Pictures from the Jordan

Following the Footsteps of Moses & Jesus

A Pilgrimage to Jordan

Led by:

The Rev. Orion Davis
Worldwide Pilgrimage Ministries

April 16 – 25, 2015

Trip map

DAY 1, Thursday, April 16, 2015 - Depart from JFK International Airport in New York on Royal Jordanian Airlines for your non-stop transatlantic flight.  Meals on the aircraft. D

DAY 2: Friday, April 17, 2015 - We will arrive in Amman, Jordan where we will clear immigration and meet our driver and guide and transfer to our Amman hotel for dinner and overnight. D

DAY 3: Saturday, April 18, 2015 - We will visit Jerash, a close second to Petra on the list of favorite destinations in Jordan.  The ancient city boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years and fantastic ruins from the Christian era.  Jerash, known in Biblical times as Gerasa, is considered the best preserved of the Biblical Decapolis Cities.  We continue to Aljun Castle, a fortress built by a commander and nephew of Saladin in AD 1184-1185.  The fortress is considered one of the very few built to protect the country against Crusader attacks from Karak in the south and Bisan in the west.  From its location, the fortress controlled the three main passages that led to it, Wadi Kufranjah, Wadi Rajeb and Wadi al-Yabes, and protected the communication routes between south Jordan and Syria.  We will return to Amman for dinner and overnight. BD

DAY 4: Sunday, April 19, 2015 - We travel south along the Kings Highway and stop at Madaba to see the remains of the mosaic map of the Middle East and Jerusalem.  The Madaba Mosaic Map is a unique piece of art made in the 6th century A.D. as a decoration for the pavement of a church in the town of Madaba.  At that time Madaba was part of the so called Provincia Arabia, and was inhabited by Aramaic speaking Christians descendant from the ancient biblical people of the Moabites.  The mosaic was discovered accidentally about one hundred years ago (in 1897) while constructing a new church for the Greek-Orthodox Arab community, which was then settling on the very ruins of the ancient town of Madaba.  Now on to Mt. Nebo where Moses viewed the Promised Land and from the mountain top, you will see the Jordan Valley, Jericho and the Judean Hills beyond.  We will continue to Wadi Rum in the Jordanian desert where we will celebrate Holy Eucharist and overnight in tents at Milky Way Camp. BD

DAY 5: Monday, April 20, 2015 - Wadi Rum is one of the greatest natural landscapes in the world.  This area gets its name because it is the largest and most magnificent of the network of Wadis (valleys) that make up the easiest trade route for the caravans and the nomadic Bedouins to the Arabian Peninsula.  We will take a half day jeep trek to explore the landscape and share a picnic lunch.  We will continue to Petra for our dinner and overnight. BLD

DAY 6: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 - We have a full day to explore this city also known as the Red Rose City of Petra which some historians equate with Sela, a town in which the Israelites had a famous victory over the local Edomites.  We will have the choice to walk to the site or to take a carriage ride through the dramatic “siq” or canyon.  We will see the Treasury, carved in pink stone, and continue past the Roman Theatre, the Corinthian Tomb and Palace Tomb.  As we continue we see the theatre, the Roman Soldier Tomb, the Columbarium and much more as we make our way to the High Place of Sacrifice located at the top of Jabal Mount.  The High Place of Sacrifice is considered to be the oldest major cultic facility in Petra.  We visit the museum and, for those who take the 60 minute walk to the Monastery, they will be rewarded with the best sites in Petra.  Dinner and overnight at Petra. BD

DAY 7: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 - We leave Petra this morning and have the opportunity to hike in the Mujib Nature Reserve, the lowest nature reserve in the world.  Created in 1987 by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, the reserve boasts 300 species of plants, 10 species of carnivores, and the abundant variety of birds which makes the reserve a must for serious bird watchers.  The afternoon will be free to enjoy the resort and the environs of the Dead Sea on your own.  Dinner and overnight at the Dead Sea. BD

DAY 8: Thursday, April 23, 2015 - We depart from the Dead Sea Area and travel to ancient Machaerus, known today as Mukawir.  It was at Machaerus, according to Josephus, that John was imprisoned, and Herodias' daughter Salome danced and demanded the Baptist's head on a platter.  We continue to Bethany Beyond the Jordan, considered to be the true Baptismal site of Jesus.  Here we will renew our Baptismal vows before returning to Amman for dinner and overnight. BD

DAY 9: Friday, April 24, 2015 - Today we will tour the bustling capital city of Jordan, Amman. Philadelphia, as Amman was known in Biblical times, is another of the Decapolis Cities.  We will visit the ancient Amman Citadel, a national historic site at the center of downtown Amman.  Known in Arabic as Jabal al-Qal'a, the L-shaped hill is one of the seven jabals that originally made up Amman.  Evidence of occupation since the Neolithic period abound.  The Amman Citadel’s history represents significant civilizations that stretched across continents and prospered for centuries, as one empire gave rise to the next.  It also symbolizes the birth of the three great monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  We will have a “gala farewell dinner” and overnight in Amman. BD

DAY 10: Saturday, April 25, 2015 - We will transfer to the Amman airport where we bid our guide and driver goodbye and board Royal Jordanian Airlines for our nonstop flight back to the USA arriving at JFK this afternoon. BD

Price: $2,699.00.  Pricing is estimated based on a minimum of 15 travelers.  Airline taxes and fuel surcharges are NOT included and estimated to be $500 +  Roundtrip air from New York JFK airport.  Air transportation available from other cities.  Single supplement $699.00.

Deposit of $300 per person due by November 1, 2014.

Final Payment due February 1, 2015

Cancellation Penalties
◊ Until January 1, 2015:  $100 plus any unrecoverable fees
◊ January 2 – January 31, 2015:  $300 plus any unrecoverable fees
◊ February 1, 2015 or later:  NO REFUND

An application for travel insurance will be included with the receipt for your deposit.  We strongly recommend that you seriously consider this coverage.

Meals: B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner, S Snack

The itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions or at the discretion and direction of the leader or guide.