~~ Islamic Tours ~~ JORDAN

Jordan is a kingdom layered in antiquity, from Nabataean cities to Mount Nebo where Prophet Musa (pbuh) was shown the Jordan Valley & the Land of Palestine for his wandering flock. From Roman Cities like Jerash to desert castles, Crusader forts and Byzantine mosaics. Jordan has a good infrastructure, a thriving business and cultural scene, first class hotels, restaurants and modern shopping Malls. The juxtaposition of old and new is astonishing. Just as overwhelming is Amman's sense of history, dating back 5,500 years to its position as the ancient capital of the Ammonites, Rabbath-Ammon of the Old Testament, and later as ‘Philadelphia’. The Roman city became part of the Decapolis with other cities in Syria & Palestine. Overlooking the city from atop Jabal al-Qala'a is the Citadel, the site of the ancient Rabbath-Ammon, at its foot lays the impressive Roman amphitheatre that is the most remarkable remnant of ancient Philadelphia.

The ancient rose-red city of Petra,, the jewel in the crown of Jordan's antiquities, has been declared one of the 'New' Seven Wonders of the World.

Carved into the rock & protected by rugged mountains on all sides, its Jordan's most famous attraction. One of the world's most spectacular ruins set within a deep canyon near the town of Wadi Musa.

To enter the city, visitors must first pass through a long, narrow chasm in the rock ‘the Siq’, it winds its way for almost a mile (1.5km) with steep inclining sides that come close to meeting 656ft (200m) above.

More than 2,000 years ago, a nomadic tribe from Arabia settled in the area and these Nabateans established Petra as their capital. It became a powerful fortress city that controlled the passage of traders, and grew prosperous from the caravans crossing their land carrying spices and riches from India and Arabia. From this wealth was created an astonishing city of monumental tombs, temples and decorative buildings carved from the solid rock, which still stands as a testament to the remarkable creativity and engineering prowess of the Nabateans.

Today's Petra is a staggering landscape of rock-carved monuments, amphitheatres, palaces, arched gateways, water channels and detailed carvings spread over a vast area. Dramatic tombs & temples unfold with each step taken further into the winding canyon, intricate facades cut into the soaring cliff faces dwarf the ubiquitous camel drivers, traders and tourists to insignificance.

Not to be outdone by Petra's stunning man-made beauty, is Wadi Rum’s other-worldly landscape. Lying 42 miles (68km) north of Aqaba, the scenery of Wadi Rum is acclaimed to be one of the most stunningly beautiful desert landscapes in the world and is a major tourist destination in Jordan. Towering mountains of weathered sandstone rise vertically from the pink desert sands where the vast emptiness and silence is breathtaking.

With the break-up of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I, the League of Nations created the French Mandate of Syria and British Mandate of Palestine. Approximately 90% of the British Mandate of Palestine was east of the Jordan River and was known as "Transjordan". In 1921, the British gave semi-autonomous control of Transjordan to the future King Abdullah I of Jordan, of the Hashemite family. Abdullah I continued to rule until a Palestinian Arab assassinated him in 1951 as he was departing from the Al-Aqsa Masjid in Jerusalem. At first he ruled "Transjordan", under British supervision until after World War II. In 1946, the British requested the United Nations to approve an end to British Mandate rule in Transjordan. Following this approval, the Jordanian Parliament proclaimed King Abdullah as the first ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Home | About us | Istanbul to Cairo | Spain & Morocco | City Breaks

For more information please telephone:

Brother Emad: 07541 221 200
Sister Umm Raya: 07541 221 201