Cycle Jordan - 9 Days

Our tour of Jordan starts in Madaba, a market town known for its Byzantine-era mosaics. If you arrive early, feel free to stroll through the town's many churches or dip into one of the cafes for a coffee. There are no activities planned for today, so you're free to arrive in Madaba at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive at Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), a 30-minute drive from our hotel. Due to most flights arriving late in the evening, our Explore Leader will meet you for a welcome meeting the next morning. You'll find the meeting information on the notice board in the hotel reception.

This morning, we'll start our tour with a welcome meeting before uncovering the Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics of Madaba. Then, we'll hop on our bikes and start cycling towards Mount Nebo - the supposed burial place of Moses - where we'll enjoy views across the Promised Land. After a picnic lunch, we'll freewheel down the stunning series of switchbacks towards the saline waters of the Dead Sea. This unique body of water is the lowest point on the earth's surface. With a salt content of 33%, it's almost impossible to sink and we'll take a dip to experience the mysterious floating sensation. There's also the opportunity to indulge with the water's rejuvenating mud, famous for its healing properties. Afterwards, feel free to unwind by the pool or at the bar - there are shower facilities to freshen up in, too. Finally, we'll continue by bus to Shobak, our base for tonight. Today's cycling covers a total distance of 36 kilometres/22.4 Miles with a total ascent of 86 metres and descent of 1273 metres/4176Feet. Filtered water, tea and season fruit and veg are included.

This morning, we'll take a short drive to Shobak Castle, the first in a series of crusader castles built in Jordan. After we've explored the ruins, we'll cycle along the King's Highway - the ancient road that once carried King Solomon's treasure-laden caravan - to Petra. The undulating landscape takes us through the fabled land of the Edomites, who found fortune trading copper and luxury goods and went on to create the rock-carved city as their stronghold. We'll stop en-route for a picnic lunch before continuing southwards and skirting the slopes of the mountains that lead the way to Petra. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven wonders of the world, the ancient 'rose city' is Jordan's most valuable treasure. Depending on the day, we might arrive in time to experience Petra by Night. Follow the candlelit Siq trail and watch how the light plays against the high canyon rocks, blanketed by stars, before coming upon the treasury, lit up by night. Settle into the sands in front of the ancient temple and listen to a welcome speech from the Bedouin community that still calls the city home. Today's cycling covers a distance of 42 kilometres/26.1Miles with a total ascent of 800 metres/2624.8Feet and descent of 1014 metres/3327feet.

Today we begin exploring Petra. This ancient city, carved into pink sandstone cliffs, has to be seen to be believed, but poet John Burgon beautifully described it as 'A rose-red city half as old as time'. Our Explore Leader will guide us on a tour through Petra's highlights before a free afternoon to wander at our own pace. As you enter the site, you're led down a kilometre-long chasm (known as the Siq) where the towering canyon walls reach up to 200 metres/656 feet high. At the end of the Siq sits the beating heart of the city, the Treasury - miraculously well-preserved, the façade stands at 43-metres/141-feet high. Beyond the Treasury, the ancient city becomes a sprawl of tombs and temples waiting to be explored. The Bedouin community who still live within Petra sell their wares and offer refreshments along the colonnaded streets. As the day goes on, you'll notice the façades change colour with the light as the early morning and late afternoon sun brings out red, pink, and orange highlights in the rocks. After an action-packed day, we'll refuel with a traditional Bedouin dinner. We'll visit a nearby restaurant and learn how to make Maklouba, an upside-down dish of meat, rice, and vegetables, followed by Um Ali, a creamy Arabic dessert.

This morning is free to continue exploring Petra or relax in Wadi Musa. After a traditional Bedouin lunch, we'll hop on our bikes to cycle to Little Petra. We'll also visit El Beidha to explore an excavated Stone-Age village where we'll see the remain of houses, fireplaces, and workshops that date back to 6000 BC. Finally, we'll return to Wadi Musa and have the option to relax with a traditional Ottoman Bath.
Today's cycling covers a distance of 20 kilometres/24.8miles with a total ascent of 399 metres/1309 feet and descent of 414 metres/1358 feet.

Today, we'll return to the King's Highway and pedal south, traversing upland roads before freewheeling down to the southern desert. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch with views over Arava and Israel beyond before cycling along the Old Desert Highway. Finally, we'll swap our bikes for our bus to journey onwards into Wadi Rum. Wadi Rum occupies 74,000 acres with its monolithic outcrops of granite rock and sandstone rising out of the blankets of sand. Lawrence of Arabia famously said of the landscape, 'Our little caravan grew quite self-conscious, and fell dead quiet, afraid and ashamed to flaunt its smallness in the presence of the stupendous hills.', giving you an idea of its vastness. This afternoon, we'll have the option to explore the dunes further by 4WD or camelback with a ride through the sands at sunset. Once we've watched the sun go down, setting the dunes aglow with fiery red and orange light, we'll settle into our camp to experience Bedouin hospitality. We'll be served a traditional Zarb, a BBQ of chicken or goat meat (vegetarian options will be available) cooked under the desert sand and served alongside a selection of mezze. The Bedouins learned to live within this hostile environment 3000 years ago, and tonight we'll get to experience their nomadic way of life at our desert camp. We'll sleep in a traditional Bedouin tent, crafted from goat hair which offers the best protection against the extreme desert climate. Our communal tent has gendered compartments and is furnished with rugs, mattresses, pillows, and blankets. If you'd prefer to sleep alone, private tents are available free of charge subject to availability. Today's cycling covers a distance of 58 kilometres/36.04 miles with a total ascent of 770 metres/2526 feet and descent of 1240 metres/4068 feet.

Today is our final day of cycling and we'll set off to cross the Hejaz railway line and tour the most desolate planes of Wadi Rum. We'll ride along the 'Jelada', the dried mud tracks left by the rare rains in the region. Few people visit this area, where mirages turn the towering cliffs into islands, but the terrain is perfectly flat and so easy to cycle across. After our ride, we'll continue to Aqaba by bus, leaving the desert behind us and entering a landscape of tranquil palm groves and coral reefs. Today's cycling covers 35 kilometres/21.75 miles with a total ascent of 181 metres/594 feet and descent of 210 metres/689 feet.

Today is a free day for exploring Aqaba or relaxing at the beach. The port city is famous for its preserved coral reefs and sea life and our Explore Leader will be on hand to organise an optional sailing and snorkelling trip before we head back to Amman later in the afternoon.

Our tour of Jordan ends at our hotel in Amman. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Queen Alia International Airport (AMM).