Brigantes Walking Holidays

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brigantes Walking Holidays & Baggage Courier

 

(Pennine Way, Dales Way & The North of England)

 

 

 

 

Join us for a 14day tour to Jordan in October/November, 2008

 

This will be the holiday you will never forget!

The programme will include an opportunity to:

 

 -    Visit and swim in the Dead Sea, stay at its luxurious 5-star resort, and undertake an exciting “gorge walk” through the spectacular Wadi Mujib canyon, in ankle-deep warm volcanic water.

 

 -    A visit to the well-preserved Roman city of Jerash

 

 -    Visit the ancient “Rose-red” city of Petra,  Mt Nebo, from where Moses viewed the “promised land”, the Crusader castle at Kerak, and Madaba, with its ancient mosaics.

 

 -     A guided visit to Wadi Rumm, and its desert landscapes.

 

 -    A leisurely stay in the Red Sea town of Aqaba, with local visits, swimming, and scuba diving or snorkelling above the coral reefs, and some sun-bathing!

 

 -    A further special and spectacular trip via Wadi Rumm, through spectacular desert scenery to Mudawarra, on the border of Jordan and Saudi Arabia, to inspect the wrecked trains and railway bridges blown-up by T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) during the war against the Turks in 1917 – an unforgettable trip which very few Europeans are ever lucky enough to undertake. A short walk along the abandoned railway followed by a barbecued chicken meal in the desert prepared by our Bedouin driver, and concluded by witnessing a desert sunset during the return journey to Aqaba.

 

Accommodation for the tour will be provided in the five-star Movenpick Hotels at the Dead Sea resort (3 nights), Petra (2 nights), and at the new Intercontinental Hotel in Aqaba ( 7 nights)

 

The flight to Jordan is by Royal Jordanian Airlines scheduled flight from Heathrow to Amman, with the first overnight stay provided at the Intercontinental Hotel, in Amman.

 

Proposed departure date: Wednesday, 25th October 2006

 

Itinerary:

 

Day 1.  Wednesday, 29th October Depart Skipton by minibus for London Heathrow, connect with Royal Jordanian to Amman (RJ112 dep. 1705, arr. 0015) Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to the Continental Hotel, Amman, for an overnight stay.

 

Day 2.  Thursday, 30th. October After breakfast you depart for the Dead Sea, with sightseeing stops on the way. These will include Mt. Nebo, where Moses viewed the Promised Land, and a visit to the mountain-top church containing superb mosaics depicting hunting and pastoral scenes, and then a visit to the town of Madaba, famous for the ancient mosaic map of Palestine situated in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George.

Continue to the Dead Sea, for a 3-night stay at the Movenpick Dead Sea Hotel.

 

Day 3.  Friday, 31stst October Morning visit to Wadi Mujib – known as the Grand Canyon of Jordan, and a trek through the gorge, in ankle-deep warm volcanic water, under the supervision of an experienced guide.

The afternoon will be spent at leisure at the resort by the Dead Sea.

 

Day 4. Saturday, 1st November  A visit to the Roman city of Jerash, with its magnificently preserved colonnaded street, its unique oval-shaped forum, and the Triumphal Arch of the Emporer Hadrian.

Return to the Dead Sea for another overnight stay.

 

Day 5.  Sunday, 2nd November After breakfast, we depart for Petra via Kerak, and Wadi Musa. We stay at the Movenpick Hotel in Petra for 2 nights.

 

Day 6.  Monday, 3rd November A day-long guided walking tour of Petra, the “Rose-red city, half as old as time”, with opportunities for photography and archaeological exploration. This ancient Nabatean city was impregnable, and dominated the Middle East caravan routes for four centuries before being taken by the Romans in 106 A.D. 

A second night spent at the Petra Movenpick Hotel

 

Day 7.  Tuesday, 4ht November Depart this morning for a trip to Wadi Rumm in the Jordanian desert, with its spectacular desert scenery, and including a desert exploration of the area in a jeep. From here, we continue southwards to the Red Sea resort town of Aqaba, for a 7-night stay at the Intercontinental Hotel.

 

Day 8.  Wednesday, 5th November At leisure in Aqaba, - here you have many choices, exploring the “soukes”, scuba diving or snorkelling above the reefs, visit a famous aquarium, local walks, cafes, restaurants, or just relaxing on the fantastic private beach of the Intercontinental.

 

Day 9.  Thursday, 6th November At leisure in Aqaba.

 

Day 10. Friday, 7th November At Leisure in Aqaba.

 

Day 11. Saturday, 8th November Day trip to Mudawarra – on the Jordanian/Arabian border, 80 miles into the Hedjaz desert by jeep, via Wadi Rumm, to where Lawrence fought his guerrilla war against the Turks, by raids against the railway. Experience this spectacular desert terrain, the abandoned, partly rebuilt railway, with many destroyed bridges and trains still in evidence, and involving a short walk along the line, during which we have a barbecued chicken meal cooked over a brushwood fire, - a very interesting day out, and the highlight of the holiday.

 

Days 12, &13 Sunday, Monday,– At leisure either in Aqaba, or available for further tours of the region.

 

Day 15 Tuesday, 11th November  After breakfast, we are transported by coach to Amman airport, for the Royal Jordanian flight to London

(RJ111, dep. 1230, arr. Heathrow 1515) and home to Yorkshire by minibus.

  

The Hotels (5 star) – Bed & Breakfast basis

 

Movenpick Dead Sea Resort is a five star resort at the lowest spot on Earth, designed to resemble a traditional stone village, the complex has a river running through the centre, and extensive gardens which contribute to the tranquil atmosphere. Each beautifully appointed room has its own terrace or balcony. There is a choice of six restaurants featuring a variety of cuisine, a huge outdoor swimming pool, and a world-class health centre and spa, offering a variety of spa treatments, and with Dead Sea pools.

 

Movenpick Hotel – Petra, at the entrance to the Petra site, this luxurious hotel, with its authentic antiques and artworks, is one of the most notable hotels in the Middle East.

 Featuring an oriental architecture and intricate interior design, the resort offers 183 rooms and suites, a Wellness centre with pool, steam bath and gym, plus seven restaurants, lounges and bars.

 

Intercontinental Hotel – Aqaba, a new hotel, is located conveniently near the centre of Aqaba, overlooking the Red Sea, and has its own private beach.

All standard bedrooms are comfortably and elegantly furnished, and have views of the mountains. Each room has air-conditioning, cable television, mini bar, safe, and en-suite bathroom facilities. Other facilities at the hotel include four restaurants, two bars, a health club with gym, sauna, Jacuzzi, four swimming pools, massage, and a whirlpool.

 

 

The cost of this holiday is £1625-00 per person, based on two persons sharing a room, is on a Bed & Breakfast basis, and based on a minimum of 15 persons participating.

A £325-00 deposit per person is required at the time of booking. 

 

The price includes the following:

 

Flights to and from Amman in Economy class, by Royal Jordanian Airlines

Accommodation as described above, in the five-star Movenpick & Intercontinental Hotels.

Tours and site-seeing as described in the itinerary, including entrance fees, and an English speaking guide.

Breakfast provided at the hotels.

Return private transfers from airport to hotel

All transportation in a private coach or jeep, with driver.

Jeep tour of Wadi Rumm

One-day entrance fee to Petra.

International departure taxes

UK Air Passenger Duty tax and Passenger Service Charge

 

 

The price does not include the following:

Transportation to and from Heathrow Airport.

Tipping for porterage at hotels, guides and drivers (suggest you allow £30-00 per person to cover local tipping)

Visa for Jordan. British passport holders need a visa to visit Jordan (cost currently£33-00) and it is advisable to obtain one prior to leaving the U.K. (included free of charge for a group of 14 or more persons)

Travel insurance.

Items of a personal nature, such as evening meals, drinks, laundry, etc.

Any applicable departure taxes. (included free of charge for a party of 14 or more persons)

Evening excursion to Petra by candle-light – (£15-00 per person)

B.B.Q. lunch at Mudawarra

Single-room supplement - £475-00 per person.

 

Note:

It may be desirable to take an occasional evening meal in the hotel, in which case, payment can be made before leaving, by credit card (eg., Visa) but meals taken in local restaurants and cafes are generally cheap, enjoyable, and interesting.

 

Tour information

 

Departure Date ;    Wednesday, 29th October, 2008

 

Arrive Heathrow                       circa     1300 hrs 

Check-in time                                        1400 hrs

Flight to Amman by Royal Jordanian Airlines (Flight no. RJ112) departs 1705 hrs, arrives Amman 0010 hrs (midnight)

 

Return Date: Tuesday, 11th November, 2008

 

Depart 6-00am Aqaba for Amman by coach

Return flight by Royal Jordanian Airlines (Flight no. RJ 111) departs Amman 1230hrs, arrives Heathrow 1515 hrs

 

Jordanian visa required – cost £33-00 including handling fee, but see notes above.

 

Visas will be free of charge and available to us on arrival at Amman airport, when booked as a party.

If you require us to obtain a visa for you, we shall require a photocopy of your passport details, returned with the booking form.

 

Luggage – max. weight allowed is 20kg.per person

 

Passports – must be valid for a period of 6 months after the return date – i.e. until 9th May, 2009

 

Inoculations suggested – (not mandatory), are: Hepatitis “A”, Typhoid, and Tetanus

 

Holiday health and cancellation insurance to be arranged privately.

Currency is the Jordanian Dinar – approx. rate of exchange is 1.3JD/£1

Jordanian Dinars can be obtained through your local Post Office (allow 72 hours)

There are several banks in Aqaba where currency can be obtained, both at the counter, and from ATM’s, but it is suggested that you take sufficient currency with you to cover the first few days expenses.

N.B. – Payment of “extras” at the Movenpick and Intercontinental Hotels can be made by credit card.