The Four Biblical Regions of Jordan

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a fascinating Arab land, and its government has carefully sought to preserve its ancient history. These are the sometimes overlooked Biblical lands of Gilead, Ammon, Moab and Edom of the Bible – regions filled with stories from the time of Moses to the days when Jesus ministered. This program includes options for: wadi hiking, camel trekking, jeeps in the desert, incredible vistas, and Red Sea snorkeling. Because of the dramatic landscapes in Jordan, the program provides a full range of settings and experiences that have really turned the heads of travelers with us for many years!

Day 1: Departure Day  

Depart from the US to Amman, Jordan. Overnight: In flight.

Day 2: Ammon Region (1)

Arrive Queen Alia International Airport (AMM). Stop at ATM to withdraw Jordanian Dinar from your home dollar account (best rates available). Transfer (35-55 mins.) to our hotel for a delicious dinner and a good night’s rest. Overnight: Amman. D

Day 3: Ammon Region (2)

Today is our Amman City Tour. Visit Rabbath-Ammon (Amman). After breakfast, we will visit The Citadel (Jabal al-Qal'a) with time to explore the Temple of Hercules, Umayyad Palace, and Jordan Archaeological Museum. On to the Roman Theatre and (time permitting) a look at the nearby Jordan Folklore Museum. Today’s lunch will be near Rainbow Street, an area filled with Cafes, art galleries, boutiques, and historic houses. Don’t forget to try some traditional Jordanian dishes like Mansaf or Maqluba for an authentic taste of Jordanian cuisine. This area is ideal for shopping for souvenirs. Next, we will explore Jordan Museum (Ras Al Ain) with its displays of Dead Sea Scrolls, artifacts from Petra, and ancient statues. We hope to have time to see key exhibits that cover Jordan’s rich historical and cultural heritage. Overnight: Amman. B,D

Day 4: Gilead Region (1)

This morning, we are off to explore the north part of Jordan, departing Amman to drive to the Jabbok (Zarqa) Overlook (40 mins.) to overview the upper part of the “Dome of Gilead” from the Bible. On to the Roman city of Gerasa (Jerash) of the New Testament, where we will visit the stunning ruins (15 mins drive) of one of the Decapolis cities mentioned in the Gospels. After lunch, we will drive (40 mins) to the stunning Ajloun Castle and end our day (15 min) in the forested refuge at the Noor Resort area, in the Istafina area. Time permitting, we will use the cable car to view the area. Overnight: Noor Resort, Istafina Area. B,D

Day 5: Gilead Region (2) 

Depart our rustic cabins in the Istafina area to drive north to another of the Decapolis cities of the New Testament (Matthew 8), the Roman city of Gadara (Umm Qeis, 1 hour) near to the ancient location of Kedemoth (Deuteronomy 2; Joshua 13). We will pause a moment to connect this place with Philodemus, the philosopher with writings that were found in the Bay of Napoli in Italy. Overlooking the region of Ramoth-Gilead (1 Kings 22:3; 2 Kings 8:28; 2 Chronicles 18:3) we will discuss the Bible history from Moses to Joshua, through the time of Jesus in the area. After considering several stories from the Bible, we will drop down into the Jordan Valley along the River (Mark 1:5; Joshua 3; 2 Kings 2:3-14) to ancient Pella (Tabqet Fahel, 50 mins.) to consider the early believers who fled the Romans from Jerusalem in the first century, then on to Penuel near Mahanaim (Tal al Dahab el Gharbiyeh) to consider four important Bible stories (Jacob, Gideon, Absalom and Jeroboam) to our beautiful resort near the Dead Sea for dinner and overnight fun. Overnight: Crowne Plaza, Dead Sea Resort. B,D

Day 6: Moab Region (1)

Wake up at the stunning resort of the Crowne Plaza, and after a good breakfast, we will make our way (30 mins) to the area of the Baptism of Jesus by John (Mark 1), and recall the important entry into the Promised Land near this point (Joshua 3) along with other important Jordan stories (2 Kings 2 and 5, etc.). After our visit, we will board our motorcoach to ascend (45 mins) Mt. Nebo, to view Moses view of the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 32:49; 34), view the place of his death and burial, and consider what happened to Moses at the end of his long tenure as leader (Deuteronomy 34). For lunch, we travel to the mosaic city of Madaba (15 mins) for some Biblical stories (Numbers 21:30; Joshua 13:9; Isaiah 15:2) and a visit to an early Christian haven in the region. After our visit, we will travel on to Machaerus (45 mins drive, Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-27; Luke 9:9) before returning to our hotel (45 mins) for dinner. Overnight: Crowne Plaza. B,D

Day 7: Moab Region (2)

This morning, the hiking group should depart the Crowne Plaza at 7 AM for the drive (25 min) to the trailhead at Wadi Mujib (Ibex or Siq Trail). This was the area of the Biblical Arnon River (Numbers 21:13-26; Deuteronomy 3:8; Judges 11:18). The bus will return to the Crowne Plaza for those who elect not to hike. At 10:00 AM, the bus will leave Crowne Plaza with the non-hiker group to pick up those finishing their hike (pick up at 10:30). Driving along the Dead Sea (Genesis 14:3; Ezekiel 47:7-12) after the pick-up at Mujib, we will venture on to Kerak Castle (1 hour). This stunning castle site, probably once called Kir-Hareseth in the Bible, twill help us recall one of the most shocking stories in the Bible (2 Kings 3:26–27). On to a brief stop at the ancient Biblical site of Bozra (now Busayra, 1.5 hours), as we enter the territory of the Edomites (Isaiah 34:6; Jeremiah 49:13; Amos 1:12; Micah 2:12). After a look at the austere area of their ancient capital city and a moment to consider their history (Obadiah 1), we will continue on our desert trek to Petra. Overnight: Petra Moon Hotel (1.25 hours). B,D

Day 8: Edom Region (1)

Today we will explore Petra and Wadi Rum. Depart 08:00 AM from our hotel and walk to the entrance of Petra (10 mins) with our sack lunches in hand from the Petra Moon Hotel, we will enter to explore the Rose Red City of Petra and seek to understand its Biblical connections (cp. Numbers 20:22-29, 33:38-39; Matthew 2:11; 2 Corinthians 11:32; Galatians 1:17; 1 Maccabees 5:25). At the end of our visit, we will return to eat near Treasury coffee tent at 12:00-12:30. Depart for 2-hour drive into the heart of the awesome sites of Wadi Rum. Overnight: Wadi Rum. Overnight: Wadi Rum. B,L,D

Day 9: Edomite Region (2)

We will go out onto the desert sands in our Wadi Rum Camel and Jeep Tour experiences in Wadi Rum for the morning. We will journey to the Red Sea city at Aqaba (1 hr. travel; see Deuteronomy 2:8; 1 Kings 9:26; 2 Kings 14:22) for an exciting night by the sea. Overnight: Aqaba. B,D

Day 10: Aqaba and Return to Amman (3)

Wake up beside the Red Sea in Aqaba! Try some snorkeling or diving, or simply relax at the beach. We will lunch in Aqaba before returning to Amman (4 hours. Farewell dinner in Amman tonight. B,D

Day 11: Return to the US

Transfer to Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) for departure back to the USA. B