Oman and Jordan
Twenty-one awe-inspiring days revelling in the cultural riches of the Middle East

Tour dates: March 15 - April 4, 2012

These two Middle Eastern countries remain oasis of calm and hospitality in a rather turbulent sea of unrest. I have just come back from nearly two weeks in Jordan and can assure you that it is completely safe for visitors and , in about two months' time I will have been to Oman too so will have first-hand reports on that Gulf nation very soon. But I am so happy we are retaining a Middle Eastern tour as I love this part of the world.

Jordan is wonderful- thousands of years of history including the Nabateans who built Petra, Roman Jerash and then all the Biblical associations around the Dead Sea, spectacularly beautiful Wadi Rum, superb Middle Eastern cuisine and especially for our tour, a stay in one of my favourite hotels in the world - the Movenpick Dead Sea resort.

Oman has desert forts, traditional Arab souks and stunning deserts - we'll experience the latter for ourselves when we spend a night in a luxury camp in the dunes. What makes this tour even more special is that in Petra, because I now have many friends there, you have a traditional meal in a family home and an extra special evening out in Little Petra, which is often missed out on other more hurried itineraries.

Click here find out more about this tour and request an information pack which has full details of our itinerary.

Tour price includes

• All airfares and taxes
• 1 night in Dubai
• Accommodation in 3-star, 4-star & 5-star hotels (plus 5-star luxury desert camp in Oman & a chalet in Jordan)
• All breakfasts and dinners in Oman & Jordan
• Visa for Jordan
• Group tipping
• Services of English-speaking local guides

Highlights

• Visit a stunning contemporary mosque in Muscat.
• Wander the lanes of one of the most authentic souks in the Middle East, in Muttrah, near Muscat.
• Sail the Gulf of Oman in a traditional dhow on an evening dinner cruise.
• Explore some of Oman’s unique and historic forts, including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bahla fort – a true trip back to the days of invasions and tribal warfare.
• Follow in the footsteps of legendary travellers Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta as we travel along the Omani coastline.
• Watch dhows being constructed in Sur – boats have been crafted here for hundreds of years.
• Spend a memorable night in a camp in the Wahiba dunes, described as “a perfect specimen of sand sea” and take the opportunity to learn how to ride a camel.
• Journey through Oman’s beautiful, historic and traditional interior with its mountains, canyons and wadis (river canyons) and old capital of Nizwa.
• Shop for pottery, fabric and silverware in village souks, taste local honey and dates and watch farmers haggling at a weekly livestock market.
• Be transported back to Roman times watching a chariot race at the Jerash hippodrome in Jordan.
• Have Biblical stories brought to life at Mt Nebo, where Moses was shown the Promised Land and at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, considered by many experts to be the actual baptism site of Jesus Christ.
• On a clear day, gaze across the historic Jordan Valley to distant Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Jericho.
• Float in the Dead Sea, absorb the amazing setting and maybe even indulge in a spa treatment or two.
• Swim, or at the very least, dip your toes into the waters of the Red Sea.
• View the mountains of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel during a sunset cruise on the Red Sea.
• Explore awesome Wadi Rum by four-wheel-drive and encounter local Bedouins en route.
• View the night sky above the desert with the help of top Jordanian astronomers.
• Taste the desert lifestyle during a night in a comfortable Bedouin-style camp in Wadi Rum.
• Be blown away by the Nabatean ruins of Petra, a wonder of the world and rightly so.
• Make the most of a free day in Petra to revisit the ruins, or climb to the High Places or simply relax in a local café.
• Meet several generations of Jordanians as we relish a farewell dinner in a local home.
• Enjoy Middle Eastern hospitality everywhere we go, along with delicious food and fantastic shopping.