New Year's in Wadi Rum - 8 Days

New Year's in Wadi Rum - 8 Days

128 Views
8 Days From

$1575

New Year's in Wadi Rum - 8 Days

8 Days Starting in Amman and ending in Dead Sea

Visiting: Amman, Jerash & Umm Qais, Mt Nebo & Umm ar Rasas, Petra, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea

Tour operator:

On The Go Tours

Tour code:

204/NYWR

Specialist Group:

Family/Kids

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

2 - 24

Age range:

18 years or 16 years with an accompanying adult

Special diets catered:

Vegetarians, Please contact On The Go Tours with specific dietary requests

Tour operated in:

English

Trip Styles:

Small Group, Special Events

From: $1575

NB: Prices correct on 22-Dec-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

NEW YEAR TOUR: Celebrate a festive Bedouin New Year’s Eve in the heart of the Wadi Rum Desert. Add the fascinating Lost City of Petra, bobbing in the Dead Sea, exploring Roman ruins, and you'll be kicking off your New Year in style pm this 8-day tour of Jordan!

Highlights

  • Amman - Explore this Ancient hilltop citadel with its fascinating Archaeological Museum and the bustling souqs

  • Jerash - Roam the ruins of the ancient Roman city

  • Umm ar-Rasas - Visit this ancient city and important stop on the caravan route between east and west with breathtaking views

  • Umm Qais - See the Roman Decapolis City, once a cultural centre and home to poets and great philosophers

  • Mt Nebo - Stand at one of the most sacred sites in Jordan with views across the Promised Land

  • Madaba - Stop into the Christian market town, Church of St George and Jordan’s finest Byzantine mosaics

  • Petra - Say hello to the UNESCO-listed Nabataean city that was all but lost to the modern world until its rediscovery in 1812

  • Wadi Rum - Witness this vast red desert landscape with rolling dunes and dramatic rock formations

  • Shobak Crusader Castle - Explore this magnificent castle perched dramatically on a hill top

  • Dead Sea - Float in the warm and buoyant mineral-rich waters

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1: Amman

Location: Amman

27 December. Once you arrive in Amman you are met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to spend at your leisure.

Day 2: Jerash & Umm Qais

Location: Jerash & Umm Qais

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Amman - Jerash - Umm Qais - Amman. Today we tour Jerash, arguably the world’s best-preserved Roman provincial city with whisper-perfect acoustics in the South Theatre, chariot-wheel marks in the paving stones of the Cardo and an exciting chariot race in the 2,000-year-old Hippodrome. Drive to Umm Qais (Biblical Gadara) to visit a dramatic black-basalt Roman Decapolis city, featuring great views over the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights. Later this evening, we head out for a meal and a stroll along Rainbow Street to experience modern Amman with its hip bars, rooftop restaurants, art studios, bookshops and curious.

Day 3: Mt Nebo & Umm Ar Rasas

Location: Mt Nebo & Umm ar Rasas

Meals Included: Breakfast

Amman - Madaba - Mount Nebo - Umm ar Rasas - Petra. Today we tour the citadel and Archaeological Museum of Amman before we take a walk through the bustling local souk to enjoy typical Jordanian street treats of falafel and hummus at the country’s most popular local street stand. As the pictures on the wall will prove, the unglamorous food stand was a great favourite of the late King Hussein.





Leaving Amman we’ll stop first at Mt. Nebo, the site from which Moses saw the Promised Land. Having led the Israelites for 40 years through the wilderness, Moses finally saw them from this impressive vantage point. This amazing panorama includes the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, Jericho and the spires and domes of the Mt. of Olives and Bethlehem on the Judean Hills just across the wide valley. Later, we visit Madaba en route to Petra where we see the Church of St George, the Madaba Archaeological Park, Apostles Church and Madaba Museum.





Our next port of call is Um ar-Rasas, one of Jordan’s World Heritage sites and once an important stop on the busy caravan routes. The impressive mosaic floor of the St. Stephen Church features medallions commemorating all the early Christian pilgrimage sites of the region, and the extensive ruins also include one of the area’s earliest Stylite towers, where a Byzantine hermit lived atop the tower and preached to the pilgrimage visitors.





Day 4: Petra

Location: Petra

Meals Included: Breakfast

Begin the day with a walk through the mysterious mile-long Siq, the narrow gorge with towering sandstone walls which leads into the ancient capital city of the Nabatean trading empire. Explore the Khazneh (the temple of Indiana Jones fame), Theatre, colonnaded street and museum. After lunch, climb to ad-Deir (the Monastery), Petra’s largest carved façade.



Travelling in 2024? Consider the Petra by Night excursion available to book locally (approx. USD$25), for a tantalizing candlelight stroll through Petra’s Siq.

NOTE: Not available on our 2023 New Year tour

Day 5: Wadi Rum

Location: Wadi Rum

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Petra - Wadi Rum. This morning we have the opportunity to join our guide for a return visit to Petra, along the “secret way” of al-Madras, with visits to the High Place of Sacrifice and Wadi Farasa. At mid-day we’ll make a stop in the Wadi Musa souk to pick up shawarma sandwiches and fruit and veggie snacks from the local produce souk before making the scenic drive to Wadi Rum. We board our after 4x4 jeeps and tour the moonscape desert terrain, arriving to our remote camp site, deep in the heart of the Wadi Rum Protected Area.





See out the old year at a Bedouin NY party featuring folkloric dancing, Bedouin musicians, hands-on demonstrations of traditional Bedouin coffee and bread making, fireworks and more….along with a lavish buffet dinner and champagne toast at midnight.

Day 6-7: Dead Sea

Location: Dead Sea

Meals Included: Breakfast

Wadi Rum - Shobak - Dead Sea. Happy New Year! After breakfast at our campsite on day 6, we head north along the Desert Highway to visit Shobak Castle, which is perched dramatically on a hill top and was built by the Crusader King Baldwin I in 1115. After exploring the castle we descend some 1300 meters to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the earth’s surface. More than 400 meters below sea level, the mineral-rich Dead Sea is the world’s original health and beauty spa. Bob in the waters and slap on some of the famous black Dead Sea mud to give your skin an invigorating boost.





Day 7 is free to further relax and pamper yourself at the Dead Sea. Enjoy this natural phenomena, whiling away the time bobbing in the mineral rich buoyant waters and lathering up with a detoxifying mud bath.

Day 8: Dead Sea

Location: Dead Sea

Meals Included: Breakfast

03 January. Dead Sea - Amman Airport. Hotel check out and included onward transfer to the airport in Amman. Departure transfers are offered on day 8 at 23:00 (evening of day 7), 04:00, 07:00, 09:00, 12:00 and 16:00. If you would like a departure transfer at any other time or a transfer with post tour accommodation this can be arranged, please enquire.





If you have extra time and wish to head back to Amman, why not book our 2 day end in Amman add on? Perfect for those who wish to spend more time in Jordan's ancient capital, Amman.



For information about visas, top travel tips and much more, take a look through our [[travel guide|126583]].



What's Included

  • Accommodation
    4 star hotels & 1 night deluxe desert camp in Wadi Rum

  • Breakfast daily and 2 dinners, plus New Year’s Bedouin Party at the Wadi Rum Desert Camp

  • 6 nights 4 star hotels

  • 1 night Wadi Rum desert camp - en suite tents with beds and bedding

  • Wadi Rum - 4x4 desert safari through the sand dunes

  • Dead Sea - Free time to swim and detox

  • Touring - Amman, Jerash, Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum, Shobak, Umm ar-Rasas, Mt Nebo and Madaba

  • Escorted by a licensed Jordanian tour guide and English speaking specialist guides at some local sights

  • Airport arrival transfer on day 1 and departure transfer is offered on day 8 at 23:00 (day 7), 04:00, 07:00, 09:00, 12:00 and 16:00 only

  • All relevant transfers and transportation in private modern air-conditioned vehicles

What's Not Included

  • International flights and visa (see Trip Notes for further information about visas)

  • Tip for your tour guide. We recommend you allow USD$5-7 per day, per traveller. Tipping your guide is an entirely personal gesture

  • Entrance Fees: USD$140-160pp, paid in local currency

Age Policy

18 years or 15 years with an accompanying adult

Check out our Q&As

  • What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?

    4 star hotels & 1 night deluxe desert camp in Wadi Rum

  • What is the maximum group size?

    24

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Since 1998

  • Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?

    With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes

Reviews of this operator

Nicola Hodgkinson (Google Reviewer)  

Recently returned from Greece, a...

07-May-2024

Recently returned from Greece, a 5 day tour with OTG. Unfortunately, I had a negative experience on day 2 where I needed local support to get me out of a tricky situation. Thank you to Alexandra Z from Hetco Tours in Athens for helping me continue on with the trip, to the Hotel Zafolia staffing team and to Danielle and team here in the UK for supporting me with the aftermath. Your kindness will not be forgotten and I will pay it forward. I've now booked 3 trips with yourselves and will continue to go back. Thank you all. Honestly, I am SO grateful. Blessings to you all. Nicola

Calvin  

Wonderful experience

05-Jan-2023

Jamal is our tour guide. Right from the start, he created a group chat in whatsapp and if any issues to make sure we contact him. He was on the ball with every issue thrown at him. Luggage being left behind, stragglers wondered off in a different path, hotel room etc. He explains the various site along our route to give us a better understanding of the local cultures. We had a great time, thanks to Jamal.

Trustpilot
Norma Sullivan  

Land of the Northern Lights 5 day tour of Iceland

10-Sep-2021

The Land of Northern Lights tour was a triumph! My tour of Southern Iceland was absolutely wonderful. The venues chosen, the timing allotted at each venue and the variety of things to experience was nearly perfect. Our guide, "Thor", was smart, amusing, full of history and anecdotal stories as well as being incredibly hospitable and helpful. This small group experience was my first, but not my last thanks to On the Go.

Trawls (Google Reviewer)  

On The Go Tours Sri...

05-Feb-2024

On The Go Tours Sri Lanka was an incredible experience that was made even better by our tour guide Akthar. He was incredibly knowledgeable about his country and he loved sharing it with us. The tour covers a wide range of activities so you can truly experience what Sri Lanka is all about. The beautiful 4-5 star hotels at the end of every day was an absolute bonus. Thanks for a great trip OTGT I’m sure this won’t be my last

Xtreme Floor Care (Google Reviewer)  

Traveled through Egypt with On...

30-Nov-2023

Traveled through Egypt with On the Go Tours, professional service, very informative and helpful tour guides. The choice of hotels was excellent... Definitely recommend this company

Gavin Harrigan  

King Tutankhamun 10 day tour of Egypt

16-Sep-2021

I have just returned from my tour with On The Go and it was an amazing trip! From arriving at the airport and meeting the OTG representative, everything was well organised and hassle free.  Our tour guide was Amir. He is awesome!! From the beginning he was so friendly and enthusiastic about showing us around Egypt, giving us loads of information at each place and time to explore ourselves. Learnt so much from him about this fascinating place, and he was always happy to answer more questions.   The trip itself was amazing. There's lots of travelling on this trip, but it's really not too bad, and the sights you see when you get to where you are going are worth it. I'm not a big fan of boats, but the Felluca ride across the Nile was pretty fun too.  On the first day I also did the optional tour of Cairo with Ahmed Helal - another excellent guide from OTG. It's worth doing this add on as you don't spend much time in Cairo, and you go to three very different places.  I'm so glad that I decided to do this trip. It was just ace.  If you're thinking about it too, you should probably just book it. And hopefully you get Amir as your guide.

Joyce Heitler (Google Reviewer)  

I would give this tour...

09-May-2024

I would give this tour group no stars if possible. The tour was not guaranteed but they did not inform me when I booked and they did not have enough people. Way after I booked they said I needed a doctors letter because I was over 70. Also way after booking I was informed I needed travel insurance. They knew my age when I booked. They would not refund my tour even though it was 4 months away.

Simla Patel (Google Reviewer)  

This company doesn’t deserve even...

26-Nov-2024

This company doesn’t deserve even 1 star. I would not recommend this company. There are hidden fees which means the cost of the holiday ends up being very expensive. We recently came back from our trip to China where it is not customary to tip in restaurants & hotel staff. Yet we had to make a payment upfront in cash to to the guide for more than £100. The hotel service was appalling. Just think £100 from each person. The trip was suppose to be a Tour yet we had to pay for all entrance fees. We complained about the poor condition of the hotels but no one responded to our emails to date. The after sales service is non existent. Do not use this company. Far far too expensive for what you get. Not competitive at all. They messed up our booking; repeatedly asked for the same information. We spent so much time correcting their errors. Very difficult to get hold of anyone because they all work in S Africa or New Zealand. Absolute nightmare

Sarah Paterson (Google Reviewer)  

Terrible tour of India. For...

27-Dec-2023

Terrible tour of India. For some reason On the Go hadn't realised that my room mate had booked her own room for the first night of tour. So the hotel in Delhi had tried to put me in her room after midnight, by wheeling in an extra bed. She went Crazy!! I then had to sit in hotel reception for hours. While the tour guide said he couldn't find me a room. Throughout the tour the guide consistently ask me and my room mate for money for my room, causing more friction between us. Don't book with this company had the worst experience ever. Go with Intrepid or G Adventure

brandy hoffman (Google Reviewer)  

I had used them once...

09-Aug-2023

I had used them once before and loved them. I decided to try them again for a Baltic tour not knowing that they put me on another Tour group- Baltic vision. Loved that tour but was not impressed they marked up the cost for me over 100%. I understand taking some for yourself because of paperwork, but over double the cost everyone else paid on the tour. Just double check before you book with them that you’re not over paying.

Save on this tour

Request your exclusive discount code now and unlock savings for your next adventure!

Send me one now.

1 Select your preferred date

Friday - Friday

Dec 27, 2024 - Jan 03, 2025
$1575
Prices last published on 22-Dec-2024

Book with Confidence

  • Low Deposit

    On The Go Tours requires a minimum deposit of 600 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of on the go tours charges.

    Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

Enquire for huge savings

Rated 5* on Trust Pilot & ABTA Protected.

By submitting this form, I accept Travel Club Elites terms & conditions and privacy policy.

Similar Tours