect for those who wish to spend more time in Jordan's ancient capital, Amman.
For information about visas, top travel tips and much more, take a look through our travel guide.
Tour Highlights
Included
Not Included
Prices & Dates
Hotels
Recently refurbished, the Al Qasr Metropole is a modern and chic boutique hotel. Guest rooms are beautifully furnished and include free Wi-Fi connection and luxury en suite facilities. All guests at the Al Qasr gain free access to the on site Fitness First gym as well as a complimentary breakfast. The rooftop restaurant has fantastic panoramic views of Amman and is a great place to spend the evening. The hotel is well located in Shmeisani, one of Amman's most prestigious neighbourhoods.
Located above Wadi Mousa, Old Village Resort has a wonderfully traditional feel about it with open stonework and original architecture. Rooms are full of character, some with delightful archways and all directly accessed from the outside. The hotel boasts an indoor swimming pool and sauna and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. For dinner why not dine al fresco at the restaurant overlooking the mountains. Well located in forested wadis facing Petra’s mountains.
Just 300 ft from the entrance gate to Petra, the Petra Moon hotel features spacious rooms with private balconies and flat-screen TVs. It also has a roof garden with a seasonal outdoor pool. The soundproofed rooms and suites at Petra Moon come with satellite channels, a DVD player and extra-long beds. Each has air conditioning and a private bathroom. The hotel's restaurant serves a delicious selection of international meals in both buffet-style and a la carte.
Desert Season Camp, nestled in the heart of Wadi Rum, offers a serene desert retreat with breathtaking mountain vistas and a range of comfortable accommodations, including tents equipped with air conditioning and ensuite bathroom. Campsite facilities include complimentary WiFi in communal areas. Guests can explore the quiet, secluded canyon surroundings, climb a nearby mountain to witness stunning sunsets, and even experience local camel races on the camp's flat sand area. The evenings come alive with traditional music performances by local musicians, complemented by the inviting ambiance of the outdoor seating area.
Nestled in the breathtaking landscapes of Wadi Rum, Sharah Camp promises a desert retreat with a modern touch. Each tent is equipped with air conditioning and en suite facilities. There is complimentary WiFi in communal areas at the campsite. With stunning mountain views, a charming terrace, and a host of modern conveniences, this camp offers a perfect blend of luxury and tradition in the heart of the desert.
Graced with interconnecting palm fringed swimming pools leading to the Dead Sea, the Holiday Inn is an Arabesque style hotel. Guest rooms are elegantly furnished and benefit from complimentary high speed internet. The hotel also has an on site fitness centre and a fine choice of Spa facilities. The 24 hour sleek bar is the perfect place for a tipple at any time of the day or night. The accommodation is located on the shores of the world famous Dead Sea.
Tour Reviews
Incredible Jordan discovery! The New Year in Petra tour was a wonderful discovery of the extraordinary Ancient and Biblical history of this region. Our guide was exceptional in the way he delivered his extensive knowledge. Highly recommended!
Lovely new year break, hits all the 'must see' sights - Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea. Fireworks in the desert on New Years Eve will live long in my memory. Would only wish for less mosaic stops on the way down to Petra on day two, there was 4 of them! I'd prefer to skip one and arrive at the beautiful Old Village resort in Petra earlier in the day. I learnt a lot from our guide, He's very knowledgeable about the history each of each site and about his country in general. He also has a very clear and memorable way of presenting all this information, I retained a great deal.
Mohammed was excellent. His historical knowledge of the sites that we visited was extensive and detailed. He went above and beyond to cater for the wishes and needs of individual members of the party in terms of the itinerary and was very open and informative in terms of answering questions of a general nature about Jordan and Islam. All our accommodation was excellent and the facilities and hospitality at the 'Rainbow camp' at Wadi Rum were excellent. My only slight disappointment regarding the itinerary would be that there was not more emphasis on visiting sites relevant to the culture and history of Islam....you can only do so much in 8 days tho I guess. It was slightly odd having a day at the Dead Sea at the end of the tour without a guide...but it worked out fine....our group had bonded and we continued to meet in the evenings and we organised our own excursion from the hotel to the baptism of Jesus site. A really excellent experience.
Another excellent trip from On the Go. Always impressive logistics management, very warm welcome from all the personnel involved. Felt well looked after, the tour guide Ogla had a great approach to interact with everyone in the group and it was a very big group, but he mastered to remember everybody's name. He gave his personal touch to the sights we were visiting with background information for better understanding.
The tour and the tour guide were exceptional. I cannot rave more about both the tour and the tour guide. Ogla was always ready with advice of where to go after hours, what to eat and advice on the optional extras. He also showed the cuisine of his country. he went out of his way to always include everyone and was always helpful. Great tour had had a great time. 5 stars for Ogla.
Extras and add-ons
Petra Kitchen
This add-on is an evening Jordanian cooking session that can be booked in conjunction with any of our Jordan group tours. Alternatively, this course can feature as part of a Tailor-made holiday.
Add-on: Dead Sea
A departure transfer from any Dead Sea Hotel to Amman Airport at the time of your choosing. This transfer works well for those extending their stay or where our included transfer times are not a great fit with your flights. Cost is per vehicle with a maximum of 2 passengers.
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