This 8-day shoestring tour is the perfect introduction to Jordan and includes the county's most notable and famous sights. Our tour will also venture to some less touristy places to give you a real taste of Jordan. The tour kicks off in the capital city of Amman, beginning with the Baptism Site on the River Jordan and continues along the 'Harmony Trail' through the hillside town of As-Salt. When you are here you can learn about the different religions that are practiced by the residents. The tour will give you a thorough excursion of Amman and you will get to view the remarkable Roman ruins at Jerash. You will then be taken south into the desert and along the picturesque King's Highway, crossing over vast wadis and by quaint villages, olive groves and farmlands. You will get the chance to see some well preserved mosaics in Madaba, take in the vista over Israel from Mount Nebo and venture into the Crusader Castle in Kerak. Petra is another highlight in Jordan and this UNESCO World Heritage Site is spectacular. You will have a day to meander around the site with a guided tour and some free time to walk up to the Monastery and the High Place of Sacrifice. The tour will then go further into the desert of Wadi Rum and you can sleep in a Bedouin camp under the craggy cliffs and a starry sky. To enjoy more of the desert, the tour will travel via jeep safari and then head back to Amman, stopping off at the banks of the Dead Sea. You will be able to float on the surface of these famously salty waters. The last day will be spent outside of Amman, exploring a collection of Jordan's Umayyad 'Desert Castles'. You must remember that these buildings resemble forts and merchant houses on ancient trade routes rather than castles. The tour will then visit the Azraq Wetland Reserve and the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve - two nature reserves positioned in the desert landscape and home to an assortment of wildlife, migratory birds and herds of endangered Arabian oryx. This Jordan tour is based in comfortable 3-star hotels in Amman and Petra. However, you have the option to upgrade these to the local 4 or 5-star hotel levels if you want a little more comfort. The tour also integrates with our Egypt and Israel tours which start/finish on Sundays, and a flight or overland transfer is available at your request. Extra extensions are also available for more relaxation time or snorkeling and scuba diving at the Red Sea in Aqaba Private tour option: If our scheduled departure dates don't work for you, or you would prefer not to travel with a group, then we can also run this tour privately for you. Please contact us for more information and prices.