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TRAVEL THEMES |
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PILGRIMAGE TOURS
Pilgrimage tour
    Nowadays
the part of the Holy Land east of the
Jordan is part of the Hashemite Kingdom
of Jordan. It is blessed with the rich
spiritual heritage of the history of
salvation as recorded in the Bible.
Abraham, Moses, Naomi and
Ruth, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus
Christ and Paul: they all dwelled in the
planes, valleys, hills, mountains and
streams of this ancient landscape,
spreading the word of God, performing
their miracles and reaching out to
ordinary people.
This is why increasing
numbers of religious pilgrims today
begin their own journey of faith in
Jordan. For in doing so they can retrace
the entire saga of God’s revelation to
mankind and the development of the
Abrahamic faiths.
Day 1
Flight to Amman and transfer to your
hotel. The region around Jordan’s
capital was known as the
Ammonite kingdom.
Day 2
Today you will travel through the north
of Jordan, once known as the land of
Gilead.
You will visit
Jerash,
known in the Bible as the region of the
Gerasenes.
It was part of the Roman Decapolis and
is sometimes referred to as the Pompei
of the East.
You will also visit
Umm Qais
and enjoy the impressive view over the
See of Galilee and the Golan Heights.
Umm Qais was also part of the Decapolis
and was once called Gadara. It is
associated with Jesus’ miracle of
sending two demons into a herd of swines.
After a traditional mezze lunch at the
guesthouse, your journey will continue
to the
Jordan Valley.
You will visit
Tabaqat Fahl,
Decapolis city Pella, to which early
Christians fled from Jerusalem to escape
the Jewish Revolt in AD 66-70 and Roman
persecution in the earliest Christian
centuries.
 The following stop will be
“Bethany
beyond the Jordan, where John was
baptizing”, and where he also baptized
Jesus Christ. You will have dinner in
Madaba and stay there overnight.
Day 3
Today is Sunday. Since the population of
Madaba
is predominantly Christian, you will
have the opportunity to attend church.
Madaba, biblical Medeba, was part of the
ancient kingdom of
Moab
and is famous for its
Byzantine
mosaics.
 Day 4
Today you will travel through the land
of
Moab
and
Edom,
along the six thousand years old
King’s Highway. You will
first visit the orthodox church of Saint
George in
Madaba
and see the sixth century mosaic map of
Jerusalem and the Holy Land. The next
stop will be at
Mount
Land. If the sky is clear Jerusalem,
Jericho and Bethlehem will meet your
eye.
You will continue to
Machaerus,
biblical
Mukawir,
the hilltop stronghold of Herod the
Great. It was at Mukawir where Herod
Antipas ordered the beheading of John
the Baptist to please Salome.
In
Umm ar-Rasas,
which is mentioned in the Bible as
Mephaath,
you will visit the  church
of
St. Stephen,
which contains Jordan’s largest mosaic
floor featuring the fifteen major cities
of the Holy Land. And the highest
standing ancient tower of Jordan, which
today still puzzles specialists because
it does not have a door or inner
staircase. It is believed to have been
home to a pillar saint.
The journey towards
Karak takes you through
Wadi Mujib, the grand canyon of Jordan. In Karak, biblical Kir Har’eseth, you will
spend the night.
 Day 5
In the morning there will be a visit to
the castle of
Karak, where Saladin
and Richard Lionheart fought during the
crusades. You will continue along the
King’s Highway, passing several ravines.
In the restored medieval village of
Dana lunch is served at the
guesthouse, which offers an excellent
view of the
Dana Nature Reserve.
In the afternoon you will visit the
castle of
Shobak.
During the crusades period it was known
as Mons Realis, since it was the first
castle established by the kingdom of
Jerusalem at the other side of the river
Jordan. Late in the afternoon you arrive
in Petra for dinner and overnight stay.
 Day
6
In the morning a local guide will escort
you into
Petra
and show you the highlights of the
Nabatean city. King Aretas,
mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11:32 was a
Nabatean King. You will enter the
city through the Siq, the narrow gorge
and be rewarded with the most
astonishing and dramatic monument in
Jordan: the Treasury. Next there is a
visit to the theatre, the tombs and
façades and the colonnaded street.
In the afternoon you may wander around
in Petra and explore the area for
yourself. Perhaps you would like to
visit Mousa Spring, where Moses struck
the rock and brought forth water. In the
evening we will prepare you a
candlelight dinner in Little Petra.
 Day 7
On your way to
Wadi Rum
you will pass the famous seven pillars
of wisdom, described by Lawrence of
Arabia. You will explore Wadi Rum by
jeep, escorted by a Bedouin guide. We
will show you Lawrence of Arabia’s house
and the inscriptions made by
Thamudics and Nabateans
centuries ago. And you may climb one of
the natural rock bridges. After lunch at
the visitor’s centre you will continue
to
Aqaba,
where you can spend the afternoon and
evening according to your own wishes.
Suggestions: relax and spend time on the
sandy beaches, go diving or snorkelling,
take a trip on a glass boat and enjoy
the beautiful coral reefs.
Day 8
Travelling through the wonderful
Wadi Araba,
the desert landscape above Aqaba, you
will visit Wadi Numeira and see the
Sanctuary of Lot.
Lot and his family took refuge there
when the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
were being destroyed. It’s a natural
cave with a spring, overlooking the
Dead Sea,
which you will visit next. The
Dead Sea,
known in the Bible as “the
Sea of Arabah”
or “the Salt Sea”, is one of the most
dramatic places on earth. Its stunning
natural environment is matched by its
powerful spiritual symbolism. You can
spend the evening in
Amman
according to your own wishes.
Day 9
You will be transferred to the airport
and fly back home.
Package including:
·
Meet and
assist at airport
·
Visa
·
transportation all above program
·
hotel 3*
H/B
·
guide
speaking English
·
entrance
fees all the sights
·
jeep
safari in wadi rum for 2 hours
Package not including:
·
Flight
ticket
·
Departure
tax: 5 JD=7.5 USD per person
·
Drinks,
personal expenses
·
Tips and
personal insurance
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